South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center to present Dance Theatre of Harlem

South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center to present Dance Theatre of Harlem
South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center to present Dance Theatre of Harlem
Dance Theatre of Harlem to perform at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center.

The South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center (SMDCAC), 10950 SW 211 St. in Cutler Bay. presents Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) for two seasons in a performance and residency program titled “The Return of the Black Ballerina” beginning this spring, thanks to a Knight Arts Challenge grant awarded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

In 1955 Arthur Mitchell, an African-American ballet dancer was selected by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein to join the New York City Ballet (NYCB). This historic occurrence in pre-civil rights America set the stage for many firsts by Mitchell, who changed the face and future of dance forever.

Through roles choreographed by Balanchine specifically for Mitchell, such as the pas de deux in Agon and the role of Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, he honed his craft to become a principal dancer with NYCB for 15 years.

In 1969, shortly after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem as a school and later the first Black classical ballet company and the first major ballet company to prioritize Black dancers.

Drawing on his expertise and his prominence as the first African American to be a permanent member of a major U.S. ballet company, Mitchell’s ground-breaking idea was to transform the lives of young people in Harlem by providing training in classical ballet. In a few short years, his response to tragedy became a leading dance institution of unparalleled global acclaim.

Dance Theatre of Harlem has had many consequential milestones throughout its history including in 1988 with a five-week tour of the USSR, playing sold-out performances in Moscow, Tbilisi, and Leningrad, where the company received a standing ovation at the famed Kirov Theatre. In 1992, the company toured to South Africa in the “Dancing Through Barriers” tour that gave birth to the outreach program of the same name that still continues to operate. South African Suite, a collaboration with the Soweto String Quartet, was created after the company’s visit to South Africa and became a staple in the repertoire of the company for years to come.

In the 1990s and 2000s the company performed in South Florida regularly, attracting dance fans from all over the region to see its dynamic and consequential work. In 2006 President George W. Bush honored Dance Theatre of Harlem at the White House for an evening of performances given by the DTH Ensemble and former company members.

Due to financial constraints DTH was on hiatus for an eight-year period. In 2011, Virginia Johnson, a founding dancer and former prima ballerina of the company, was named artistic director with Arthur Mitchell becoming artistic director emeritus.

Performances for this spring are on Saturday, Mar. 10, 8 p.m., and Sunday, Mar. 11, 3 p.m., at South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center.

The evening of the Mar. 10 performance, 6:30-7:30 p.m., there will be a pre-show discussion about the challenges and triumphs of the Black Ballerina led by award-winning journalist Nadege Green and Virginia Johnson.

There also will be a free “Dancing In The Streets” community party with DTH dancers on Friday, Mar. 9, beginning at 6 p.m., at South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center and will include a special commissioned work by Hattie Mae Williams, The Tattooed Ballerinas; kids activities; as well as an opportunity for the community to dance with DTH company members and enjoy food vendors, bars, giveaways and more.

A community master class with DTH, open to dancers of all levels, will take place on Saturday, Mar. 10, 10:30 a.m., at South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center (registration open one to two weeks before). Visit SMDCAC.org for more information.

Tickets for the DTH performances are $25-$65 and can be purchased at SMDCAC.org or by calling 786-573-5300.


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