The Philadelphia Dance Company (also known as Philadanco) is a professional

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

company based in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, that specializes in

contemporary dance Contemporary dance is a genre of dance performance that developed during the mid-twentieth century and has since grown to become one of the dominant genres for formally trained dancers throughout the world, with particularly strong popularity in ...

. The organization was founded in 1970 by Artistic Director

Joan Myers Brown Joan Myers Brown (born 25 December 1931) is an American dance instructor. Early life and education Brown is the only child of Nellie Lewis, a nuclear scientist, and Julius Myers, a chef and restaurateur, born on 25 December 1931 in Philadelphia. ...

. The company tours both nationally and internationally in addition to their regular appearances locally at the

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is a large performing arts venue at 300 South Broad Street and the corner of Spruce Street, along the stretch known as the Avenue of the Arts in Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is owned an ...

, the

Painted Bride Art Center The Painted Bride Art Center, sometimes referred to informally as The Bride, is a non-profit artist-centered performance space and gallery particularly oriented to presenting the work of local Philadelphia artists, which presents dance, jazz, w ...

, and other venues in the Philadelphia area. Part of the company's tour schedule is supported by the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

' Regional Arts Touring Program and the

Pennsylvania Council on the Arts The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) is an agency serving the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Its mission is to strengthen the cultural, educational, and economic vitality of Pennsylvania's communities through the arts. This mission is paired wit ...

History

The Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco) was created in 1970 by Joan Myers Brown with the intention to provide a dance institution for African-American students who were not welcome in other schools and dance institutes.

Divisions

Philadanco conducts programs that are divided into four main components: the professional company, D/2 Apprentice Company, an Instruction and Training Program, and a Summer Training Program.

Professional Company

The professional company of Philadanco is an internationally recognized modern dance company. The company provides many performances throughout the year via domestic and international tours, and at their home theater, Philadelphia's Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, during the months of fall and spring. Philadanco also established the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD), an organization that allows the black dance community to address common issues, pool their resources, and establish collaborations which result in beneficial advancements to the dance community as a whole.

D/2

D/2 is the apprentice training company for Philadanco's professional company. It claims to provide unrivaled experience opportunities for young dancers who are not prepared to make the full transition to the world of professional dance. D/2 is under the instruction of Donald T. Lunsford, and when smaller organizations request a Philadanco performance, D/2 is able to fill the void that might have been left due to the professional company's hectic performance schedule.

Instruction and Training Program

Philadanco's Instruction and Training Program is a forty-week experience, during which members attend classes with nationally recognized dance instructors. This program is the foundation of Philadanco's structure as it allows the young people of Philadelphia early and intense exposure to dance in the hopes that their talents will serve to raise the caliber of Philadanco's future apprentice and professional companies. Students receive training in numerous styles of dance including:

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

African African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...

, tap, and specific modern techniques such as established by

Katherine Dunham Katherine Mary Dunham (June 22, 1909 – May 21, 2006) was an American dancer, choreographer, anthropologist, and social activist. Dunham had one of the most successful dance careers of the 20th century, and directed her own dance company for ma ...

and

Lester Horton Lester Iradell Horton (23 January 1906 – 2 November 1953) was an American dancer, choreographer, and teacher. Early years and education Lester Iradell Horton was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on 23 January 1906. His parents were Iradell and Poll ...

. Their annual concert, “Danco on Danco” allows the students to demonstrate their dance and choreographic skills acquired through the Instruction and Training Program.

Summer Training Program

Through the summer, Philadanco redirects its focus to preparing younger students for entry into the Instruction and Training Program. Although students from the Instruction and Training program commonly participate in both outlets, the summer program can act as an intense 'crash-course', providing insight to the rigors of a dancer's lifestyle. Training is provided in the three core genres of dance: ballet, jazz, and modern.

Repertory (Repertoire)

Philadanco's repertory includes numerous works from pioneers of modern dance such as Christopher Huggins and

Jawole Willa Jo Zollar Jawole Willa Jo Zollar (born December 21, 1950) is an United States, American dancer, teacher and choreographer of modern dance. She is the founder of the Urban Bush Women dance company. Biography One of six children, she was born Willa Jo Zollar ...

. The professional company's original choreographies and choreographers have been inspiring mentors to other emerging companies in the area. The prevalence of these original works serve as a testament to Philadanco's artistic abilities as they have weathered the challenges faced by many Black modern dance companies. Below is a list of the pieces currently included in Philadanco's repertory: * Back to Bach, by Eleo Pomare * Ballet: The Blues and the Bible – Genesis, by Geoffrey Holder * Between Earth and Home, by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar * Blue, by Christopher L. Huggins * Circular Ruins, by Elisa Monte * Echoes: A Celebration of

Alvin Ailey Alvin Ailey Jr. (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) was an American dancer, director, choreographer, and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). He created AAADT and its affiliated Alvin Ailey American Dance Cente ...

, by Milton Myers * Elegy by Gene Hill Sagan * Enemy Behind the Gates, Christopher Huggins * Everything is Everything, by Lynne Taylor-Corbett * For Mother, by Ronald K. Brown * Forces of Rhythm, by Louis Johnson * Gate Keepers, by Ronald K. Brown * Hand Singing Songs, by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar * Labess II, by David Brown * My Science, by Bebe Miller * Natural Flirt, by Trey McIntyre * Steal Away, by Alonzo King * Sweet in the Mornin, by Leni Wylliams * Temple of my Listening, Eva M. Gholson * Trance Atlantic, by Walter Nicks * Xmas Philes, by Daniel Ezralow

Dancers

* Ja'Vonna Blake * Elyse Browning * Edward Gillis * Allan Harmon * Joy Heller * Catherine Kreide * Marlean Post * Jasmine Powell * Monica Rhea * Anthony Silver * Subira Taylor * Kendal Williams

Community Outreach

In addition to providing dance education, Philadanco is an active participant in the arts community and a strong supporter of arts education. A few of the company's more notable accomplishments include * Establishment of the International Association of Blacks in Dance ( IABD). * Being the pilot dance company to participate in the state of Pennsylvania's Comprehensive Education Training Act to create an arts training program. * Providing an extension of The Philadelphia School of Dance Arts, and providing underprivileged dancers with opportunities for scholarships and work-study programs to ensure arts education to all.

References

External links

Official Website of The Philadelphia Dance Company
{{DEFAULTSORT:Philadelphia Dance Company 1970 establishments in Pennsylvania Culture of Philadelphia Dance companies in the United States Performing groups established in 1970 Organizations based in Philadelphia Dance in Pennsylvania