[4/7] This week @dancetheatreofharlem celebrates Founders’ Week, marking the 56th anniversary of the company. Join me in celebrating by learning more about the company in a series of DTH posts!
Arthur Mitchell: “My whole purpose in calling the company Dance Theatre of Harlem was to identify it with Harlem. Why Harlem? Because to people all over the world Harlem means the black man’s culture, a culture torn out of slavery in America. They tell me that before my time, Harlem used to be a great theatrical center for New York. Harlem can become that again. I want to extend our studios into a theater, have a complex in a landscaped park, so that, right here in Harlem, we will have our own Lincoln Center.”
“DTH is Harlem’s classical company, in truth and in name. That is the first reason why DTH has to have a home theater in Harlem. There is another good reason for our having a home theater—for bringing the arts to the people, so that the arts will be truly a part of their daily lives.”
Quoted from Olga Maynard in Dance Magazine 1975.
(left) Lowell Smith & Keith Saunders. Photo by Paul Stephen, 1980
(center) Serenade performed by DTH, Photo by Steve Grayson, 1989
(right) Fancy Free. Cube Burke, Tyrone Brooks and Donald Williams. Photo by Paul China 1985.
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