Repertory Dance Theatre Will Embark on East Coast Tour, Culminating at The Whitney

 Repertory Dance Theatre will head to the East Coast for a three-week tour, including stops in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York City. This tour includes a two-week residency at the esteemed Phillips Academy, performances at the University of Hartford’s Hartt Dance Division, and a prestigious series at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.

Phillips Academy Residency: Tradition Meets Innovation

RDT will kick off the tour with a two-week residency at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts—one of the nation's most historic and prestigious college-preparatory schools, founded in 1778. The residency, designed by Phillips Academy Theater and Dance Program instructor and RDT alumnus Kareem Lewis, will include master classes, dance demonstrations, and choreography sessions. The residency will culminate in two live performances featuring RDT dancers and students from Phillips Academy.

The concert, titled Excursion, will showcase choreography from a diverse and celebrated group of artists including Michio Ito, Donald McKayle, Katarzyna Skarpetowska, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Noa Zuk, and Ohad Fishof.

University of Hartford: Spotlight on José Limón's Legacy

RDT’s second stop will be a two-day residency at the Hartt Dance Division at the University of Hartford in Connecticut. During their time there, the company will rehearse The Winged, a classic work by iconic choreographer José Limón, under the direction of renowned dancer and Limón expert Nina Watt. This rehearsal is in preparation for RDT’s spring performance, DUEX, which will honor Limón’s extraordinary contributions to modern dance. RDT will also offer workshops and perform for Hartt's dance students and faculty.

Whitney Museum: Honoring the Legacy of Alvin Ailey

RDT’s tour will culminate with six performances at the renowned Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, as part of the museum’s Edges of Ailey installation. This powerful installation honors legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey and his indelible impact on American dance.

RDT will perform Solfège by celebrated choreographer Yusha-Marie Sorzano, who has crafted a piece for this event entitled This World Anew. Set to compositions by Tan Dun and Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, the work explores themes of chaos, rebirth, and the fantastical while paying tribute to the Black feminine experience. Sorzano, originally from Trinidad and Tobago and a former member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, is currently the Co-Artistic Director of Zeitgeist Dance Theatre.

Alongside RDT’s performances, Edges of Ailey will feature a series of artists and companies inspired by Ailey’s legacy, including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, and works by choreographers such as Trajal Harrell, Bill T. Jones, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar.

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