By Walter Rutledge
On Wednesday July 15 The New York Dance and Performance Awards (The Bessies), announced the nominees for the 2014−15 season at its annual press conference. For the second consecutive year the Gibney Dance at 280 Broadway hosted New York City’s premier dance awards honoring outstanding creative work in the field. Two 2015 awards, Juried Bessie Award and Outstanding Emerging Choreographer were presented at the press conference. Continue reading
By Walter Rutledge
Mighty Real’s Viewing Party for TV One’s Unsung Revisited took place on Wednesday, July 1, 2015 at Cove Lounge (325 Lenox Ave. btw 126th and 127th). Co-producers and life partners Anthony Wayne and Kendrell Bowman were inspired to create Mighty Real: A Fabulous Sylvester Musical after seeing the Unsung documentary about disco diva/recording artist Sylvester on TV One in 2010. After Mighty Real’s successful Off-Broadway debut last Fall, the producers of Unsung reached out to Wayne and Bowman, and conducted interviews for a special episode on the creation of the musical.
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The episode began airing on TV One Wednesday July 1 at 8pm and documents the journey from concept to stage. The production developed from a series of concerts at le poisson rouge in New York City in 2012. In 2013 the musical enjoyed sold out performances at the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C. and in Miami. Their efforts culminated in an Off-Broadway one-month limited engagement at Theatre at St. Clement’s (423 W. 46th Street) in September 2014. Mighty Realreturned to NYC for a sold-out one-night-only event at The Gramercy Theater on January 18, 2015, followed by performances at Brava Theater Center in San Francisco (February 11- March 1, 2015), the Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia (April 2015), and returning to The Howard Theatre in D.C. for a special performance for Black Pride (May 2015).
The musical will play a special one-night-only performance in New York City at The Gramercy Theatre (127 East 23rd Street) on Friday, July 31st at 8 PM (doors open at 7PM). Tickets are priced $79.50, $89.50, and $99.50 (limited VIP – priority seating, post-show Meet & Greet and photo with the cast) and are now on sale at TicketMaster by calling (800) 745- 3000, or online at ticketmaster.com or FabulousSylvester.com
Adewale Adekanbi Jr. photographer
To see O&A Interview with Anthony Wayne and Kendrell Bowman Click Below:
To read O&A review of Mighty Real: A Fabulous Sylvester Musical Click Below:
https://outandaboutnycmag.com/93014-oa-review-mighty-real-a-fabulous-sylvester-musical/
By Walter Rutledge
The Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center concludes their 2015 Souls Of Our Feet Dance Festival with two events Monday, June 29 and Tuesday, June 30 at the Actors Fund Arts Center 160 Schermerhorn Street in downtown Brooklyn, 7:30 pm. On Monday the third dance presentation will featured three New York based Hip Hop companies, Full Circle Souljah, Jendog/YalinDream and Special Ops/Flatbush Bullies. Tickets for this event are $20 and can be purchased online at wwwthelmahill.com and at the box office prior to the performance.
Each group brings a different favor of this American art form that was born in urban NYC. Full Circle Souljahs, under the direction of Bronx native Rokafella, blends Hip-Hop with traditional dance styles and compositional forms to produce dances ranging from pure street dance to concert style urban dance narratives. Jendog/YalinDream are a music with a message duet that combines rap, spoken word and hip hop imagery. Special Ops/Flatbush Bullies mixes flexing, bone breaking, and break dance in a street battle format , this high-energy “in your face” style will make you want to bust a sag and pull your hoodie over your head. In Lieu of a formal post performance Q&A, each company director will provide brief statements detailing their organization’s mission and aesthetic philosophy.
On Tuesday June 30 at 7pm the series will conclude with A Dancer’s Life, a conversation with dancer Loretta Abbott. Abbott, whose career spans over six decades. Abbott holds the distinction of dancing the Wade In The Water section of Alvin Ailey’s masterwork Revelations with Ailey himself (she was Ailey’s last partner). In addition to concert dance she was in the original Broadway cast of Purlie, Raisin and Liza With A Z. Abbott will discuss her career and artistry with Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center Artistic Advisor, and Out and About NYC Magazine Editor in Chief Walter Rutledge.
Abbott and Rutledge will open the evening with a duet entitled Sentimental Reasons. The work choreographed by Rutledge and commissioned by Dancers For A Variable Population 10027 Project is a tribute to the partnership of Abbott and the late Al Perryman. Named the Dynamic Duo they had special onstage chemistry, and impeccable comedic timing. This free event will include a closing night reception. For more information visit thelmahill@msn.com or call (718) 875- 9710.
By Walter Rutledge
Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn presented a three-day performance series May 15th through 17th at Kumble Performance Center, LIU Downtown Brooklyn Campus. The event entitled, An Artist Grows In Brooklyn, marked the organization’s twentieth anniversary and featured present company members, returning alumnus, faculty and students from the school. The performance consisted of a series of eight vignettes, which encapsulated the company’s past, present and future legacy. Continue reading
By Walter Rutledge
Artist And Model by Romare Bearden
Happy Father’s Day! The day always brings back great memories of my Dad. One of my favorite stories I call My Dad And The Naked Lady. Continue reading
By Adewale Adekanbi and Walter Rutledge
How could Nicholas Morgenstern ever top avocado-toast ice cream? In collaboration with First We Feast, he’s hosted a very special Kanye West Ice Cream Week. Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream will sell special sundaes all inspired by what West’s fantasy ice-cream parlor might look like.
The offerings included Kim Kardashian Thirst Trap Sundae (sesame-caramel ice cream with Champagne-caramel sauce and whipped cream), All Day Vanilla Ice-Cream Cake (vanilla cake, vanilla ice cream), and, best of all, I Am a God Ice Cream Croissantwich: vanilla ice cream stuffed inside a custom-made Arcade Bakery croissant.
For the fun of it lets imagine what Kayne West Ice Cream Week could look like without a reality check:
1. The Happy Host – Kayne himself will coop up his Yeezy frozen favorites:
2. The Kim K Double Scoop- A full double scoop of Ass Munch favored imitation chocolate ice cream (10 per cent milk, and 90 percent cellulite). Try sprinkling on some Ray J nuts for a salty bite.
3. Kanye’s Drippy Cone- Comes with a shot of penicillin.
4. Kanye West Yeezy 2 Red October Sundae Overpriced and overrated, will put inches on your waist while slimming your wallet.
5. The Kayne West Ice Cream Week Motto: Now go punch a photographer
In Black and White is an excerpt from Brothers a work about the relationships between men. This section deals with the civil right movement as seen through by Malcolm X. Performed by Hassan Blandford and Christopher Fishburn choreography by Walter Rutledge. Other sections explore the relationship between a Grandfather/Grandson and Jesus Christ and Simon of Cyrene. O&A NYC posts In Black and White to commemorate the Birthday of Malcolm X.
By Walter Rutledge
Chen Dance Center presents its spring emerging choreographers series newsteps, May 7 through 9, 7:30 pm at the Chen Dance Center, 70 Mulberry Sreet, 2nd floor (corner Mulberry & Bayard in Chinatown). Founded in 1994 the bi-annual showcase, (held in the spring and fall) provides young dance makers the opportunity to present original works at different stages of development. The five choreographers were selected for the spring concerts are: Jonathan Breton, Hannah Cohen, Bree Nasby, Janice Rosario, and Ashley Carter & Vanessa Martinez de Banos. Continue reading
Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center (THPAC), continues its on-the-edge PEEKS-Works in progress choreographers showcase April 30 at The Actors Fund Arts Center, 160 Schermerhorn St., Brooklyn, NY 7:30pm. The second installment in the 2015 season will present three accomplished artists who are at different stages of exploring “the art of making dances.” Sidra Bell – Artistic Director of Sidra Bell Dance NYC, Da’Von Doane- original member of the revived Dance Theatre of Harlem and Lloyd Knight- principal dancer, Martha Graham Dance Company. All of these artists are making their choreographic debut with our PEEKS program. The showcase is free to the public, with donation suggested at the door.
Da’Von Doane will present Interconnected. Interdependent, a quartet he describes as the imbalance between man/society and nature. Dance Theatre of Harlem dancers Ashley Murphy, Jorge Villarini, and Jenelle Figgins will join Doane. In the tradition of Martha Graham’s Lamentations Lloyd Knight will choreograph and perform Lost a solo set to Gudrun Gut & Myra Davies, Doug Fullington & The Tudor Choir. rendering directed by Sidra Bell will also featuring four dancers. Dancers Jonathan Campbell, Austin Diaz, Alexandra Johnson, and Rebecca Margolick will perform this new work.
PEEKS-Works in progress is a laboratory environment designed for artists to present concepts and ideas and receive audience feedback. The developed works receive consideration the annual Souls of Our Feet: People of Color Dance Festival. PEEKS is designed to give THPAC a year round presence on the dance scene, and produce and identify an ever-expanding talent base of new artists and new work.
The program presents works-in-progress by emerging, New York City-based choreographers and dance companies with a special emphasis on artists of color, women and LGBT. This PEEKS Works in progress program is curated by THPAC artistic advisor Walter Rutledge. For more information about the PEEKS-Works in progress email atthelmahill@msn.com or call 718-875-9710.
Jenelle Figgins is best described as a combination of beauty, brains and talent. The 2014 Princess Grace Awards Winner graduated from SUNY Purchase New York in 2011 after earning a B.F.A. with honors in dance. In her 3rd season with Dance Theatre of Harlem Figgins gets to flex her dramatic muscle in Nacho Duato’s Coming Together. Continue reading
The Dance of the Village Elders are back ! This time we exercise, dance and just have fun through the zoom platform or in-person at R.A.I.N. Nereid 
The Dance of the Village Elders are back ! This time we exercise, dance and just have fun through the zoom platform or in-person at R.A.I.N. Nereid 