Dance Theatre of Harlem’s ballet company will perform a “crowd-pleasing,” classical ballet-based program Feb. 4 at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts. The New York-based company, which tours globally, stresses the importance of education and multiculturalism through its performances, classes and lectures.
Company manager Liz Magnuson said the company’s dance style fuses several forms of ballet.
“We can do any kind of ballet we want — African ballet, jazz ballet — but we are based in classical ballet,” she said.
The 45-member company will present three works in their performance: “South African Suite,” “Return,” and “Dougla” (pronounced “doog-la”). Company dancer Preston Dugger said the first number was inspired by a past company trip to South Africa.
“(‘South African Suite’) is kind of abstract,” Dugger said. “You have to let your imagination run free and pretend you’re in an environment like South Africa.”
He described “Return” as a “hit piece” that mixes contemporary ballet and social dance to the tunes of James Brown and Aretha Franklin. Company dancer Melissa Morrissey added that the number is an audience favorite.
“Its fun and upbeat,” she sad. “It mixes ballet and street moves; it’s kind of a funky ballet.”
“Dougla” tells the story of a pre-wedding ceremony between two spouses of Caribbean and African descent. Dugger said he saw “Dougla” before becoming a company member, and the performance convinced him to join Dance Theatre of Harlem.
“The piece is so powerful,” Dugger said. “Especially live, because we have live drums.”
Dance Theatre of Harlem founder and artistic director Arthur Mitchell started the dance institution in 1969 as a service to Harlem children as a reaction to Martin Luther King Jr.’s death. Today, the institution includes the ballet company, a school of dance for students at community through professional levels and a secondary company called Dancing Through Barriers. In addition to performing, Dancing Through Barriers has a strong focus on providing workshops, demonstrations and classes for schools and communities around the world.
Dugger participated in Dancing Through Barriers before joining the ballet company. He said the experience was “humbling” because dancers were responsible for all technical aspects of performing, such as costumes and sets. He said members in the ballet company focus solely on their dancing.
“I learned a different aspect about how the company works and operates (in Dancing Through Barriers),” he said.
Company dancers were attracted to the institution for a variety of personal reasons. The focus on the works of renowned choreographer George Balanchine appealed to Morrissey, and Dugger admired the dance theater’s cultural diversity.
“I love to be well-rounded and feel different cultures,” Dugger said. “There are so many colors and cultures here.”
The Hult Center for the Performing Arts is located at the intersection of 7th Avenue and Willamette Street. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are available at the UO Ticket Office, and prices range from $20-$44. The dancers will lead a pre-show discussion at 7 p.m. in Studio 1 of the Hult Center. The ballet company will lead a free discussion about the Dance Theatre of Harlem on Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Eugene Public Library, located at 100 W. 10th Ave.