Dallas Black Dance TheatreReceives North Texas Performing Arts Stardust Award

North Texas Performing Arts announces Dallas Black Dance Theatre has been selected to receive the 2022 NTPA Stardust Award for Distinguished Performing Arts Organization.

The NTPA Stardust Awards recipients were recognized at the Annual NTPA Stardust Awards Ceremony on October 15 at the historic Southfork Ranch. The evening's program featured recognition for performing arts leadership in ten different categories including instructors, artists, organizations, leadership, business support, and others. NTPA also recognized its own leaders and volunteers during the event featuring entertainment from the Emerald City Party Machine Band, the NTPA Repertory Theatre and other performers.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre was founded in 1976 by Ann Williams with a mission to create and produce contemporary modern dance at the highest level of artistic excellence through performances and educational programs that bridge cultures and reach diverse communities. DBDT is the largest and oldest professional dance company in Dallas and the fourth-largest Black dance company in the nation, the ninth-largest contemporary modern dance company, and ranked 40th among the nation's leading ballet companies.

"Dallas Black Dance Theatre is honored to receive the Stardust Community Award for Distinguished Performing Arts Organization from North Texas Performing Arts. To know that this award is the result of a committee of judges, including performing arts leaders, educators, and professionals from across Texas is very humbling," says Zenetta S. Drew Executive Director Dallas Black Dance Theatre. "During our 46 years as a professional contemporary modern dance company, we have relentlessly strived to bridge cultures from around the world through our artistic excellence and innovate new standards for the performing arts."

"We are honored to have Dallas Black Dance Theatre selected as our Inaugural Distinguished Performing Arts Organization, and can think of no other organization more deserving of recognition," says NTPA Chief Executive Officer Darrell Rodenbaugh. "Their legacy in the DFW area and around the world is incomparable, and we are in awe of their incredible work and performances."

Located in the thriving downtown Dallas Arts District, DBDT has performed worldwide for over 4.5 million arts patrons and 2.7 million students in 31 states and 16 countries on five continents. The performances include two Olympics (1996 & 2012), the nation's most prestigious venues (Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Broadway, Jacob's Pillow), and for such luminaries as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and South African President Nelson Mandela. Since the pandemic began in 2020, the company has become a pioneer in virtual performing arts, with DBDT patrons and performance viewership spanning 34 countries around the world. The company has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as an American Masterpiece Touring Artist (2008) and received the Texas Medal of the Arts Award for Arts Education (2017). For more details about Dallas Black Dance Theatre visit DBDT.com.

"The Dallas Black Dance Theatre artists are athletes at the highest level and their performances never fail to thrill and amaze," says NTPA Stardust Awards Selection Committee Chairperson Sara Akers. "Ann Williams and Zenetta Drew have inspired generations of dancers of all colors to follow their dreams of becoming professional dancers."

Learn more about North Texas Performing Arts at ntpa.org.

For more information about Dallas Black Dance Theatre: www.DBDT.com

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