DANCE IN ALBANY SERIES COMMENCES WITH AN ESTABLISHED COMPANY FOLLOWED BY AN EMERGING ONE
(Albany, NY): The performing arts centers at The Egg and the University at Albany, which jointly present Dance in Albany, are proud to present the first two offerings in the series with residencies and performances in October and November by the long-established Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and the emerging Passion Fruit Dance Company. Dayton Contemporary will kick off the series at The Egg with a performance on Friday, October 20, 2023 at 8pm with Passion Fruit following just a couple of weeks later at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center on the uptown University at Albany campus with a performance on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 7:30pm. Both companies will spend time in the community before their performance dates.
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC)
Established in 1968, DCDC is currently marking its 55th anniversary. Founded by Jeraldyne Blunden to create performance opportunities for dancers of color, the company remains rooted in the African-American experience and committed to the development of diverse movement artists on the global stage. The company is currently helmed by Debbie Blunden-Diggs, the founder’s daughter.
Based in Dayton, Ohio, DCDC has toured the world, dancing on stage for packed houses in Bermuda, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia, South Korea and throughout the United States. Their last visit to the Capital Region was a performance at The Egg in 2007.
The company will perform a repertory program that explores and celebrates the impact of African-American culture in the world today. DCDC’s vast repertory includes works by Donald Byrd, Ray Mercer, Donald McKayle, Abby Zbikowski, Keisha Lalama, Crystal Michelle, Stafford C. Berry Jr. and Debbie Blunden-Diggs.
Prior to the performance on October 20, 2023, there will be a Prelude talk sponsored by the Dance Alliance that begins at 7:15pm at The Egg.
The performance is presented in cooperation with Union College where the company will be in residence on Thursday, October 19, 2023 supported by the Department of Theater and Dance. Free and open to the public, the Stephanie C. Davis Residency includes a mixed level master class which will be offered from 6pm to 7:15pm followed by a lecture/demonstration from 7:30pm to 8:30pm, both at the campus’s Henle Dance Studio. More information can be obtained by visiting the website: https://www.union.edu/theater-dance.