BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A singular presence in the ballet world, Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) returns for the last week of Black History month for an elegant performance on March 1 at IU Auditorium along with a weeklong state-wide residency including stops in Gary, Indianapolis, Greensburg, and Bloomington. Three Indiana University graduates from the Jacobs School of Music ballet program are a part of the company and will make their return to campus and participate in all the events surrounding the week.

 

About Dance Theatre of Harlem and the March 1 Performance

Dance Theatre of Harlem tours nationally and internationally, presenting a powerful vision for ballet in the 21st century. The critically acclaimed company performs a forward-thinking repertoire that includes treasured classics, neoclassical works by George Balanchine and artistic director Robert Garland, as well as innovative contemporary works that use the language of ballet to celebrate DTH’s founder Arthur Mitchell’s belief that ballet belongs to everyone.

 

Through performances, community engagement, and arts education, the company carries forward Dance Theatre of Harlem’s message of empowerment through the arts for all.

 

“Dance Theatre of Harlem brings a profound artistry and commitment to excellence that is both inspiring and exhilarating,” said IU Auditorium Executive Director, Maria Talbert. “Their bold choreography and innovative storytelling create a stunning celebration of diversity and creativity in dance. We look forward to welcoming the company to our state for a week full of amazing engagement.”

 

The program for the March 1 performance at IU Auditorium will include the works of Balanchine, Garland, and Robert Bondara.

 

State-Wide Residency (Complete Residency Schedule)

Company members of Dance Theatre of Harlem will lead a state-wide residency during their time in Indiana with 15 confirmed events at the time of this writing in four different cities. A complete schedule can be found above.

 

One group will begin in Indianapolis for visits at Shortridge High School and James Whitcomb Riley Elementary School on February 25. That group will then visit Greensburg Elementary and High Schools on February 26.

 

Another group will start their week in Gary at IU Northwest for a pair of events on February 25 before a visit to Gary Middle School the following day.

 

Then, the entire company will arrive in Bloomington February 27–March 1. On Thursday, DTH will lead classes with IU students in the ballet and contemporary dance departments and members of the African American Dance Company. Friday will be the annual IU Auditorium Kids on Campus program where the company will lead a daytime program for local middle school students. That evening, DTH Artistic Director Robert Garland will sit on a panel for a discussion on The Intersection of Arts and Social Justice.

 

The week will conclude on Saturday, March 1 with Garland leading an Elementary Dance Workshop in the morning before the ticketed public performance at IU Auditorium at 8 p.m. followed by a post-performance Q&A with audience members.

 

Indiana University Alumni

Three company members are graduates of the Jacobs School of Music ballet department Ariana Dickerson, Alexandra Hutchinson, and Alexandra Rene Jones will make their return to campus as members of Dance Theatre of Harlem. Along with the March 1 performance, the trio will participate in the weeklong residency including a unique Alumni Q&A directly with current Jacobs School of Music ballet students.

 

Kyra Nichols, Jacobs School of Music Faculty Member, to Set Choreography with DTH

Kyra Nichols, the Violette Verdy and Kathy Ziliak Anderson Chair in Ballet Professor of Music at the Jacobs School of Music, is a repetiteur for the Balanchine Trust. Last season, Nichols worked with DTH to set the choreography (e.g., teach and rehearse) with the company for George Balanchine’s Pas de Dix. DTH had the pleasure of welcoming her back to their studios this past summer in 2024 to work with the company again in setting Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations. Both ballets, amongst others, will be performed in Bloomington, highlighting the work between Nichols and DTH.

 

Dance Theatre of Harlem at IU Auditorium is presented in partnership with the Jacobs School of Music; Smithville Charitable Foundation; IU Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Masters of Arts in Arts Administrative Program; IU LGBTQ+ Culture Center; National Endowment for the Arts; IU Black Philanthropy Circle; IU Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council; and Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, Inc. Marina Svetlova Fund for Dance.

 

IU Auditorium’s 2024–2025 season is presented by B97, Cook Medical, Curry Auto Center, The Herald Times, Upland Brewing Company, and World Arts Inc.