TINY DANCERS. Young local dancers aspiring to be like these three beauties from Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) will get their opportunity to audition on Jan. 26. (Photo courtesy of Broadway Center)
For aspiring dancers interested in becoming future members of the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) ensemble’s dance ensemble, the Broadway Center will be holding the DTH’s only Northwest audition and master class the last week of January. DTH will also be having an open public performance at the Pantages Theater on Jan. 29. Dance Theatre of Harlem is combing the country to find new talent, and regionally as well, to identify dancers that may not have the resources to reach DTH otherwise.
Founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook, DTH is a national and international education and community outreach program. Each component of DTH carries a solid commitment toward enriching the lives of young people and adults around the world through the arts. DTH has achieved unprecedented success, bringing innovative and bold new forms of artistic expression to audiences in New York City, across the country and around the world.
The public performance at the Pantages will feature the work of choreographers Arthur Mitchell - the first African-American male dancer to become a permanent member of a major ballet company in 1955 - along with Robert Garland, Keith Saunders, Lowell Smith and John Taras. This performance will feature live piano music, a narrator to serve as a guide and both classic and contemporary DTH repertoire performed by the ensemble, with the variety of quality artistic content giving the presentation a fast pace. Audience members will have the chance to ask questions and will even be invited to join the dancers on stage. The public performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Pantages Theater.
Shortly after the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mitchell was inspired to start a school that would offer children - especially those in Harlem, the community in which he was born - the opportunity to learn about dance and the allied arts. Now in its fourth decade, DTH has grown into a multi-cultural dance institution with an extraordinary legacy of providing opportunities for creative expression and artistic excellence that continues to set standards in the performing arts. For more information about DTH, visit their website at www.dancetheatreofharlem.com.
Any age can participate in the master class, but more experienced dancers will find the most benefit from this class as it is a rigorous program. The class and auditions will both be held on Jan. 26 at the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts Rehearsal Hall. They will be taught by the head of DTH’s dance school, Endalyn Taylor, and will focus on classical technique, focus and discipline.
“The master class is a rigorous exploration of classical ballet with a concentration on the artistic and technical aspects of the dance form,” Taylor said. “I also leave room for individual students to apply creativity to dance phrases. I like my classes to be hands on and for my dancers to make choices within structure.”
Taylor will conduct the audition for students to attend a six-week Masters and Mentors intensive program at the DTH ensemble’s New York headquarters. Dancers auditioning are required to have a minimum of three years of classical ballet training. Additionally, pointe shoes and a resume with full body shot are required for intermediate and advanced levels. The master class will begin at 4 p.m., with auditions beginning at 6:30 p.m. Appointments are required to audition, as there are a maximum of 25 spaces available in the class.
Registration for the master class is $60 and should be reserved through the Broadway Center Box Office, by e-mail, by phone or in person to reserve a time. Tickets for the DTH performance are on sale now for $29, $39, $49 and $65. The facility is wheelchair accessible, and it is recommended that all accessible seating be requested at the time of ticket purchase. The show is appropriate for all ages. Tickets are required for everyone regardless of age.
The Broadway Center Box Office and Pantages Theater are located at 901 Broadway, in Tacoma’s Theater District. Box office hours are Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday noon-4 p.m. For more information or to order tickets, call 1 (800) 291-7593 or visit www.broadwaycenter.org. For more information about the Master Class and auditions, send e-mail to education@broadwaycenter.org or call (253) 591-5341.
