10/28/17 O&A NYC IT’S SATURDAY ANYTHING GOES EXTRA- DANCE: Top 20 Soul Train Dancers of All Time

Soul Train dancers taught the world how to boogie in platform shoes, a huge Afros and bell bottom polyester pants while looking very so cool. The alumni include Shalamar members Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel, and let’s not forget the Asian girl.  Continue reading

9/4/17 O&A NYC DANCE: Arthur Mitchell- Dance Pioneer

Arthur Mitchell, pioneering ballet dancer, artistic director and choreographer has recently secured his achieves with Columbia University’s Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Continue reading

8/18/17 O&A NYC SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: The Magic of Dance

Reflections by Margot Fonteyn with Mikhail Baryshnikov, London Contemporary Dance Theatre, Dance Theater of Harlem the film includes dance history and fascinating facts. Continue reading

8/19/17 O7A NYC GOSPEL SUNDAY: Mourner’s Bench- Talley Beatty Choreographer

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Talley Beatty choreographed and performed Mourner’s Bench in 1947. It represents the anguish and loss for former slaves, now free men, killed during the Reconstruction Era at the beginning of the rise of the Klu Klux Klan. Beatty explained to me, “People were murdered by the Klan and at daybreak their relatives would find their bodies in the fields still covered in the morning dew.”

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7/14/17 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Legendary Tap Dancers Honor Sammy Davis, Jr. at Kennedy Center Honors (1987)

Legendary tap dancer Sammy Davis, Jr. received a special performance at Kennedy Center Honors (1987) by his legendary tap dance peers The Nicholas Brothers (Harold & Fayard),  Chuck Green, Jimmy Slyde, and ‘Sandman’ Sims.

LEGENDARY TAP DANCERS HONOR SAMMY DAVIS, JR. AT KENNEDY CENTER HONORS

7/4/17 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Stars And Stripes- George Balanchine (New York City Ballet)

George Balanchine created Stars And Stripes  in 1958 to the marching band music of John Philip Sousa. The ballet evokes Fourth of July parades and it’s is one of several of Balanchine salutes to his adoptive country. Continue reading

(REPOST) 1/20/23 O&A NYC FROM THE VAULT: Ronald K. Brown and Evidence 30 Years In The Making (2017)

By Walter Rutledge

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Ronald K. Brown and Evidence, A Dance Company will celebrate the 30 anniversary of the company February 24 through March 1, 2015 at the Joyce Theater. Brown realized his gift as a choreographer and his desire to express him by making dances at the  beginning of his dance career. At age 19, when most dance artists are concentrating on performing, Brown formed Evidence. Continue reading

5/29/17 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: She’s A Maniac- Flashdance

Maniac, from the 1983 film Flashdance appears during an early scene in Flashdance and is used as the backing track of a montage sequence showing Alex (Jennifer Beals) training strenuously in her converted warehouse. Continue reading

5/23/17 O&A NYC DANCE: Rudolph Nureyev and Denise Jackson- Spectre de la Rose

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Le Spectre de la rose (English: The Spirit of the Rose) about a young girl who dreams of dancing with the spirit of a souvenir rose from her first ball.  Continue reading

5/22/17 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Fame (1980)- Irene Cara

Fame (1980) follows a group of students from their auditions to their freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years at New York City’s High School of Performing Arts. The movie directed by Alan Parker and written by Christopher Gore addresses many social taboos including teen pregnancy, abortion, homosexuality and illiteracy.  Continue reading