Dallas Black Dance Theatre Commissions THE B-SIDE Wireless Headphones Experience

Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) makes history during its 40th Anniversary season, by commissioning New York City choreographer Tiffany Rea-Fisher and New York City composer Michael Thurber to create an unique audience experience for its Director's Choice Series November 4 - 6, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. The world premiere of The B-Side reinvents the concert dance experience by allowing audience members to select from three original musical scores using wireless headphones as they view the dance.

Choreographer Tiffany Rea-Fisher, the Artistic Director for Elisa Monte Dance in New York City, originated the idea for The B-Side several years ago, but did not consider creating it until Dallas Black Dance Theatre commissioned her to do a work for its 40th Anniversary.

"This is the company that likes to push boundaries, take risks and likes to be on the cutting edge of the industry, so I felt it was a perfect marriage," said Rea-Fisher who has set works for DBDT in the past. "I think DBDT founder Ann Williams understands longevity and what it takes to last. She has been able to do that because she is not afraid of the future or the next generation coming up and she embraces it, which is a rare quality."

New York City composer Michael Thurber developed three different musical scores for the dance. Tiffany chose the title "The B-Side" because the first musical score will have the familiar feeling of a Motown album B Side. The second will be more acoustic and the third will have an electronic synthesized feel.

"Never does a composer get to make multiple versions of music for the same dance. So this is a dream come true," said composer Michael Thurber. "Many times in the creative process you have to cut a lot of great ideas. This enables me to use more of my ideas in this project."

Then Director's Choice goes from high-tech to historical reflection of nostalgic dance themes in the world premiere of Tribute. Matthew Rushing, of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, is choreographing Tribute, a dance that chronicles 100 years of African American dance masters, including Talley Beatty, Donald McKayle, Pearl Primus, and Alvin Ailey.

In developing the work, Rushing employed feedback from DBDT dancers. Mr. Rushing's choreography has been selected as a recipient of a grant from the TACA Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund.

DBDT will also restage Christopher Vo's touch (listen) which was first choreographed for the company in 2014. The dance is described as an organic work with a calming effect, almost like a meditative movement journey. Vo grew up in Dallas and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where he was named a Presidential Scholar. He earned his BFA from The Juilliard School, then went on to win the coveted Princess Grace Foundation Choreography Fellowship Award.

Director's Choice will be held Friday through Sunday, November 4-6, 2016, at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre in the Dallas Arts District. For more details, visit www.attpac.org For group season subscriptions and group sales, call (214) 871-2390.

For the eighth consecutive year, the Director's Choice Series is presented by Texas Instruments (TI). "TI is delighted to again sponsor this Director's Choice Series as Dallas Black Dance Theatre celebrates its 40th Anniversary Season," said Andy Smith, director of corporate philanthropy at Texas Instruments. "Dallas Black Dance Theatre consistently presents engaging, thought provoking performances that enhance the quality of performing arts for North Texas residents and visitors."

Founded in 1976 by Ann Williams, Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) is the oldest professional Dance Company in Dallas. It has become the largest minority arts organization in Dallas and the 10th largest in the nation. The mission of Dallas Black Dance Theatre is to create and produce contemporary modern dance at its highest level of artistic excellence through performances and educational programs that bridge cultures and reach diverse communities. With an ever-expanding national and global audience, the company employs a diverse, multi-ethnic troupe of dancers performing for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Located at the eastern end of the thriving downtown Dallas Arts District, Dallas Black Dance Theatre is a nationally and internationally recognized professional modern Dance Company. DBDT engages the cross-cultural community through contemporary modern dance presented from the African American experience.

During its 40-year history, the Dallas Black Dance Theatre has a tradition of sharing its talents with the world starting in 1991 when the company performed in Lima, Peru and did a 10-city performing tour in Italy. DBDT has performed for two Olympic Cultural events, on five continents, in 15 countries and 31 states for 4 million arts patrons and 2.6 million students, grades K-12; and annually serves more than 100,000 people, including more than 20,000 youth.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre is comprised of five companies and an Academy. Dallas Black Dance Theatre's professional company, DBDT, consists of 12 full-time professional dancers performing a mixed repertory of modern, jazz, African and spiritual works by national and international choreographers. The company members hail from across the country, from California to Washington D.C., as well as from overseas, from British Columbia and Trinidad/Tobago.

DBDT: Encore! (formerly DBDT II) features eight artists of rising excellence from across the nation that support DBDT's growing local and regional educational outreach. For more details visit www.DBDT.com.

Dallas Black Dance Academy, the official school of Dallas Black Dance Theatre, celebrates 43 years of providing dance instruction to a community of diverse backgrounds. Over 500 students participate weekly in 50 dance classes of ballet, jazz, tap, modern, and African at DBDT studios for ages four to adult. The academy has three performing ensembles; Allegro, which is DBDT's premier academy ensemble, Senior Performing Ensemble, and Junior Performing Ensemble.

DBDT offers community outreach services to some 40,000 people annually through workshops, master classes, lecture/demonstrations, residences, mini-performances and student matinees that are designed level-specific for elementary, middle and high school students. 20,000 of those reached are students in grades K-12 in Dallas-Fort Worth area schools. Another 20,000 are reached through local, national and international festivals, tours, special performances at colleges, social service agencies as well as community and recreation centers.

For more details visit www.dbdt.com/academy.

To post a comment, you must register and login.