African American Dance Company, IU Northwest students enthralled by Dance Theatre of Harlem performance at IU Auditorium

“They were just in awe at how much commitment those dancers had to their craft: six hours a day of practice and the travel—that’s their life. On the way back, our students discussed the need to be just as committed to their academic performance if they want to be as successful in their own fields.”

The IU Northwest students who attended the performance and a reception afterwards are involved in student organizations on campus, specifically Brother 2 Brother and My Sister’s Keeper, academic success programs that support students in and out of the classroom on the Northwest Indiana campus.

One such student, Ethan Riddell, a junior business administration major, isn’t a dancer himself, but found the performance moving.

“That was my first ballet or dance performance ever, so it was a really exciting experience. During the performance, what I noticed was how much power the dancers had and how much practice it takes for them to learn those skills. But the joy the dancers had is what made the whole show for me,” said Riddell, a Camden, Mich., native who transferred from Trine University and currently interns in Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office, in addition to working a third-shift part-time job to help pay for school.

“I really enjoyed the meet-and-greet after the show because we got to meet new people from the Bloomington campus and other areas, and also the dancers themselves. Something that stood out to me about the dancers was they looked a lot smaller off the stage, as opposed to when they were dancing.”

Meanwhile, Jalyn Warren, an IU Bloomington freshman from Carmel, Ind., found the experience meaningful for other reasons. The day before the performance, Warren and the other students in the African American Dance Company participated in a dance master class led by Devon Doane, a dancer in the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

“I thought the master class was really fun, just because it was a different type of dancing, whereas our aesthetic is more Afro-modern. I thought it was interesting, because it was a different perspective of dance. Even our warmup was different and that’s always fun, to have new things thrown at you because you can challenge yourself in terms of your technique,” said Warren, who had previously seen the Dance Theatre of Harlem twice before, both times in Chicago.

“I thought the performance was excellent. I think it’s amazing, the way they can articulate their movements and their bodies. You can teach me the same combination and the way that I’d do it would look completely different from the way they’d do it because of their technique and how disciplined they are. That’s probably what fascinated me most, how they can hold a pose with a smile on their face. It’s something that takes a lot of training. It’s very demanding on your body.”

Rosa, Warren’s professor, had a unique perspective on the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s visit. In the summers of 1975 and 1976, the African American Arts Institute studied in New York at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, thanks to a grant written by Dr. Herman C. Hudson, the founder of IU’s African American Arts Institute.

“For me, it was full circle. When I knew they were coming, I wanted to give the students a little bit of history and knowledge about the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and how the African American Dance Company has been connected with it,” explained Rosa, who also mentioned that the Dance Theatre of Harlem last visited Bloomington in 1982. 

“When we had the dance master class, it was an hour of warmups and movement. Devon Doane was very inspiring, and he really taught the class from his heart. I think it was very inspiring for the students to hear about his background, successes, and challenges as a young, black, male dancer.

“For many of the students and faculty, whether or not they are involved with dance, the performance was really inspiring. Virginia Johnson, who used to be one of the principal dancers, is doing such a great job in directing artistically the young crop of dancers. You could see the challenge, technique, and excitement in the dancers’ bodies and faces. All of the pieces, including the solo, were danced with such passion,” continued Rosa, a professor in IU's Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies (AAADS).

“The reception was also great, because it allowed them to see each other in a more relaxed environment. I brought down a 1975 magazine that focused on the Dance Theatre of Harlem so that the current Dance Theatre of Harlem company members could sign a photo that was in the magazine. Hopefully, the students should understand how legacy is carried on their bodies. The current members of the Dance Theatre of Harlem carry the legacy of Arthur Mitchell, who was so instrumental in making sure that African Americans had the opportunity to perform in the ballet form of dance.”