Dance--Performance

PASA presents the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble, which will bring its unique ballet style to Lafayette at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday February 15, 2009 at the Heymann Performing Arts Center. All seats are $5 and are only available through mail order or at the Heymann Box Office. This special appearance of the Dance Theater of Harlem Ensemble is sponsored by AT&T, Dr. Curtis H. Roy, D.D.S., the Daily Advertiser, Opelousas Daily World, Keller Williams Realty, the Louisiana Open and Ben and Dawn Adams.

An American classic, Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble brings its Dance for America tour to audiences in Lafayette. Note that 3:00 p.m. is a special performance so please plan accordingly for this show.

Dance Theatre of Harlem will not only perform, but also offer the audience a behind the scenes look at how a dancer is made. Known for innovative and history-making productions, the show will end with Mother Popcorn, an electrifying piece from choreographer Robert Garland's sizzling Return with music by James Brown. Audiences may recall this exceptional dance piece from the company's last visit to Lafayette in 2001. This performance showcases the blending of the contemporary style of Dance Theatre of Harlem with their deeply-embedded roots in the tradition of ballet master George Blanchine.

Dance Theatre of Harlem's performance on the PASA series is part of a national tour which includes stops in Shreveport and Baton Rouge. "Dance Theatre of Harlem is one of the most important cultural institutions in the world. As one of our country's first African-American classical ballet companies, they've been seen by millions of people around the world, including those of us who saw them in their last appearance in Lafayette several years ago," says Jacqueline Lyle, PASA Executive Director.

"All Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble tickets are priced at only $5 and we are relying on our community to support this project through sponsorship," says Lyle. "We have designed a range of sponsorships, including corporate, dance school and church sponsorships, as well as Adopt-A-Dancer sponsorships.

PASA is looking for 18 Adopt-A-Dancer sponsors. At $500, this sponsorship includes ten tickets to the performance, invitations to a party with the dancers after the show and the opportunity to appear on stage in the show. For more information about sponsorship, call Lyle at 337 237-2787, ext. 204.

To order tickets, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope with payment by check or money order to PASA. Include a ticket request, indicating the number of tickets to be purchased, name, address, telephone number and email address, as well as payment for the total number of $5 tickets. Ticket requests should be mailed to PASA at P.O. Box 52979, Lafayette, LA, 70505. Order forms will be available in the Daily Advertiser, Daily World, at area churches and dance schools and online at http://www.pasa-online.org/.

Founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook, Dance Theatre of Harlem was dubbed "One of ballet's most exciting undertakings" by the New York Times. Inspired by the death of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mitchell, an accomplished artistic director, astute educator, talented choreographer and extraordinary dancer, was inspired to start a school that would offer children---especially those in Harlem, NY, where he was born--the chance to learn about dance and the allied arts. Now in its fourth decade, the Dance Theatre of Harlem has grown into a multi-cultural dance institution with an extraordinary legacy of providing opportunities for creative expression and artistic excellence.

Over the years, Dance Theatre of Harlem has achieved unprecedented success by bringing innovative and bold new forms of artistic expression to audiences in New York City, across the country, and around the world. Serving as cultural ambassadors and representatives of the people of the United States, they have participated in high profile tours abroad most notably to the former USSR in 1988, South Africa after the fall of Apartheid in 1992; and to China in 2000 following the signing of the 2000 US-China trade treaty. During their tour of China, they performed to sold-out houses, giving the country its first performances of Firebird,and conducted extensive outreach and educational activities in Mandarin Chinese. That same year, the company returned to the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, which marked their first performances on that stage in 25 years. Dance Theatre of Harlem is known worldwide for its eclectic repertoire; which includes their history making productions of Creole Giselle and Firebird. Their company studios have served as the incubator for artists of today like Robert Garland, Alonzo King, Donald Byrd and Vincent Mantsoe.

"We want everyone in the community to have the chance to experience our performances." says Jacqueline Lyle, PASA Executive Director. "Parents have an incredible opportunity to share an entertaining cultural opportunity to their children at very little cost. Providing a foundation to enrich a child's mind and give them a greater appreciation of the arts is priceless and this performance is a great way to share that experience with them."

In addition to the professional company, the Dance Theatre of Harlem School is based in New York City, and is a leading arts education center which features a 14 member touring ensemble dedicated to continuing the legacy it started almost 40 years ago. The school houses dance studios used by the professional company dancers and the students at the school. Each year they offer training to more than 1,000 young people annually through professional and pre-professional dance programs. The school also offers a community program called Dancing Through Barriers, which is open to any child who wants to study dance.

For more information about the upcoming performance of the Dance Theatre of Harlem or the Performing Arts Society of Acadiana, visit us online or call our office at (337) 237-2787.