11/7/24 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Dear Quincy- Carmen De Lavallade and Wesley Fata

Shall We Dance Friday

Carmen de Lavallade dancing to Quincy Jones’s “Soul Bossa Nova” with Wesley Fata on November 16, 1968. Ms. de Lavallade’s late husband, the great Geoffrey Holder, choreographed this piece This is jut an excerpt of a much longer dance. Continue reading

8/2/24 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Happy Birthday Geoffrey Holder- Banda

By Walter Rutledge

Shall We Dance

Happy Birthday renaissance man Geoffrey Holder. The dancer, actor, choreographer, director, visual artist and all around force of nature was born on August 1st, 1930 in Port of Spain; the capital city of the Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. Continue reading

3/15/24 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN ON SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Firebird- Dance Theatre of Harlem

Dance Theatre of Harlem’s iconic Firebird places the Russian folk tale about a magical bird that triumphs over evil in an exotic Caribbean setting. John Taras’ choreography to Stravinsky’s familiar score was further enlivened by sets and costumes by Geoffrey Holder. The 1982 DTH production was a tremendous worldwide success. Continue reading

11/24/23 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Dear Quincy- Carmen De Lavallade and Wesley Fata

Carmen de Lavallade dancing to Quincy Jones’s “Soul Bossa Nova” with Wesley Fata on November 16, 1968. Ms. de Lavallade’s late husband, the great Geoffrey Holder, choreographed this piece This is jut an excerpt of a much longer dance. Continue reading

10/20/23 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: House of Flowers From Carmen & Geoffrey (2005)

This House of Flowers excerpt featuring Geoffrey Holder and Carmen De Lavallade  is from the 2005 documentary Carmen & Geoffrey. Holder and his brother Boscoe talk about their early roots in Trinidad, forming a dance company and Holder meeting his wife (De Lavallade) in the 1955 production of House of Flowers. Continue reading

8/19/23 O&A NYC ITS SATURDAY- ANYTHING GOES: Carmen DeLavallade- The Creation (TEDxEast 2012)

Dancer, actor and choreographer Carmen DeLavallade performs The Creation featuring choreography by her husband Geoffrey Holder. Holder also designed the costume and music. 
Continue reading

8/6/21 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Carmen and Geoffrey (2005)


This documentary follows the astonishing five-decade marriage of Carmen De Lavallade and Geoffrey Holder and focuses on their careers as dancers, actors, choreographers and more. Continue reading

3/19/21 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: DTH On Demand Presents: Firebird- (Last Day to Watch it !)



Dance Theatre of Harlem’s iconic Firebird places the Russian folk tale about a magical bird that triumphs over evil in an exotic Caribbean setting. John Taras’ choreography to Stravinsky’s familiar score was further enlivened by sets and costumes by Geoffrey Holder. The 1982 DTH production was a tremendous worldwide success.

Continue reading

1/11/21 O&A NYC ITS SATURDAY- ANYTHING GOES: Carib Gold (1956)- Ethel Waters, Cicely Tyson and Geoffrey Holder

Carib Gold (1956) is most notable for its largely African-American cast headlined by Ethel Waters, featuring the first known film roles for both Geoffrey Holder and 2019 Oscar Winner Cicely Tyson. The film is a maritime-themed B-movie, written and filmed almost entirely in Key West, Florida, with locally-cast musicians and extras. 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