PHILADANCO!
PHILADANCO!
PHILADANCO! The Philadelphia Dance Company
How We Sustain
Saturday, October 19, 2024
7:30 PM - Pfleeger Concert Hall
Across the nation and around the world, PHILADANCO! is a Philadelphia institution celebrated for its innovation, creativity, and preservation of predominantly African-American traditions in dance. Marking the company’s 55th anniversary season, as well as their debut performance at Rowan University, How We Sustain tells a story of natural cycles, continuity, shared purpose, and spiritual power, featuring works by Francisco Gella, Ronald K. Brown, Ray Mercer, and Tommie Waheed-Evans.
Runtime is 75 minutes with a 15 minute intermission.
*With support from Rowan University’s Catalysts for Sustainability initiative
Banner images: Julianne Harris
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Company History
The Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO!) was founded in1970 by Joan Myers Brown. It was created out of a need to provide performance opportunities for Black dancers, who were at the time, systematically denied entrance to many local dance schools and had even fewer professional performance outlets.
PHILADANCO! has since grown into a professional dance company that is recognized across the nation and around the world for its artistic integrity, superbly trained dancers, and captivating performances. Established on principles of providing opportunity, inclusion, and hope, PHILADANCO! bridges cultural divides and consistently performs before sold-out audiences of people from diverse backgrounds and communities.
PHILADANCO! is a company representing a history of “first” accomplishments. In 1988, Joan Myers Brown, along with the PHILADANCO! staff launched the 1st International Conference on Black Dance Companies with the support of The Pew Charitable Trusts, University of the Arts, the Pennsylvania Arts Council, the City of Philadelphia and the Coalition of African American Cultural Organizations. Eighty professionals attended in Philadelphia, PA, and Ms. Brown felt that a gathering of the Black dance community would serve not only her needs but also the needs of other Black dance professionals. In 1991, in Dayton, Ohio, at the then annual Conference, The International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) formalized and instituted an Emergency Fund for IABD artists and companies. IABD, as a service organization, addresses the needs of the African American dance community in a supportive environment and produces an annual conference and festival. In January 2020, PHILADANCO! and the IABD staff hosted the 32nd Annual Conference and Festival in Philadelphia where over one thousand dance professionals attended.
About the Marie Rader Presenting Series
The Marie Rader Presenting Series (MRPS) at Rowan University is a curated performing arts series that uplifts the region's cultural landscape. Focused on community engagement, artistic integrity, and inclusion, MRPS provides public offerings that reflect the innovation and quality consistent with Rowan's overall standards of high achievement and transformation, while providing unprecedented access for youth, families, and seniors.
Because of the Marie Rader Series, you don't have to travel to New York or Philadelphia to see some of the most influential leaders in dance, music, theatre and beyond. This series is also designed to introduce you to artists you wouldn't otherwise encounter-- artists who reflect not only the future of performing arts, but who help us envision a better world, right now, right here in South Jersey.
The Marie Rader is made possible in part through generous support from the Henry M. Rowan Family Foundation via the Marie Rader Memorial Fund and through funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
If you enjoy a Marie Rader experience, please support the series by spreading the word, and if you have the means, we welcome your financial support as well.
THANK YOU.
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