Boulder Ballet is starting the new year off with a program featuring the work of three Black choreographers called “Black Voices of Dance.”
The show, which runs Feb. 24-27, also celebrates Black History Month, which is in February.
The program includes three world premiers of the work of Gregory Dawson, Sidra Bell and Amy Hall Garner, the most prestigious Black choreographers at the moment. There are five total performances at the Dairy Arts Center (Feb. 24 at 7 p.m., Feb. 25 at 7 p.m., Feb 26 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.), plus an additional performance at the Lakewood Cultural Center (March 5, 7:30 p.m.). Tickets start at $25.
After each show, there will be talkbacks to discuss the performances. Boulder Ballet is also offering masterclasses with Dawson and Bell for intermediate and advanced dancers. Dawson’s masterclass was held Feb. 19 and Bell’s masterclass will be Saturday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. The drop-in class price is $20.
Here are biographies for each choreographer:
Gregory Dawson
Dawson serves as artistic director of dawsondancesf, assistant chair of dance for the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) and faculty member for the Alonzo King LINES Ballet BFA and Professional Training programs. He’s a former dancer with LINES Ballet, where he created more than 100 new works for LINES’ educational programs. He’s also choreographed 25 new pieces for dawsondancesf, and is frequently commissioned to choreograph works for organizations like Boston Conservatory, Menlowe Ballet, Robert Moses’ Kin, Webster University, Tacoma Metropolitan Ballet, University of Missouri-Kansas City and Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company.
Sidra Bell
Bell is a choreographer and educator who founded Sidra Bell Dance New York. She’s also a master lecturer at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, an adjunct professor LINES Ballet/Dominican University and an adjunct professor at Ball State University in Indiana. She’s also founder and creative director of the MODULE Laboratory, a New York City immersive platform for movement and theater artists.
Amy Garner Hall
Hall is from Huntsville, Alabama, and graduated from The Juilliard School. Her work has been commissioned by Ailey II, ABT Studio Company, Collage Dance Collective, The Juilliard School, The Ailey School, Barnard College, The University of the Arts, Columbia Ballet Collaborative, Point Park University and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. She has worked virtually with BalletX, Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Guggenheim Museum’s Works & Process Digital Series, ABT Studio Company, Boulder Ballet, Miami City Ballet and Paul Taylor American Modern Dance. Hall coached Beyoncé and provided additional choreography for The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. She also serves as an adjunct professor at New York University’s New Studio on Broadway at Tisch School of the Arts.
Boulder Ballet Focuses on Diversity
In August 2020, Boulder Ballet restructured its management team, which included the appointment of Lance Hardin as artistic director, Claudia Anata Hubiak as executive director, Ana Claire as school director and Amy Earnest as program director.
Hardin, who most recently worked as co-director of Reif Dance in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, said he is excited to help diversify Boulder Ballet’s offerings.
“I am grateful and honored to be given this opportunity to share my artistic vision with an organization that I love,” Hardin said of his appointment. “Diversity in education, movement and expression are my goals. While leaning on tradition, my efforts will be to drive the company to new heights through introspection, investigation and exploration. Boulder Ballet will continue to be an organization whose strength is sharing the talents of its community of dancers.”
