Ronald K. Brown: Faith in Dance, the Arts, and African-American History

A brown bag lunch discussion with choreographer and Evidence Dance Company founder Ronald K. Brown, as well as Africana Studies faculty. The discussion will focus on subjects of faith in dance, faith in the arts, and faith in African-American history. 

Ronald K. Brown was born in Brooklyn and founded the New York-based contemporary dance ensemble EVIDENCE, A DANCE COMPANY in 1985.

In addition to his work with Evidence, Brown has created work for the African American Dance Ensemble, Philadanco, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (Grace in 1999, Serving Nia in 2001, IFE/My Heart 2005 and Dancing Spirit during special tribute season), Ailey II, Cinque Folkloric Dance Theater, Jennifer Muller/The Works, and Jeune Ballet d’Afrique Noire.

He has collaborated with such artists as composer/designer Omotayo Wunmi Olaiya, the late writer Craig G. Harris, director Ernie McClintock’s Jazz Actors Theater, choreographers Patricia Hoffbauer and Rokiya Kone, and composers Robert Een, Oliver Lake, Bernadette Speech, David Simons, and Don Meissner.“Dancing Spirit” 2010, a tribute to Judith Jamison.

Brown has received numerous awards and fellowships including a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship in Choreography, a National Endowment for the Arts Choreographer’s Fellowship, a New York Foundation for the Arts

Fellowship in choreography, New York Dance and Performance Award (Bessie), a Black Theater Alliance Award, the American Dance Festival Humphrey/Weidman/Limón Award, and fellowships from the Edward and Sally van Lier Fund.

In addition, Brown was named Def Dance Jam Workshop Mentor of the Year in 2000.  In 2003, he received an AUDELCO (Black Theatre Award) for his choreography for Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats, originally produced by the McCarter Theater and presented off-Broadway in 2003. In fall 2006, Brown received The United States Artists Rose Fellowship.  He was one of only four choreographers of 50 artists to receive the inaugural award.

Bio from:

http://www.evidencedance.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&i...