This story originally appeared on 6abc.
Philadanco is bringing a powerful performance called Moving…Beyond Forward to the Perelman Theater, which highlights the work of four choreographers.
Kim Bears-Bailey, artistic director of Philadanco, says they brought in choreographers that have a history with Philadanco to show “where they are now in their careers and their creativity.” And, she says they all bring something different to the performance.
Choreographers Rennie Harris and Milton Myers are reimagining previous pieces.
Bears-Bailey says these are “works that have definitely stood the test of time.”
“Rennie’s piece is hip hop,” says Tracy Vogt, rehearsal director at Philadanco. “But it’s kind of understanding what hip hop is.”
Myers’ work is called The Element in Which it Takes Place.
“He’s been a part of the Philadanco family since the early ’90s,” says Bears-Bailey. “And how he’s breathing new nuances and manipulating it with this new crop of dancers is really exciting.”
There are also two new works.
“We have two world premieres by Tommie-Waheed Evans and Ray Mercer,” says Bears-Bailey.
Evans’ work is dedicated to Debora Chase-Hicks.
“She was our rehearsal director and coach for many years,” says Bears-Bailey of Chase-Hicks.
Bears-Bailey says Chase-Hicks also spent years as a principal dancer and says what she brought to the stage as a performer was “just magical.”
“So, it’s really very touching,” she says of Evans’ work.
Bears-Bailey calls longtime choreographer Ray Mercer a risk-taker.
“He wanted to do his piece about dance, just for the sake of dance, and what that does to the human spirit,” she says.
“The dancers are stretched and challenged,” says Vogt. She says the dancers are also “really working together to share these choreographers’ stories.”
“I hope the audience is entertained, but also feels something,” says Vogt.
Bears-Bailey says they want to take audiences on a journey, whether they see something they know and remember, only reimagined in a new way, or something totally new and different.
Philadanco’s Moving…Beyond Forward runs April 21-23 at the Perelman Theater inside the Kimmel Center.
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Perelman Theater
300 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102