Originally aired in 2001 as part of the PBS series, Great Performances: Dance in America, ADF’s Emmy Award-winning documentary, Free to Dance: The African American Presence in Modern Dance, remains a timeless illustration of the crucial role of African-American dancers and choreographers in the development of modern dance as an American art form. Set against the cultural, social, and economic backdrop of American life from 1900 onward, the documentary captures the remarkable tale of the struggle by African-American dancers and choreographers for recognition and acceptance as highly talented and passionate performers.

Initially a brainchild of the late ADF Philosopher-in-Residence, Gerald E. Myers, the documentary and subsequent performance program titled Dancing in the Light, is the culmination of projects under ADF’s The Black Tradition in American Modern Dance program that included reconstructions of classic works, two booklets of essays, The Black Tradition in American Modern Dance (1988) and African American Genius in Modern Dance (1993), panel discussions, and more at the American Dance Festival (ADF) along with colleges and universities around the country.

We invite you to experience the second hour of the documentary Free to Dance on UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus this Wednesday, September 21st at 12pm. The screening, held in the Hitchcock Multipurpose Room of the Sonja Haynes Stone Center, is free and open to the public as part of a three-day symposium exploring the history and legacy of African-American female choreographers.

Also, don’t miss out on the performance of Philadanco, presented by the Carolina Performing Arts (CPA) at Memorial Hall on September 23rd. The dance company’s one-night-only performance opens with the new work, Watching Go By, The Day, commissioned by CPA and choreographed by Hope Boykin, a three-time recipient of ADF’s Young Tuition Scholarship, past assistant to Talley Beatty as he set an ADF-commissioned reconstruction, current Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancer, and Durham native.

Interested in seeing this performance? “Like” the American Dance Festival on Facebook and look out for a special discounted ticket offer for ADF patrons!

***The Free to Dance series was supported by The Ford Foundation, The National Endowment for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Thirteen/WNET New York, Public Broadcasting System, and The National Black Programming Consortium. (Executive Producers: Charles L. & Stephanie Reinhart; Series Director: Madison Davis Lacy; Narrator: Blair Underwood). Visit the web companion to the Free to Dance at www.pbs.org

From the moment we were greeted at the airport with smiling faces and huge, colorful bouquets of flowers, I knew we were in for a very special residency. Hou Ying, former dancer with the Guangdong Modern Dance Company and Shen Wei Dance Arts, was the intrepid and accomplished leader of the festival. Along with her extraordinary assistants, our eager translators, and our hosts at Henan Normal University, everyone made it possible for an intense, three-class-a-day schedule to seem very doable.

Our students, many of whom had no previous experience with modern dance, were enthusiastic learners. They absorbed an incredible amount of information in ten days of classes. They could be found at all hours of the day or night working on their composition assignments, practicing their vocal skills and clarifying their newly discovered contemporary techniques. They got to present all they had accomplished in a final showing on the last Friday of classes. After demonstrating their dance abilities and some marvelous voice work, the day culminated in an informal showing of Rodger Belman’s site- specific work in a nearby park. As the audience assembled in a light drizzle of rain, the dancers began to move through the space. The more they danced, the harder it rained, until white costumes were soaked, long, dark hair flew wildly and everyone was transported to a truly memorable experience of beauty and abandon.

As for the faculty and musicians, we were fed and cared for at every turn. On our one weekend off, our hosts provided us with our own bus and we took several fabulous excursions. We visited the famous Shaolin Temple, and were also fortunate enough to have a visit to the premiere Kung Fu Academy in the province– 20,000 students practicing their martial arts skills outdoors on cobblestone courtyards. We were given a private demonstration by some of the advanced students, and were astounded by their skill and their endurance.

On the last night of the festival, we presented two scholarships for next summer’s ADF, much to the excitement of all. We finished with a festive dance party in one of the studios, and left with many smiles, many tears, many thank you’s, and many very special memories. We made some incredible friendships, and felt that we had truly accomplished our mission of bringing modern dance to Henan. As a matter of fact, Hou Ying is already in the beginning stages of planning a possible festival for next summer. Stay tuned!

Welcome to our highlight reel. For the last blog post of the season, we would like to share some of our favorite moments from this summer. Enjoy and see you all next year!

Six Week School students at the ADF take 3 two-hour classes a day, four days a week; two of these classes can be technique and the third a composition or repertory class. Students audition for the repertory classes with ADF faculty the first weekend they arrive, and work intensely for the next six weeks in creating a new work with the faculty or in learning a past repertory. In this video, you will catch a glimpse of the Leah Cox and Trebien Pollard repertory showings.

At the end of the summer, students of the ADF Three Week School have the opportunity to share their achievements with the rest of the ADF community. Enjoy an excerpt of the their showing at Baldwin Auditorium.

For our third and final “Fridays with Charles” post, Charles Reinhart gives his advice to budding choreographers. For your lifelong dedication to modern dance, we thank you, Charles.



“Fridays with Charles” theme song by Dave Yarwood.