2/2/21 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Cicely Tyson Remembering Arthur Mitchell

 

Cicely Tyson and Arthur Mitchell had a friendship the spanned almost 60 years. Tyson shared her heartfelt memories of their meeting and endearing friendship at the December 3, 2018 memorial at Riverside Church, New York City. Continue reading

1/15/21 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater- Chroma, Grace, Takademe, Revelations (2015)


Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs Revelations, Chroma, Grace, and Takademe in this 2015 rebroadcast. Continue reading

11/27/20 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: The First Moonwalk- Bill Bailey At The Apollo Theatre (1955)

Bill Bailey, brother of singer Pearl Bailey, is frequently credited with inventing the moonwalk because of a tap dancing move called backslide; making this one of the first ever moonwalks on film Continue reading

11/13/20 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: CARMEN and GEOFFREY

CARMEN and GEOFFREY, an intimate documentary, which was awarded Best Film at Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival 2009, follows the astonishing five-decade marriage and careers of two legends of the stage: Carmen de Lavallade and Geoffrey Holder

Continue reading

10/20/20 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Le Sacre du Printemps

Le Sacre du printemps was originally choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky for the  Ballets Russes . Commissioned by company impresario Serge Diaghilev and set to music by Igor Stravinsky, the ballet premiered 29 May 1913 at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris. Continue reading

9/21/20 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Hellzapoppin’ (Lindy Hop Scene In Full Color) 

Lindy hop is the granddaddy of all swing dances, a blend of African and European dance influences that is both uniquely American… and now spans the globe.  Lindy hop takes its name from the Charles Lindbergh’s flight to Paris in 1927. 

If Tango is sultry, and Ballroom dancing is aloof, lindy hop is joyful and playful.  Lindy has a grounded, flowing style that closely reflects its music — from the late 20s hot jazz to the early 40s big bands. Harlem, New York, and in particular the Savoy Ballroom (“The Home of Happy Feet”) is where the dance was developed and innovated from the 1920s onward. Based on earlier dances such as the Charleston, the Black Bottom and the Breakaway, the dance evolved and spread over the decades along with the new swing music. 

Hellzapoppin’ (In Full Color) 

And while the dance continues to evolve today, contemporary lindy hoppers still strive for that same spirit, inventiveness, and musicality of the pioneers of lindy hop like Norma Miller, Dean Collins, Frankie Manning and many more.

8/17/20 O&A NYC DANCE: Ailey Celebrates Ellington (1974)

Alvin Ailey first began sketching out a suite of Ellington works on the newly formed the Repertory Workshop of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center which later became known as Ailey II. Continue reading

8/7/20 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Bob Fosse Documentary

Bob Fosse stunned the musical theatre world when he went from dance darling to world class choreographer and director. Continue reading

7/28/20 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Dougla

The 2018 return of Geoffrey Holder’s masterwork Dougla to the repertoire Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) was a resounding success. The work is a sensorially sumptuous movement fest; and it is no wonder Dougla has remained an audience favorite since its premiere on April 16, 1974. 

Continue reading

7/25/20 O&A NYC THE SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: Alvin Ailey’s Blues Suite

Blues Suite is the first work Alvin Ailey created for the Ailey company in 1958 and we hope you enjoy this 1985 recording that was a part of an hour-long TV special called Three by Three, which was aired on PBS’ Dance in America series. Available for one week only, now through July 30 at 7pm EDT. Continue reading