The Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Essay Example

For this assignment, I attended a performance at the Dallas Black Dance Theatre on Friday May 1, entitled DBDT II, Allegro, Senior and Junior Co’s Performance at St. Matthew’s Cathedral. This performance was meant to serve as a show case of the work for the various groups that train with this dance company. A majority of the individuals in the performance were students, but they danced with precision that looked very professional. The groups employed a diverse range of genre into their performances, which included modern, jazz, African, lyrical, and spiritual works. The jazz dances were full of energy, while the modern dance included new and edgy motifs. The African works were the most enjoyable however, because the dancers were able to put a modern twist on traditional African performance. Unfortunately, the identity of the choreographers were not listed, although it is likely that the same individuals put all of these pieces together.

Even though the dances were employed by distinct groups of dancers consisting of distinct styles, the jazz, modern, and African dances appeared to share many elements. While the jazz and African dances had the most energy, it appeared that the dancers intended to take the audience throughout black history through their artistic display. For instance, even the modern dance pieces attempted to incorporate elements of African dance, and vice versa. This was an interesting unitary theme for the choreographers to have involved in this show.

In conclusion, the choreography used in this piece was striking and distinctive. It enabled the viewer to understand why the choreographer and the dancers are able to connect with these pieces, as they reflect their own cultural heritage. All dancers were very skilled and well-practiced, which made this performance highly enjoyable to watch.