Dance Justice Deliverance: Dance Theatre of Harlem
Thomas DeFrantz, Ph.D.
Join us for an exploration of legacies of the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) on Thursday, January 18th at 2:00pm.
Thomas DeFrantz, PhD, P. Kimberleigh Jordan, PhD, and U professor Joselli Audain Deans, EdD, will discuss the organization’s history and its place as a leading ambassador of American culture.
These researchers are currently engaged in a publication project about DTH. Their collaboration began due to concurrent requests for DeFrantz to work on a text of DTH and Deans receiving a Mellon-funded grant from the Transformative Intersectional Collective (housed in the School for Cultural & Social Transformation at the University of Utah).
P. Kimberleigh Jordan, Ph.D.
It is fitting that this presentation is a special MLK week event since Dance Theatre of Harlem was founded in 1969 because of Dr. King’s assassination. Moved by this tragedy, its co-founder Arthur Mitchell, the first American Black ballet star, wanted to give back to his community, and create a school and company to show that it is artistic excellence that matters not skin color.
All the anthology contributors, apart from chief editor DeFrantz, are academics that were part of the performing groups of the Dance Theatre of Harlem. “The need for this publication is crucial since dance history texts have minimalized or neglected this organization and all its accomplishments in American ballet’s historical cannon. Many young dancers do not even know of its existence, let alone the barriers Dance Theatre of Harlem surmounted,” said Deans.
Joselli Audain Deans, Ed.D.
DTH performed on six continents, in famous venues across the globe, and at major events such as the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics. They were also specially invited to perform for Queen Mother of the Royal Family in London, and for Nelson Mandela in South Africa, among others.
Come and learn how this large arts organization continues to work to inspire communities toward a shared destiny of artistry, social justice, and shared spiritual possibilities embodied through ballet.