Maleek Washington Makes His NYC Premiere Next Week

The 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center's 2022/23 Mainstage Series concludes with Maleek Washington, bringing his compelling creative voice to 92NY for the first time. Washington, a 2021 New York Live Arts Fresh Track grantee, was also nominated for a Bessie as an “Outstanding Breakout Choreographer” that year. Collaborators Waverly Fredericks, SaQuoiia Santiago and Babou Sanneh join Washington to perform Shades 2.0 D.A.P Diamonds of Principal, accompanied by Kwinton Gray (piano), Jaylen Petinaud (drums), Nicholas Ryan Gant (vocals), Torrey Beckham (vocals) and LaCrisha C. Brown (vocals).

A mashup of shows collided, Shadows: The Bronx blues and Shades – a performance during the pandemic. Maleek Washington investigates Black Manhood with Shades 2.0 D.A.P Diamonds of Principal. Dialogue and movement to get an introspective look into personal journeys of finding their “why”. 

Maleek Washington is from the Bronx, New York. An alumnus of the Boston Conservatory, where he studied on full scholarship, he began his dance training at Harlem School of the Arts, Broadway Dance Center, and LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts. He has danced with CityDance Ensemble (Washington D.C.), Montreal's SpringBoard Danse (working with Jose Navas & RUBBERBAND), and Kyle Abraham's A.I.M for four seasons before becoming the first African American male to perform in Sleep No More. He has also performed for celebrity artists Sia, Phish, Rihanna, and ASAP Rocky. Maleek was part of NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Live and performed with Camille A. Brown and Dancers in 2018 Ted Talk Conference in Vancouver. Maleek has been a member of Camille A. Brown and Dancers for 7 seasons. Maleek's choreographic portfolio highlights include: assistant choreographer for Camille A. Brown's Grammy-winning Porgy and Bess and Fire Shut Up In My Bones at the Metropolitan Opera (the first opera composed by an African American man - Terrance Blanchard); and associate choreographer to Camille A. Brown's For Colored Girls . Other notable choreographic credits include, Camille A. Brown's Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater piece entitled “City of Rain,” Rashaad Newsome's “Assembly” at Park Avenue Armory, rapper Nas' “Master Class” music video, Spike Lee's Mont Blanc Commercial, and MOVE[NYC]'s Scottish Youth Exchange collaborative work that premiered at the U.Dance Festival in England. In 2021 Maleek was named a New York Live Arts Fresh Track grantee and was also nominated for a Bessie as an “Outstanding Breakout Choreographer.”