Dallas Black Dance Theatre And Broadway Dallas Partner With Dallas Independent School District To Continue Annual Arts Education Initiative

Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) and Broadway Dallas (BD) are continuing their annual arts education accessibility partnership with the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) for a fourth year.

Originally started to bridge the gap in arts access during the pandemic, the partnership has grown into a yearly district-wide program each February that to date has served over 59,000 students.

Between February 5-16, 2024, Dallas Black Dance Theatre will present their Cultural Awareness virtual matinee to every student and grade level in the Dallas Independent School District during Black History Month 2024, which includes performances of the works in•ter•pret choreographed by Hope Boykin, For Etta, choreographed by Carmen Cage, a tap lecture and demonstration led by Sean J. Smith and Like Water, choreographed by Darrell Grand Moultrie. The virtual matinee is made possible at no charge by Broadway Dallas in partnership with Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Dallas Independent School District.

"This program advances the importance of cultural literacy for every student in Dallas ISD. We are fortunate to have partners like Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Broadway Dallas who are committed to making this happen and to invest in the education and lives of our students,” said Dr. Scott Rudes, Executive Director of Academic Enrichment and Support for Dallas Independent School District.

Designed to increase cultural literacy by providing access to all Dallas ISD students across grade levels and disciplines, this arts education initiative is in keeping with the mission of the National Endowment for the Arts, to support arts learning, affirm and celebrate America's rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extend its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America.

Hope Boykin is a dancer and choreographer who created in•ter•pret for Dallas Black Dance Theatre in 2005 with funds by the Arts District Foundation. The work was reinterpreted in 2015 and was described by The Dallas Morning News as “one of the best pieces in the Dallas Black Dance Theatre repertory.” Boykin describes the piece as lighthearted, quick and whimsical with expansive full movement. A former dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for over 20 years, Boykin now serves as Artistic Advisor for Dance Education at the Kennedy Center and Artistic Lead for the Kennedy Center Dance Lab.

Carmen Cage is a current Dallas Black Dance Theatre dancer who has been with the company since 2021. She choreographed For Etta in 2021 and originally premiered during DBDT's 2021/22 Black On Black series. The piece was imagined as an ode to Etta James, the “Madame of Blues,” who is considered a pioneering vocalist whose influence can be heard throughout R&B, rock ‘n' roll, soul and jazz artists today.

Sean J. Smith is also a current Dallas Black Dance Theatre dancer and Co-Rehearsal Director who has been with the company since 2010. Smith has taught the Lester Horton technique for Ailey Athletic Boys (AAB), Dallas Black Dance Academy, and Southern Methodist University. He has also choreographed two works for Dallas Black Dance Theatre: Monologues (2013) and Interpretations (2017) and one work for DBDT: Encore!, Dollhouse (2015).

Darrell Grand Moultrie is an award-winning choreographer who was commissioned to create Like Water in 2021 for Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival as the inaugural recipient of the Joan B. Hunter New Work Commission. He is a recipient of the 2007 Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship Award and has previously worked with Grammy Award-winning artist Beyoncé to create choreography for her Mrs. Carter World Tour.

For information on how Dallas ISD teachers can access this virtual student matinee performance, please contact Broadway Dallas Education & Community Partnerships department at education@broadwaydallas.org.

Founded in 1976 by Ann Williams, and currently under the direction of Melissa M. Young, Dallas Black Dance Theatre's mission is 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. As the largest and oldest professional dance company in Dallas, DBDT is the fourth-largest Black dance company in the nation, the seventh-largest contemporary modern dance company, and ranked 36th among the nation's leading ballet companies. Located in the thriving downtown Dallas Arts District, DBDT has performed worldwide for over 4.6 million arts patrons and 2.8 million students in 33 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, DBDT performances have also been viewed virtually in 43 countries. 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 www.dbdt.com.

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