IABD » Conference Highlights

MASTER CLASSES

Morning Yoga and Conditioning

Technique classes in Ballet, Pointe, Modern: Horton, Graham, Dunham, Jazz (classic and contemporary), Hip- Hop, Tap, Caribbean, African Dance and more with renowned artists and choreographers.

Participating companies teach classes in their distinct movement styles.
Learn classic etudes from Founding IABD Artistic Directors, Contemporary Company Leaders, and Choreographers.

SPEAKERS

DeBorah Ahmed, founder of Black Dance USA in St. Louis, MO, has agreed to attend the IABD Conference in Los Angele and to speak about her annual festival which includes classes, workshops, and performances by an internationally known black dance company each year.

Ms. Ahmed is one of the few African-American dance presenters in America. In the past she has hired Cleo Parker Robinson; Forces of Nature; Ballethnic; Chuck Davis’ African American Dance Theatre and other companies to perform in her festival. Lula Washington Dance Theatre (LWDT) will perform in the festival Memorial Day weekend in May 2012. Ms. Ahmed also brings a variety of teachers to work in her festival.

Erwin Washington, Executive Director of LWDT, invited Ms. Ahmed to speak about what it takes to establish and maintain an annual dance festival in St. Louis. 

Renae Williams-Niles, Director of Dance Presentations at the Music Center of Los Angeles County, has also agreed to speak at the IABD conference in Los Angeles. Ms. Niles is the highest positioned African-American dance presenter in the Western United States. She annually brings companies such as Alvin Ailey to perform at the Music Center.

One of the goals of the conference is to bring black dance companies together with presenters who can engage them for performances. The conference in Los Angeles will be held Jan. 27-30, 2011. It is being hosted by the Lula Washington Dance Theatre.

Garth Fagan, whose dance company celebrates its 40th Anniversary in 2010, has agreed to speak at the 23rd Annual IABD conference in Los Angeles and to have his dance company represented on stage in the conference showcase. Garth Fagan will talk about his role as choreographer for the Broadway show, Lion King, which has hired scores of modern dancers from companies such as Alvin Ailey, Philadanco, and Lula Washington Dance Theatre. Many of those dancers have gone back to doing company work following stints on Broadway. Mr. Fagan will talk about the impact of Broadway and commerical dancing on his own company (and others) and about what it has taken for him to maintain a dance company for 40 years. Mr. Fagan will be available for round table discussions and talks with aspiring dancers and choreographers. He will share his plans for passing on his company to his chosen ”next generation” leader.

PANELS/SEMINARS/ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

PANELS

The current state of Black Dance: Honoring pioneers and embracing the diversity of the current generation.

How do I become an educator in dance on a community, high school or collegiate level?

What do specific companies look for in hiring new dancers?

Should dancers enter the professional arena or pursue a college education?

What are my options after stage performance?

SEMINARS

Contemporary company leaders conduct interactive, multimedia presentations about building and maintaining their companies.

Dancing at the Crossroads: Doing it all — Concert, Commercial, Broadway and/or Teaching, choreographing, administration of running a company and still performing.

Writing ourselves into history. Preserving and maintaining our specific forms of expression.

Prominent artists, who face challenges in gaining recognition.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

Man to Man: Acknowledging homosexuality while maintaining masculinity

Dieting and Body Image: Different perspectives from various companies

Gender Roles in Choreography

Woman to Woman: Discussing dance, pregnancy, competition and more

Trends in Teaching

SPECIAL EVENTS

Student and Professional Company Performance Showcase.

Tribute to beloved dance figures Denise Jefferson, Dr. Sherrill Berryman-Johnson, Marceline Freeman, of Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company and Arlene Kennedy of the Los Angeles based Tap studio, Universal Dance Designs

Experience new technology for creating, composing and copyrighting movement

Awards Luncheon with celebrity guests, directors, producers and others invited guests

Auditions: Professional Company/ Summer Festival/ Scholarship

Closing Night Party – Come to the closing night party in the Biltmore Hotel Saturday night, Jan. 29th and be prepared to share your skills on an OPEN DANCE FLOOR Carnival-Style! All styles of dance welcome. Groups may perform together.  Soloists are welcome, too.  It’s time to show and prove! Concert dancers, you will share the floor with Hollywood commercial dancers.

INVITED PARTICIPANTS TO DATE (PARTIAL LISTS)

Lula Washington Dance Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Philadelphia Dance Company, Philadelphia, PA
Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas, TX
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Denver, CO
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton, OH
Donald McKayle, PhD
Ronald K. Brown/Evidence, New York, NY
Garth Fagan Dance- Rochester, NY
Rennie Harris, PhD/ Puremovement, Philadelphia, PA
Dance Theatre of Harlem, New York, NY
Dwight Rhoden & Desmond Richardson, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, New York, NY
Robert Moses Kin, San Fransisco, CA
Debbie Allen, Los Angeles, CA
Jamel Gaines, Creative Outlet, New York, NY
Cleveland School for the Arts, Cleveland, OH
Baltimore Tech.
Ron E. Brown, Los Angeles, CA
William “PG” Grinton, Los Angeles, CA
Bernard Gaddis, Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Company, Las Vegas
Jamal Story, New York, NY Dancer Choreographer
Ken Morris, Choreographer, LWDT Alumni
Christopher Huggins, New York , NY
Martina L. Young, PhD
Stephanie Powell, PhD

INVITED INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS TO DATE (PARTIAL LIST)

Dance Immersion, Canada
Cheryl Stone, Australia
Pilbara Performing Arts Foundation, Australia