By james art 
(BPRW) DANCE THEATER OF HARLEM ANNOUNCES PROGRAMMING FOR ANNUAL NEW YORK SEASON RETURN AND GALA VISION
The exciting line-up includes a world premiere by Jody Gates, company premieres by George Balanchine and William Forsyth, a New York premiere by DTH Artistic Director Robert Garland
(Black PR wire) New York, New York – The extraordinary creators of Dance Theater of Harlem (DTH Robert Garland, Artistic Director; Anna Glass, Executive Director) are ready to electrify Downtown New York again for its annual homecoming season and Vision Gala. Distinguished by the Company’s visionary artistry and unparalleled dynamism, DTH invites new and returning audiences to experience an exciting line-up that highlights the extraordinary range and daring spirit of its dancers. like Dance Theater of Harlem continues to inspire a new generation of classical and contemporary ballet artists and enthusiasts worldwide, the Company remains deeply rooted in the innovative vision of its founder, Arthur Mitchellmore than 55 years later. This spring, DTH will present four captivating performances featuring an exciting mix of company premieres, world premieres, New York premieres, and treasured works, offering audiences a dynamic journey from ballet’s storied past to its vibrant future. Tickets start at $45 (including fees) and are available now at www.nycitycenter.org. Downtown New York is located at 131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues.
Dance Theater of Harlem home season at Downtown New York begins in exciting fashion with the company premiere of To William Forsyth The stunning thrill of precision. Set on the soaring final movement of Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 9, this electrifying work pays homage to Petipa and Balanchine with its dazzling partnership and lightning-fast allegro. Yet it is unmistakably modern, a bold celebration of dancers’ ability to transform technical challenges into exhilarating feats of physical prowess. Adding to the evening, the company brings By George Balanchine Donizetti Variations in his repertoire for the first time – a lively, effervescent series of dances set to Donizetti’s opera Don Sebastian. While the tone is bright and cheerful, the technical demands on the dancers are anything but a performance by two bravura performers in a masterclass in elegance and stamina.
For his second season in New York as Artistic Director of Dance Theater of Harlem, Robert Garland provides two works that demonstrate his unique choreographic style. Weekend headliners are increasingly popular Returna soulful, high-octane celebration to the timeless sounds of James Brown and Aretha Franklin. But that’s just the beginning – Garland’s latest creation, a tribute to black joy, makes its long-awaited New York debut at City Center.
Completing the company’s season is the work of the honored Jody Gatesbringing its magic to DTH, unveiling its own world premiere. Expect nothing less than a dazzling display of artistry that promises to captivate and delight. This season is a must-see celebration of dance at its most exciting.
2025 Dance Theater of Harlem Performance Schedule in Downtown New York City
THURSDAY, APRIL 10 at 7:30 p.m
Dance Community Night
New Untitled Work (New York Premiere)—Robert Garland
The stunning thrill of precision (Company Premiere)—William Forsyth
New Untitled Work (World Premiere) – Jody Gates
Donizetti Variations (Company Premiere)—George Balanchine
Pre-show activities to be announced, with a post-show DJ and dancing in the Grand Tier lobby.
FRIDAY, APRIL 11 at 6:30 p.m
Vision Gala Performance
The stunning thrill of precision (Company Premiere)—William Forsyth
Excerpts from Donizetti Variations (Company Premiere)—George Balanchine
Additional programming to be announced
For Vision Gala tickets and more information, please email [email protected].
SATURDAY, APRIL 12 at 7:30 p.m
Divine Nine/HBCU Night
Return— Robert Garland
Donizetti Variations (Company Premiere)—George Balanchine
New Untitled Work (World Premiere) – Jody Gates
New Untitled Work (New York Premiere)—Robert Garland
Pre-show DJ and dancing in the Grand Tier lobby. For more information on Divine Nine/HBCU Night, please email [email protected].
SUNDAY, APRIL 13 from 3:00 p.m
Meet Ballerina Matinee
New Untitled Work (New York Premiere)—Robert Garland
The stunning thrill of precision (Company Premiere)—William Forsyth
New Untitled Work (World Premiere) – Jody Gates
Donizetti Variations (Company Premiere)—George Balanchine
Pre-show DJ and dancing in the Grand Tier lobby.
The “Meet a Ballerina” event immediately follows the performance.
For tickets, please visit www.nycitycenter.org.
Groups of 10 or more Save! For more information, email [email protected].
Bloomberg Philanthropies is the sponsor of the 2025 season.
Additional support is provided in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
FOR THE ARTISTS
William Forsyth began his career as a dancer with the Joffrey Ballet and later with the Stuttgart Ballet, where he was appointed resident choreographer in 1976. In 1984, he began a 20-year tenure as director of Ballet Frankfurt. After its closure in 2004, Forsythe formed a new ensemble, The Forsythe Company, which he led from 2005 to 2015 and saw his works performed exclusively by these artists, while his earlier works feature prominently in the repertoire of almost every major ballet company in the world. More recently, Forsyth created original works for the Paris Opera Ballet (Blake Works I), English National Ballet (Playlist (track 1,2)), Boston Ballet (Playlist (EP)), as well as A quiet dance night produced by Sadler’s Wells Theater (London) and The Barre Project (Blake Works II) built for the digital scene. Awards received by Forsythe and his ensembles include the Bessie Award for Dance and Performance in New York (1988, 1998, 2004, 2007) and the Laurence Olivier Award in London (1992, 1999, 2009). Forsyth was awarded the title Commandeur des Arts et Lettres (1999) by the Government of France and received the Hessischer Kulturpreis/Hessian Culture Award (1995), the German Cross of Distinguished Service (1997), the Wexner Award (2002) Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale ( 2010), the Samuel Scripps / American Dance Festival Lifetime Achievement Award (2012) and the German FAUST Theater Award for Lifetime Achievement (2020).
Robert Garland, Artistic Director of Dance Theater of Harlemwas a member of the Dance Theater of Harlem Company, reaching the rank of principal dancer. After creating a piece for the DTH School Ensemble, Arthur Mitchell invited Robert Garland to create a piece for The Dance Theater of Harlem Company and appointed him as the organization’s first resident choreographer. He was also the director of the Professional Training Program of the DTH School and the webmaster of the organization. In addition to choreographing several ballets for DTH, Mr. Garland has also created works for New York City Ballet, Britain’s Royal Ballet, Oakland Ballet and many others. His commercial work includes music videos, commercials, and short films, including the children’s TV show Sesame Street, a Nike commercial featuring New York Yankee Derek Jeter, the NAACP Image Awards, a short film for designer Donna Karan, and “Charmin Cha-Cha” for Proctor and Gamble. Mr. Garland holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Juilliard School in New York.
Jody Gates is an artistic director, choreographer, producer, art educator, scenographer and dancer. She has been a principal ballerina with the Joffrey Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet and Complexions Contemporary Ballet, as well as an international guest artist. She was most recently Artistic Director of the Cincinnati Ballet. She is currently the Founder and Artistic Director of Laguna Dance, a non-profit organization based in Laguna Beach, California, and the Founding Director of the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. She is an accomplished choreographer with commissions from dance companies including Staatsballett Berlin, Ballet West, BalletX, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Colorado Ballet and the Vail International Dance Festival. Additionally, she choreographs television commercials and site-specific events, including choreographing a special project for singer/songwriter John Legend and choreographing a global advertising campaign for Los Angeles Tourism. She is an Artistic Associate of William Forsythe, staging and teaching ballets for Forsythe Productions internationally with companies including Paris Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Houston Ballet, Het National Ballet, Scottish Ballet, Teatro alla Scala Ballet, Dance Theater of Haarlem and Zurich Ballet among others. Ms. Gates’s performing career began with the Joffrey Ballet in New York, where she created many roles and worked with numerous renowned choreographers.
FOR THE DANCE THEATER OF HARLEM
Dance Theater of Harlem is a premier dance institution with unparalleled global recognition, featuring a world-class company, professional studio school, premier arts education program – Dancing Through Barriers®, and community engagement activities. Each component of Dance Theater of Harlem brings a solid commitment to enriching the lives of young people and adults around the world through the arts. Founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Schuck, Dance Theater of Harlem is considered “one of ballet’s most exciting ventures” (New York Times1971). Shortly after the assassination of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mitchell was inspired to start a school to offer children—especially those in Harlem, the community where he was born—the opportunity to learn about dance and the allied arts. Now in its 56th year, Dance Theater of Harlem has become a multicultural dance institution with an outstanding legacy of providing opportunities for creative expression and artistic excellence that continue to set standards in the performing arts.
Dance Theater of Harlem celebrates its annual homecoming season and Vision Gala by April 10-13, 2025 with performances held in Downtown New York (131 West 55th Street). For more information about Dance Theater of Harlem, please visit www.DanceTheatreOfHarlem.org.
Follow Dance Theater of Harlem on Instagram and Facebook: @DanceTheatreOfHarlem; YouTube: Dance Theater of Harlem; and X: @DTHBallet
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Source: Dance Theater of Harlem
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