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DANCE IN AMERICA: DANCING IN THE LIGHT premiered on June 20, 2007 on PBS (check local listings).
In June 2001, DANCE IN AMERICA presented the critically acclaimed, three-hour series FREE TO DANCE, a landmark project chronicling the role that African-American dancers and choreographers have played in the development of modern dance as an American art form. It was highlighted by several dance milestones that were filmed especially for the series and interwoven throughout the historical narrative. However, due to time limitations, only brief excerpts from the dances could be included in the original series. In association with the American Dance Festival (the series producer of FREE TO DANCE), DANCE IN AMERICA presents an all-performance program featuring complete or extended dance sequences that were not included in the original series, spotlighting the work of pioneering choreographers Asadata Dafora, Katherine Dunham, Talley Beatty, Donald McKayle, Pearl Primus, and Bill T. Jones. Actor Taye Diggs (HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK, KEVIN HILL, DAY BREAK) hosts.
The six historic dances included in DANCING IN THE LIGHT were filmed at the American Dance Festival (ADF). Founded in 1934, ADF presents, teaches, commissions, preserves, and promotes modern dance nationally and internationally; it has been the scene of more than 570 premieres. Learn more about each of the featured compositions, which are presented in chronological order, in the dance list. For biographies of
and interviews with the program's noted choreographers and other artists, essays about the contributions of African Americans to modern dance, milestones in African-American dance history, a directory of books and additional online resources, lesson plans for teachers, and more, explore the FREE TO DANCE Web companion.
Special funding for DANCING IN THE LIGHT was provided by the Irene Diamond Fund and the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust.
Top banner photos: G.D. Harris performs "Awassa Astrige/Ostrich" and the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company in "Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder" (all photos by Andy Snow).
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Donald McKayle's "Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder." |
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Katherine Dunham's jazz-inspired "Barrelhouse Blues." |
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The DVD is available. |
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