Deeply Rooted Presents July Summer Dance Intensive Performances

DEEPLY ROOTED WELCOMES GUEST ARTISTS FOR
SUMMER DANCE INTENSIVE, EMERGING CHOREOGRAPHERS SHOWCASE
FINAL PERFORMANCES JULY 19 AND 20 AT THE LOGAN CENTER

Deeply Rooted Dance Theater (DRDT) contributes to the future of the field of dance with its annual Summer Dance Intensive, for 70+ national and international students from ages 13 to 70, June 24–July 20 at its home studio, 17 N. State Street in downtown Chicago. The Intensive culminates in performances July 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. at the Reva and David Logan Center, 915 E. 60th Street in Hyde Park.

Under the leadership of Dance Education Director Nicole Clarke-Springer, Summer Dance Intensive participants engage in a rigorous curriculum fostering learning and personal growth, along with opportunities to experience the company’s repertoire through workshops and performances. The program’s Pre-Professional/Professional Division for ages 16 and older and the Youth program (ages 13–15) learn technique and DRDT repertoire. Guest artists include Terence M. Greene, founder, CEO and artistic director of The Greene Works Project and program manager for Tri-C Creative Arts Dance Academy, and Krystal Hall-Glass, past  dance director for Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center and the famed Harlem School of the Arts and currently president and founder of Krystal Glass (e)Motion By Design, a support company that maximizes the performance, professionalism and presentation of dancers and like organizations. 

 

Led by Company and Artistic Team member Joshua L. Ishmon, the Emerging Choreographers Showcase (ECS), an advanced division of the Intensive that begins June 10, provides an environment for emerging choreographers and dancers to cultivate creativity, deepen technical skill and gain performance experience. Also serving as a platform for established choreographers, ECS provides an opportunity for further exploration of choreographic approach. This summer's guest choreographers include Shaness Kemp, a certified Umfundalai teacher who has taught at various institutions, festivals and intensives, and Jamal White, who has created work for Southern Methodist University, Dean College, London Contemporary Dance School, Kent State University, BODYTRAFFIC, Los Angeles Jewish Symphony and The Ailey School.

Mature H.O.T. (Health-conscious, Optimistic and Triumphant) Women, a year-round program that provides technical training and repertory workshops to strengthen the body, challenge the mind and nourish the spirit of women who are average age 40+, offers a summer session that is part of the Intensive.

DRDT’s Summer Dance Intensive program began in 1998 as a two-week intensive under the guidance of Andrea Haynes-Johnson. In 2007, Nicole Clarke-Springer joined the staff as associate dance education director under Haynes-Johnson’s tutelage and took the reins as director in 2008. The Summer Dance Intensive program cultivates emerging artists, future DRDT Emerging Artists Ensemble members and Company members. Alumni have joined the ranks of many Broadway, national and international productions including The Lion King, West Side Story and Motown: The Musical, as well as dance companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Nederlands Dans Theater and many International Association of Blacks in Dance member companies.

“Our dance education programs are a reflection of our mission to provide professional dance training in various classic and contemporary modern techniques, along with conversations of artistic exploration and choreographic workshops led by Deeply Rooted's Artistic Team, company dancers and guest artists,” said Clarke-Springer.

Deeply Rooted Dance Theater’s Summer Dance Intensive
and Emerging Choreographers Showcase performances take place
Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20 at 7 p.m. at
the Reva and David Logan Center for the Performing Arts,
915 E. 60th Street, Chicago.
A reception follows the July 20 performance.
Tickets, available at summer-dance-intensive-2019.eventbrite.com are $25;
a VIP ticket of $150 provides additional support for these programs.
For information about the 2019 Summer Dance Intensive programs,
visit deeplyrooteddancetheater.org.

In addition to the Intensive’s July  19 and 20 final performances  at the Logan Center, the Deeply  Rooted Dance Theater  Youth Ensemble performs as part  of Night Out in the Parks, a  program of the Chicago Park  District, July 13 at Hamilton  Park, July 23 at Palmer Park  and this fall on October 17 at  Pullman Park. Deeply Rooted Dance Theater Premiering in 1996, Deeply  Rooted Dance Theater (DRDT)  is rooted in traditions  of modern, contemporary and  African dance, as well as  storytelling, in universal themes  that spark a visceral experience  and ignite an emotional  response in diverse  audiences worldwide.  Collaborating with  nationally renowned  choreographers across the  spectrum of modern, ballet and  African dance, DRDT  presents work that reflects  eclectic voices in contemporary  life.   Deeply Rooted’s programs  are partially supported by  the Alphawood Foundation  Chicago, Arts Work Fund and  Smart Growth program of  the Chicago Community Trust,  Chicago Park District’s Night  Out in the Parks Program,  Ginger Farley Charitable Fund  at the Chicago  Community Foundation,  Gaylord and Dorothy  Donnelley Foundation, John  D. and Catherine T.  MacArthur Foundation,  Illinois Arts Council  Agency, International  Association of Blacks in  Dance, Martha Struthers  Farley and Donald C.  Farley Jr. Family Foundation,  Reva and David Logan  Foundation, the Richard  H. Driehaus Foundation  and the Deeply Rooted  Family of Friends.  Special thanks to Ballet  Chicago, Chicago  Dancemakers Forum,  Chicago Community  Trust, Chicago Park  District, Reva and David  Logan Center and St.  Benedict the African  Church for their partnership  and support.   ###

Photo of Josh Francique by Ken Carl.