Dallas Black Dance Theatre to Present STEP OUT OF LOVE, 11/6-8

The Dallas Black Dance Theatre will present the company premiere of Margo Sappington's Step Out Of Love on November 6, 7 and 8, 2015 at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre in Dallas, Texas.

Step Out Of Love was given its world premiere by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in 1988, and created to a commissioned score by Stephen Forsyth.

Texas-born MARGO SAPPINGTON joined the Joffrey Ballet in 1965 -- at the invitation of Robert Joffrey -- where she danced an extensive repertoire of works including ballets by Gerald Arpino. Transitioning from the ballet world, Ms. Sappington danced on Broadway in Bob Fosse's Sweet Charity, and assisted and appeared in the award-winning Broadway musical, Promises, Promises, choreographed by Michael Bennett.

Ms. Sappington's career turned towards choreography. In 1969 she choreographed the off-Broadway musical, Oh! Calcutta! which premiered at the Eden Theater in New York. In 1971 she choreographed her first ballet, Weewis, for the Joffrey Ballet.

In the United States Ms. Sappington's works have been danced by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Carolina Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, the Houston Ballet, the Harkness Ballet, the Milwaukee Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and the Pennsylvania Ballet. Her works have been seen internationally as danced by Aterballetto (Italy), Ballet du Capitole (France), Ballet du Nord (France), Ballet Nuevo Mundo de Caracas, Nederlands Dans Theater, and the Ballets Jazz de Montreal.

In 1988 Ms. Sappington created a new ballet, Heliotrope, for the Central Ballet of China in Beijing -- the first creation by an American choreographer for the company. Her ballet, Virgin Forest, inspired by Rousseau's jungle paintings and created for the Milwaukee Ballet, was the subject of an award-winning documentary for PBS.

In 1986, Ms. Sappington has formed a close artistic association with Hubbard Street Dance in Chicago where she has created Cobras in the Moonlight, Step Out of Love, And Now This, Forging Ground, and a pas de deux, Mirage.

In 1993 Ms. Sappington created the dance drama, Juliana, based on the short story, "La Intrusa" by Jorge Luis Borges for Rajatabla Danza (Caracas, Venezuela) and in 1994 created Counterpoint for the Bordeaux Grand Theatre set to the music of Count Basie.

With Valentina Kozlova, Ms. Sappington formed a collaboration in 1995 becoming co-artistic director and choreographer of The Daring Project. For The Daring Project Ms. Sappington choreographed more than a dozen pieces including Don't Bring Lulu, For Ella, Magyar Dances, and One Summer Night, all choreographed to music ranging from Liszt and Brahms to songs sung by Ella Fitzgerald, and flamenco music by Paco de Lucia.

In 2001 Ms. Sappington created a new piece for the Atlanta Ballet, The Indigo Girls Project, which included the participation of the well-known singing group, The Indigo Girls. In 2002 Ms. Sappington created Zuzu Lounge for the Kansas City Ballet. In 2006 Ms. Sappington participated in BalletMet's Columbus Jazz Orchestra Project. In 2007 Ms. Sappington created the world premiere, Common People, set to the vocal stylings of William Shatner, for the Milwaukee Ballet.

In 2008 the Arts Umbrella Dance Company of Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada) and the Joffrey Ballet School NYC presented the collaborative world premiere of Ms. Sappington's Samsara.

In 2009 the Abai State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, presented the world premiere of Ms. Sappington's full-length ballet, Tlep and Sarkykys. In 2011 Ms. Sappington created Entwined for Ballet Next. During the 2012-13 season Ms. Sappington's Common People was acquired by the Kansas City Ballet and Ms. Sappington's Cobras in the Moonlight was performed by the Oklahoma City Ballet.

Ms. Sappington has also choreographed several Broadway musicals including Doonesbury, and revivals of Where's Charley? with Raul Julia, and Pal Joey. She has also choreographed a Latin version of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's Song and Dance for the Coconut Grove Playhouse.

Ms. Sappington has also choreographed for opera productions including Aida, Samson and Delilah, and La Gioconda for the San Francisco Opera which were presented in international simulcasts, as well as choreography for the San Francisco Opera's production of Death in Venice, the Canadian Opera Company's production of The Merry Widow, and the Nederlans Operastichting's production of La Belle Helene.

Ms. Sappington has also choreographed music videos for Jermaine Jackson and Pia Zadora, and created the choreography for television commercials for Dr. Pepper, National Car Rental, L'Eggs, Wendy's, Diet Coke, Dunkin' Donuts, and Kodak.

Ms. Sappington's choreography has been praised for its marked individuality, energy, and theatricality. Ms. Sappington was given the Best Choreographer Award at the Youth America Grand Prix.

In 2005 Ms. Sappington created a role in the premiere of Charles Strouse's Real Men at the Coconut Grove Playhouse.

From 2012 - 2015 Ms. Sappington was artistic director of ADM21 (American Dance Machine for the 21st Century).

STEPHEN FORSYTH is a Canadian multidisciplinary artist working in photography, music, video, poetry, and choreography. Besides composing music Mr. Forsyth has starred as an actor in European films ranging from spaghetti westerns, political espionage, to romantic comedies. Recently focusing on photography his photos have been exhibited in galleries in the United States and Canada.

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