City College Center for the Arts Presents MADIBA: A DANCE WORKSHOP, Today

The City College Center for the Arts (CCCA) continues its 2016 - 2017 season with Jeremy McQueen and the Black Iris Project's "MADIBA: A Dance Workshop," a celebration of the inspiring life of Nelson Mandela. The workshop is open to dancers of all levels and nondancers alike and takes place at Aaron Davis Hall from 12 to 2 p.m. on Thursday, October 6. The program is supported in part by the CUNY Dance Initiative (CDI), a City University of New York-wide residency program now in its third year.

A celebration of the life of one of the world's most beloved peace figures, "MADIBA" is a classical ballet directed and choreographed by McQueen and composed by Carman Moore that captures Mandela's remarkable life over the course of 20 minutes. The ballet sprung from McQueen's work with the American Ballet Theatre in New York City schools.

Presented by the Black Iris Project-a New York City-based ballet collaborative and education vehicle of predominantly Black dancers from world-renowned companies founded by McQueen that creates classical ballet works celebrating diversity and Black history-the October 6 event will bring together dancers and aspiring dancers in a lively workshop led by Jeremy McQueen. Through interactive lessons directed by McQueen that incorporate physical movement, dialogue and literacy, and a live performance by renowned professional dancers, participants will learn not only about Mandela but also about the fight for civil rights and equality. Dance history and dance steps from "MADIBA" will be taught to participants who will be taken on a journey through South Africa and the American South during times of turmoil. Students will also be guided in methods for collaborative storytelling through dance and choreography.

"We are proud to present an artist with bold beliefs in the power of black art, in telling the stories of great leaders and in the inspiration of positive social change through art. Dance is Jeremy's vehicle ... but the message and experience are much more profound," said CCCA Artistic Director David Covington. "Also, this workshop is a fitting tribute to a great man, Nelson Mandela, who spoke at Aaron Davis Hall in 1990 immediately following his release from 27 years in prison."

The event is free with registration at citycollegecenterforthearts.org. Aaron Davis Hall is located on the campus of the City College of New York, at West 135th Street and Convent Avenue (129 Convent Avenue).

City College Center for the Arts can be followed on Twitter at @ccnyarts. For more information on Chloé Arnold's Apartment 33, visit apartment33.com.

The residency and performance of Jeremy McQueen and the Black Iris Project at City College Center for the Arts is part of the CUNY Dance Initiative, which is supported by the Mertz Gilmore Foundation, New York Community Trust, Howard Gilman Foundation, Jerome Robbins Foundation, and Harkness Foundation for Dance. CDI is spearheaded and administered by Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College. cuny.edu/danceinitiative.

ABOUT THE PERFORMER:

Award-winning young choreographer Jeremy McQueen is a 2013 recipient of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago's Choreographers of Color Award, and a two-time finalist of the Capezio Award for Choreographic Excellence. McQueen has performed in the Broadway National Tours of "Wicked" and "The Color Purple," in addition to the Metropolitan Opera's productions of "Die Fledermaus," "Aida," "Les Contes d'Hoffmann" and "Don Giovanni." Other theatrical credits include regional productions of Susan Stroman's "Contact," Disney's "High School Musical," "Hairspray," and the "Radio City Christmas Spectacular" at Radio City Music Hall.

Born and raised in San Diego, California, Jeremy is a graduate of The Ailey School/Fordham University, B.F.A. in Dance program. He began his training in dance at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts under the guidance of Donald Robinson. McQueen has also trained as a scholarship recipient in the schools of the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), San Francisco Ballet and the Alonzo King LINES Ballet.

McQueen gives back to the arts community by teaching various master classes to aspiring young professionals. He has served as a guest instructor and lecturer at many institutions around the country. Some opportunities have included residencies at Stephens College, The Ailey School, the Kentucky Center Governor's School for the Arts and in 2010 serving as a guest speaker at Juilliard, within the Dancing Through College and Beyond conference. Jeremy McQueen is also an ABT® Certified Ballet Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. In New York City, Jeremy has taught at New York University, Peridance Capezio Center, Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, Joffrey Ballet School, the American Ballet Theatre, and for the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation's Arts In Education programs.

ABOUT THE CITY COLLEGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS:

The City College Center for the Arts hosts an ambitious, year-round calendar of student and professional performances. The mission of the City College Center for the Arts is to provide a creative arts center and focal point for the City College of New York, building a sense of community within the college, elevating the profile of Aaron Davis Hall in the greater New York area, and connecting the college to the surrounding community through the arts.