October Dance

October Dance features the historic reconstruction of Katherine Dunham's seminal work Afrique, choreographed in 1949. Dunham, who is considered the matriarch of Black Dance, had a career that spanned Broadway, concert stages, opera, TV, and Hollywood films and inspired artists such as Eartha Kitt and Alvin Ailey. This production of a Dunham classic is directed by George A. Miller Visiting Artist April Berry, a certified master teacher of the Dunham Technique and a former principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In addition, former Hubbard Street dancer and choreographer Rena Butler offers a premiere along with Dance at Illinois resident artists: Dr. Cynthia Oliver performs a spoken word solo, Dr. C. Kemal Nance premieres a work for first-year students, and Associate Professor Roxane D'Orléans Juste performs with her sister, guest artist Sonia D'Orléans Juste.

You may also like the following events from Krannert Center for the Performing Arts:

• Next month, 4th September, 05:30 pm, Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge in Urbana
• Next month, 4th September, 06:30 pm, Marel Hidalgo Quartet (Stage 6) in Urbana
• Next month, 4th September, 07:30 pm, Bertha: Grateful Drag (AMP) in Urbana

Also check out other Arts events in Urbana, Entertainment events in Urbana, Concerts in Urbana.