The Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble performed here in Detroit on Sunday, November 6th at the Detroit School of Arts in Midtown Detroit. The performance was presented by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History and sponsored by Ford Motor Company. I was blessed to take two of my girlfriends to the performance, one who was a former dancer and another who’d never been to the ballet.
We witnessed a range of works including The Joplin Dances (excerpts) performed to a live piano performance of Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag, Episode, In the Mirror of Her Mind and Return. We were awed and moved by the unmatched artistry, skill and talent of the DTHE dancers. The audience was also delighted by a suite of four funky fresh dances performed to James Brown and Aretha Franklin hits. This was my first time attending a live performance of the Dance Theatre of Harlem and it was the best I’ve ever seen. This is one ballet company that should not be missed! Check out the following performance video.
Below is another video of the Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts exhibit. This exhibition will be on view at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History from June 16 until December 21, 2011.
lucky you. here they are right up yonder (in nyc, I’m on long island). I wouldn’t mind going to see them perform, I just don’t want to get lost going into nyc (and that has happened to me when I used to come home for college trying to take the subways there). Glad you had a good time.
You should do it!!! They are worth seeing, for real!! Their performance lifts your spirit…you must go and soon!