Dissonance Dance Theatre 2019-2020 Season Brochure

A Washington, D.C. Dance Company

Shawn Short, Founder/Producing Artistic Director

WWW.NGCFDDT.ORG D i s s o n a n c e D a n c e T h e a t r e

Season

2019 2020

Timeless Dance

Remixed

Season Season

2015 2016

2019 2020

Fall Forward Oct 26th, 2019

Diaspora Feb 21st, 2020

Black Dance Festival DMV Nov 2nd - 3rd, 9th, 2019

Minus Mar 28th, 2020 *Dates subject to change. Contact our website for updates.

Dissonance Dance Theatre celebrates its 13th season in 2019-2020!

DDT continues to explore the notion of contemporary dance, centering its exploration (deconstruction and innovation) through classical ballet, jazz, and modern dance styles. DDT rigorously develops its repertoire to encompass a myriad of dances; ranging from “thoughtfully-abstract” works to “invested narratives”.

Ballet through the lens of culture, race, and narrative can move the human spirit. DDT’s young artistic voice is maturing into a vessel for artistic discovery, thoughtful movement expression, and telling human reflection.

Caribbean, Afro Beat, and Black Soul music.

We are excited to bring you another full season of dance artistry, with four exciting productions.

We continue to be a space for emerging dance artists locally, nationally and internationally.

In this brochure, learn more about these exciting programs, our theatrical production season, community events and how you can help us grow.

We hope to see you in the theatre!

Shawn Short, MFA

Founder/Producing Artistic Director This fall season, Dissonance Principal Choreographer Dance Theatre presents, Fall Forward and participates in the first annual Black Dance Festival DMV.

Spring 2020 brings light and dark moods, with DDT’s Diaspora and Minus productions. Diaspora aggressively blends contemporary ballet against the tapestry of urban and indigenous culture, by way of

Cover Image: Christine Motta, Phillip Fobbs Left Image: Jessica Potts, Anthony Spivey Images (c) Shawn Short

CONTENTS

Dancers: Daniel Artis , Anthony Spivey

2018-2019 Season

Fall Forward

Theatrical Season Pg. 1 Sept 29-30th, 2018 The Clarice Smith PAC Ticket Information Pg. 6

A mixed-bill evening of dance ranging from classical to Guest Choreographers Pg. 7 contemporary dance, Fall Forward features performances from The Ngoma School students. DDT presents three world Meetand TheThe Artists Pg.Hour.

9 premieres Rise, The Winds of Time, Happy Rise explores the range of emotion three men experience in Ngoma for Dance Pg. 11 the midst of uncertainty, fear, pain, and Center hope. Like dust, they rise. The Winds of Time honors and gives a homegoing to to Ngoma/DDT 13 soul-singer, Aretha Franklin. TheGive Happy Hour is a tutuPg. ballet that sheds light on life’s jovial moments of self-expression, Stay Connected With Us Pg. 15 play, and friend interaction.

Dancers: Christine Motta, Phillip Fobbs

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2019-2020 Season

Fall Forward Oct 26th, 2019 The Clarice Smith PAC

A mixed-bill evening of dance ranging from classical to contemporary dance, Fall Forward features world-premiere of Short’s Paparazzi, SJ Suite, and DDT favorites Silo, Twitch, Gospel Suite; performance by The Ngoma School students.

Dancer: Allison Eguchi

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2019-2020 Season

Black Dance Festival DMV Nov 2-3, 9th, 2019 Jack Guidone Theater

An evening of dance by African-American choreographers, featuring DDT works Vision Vs Reality, Trance, Micci, Bedtime Stories, Dream, Woman, For You, and Silo - featuring a new work by Kareem B. Goodwin, DDT’s 2019-2020 Resident Choreographer.

Dancer: Jazmine C. Rutherford

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2019-2020 Season

Diaspora

Feb 21st, 2020 Atlas Performing Arts Center

Celebrating West African, Caribbean, South American, and America music with contemporary ballet and modern dance, Diaspora explores the connectivity of human feeling, its celebration and quiet places, while transcending from various music genres of Soca, Blues, Samba, Soul, and Afro-beat.

Dancer: Phillip Fobbs Dancer: Jazmine C. Rutherford, William Feldon, Daniel Artis

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2019-2020 Season

Minus

Mar 28th, 2020 Jack Guidone Theater

Dance and human elements are subtracted, deriving new textures of contemporary dance. Minus views dance through the lens of the abstract, producing dance centered around a dark feel and look.

Inspired by cinematic composers, Minus strives to push the connection between human-thought and the limits of the body.

Dancers: Phillip Fobbs, Christine Motta

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World Ballet Day 2019 October 23rd, 2019

In observance of World Ballet Day, Dissonance Dance Theatre will premeiere an inside-look video presentation of life in the company, along with footage of its new repertorie on Oct 23rd, 2019!

Stay tuned on our Facebook and Instagram pages for more information.

Dancer: Emma Button

Season & Tickets Dissonance Dance Theatre hopes you will join us for a world of dance that awaits you as part of our season. DDT is pleased to announce its 2019-2020 season, presenting another exciting line-up of programs. Group sales are encouraged to purchase online where they will see discount in cart balance.

Production Ticket Prices: Fall Forward Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts Regular - $30.00 Senior Citizen - $25.00 Non-UMD Student - $15.00 UMD Student & Youth - $10.00 Black Dance Festival DMV Jack Guidone Theater Online - $10.00 Door - $20.00 * Reduced ticket prices are being provided, in part, through funding from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanitites.

Diaspora Atlas Performing Arts Center $30 General Admission $15 Students/Seniors Minus Jack Guidone Theater Online - $18.00 Door - $25.00

Purchase tickets in person: Tickets for all performances are available for purchase starting one hour prior to performances.

Purchase tickets online Online ticket sales are available for all shows - visit our website www.ngcfddt.org.

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Resident Choreographer

Kareem B. Goodwin

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A native of Philadelphia, PA began his dance training at the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center in 1998, where he formally began his dance training under Charon Mapp, Wayne St. David, Anthony Burrell and Faye Snow. He attended The University of the Arts where he studied Jazz Dance with an emphasis in Choreography studying under instructors Molly Misgalla, Donald Lusnford, Andrew Pap, Scott Jovovich, Karen Brown and Kim Bears-Bailey. Kareem was awarded the 2011 Choreography prize from the University of the Arts School of Dance for his two works “Lovin’ U In & Out of Time” and “Fragmented Ideas”. Kareem is a NAACP ACT-SO Local and Regional Gold Medalist, as well as a National Finalist. As a performing artist, he has had the pleasure of being in the presence of and working with such choreographers as Christopher L. Huggins, Louis Johnson, Ronen Koresh, Gary W. Jeter II, Zane Booker and Arthur Mitchell. Kareem also has been a member of Eleone Connection, the Pre-Professional Company of Eleone Dance Theatre. In 2014, Mr. Goodwin produced and presented his first evening work entitled “MOMENTS” which lead to Mr. Goodwin’s work being selected to be apart of the Koresh Dance Company’s Come Together Festival in the summer of 2015. Mr. Goodwin is also the Co-Founder and Director of the Expressions Summer Dance Intensive. Kareem has choreographed for dance companies throughout the Tri-State Area including Eleone Connection, Orcheo Dance Ministry, Straight to the Pointe! Dance Company and En Lair Dance Company, DanceInPhinity, Sterling Dance Companies.

Kareem has also served as the Associate Director for the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts Dance Department under the mentorship and tutelage of LaDeva M. Davis where he choreographed closed to 100 original works which received rave revews. Kareem is the founding Rehearsal Director of Eleone Dance Incorporated, the Studio Company of Eleone Dance Unlimited. He is also Rehearsal Director of Grace Dance Theater 2.

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2019-2020 Dancerss

Allison Eguchi Co-Rehearsal Associate Soloist

Phillip Fobbs Co-Rehearsal Associate Soloist

Emma Button Choreographer Assistant Soloist

Christine Motta Soloist

Jazmine C. Rutherford Soloist

Daniel Artis Corp de Ballet

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Heather Carlson Corp de Ballet

Moyston Henry Jr. Corp de Ballet

Tony Sewer Corp de Ballet

Anthony Spivey Corp de Ballet

Moses Brown Apprentice

William Feldon Apprentice

Artistic Leadership/Administrators

Chris Holland, LD/Technical Director

Shawn Short, MFA Founder Director Principal Choreographer

* For dancer and staff bios visit our webiste, www.ngcfddt.org

Jun 15th July 11th, 2020 Classical Ballet Contemporary Jazz Modern - Horton Pointe Musical Theater Dance

Dancer: JaKyla Lewis (c) Shawn Short

Univ of MD - Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center

Summer DanceLab

The Ngoma School

Auditions start December 2019 - April 2020

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Ngoma Center for Dance

www.ngcfddt.org The Ngoma School

The official school of Dissonance Dance Theatre, DC’s Only African-American managed, and nationally-recognized contemporary ballet.

Serving over 200 students annually since 2014, The Ngoma School is emerging as a Washington, DC area dance-school destination for students interested in a professional concert dance career.

Currently serving students as young as 5 years old, to young adults who received a late start to their professional dance training.

Dance classes, workshops, masterclasses, and auditions are facilitated at Univ of Maryland College Park. We offer levels I, II, IIA, our summer program – Summer DanceLab, and our trainee program.

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Images: Ngoma Students (c) Ngoma Center for Dance

Black Ballerinas Matter Ngoma Center for Dance assists with the national initiative to provide more spaces to train ballerinas of color. This summer is a milestone in its efforts. Ngoma Center for Dance’s Founding Director Shawn Short, had a dream in 2012 and it is beginning to blossom.

This summer completes phase one with Ngoma investing $108,000.

The investment covered facility and staff costs, pointe (demipointe) shoes purchases, tutu-tacking classes, and production fees.

Eight budding ballerinas begin pointe training this upcoming school year.

“DC Black dance companies have always been cultural treasures to communities since 1934. The companies even helped to develop neighboring Black-majority Prince George’s county’s (Maryland) dance arts scene. We should be able to build equity in ourselves and for our communities.” - Shawn Short 12.

YOUR GIFTS MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN AT NGOMA WE CELEBRATE EXCELLENCE

WE CELEBRATE COMMUNITY

Ngoma Center for Dance believes in creating quality programs that build community, create jobs and enhance the arts industry of the Washington, D.C. area and beyond.

Ngoma Center for Dance is building community from “East of The River” to across the Potomac, and into welcoming Prince George’s County, MD. Since our inception in 2012, we have impacted the lives of over 5,000 patrons/ students/arts enthusiasts through dance training, workshops increasing opportunities for dancers 18 to 26 years old; particularly in Ward 7 DC.

WE TRAIN DANCERS Since Dissonance Dance Theatre’s start in 2007, we have alum dancing in Complexions, Garth Fagan, Virginia Ballet Theatre, Philadanco Dance Company, Adieum Dance, Carolyn Dorfman Dance and Deeply Rooted Dance, Universoul Circus, Cruiseships, and Broadway.

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THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

DC Commission on The Arts & Humanities Eugene M. Lang Foundation Prince George’s County MNCPPC - Arts & Heritage Division Our Individual Donors & Supporters - You Rock!

The NGOMA Circle Starting this fall, we are launching our “The Ngoma Circle” (TNC) program.

Participants in the TNC will receive discounts on shows and classes, private viewings of new works in studio, and online access to interviews and previews.

All the above for $50 a year!

For more information, visit our website:

www.ngcfddt.org

You Can Inspire MORE! Ways to Give: ONLINE: www.ngcfddt.org/support PHONE (General Inquiry) 202-540-8338 MAIL P.O. Box 2377 Washington, DC 20013 EMAIL info@ngcfddt.org FAX

WE ARE GROWING WITH YOUR CONTINUED HELP

(CC Form on homepage)

202-399-0174

With an ambitious upcoming season, an increase in dancers entertaining, more dance programming for the general public and goals for more and more community development projects Ngoma wants to help reach your dance training goals, and enjoy great dance entertainment.

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Get Connected Be Informed Stay in the loop!

Keep updated with us!

Follow US Twitter: @dissonancedance Facebook: @DDTNgoma Instagram: @Ngoma_ddtdc

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Dancers: Alexix Smith, Tony Sewer (c) Shawn Short Dancers: Anthony Spivey, Heather Carlson, Daniel Artis

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Board of Directors Corey McDougle MBA, Chair/Interim Tresurer Tyler Lewis, Vice Chair Shawn Short MFA, President Tisa Huff, Secretary

Dissonance Dance Theatre is a Washington, D.C.-based professional dance company founded in 2007 by Shawn Short. Since its inception, Dissonance Dance Theatre has performed for local and national audiences on the east coast and in the midwest states. Starting as a project of dear friends, Dissonance has grown to house artists from across the U.S. and beyond. A contemporary ballet that blends “classic” modern styles such as Horton, Graham, Limon with nuances of classical ballet, Dissonance is becoming known for its theatrical presence and exceptional artistry. Evoking emotional experiences in the audiences we touch, Dissonance’s cutting-edge repertoire features works that are socially and visually appealing to audiences while remaining true to its mission; challenging audience’s assumptions about the human experience through dance.

Ngoma Center for Dance (N-Go-mah) is a 501(c)3 arts organization whose mission is to provide a conduit between multicultural dance artists and their enthusiasts across generations and social classes with a deeper understanding of the art of dance through intense community integration, inspirational performance, competitive training, and artist development.

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Dancer: Christine Motta (c) Shawn Short

Dissonance Dance Theatre is a program of Ngoma Center for Dance. Ngoma Center for Dance is a registered non-profit of Washington, D.C. The information contained in this brochure is correct at the time of printing. Dissonance Dance Theatre reserves the right to make alterations where necessary without prior notice.

Above: Alexix Smith, Tony Sewer

All Brochure Photography by Shawn Short