The Dance Theatre of Harlem will perform at the Broad Stage for only two nights, April 20 and 21.
The eclectic program of neo-classical and contemporary ballet consists of three pieces: Brahms Variations choreographed by Robert Garland (2016), Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven choreographed by Ulysses Dove (1993) and Vessels choreographed by Darrell Grand Moultrie (2014).
The inspiration for the ballet Brahms Variations by resident choreographer Robert Garland is Louis XIV, French Patron of the Arts and grandfather of the ballet canon. A Harlem version of the French monarch, Arthur Mitchell, was a big influence in Garland’s life, so, the ballet sort of ends up being Louis the XIV’s court meeting Harlem swag.
Subtitled Odes to Love and Loss, Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven was choreographed for the Royal Swedish Ballet in 1993 during a challenging period in Ulysses Dove’s life when he lost 13 close friends and relatives, including his father. Dove explains, “I want to tell an experience in movement, a story without words, and create a poetic monument over people I loved.” Set to Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten, Dove’s spare but demanding choreography invites both dancer and viewer to live in each moment as if it were the last.
Darrell Grand Moultrie’s Vessels is a tour de force that draws on the energetic artistry of a new generation of company artists. In this piece, Moultrie passes on his knowledge and inspiration as a creative artist to the young dancers so they can carry forward the promise and potential of their legacy.
The Dance Theatre of Harlem has deep roots in the Civil Rights era; it was founded in 1969 with a mission of empowering black youth.
For more information and tickets, please visit www.thebroadstage.org.