Rennie Harris Puremovement: Performance program

Friday

NOV 14 7:30 pm

Rennie Harris

Puremovement

Sponsored by

Media Sponsor

The Studio School of Dance is passionately committed to providing each individual the opportunity to learn the art of dance in a positive, structured & inspiring environment.

This event is sponsored, in part, by the Lied Performance Fund

Please be mindful of the following in the auditorium: • Please silence cellular phones and electronic devices • No food or drink • No cameras or recording devices

Friday, November 14, 2014

RENNIE HARRIS PUREMOVEMENT Video — Rennie Harris Title: CONTINUUM Choreography: Rennie Harris Music: Mixed by DJ Lee Video — Rennie Harris Title: “Nuttin But A Word” Title: “Trinity” Choreography: Rennie Harris Music: Trinity Ov Me (Feat. Oveous Maximus) Music: Osunlade Title: Ambient Choreography: Rennie Harris Music: Ambient Music/Vocal: Raphael Xavier Created/Conceived: 2013 Title: Man With The Movie Camera Choreography: Rennie Harris Music: Man With The Movie Camera Music/Vocal: The Cinematic Orchestra Created/Conceived: 2013 Video — Rennie Harris Title: Choreography:

“GET IT” Rennie Harris

Rennie Harris

Music: Can you get it Music: Mandrill Created/Conceived: 2012 * PAUSE * Title Students Of The Asphalt Jungle Choreography: Rennie Harris Music: Goodmen Re-written musically: Darrin Ross Created/Conceived: 1995

DR. RENNIE HARRIS (Founder, Artistic Director, Choreographer and Director) Rennie Harris began teaching hip-hop at the age of 15 with the Smithsonian Institute and continues to teach worldwide. In 2001, he received three Bessie Awards, two Black Theater Alvin Ailey Awards, a Herb Alpert Award nomination and a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for his piece Rome & Jewels. Additionally, he was honored by the Kennedy Center as a Master of African-American Choreography. He received a 2010 Guggenheim Fellowship for recognition of his work as a choreographer, a 2007 United States Artist Fellowship, and was presented with an honorary doctorate from Columbia College and Bates College.

THE COMPANY In 1992, Harris founded Rennie Harris Puremovement, a hip-hop dance company dedicated to preserving and disseminating hip-hop culture through workshops, classes, hip-hop history lecture demonstrations, long-term residencies, mentoring programs and public performances. Harris founded his company based on the belief that hip-hop is the most important original expression of a new generation.

With its roots in the inner-city African-American and Latino communities, hip-hop can be characterized as a contemporary indigenous form, one that expresses universal themes that extend beyond racial, religious and economic boundaries, and one that (because of its pan-racial and transnational popularity) can help bridge these divisions. Harris’ work encompasses the diverse and rich AfricanAmerican traditions of the past, while simultaneously presenting the voice of a new generation through its ever-evolving interpretations of dance. Harris is committed to providing audiences with a sincere view of the essence and spirit of hip-hop rather than the commercially exploited stereotypes portrayed by the media.

Friday, November 14, 2014 BRANDYN S. HARRIS The eldest of Rennie Harris’ children, the young Harris remembers watching his father dance ever since elementary school. Originally from north Philadelphia, he spent his most recent years in Upper Darby, PA, where he graduated high school in 2006. Since then, he spent most of his time performing and competing on the local circuit of Philadelphia as well as nationally. Whether it be talent shows, dancing in clubs, or maybe even dancing on the street, Harris strives to be one of the greatest dancers of Philadelphia who hasn’t been studio trained (ballet, modern, hip-hop, etc.). This is the first time he has worked with his father on a consistent basis and is continuing to learn more about the true history of hip-hop every day. As a dancer in both RHPM and Rennie Harris RHAW, his schedule can be a little hectic traveling around the world with both companies. Although he has only been training with Rennie Harris RHAW since 2008, Harris is consistently progressing as a person and as a dancer, and he hopes to one day follow in his father’s footsteps.

FYNESS MASON Formally known as “Ms. Jones,” Mason hails from the clubs of Philadelphia and New York City and has been a component of the Rennie Harris Puremovement family for two years. Mason is a house dancer who is now studying the art of Campbell locking, popping, and b-girl. She is a new mother, new wife and recent graduate of Temple University. She is now pursuing her master’s degree and hopes to educate nationally and abroad.

ANDREW RAMSEY, JOSHUA POLK & RICHARD EVENS (THE HOODLOCKERS) They are an innovative and dynamic fusion of some of the best hip-hop dancers from South Jersey who have joined forces to create and perform original and contemporary street dance. The company’s work is an electric mix of locking, breaking, popping, hip-hop and house dance. Collectively, the band of brothers creates and displays a unique and traditional approach to the style of locking, which they characterize as “Hood.” The ideology comes from a continuous growth and appetite for knowledge to further enhance the dance through free movement while remaining true to the essence of the style. Individually, the group’s members have made various strides in the dance community to bring their stories to the world. Appearances include Randy Jackson presents America’s Best Dance Crew, Step Up 3D and So You Think You Can Dance, along with choreography for recording pop artist and Grammy nominee Mizz Nina.

The group was also seen in a Rennie Harris Puremovement off-Broadway production of “New York City Legends of Hip Hop” at the New Victory Theater in New York City.

JOSHUA CULBREATH Born and raised in Philadelphia, Culbreath started dancing at the age of 10.

During his middle school and high school years, he joined a dance group called K.R.S Ent. The group won numerous talent shows and went on to perform on

Rennie Harris the television show Showtime at the Apollo in New York. While dancing with K.R.S Ent., Culbreath met Brian “Hannibal” Newby, owner and artist director of 360 Flava, and began to train with him. Culbreath is currently a core member of Rennie Harris Puremovement.

KATIA CRUZ Cruz was born in 1992 in Camden, NJ, and was raised in Pennsauken, NJ, where she currently resides. Cruz started salsa dancing at the age of nine with Barbara Capaldi at the Atrium Dance Studio. At 11, she began training in various styles of hip-hop dance with Marcus Tucker, the co-founder of Face Da Phlave Ent. Cruz is a leading member and choreographer of In Da Clutch Ent., owned by Kennith Thomas. With hard work and dedication, Cruz has worked her way up by using her dance skills and becoming the co-director of In Da Clutch Jr. Division, a children’s hip-hop program for young, inspiring dancers. Cruz is passionate about dancing, as well as performing and choreographing. She is a versatile and determined dancer. In the summer of 2012, Cruz auditioned for Rennie Harris Puremovement and was chosen from 40 dancers. Her heart is and forever will be on stage to inspire others.

MAI LÊ HO JOHNSON Johnson is a French dancer-choreographer who relocated to New York City in 2009. She started to dance jazz at the age of seven in France. When she was 12, she fell in love with hip-hop dance and has been dedicated to the hiphop culture since. Besides dancing, Johnson has organized and promoted international scale hip-hop events such as Juste Debout USA and Ladies of Hip-Hop Festival, while also blogging and deejaying. Her goal is to expand awareness of hip-hop and her favorite dance style is house dance, even though she has been trained in other genres, such as popping, locking, social hip-hop, waacking, African and Vietnamese traditional dance. Emphasizing on the freestyle aspect of hip-hop related styles, she has participated in, won and judged numerous international dance contests. She has also taught and performed in France, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Kingdom, Vietnam and throughout the United States. In 2012, she joined RHAW and soon after, RHPM. By using different assets, she is determined to spread hip-hop culture locally and throughout the world, while bringing awareness to this underground phenomenon.

PHIL S. CUTTINO JR. (X-clusive.!)

Cuttino, a Philadelphia native hip-hop dancer, was instilled at birth with breaking, graffiti, deejaying and rapping — it’s a way of life! His first on stage performance was at the age of four with his father, a prominent MC and B-Boy in the Philadelphia hip-hop scene. Dance has become the strength of all his dreams. Cuttino started out in a crew called The X-men, performing at local talent shows and learning from some of Philadelphia’s greats. Now he has been accepted as a professional dancer in the hip-hop community due to his

Friday, November 14, 2014 dedication and drive. Hip-hop has allowed him to live out his dreams. Cuttino has toured throughout the United States and has performed internationally. He loves street dancing just as much as he loves performing on stage.

“Dance Rules Everything Around Me Scream” - Phil Cuttino RAPHAEL XAVIER An award-winning artist from Wilmington, DE, Xavier is credited for the resurrection and the growth of the breaking community in Philadelphia, from 1995 to present day. A self-taught hip-hop dancer and breaking practitioner since 1983, Xavier has forged an exceptional approach to improvisation. Brenda Dixon Gottschild deemed Xavier “a fine movement technician.” Recreating new ways to expand the vocabulary of the dance form has not only come from the culture, but his visual background as a hip-hop magazine photographer. His extensive research in hip-hop forms has lead to the creation of ground-core, a Somatic dance technique giving the practitioner a better understanding of the body within all dance forms. Other work includes an original composition for the Ailey Company’s Home, choreographed by Dr. Rennie Harris; and his first literary work Alchemy of a Paradox, a philosophical perspective of hip-hop’s cultural criticism in dance and social elements. He has established the breaking form as a traditional folk art in the city of Philadelphia, simultaneously establishing master and apprentice programs funded by the Institute for Cultural Partnerships, the State of Pennsylvania and ACTA Los Angeles.

SHAFEEK WESTBROOK Westbrook is a north Philadelphia native. At age six, he knew that he wanted to dance, so he picked up a pair of tap shoes and began taking classes at Philadanco.

However, he quickly put his tap shoes away and started getting involved with hiphop dance, going on to win talent shows in the Philadelphia area. That is where he received the street name Mighty Mouse. In 2005, he trained under Brian “Hannibal” Newby of 360 Flava Crew. In the summer of 2009, he began training with Rennie Harris’ second company, RHAW. Westbrook is now traveling the world with both RHAW and Rennie Harris Puremovement.

RENNIE HARRIS PUREMOVEMENT STAFF Artistic Director: Dr. Rennie Harris Executive Director: Jeri Rayon Company Manager: Rodney Hill Technical Supervisor/Lighting Designer: Bob Stieneck Technical Supervisor/ Lighting Designer: Stephen Arnold Technical Supervisor/Lighting Designer: David Todaro Technical Supervisor/Lighting Designer: Amith Chandrashaker

Rennie Harris Special Thanks Jodi Kaplan, Lincoln Center Outdoors, University of California Los Angeles, University of Colorado in Boulder, Joan Myers Brown, Roni and Alon Koresh for always being there for us, and Terry Shocklee for understanding and working with a brutha (smile). I’d like to acknowledge the support of The University of the Arts, Ford Foundation, Roberta Uno, Master Jay, Temple University, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Penn Pat, Ellis Finger, Tom Warner, Mervon Mehetta, Kim Cook, Bill Bissel, Dance Advance, The Painted Bride, my mom Doris Harris and aunt Laura, brothers William, Burton, Patrick Tracy, James and my sister Takada Harris, my children Brandyn, Avery and Miyeko Harris and all those who’ve contributed to the presence of Rennie Harris Puremovement in Philadelphia. A special thanks to Mervine Mehetta and the Kimmel Center for its annual support. I’d like to thank my Executive Director Jeri Rayon, Company Manager/Director Rodney Hill, Dinita Clark and Kyle Clark for their hard work, commitment and loyalty when times are rough, that’s when it really counts. Thank you! A special, special heartfelt thank you to The Philadanco Dance Company and staff for being our leading contributing sponsor in Philadelphia. Ms. Myers we love you and thanks for all your patience and generosity. Last but definitely not least, with the exception of my family who have supported me since I began this dance thing, I’d like to thank my board of directors who came through for me in a big way. When things got rough for me they were there. I am forever in your debt. I thank you and my prayers are with you and your families. God Bless!

Sponsored in part by: Philadelphia Dance Company

Friday

DEC 12 7:30 pm

oncert C y a d i l o AH Celebrate the season with this iconic brass quintet

Canadian Brass

‘Tis the season with classics from their album Christmas Time is Here, brass standards and original works.

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Canadian Brass: A Holiday Concert

Bernadette Peters In Concert

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Stewart Copeland & Jon Kimura Parker

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KU Jazz Ensemble I with special guest

Steve Wilson, saxophones

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Kiss the Fish: Indian Ink Theatre Company

APRIL 2015 10 WILD KRATTS — LIVE!

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Elling Swings Sinatra

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The Ugly Duckling & The Tortoise and the Hare

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