​​​​​​​Black Girls Dance to Present MARY, A HOLIDAY DANSICAL in December

Black Girls Dance, which empowers young women of color to pursue professional dance, presents Mary, A Holiday Dansical, choreographed, written, and directed by Founder Erin Barnett. Mary returns for one night only Sunday, December 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th Street, Chicago.
 
Mary, A Holiday Dansical is a modern twist on the traditional Black Nativity told through ballet, hip hop, tap, and contemporary dance. The first act focuses on the struggles of a typical teenage girl searching for her purpose in life. She is visited by an angel (ballerina) and learns she will conceive and bring forth a child who will be the Savior. Mary turns to her mother and close circle of friends for support, similar to today's teenagers. The second half includes Christmas songs such as “Mary, Did You Know'” and holiday favorites like “Joy to the World.”

 The cast of 18 dancer-actors and 11 Junior Ensemble members includes Emani Drake, a Princess Grace Foundation Honoraria Awardee, as Prophet Tina, and Makeba Malik returning as Joseph, both appearing courtesy of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. Other cast members will be announced this fall.

Performance Details: 

Mary, A Holiday Dansical takes place Sunday, December 17 at 6:30 p.m. at
the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts,
915 E. 60th Street, Chicago.
Tickets are $40 for adults, $20 for children younger than 12
and are available at ticketfalcon.com/e/mary2023/.
All programming is subject to change.
For information, visit blackgirlsdance.org.  
 

Black Girls Dance, founded by Erin Barnett in 2015, cultivates, empowers, and supports women in pursuing their dream of performing and grants scholarships to pre-professionals to train at the studio or institution of their choice. The organization became a nonprofit in 2021. Barnett, a Chicago native, was the first African-American Clara in the Chicago Tribune Charities production of The Nutcracker at McCormick Place. She toured internationally with Garth Fagan Dance and Philadanco!, played the role of Sarafina in The Lion King in Las Vegas for three years, and performed with Beyonce at the Billboard Awards. She also made her debut as a children's book author earlier this year with Get Outta Here Stage Fright!, inspired by her experiences as a dance teacher for young children.

Photo credit: Jordyn A. Bush of Jordyn Alexis Media

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