Dance Spotlight

10/17/2024

Awesome

09/27/2024

We did it! Dance Spotlight filmed the last section of their documentation of the Martha Graham technique, part 2 of the Advanced Level on September 7. We now begin the post-production. We had 5 wonderful dancers. This video features one of our dancers, Ghislaine van den Heuvel. We'll feature our other dancers in upcoming posts.

04/01/2024

W H E R E . A R E . T H E Y . N O W ?

Leonard Meek, who danced in our Intermediate and Advanced Lester Horton Technique videos and was a member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, has released his second novel, illiana, which is set in Germany during WWII. Check out his website: https://leonardmeek.com/

03/19/2024

03/17/2024

In our Intermediate/Advanced Level video, the fundamental principles in the Graham Technique, contraction and release, opposition, shift of weight, and spirals, that were introduced in the Beginning Level are further developed. To order a DVD or to purchase unlimited streaming through Vimeo, go to dancespotlight.com/our-videos.

03/01/2024

MARTHA GRAHAM (May 11, 1894 – April 1, 1991) danced and taught for over seventy years. She was the first dancer to perform at the White House, travel abroad as a cultural ambassador, and receive the highest civilian award of the US: the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction. In her lifetime she received honors ranging from the Key to the City of Paris to Japan's Imperial Order of the Precious Crown. She said, in the 1994 documentary The Dancer Revealed: "I have spent all my life with dance and being a dancer. It's permitting life to use you in a very intense way. Sometimes it is not pleasant. Sometimes it is fearful. But nevertheless it is inevitable.

~ from Wikipedia

02/21/2024

W H E R E . A R E . T H E Y . N O W?

Ruthlyn Salomons was a dancer in Dance Spotlight’s first video, The Lester Horton Technique The Warm-Up, in 1990. She began her performing career with Ailey II from 1983-1985, then moved on to perform with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre from 1985-1990.

Since 2000, she has been the Resident Dance Supervisor at The Lion King on Broadway. During this time she has trained and coached talented cubs and Dance Artists, Singing Artists, and Acting Artists for the production. All cast members are taught choreography with music, stage blocking, puppetry and costumes, music and backstage tracking.

Here's a youtube video featuring Ruthlyn: Backstage at THE LION KING . . .
https://youtu.be/fMib3kDKn5U?si=ObP7k6wy9BnH1gZr

02/17/2024

W H E R E • A R E • T H E Y • N O W ?

Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, an Alvin Ailey dancer in our Advanced Lester Horton class video, is now the Artistic Director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Linda-Denise ascended to this role in 2021, after an extraordinary career as a professional dance artist and educator. While a student at The Juilliard School, she was invited to join the main company of Hubbard Street at the age of 19. After 3 seasons with Hubbard Street Linda-Denise became a Principal Dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, dancing with the company for 13 years all over the world.

To watch a clip of Linda-Denise performing in our Horton Technique Advanced Class video, click here https://vimeo.com/913866807.

02/05/2024

S P E C I A L O F F E R !
With your purchase of one Beginning OR Intermediate/Advanced Level video from our Martha Graham Technique series, choose a 2nd video FREE from either our Lester Horton Class series OR Penny Frank Intermediate Class.

Enter your selections in the message section of our Contact page and we will get back to you with payment processing options. dancespotlight.com/contact

01/24/2024

A first look at Jamar Roberts’ brand-new work for the Martha Graham Dance Company just days before its world premiere. This new dance features a commissioned score by Grammy-winning composer Rhiannon Giddens. The evening will include a conversation with Roberts and the dancers. Roberts was the first Resident Choreographer of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and an Ailey dancer for 19 years.

A first look at Jamar Roberts’ brand-new work for the Company just days before its world premiere. This new dance features a commissioned score by Grammy-winning composer Rhiannon Giddens. The evening will include a conversation with Roberts and the dancers.

01/20/2024

W H E R E A R E T H E Y N O W ?
Toni Pierce, one of the 6 dancers in Dance Spotlight’s Lester Horton Intermediate and Advanced technique videos, is seen here teaching at TU Dance. Toni is one of the founders of TU Dance, a major dance school in St Paul, Minnesota, where she is currently the Artistic Director and a master teacher there. Toni danced with the Alvin Ailey Company for 10 years before founding her company and school.