Hey Detroiters, welcome back to Culture Canvas. 

It’s been two years since Dance Theatre of Harlem performed in Detroit and this weekend, they’re back. 

The first Black ballet company founded in the United States will be at the Detroit Opera House Saturday and Sunday, performing a mix of traditional and contemporary pieces. 

Detroit is the third stop on a worldwide tour for the company, which also includes Ottawa, Canada and Paris, France. The show will include the highly anticipated “Firebird,” a ballet that the Dance Theatre of Harlem has not performed in more than 20 years. The company debuted the classic ballet in 1982, with choreography by John Taras and a score by Igor Stravinsky. Dancer and choreographer Geoffrey Holder created the costumes and sets, reimagining the Russian folktale in a Caribbean setting. 

The show will also include the Detroit premiere of “Passage of Being,” a ballet that unfolds in three cinematic movements set to the music of Oscar-nominated band Son Lux. 

Tickets start at $65 and are available on the Detroit Opera website. In addition to the performance, Dance Theatre of Harlem will host community events throughout the week. Dancers will perform for patients and staff at the Detroit campus of Henry Ford Hospital for its “Dancing in the Lobby” event at 2 p.m. Thursday. On Friday, the company will put on a mini performance for elementary students in the Detroit Public Schools Community District, and a ballet masterclass at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Detroit Opera House. The workshop will be open to intermediate and advanced dancers ages 12 and up. 

I talked to Dance Theatre of Harlem Executive Director Anna Glass and dancer Alexandra Hutchinson about “Firebird,” other pieces in the show and the importance of giving back to the community. 

BridgeDetroit: One of the main attractions of this show is the piece, “Firebird.” Why did the company decide it was the right time to perform it again? 

Glass: “Firebird,” historically, has been a ballet that many ballet companies have done over the years. It’s based on a Russian folktale, so it has that sort of aesthetic to it. What distinguishes those “Firebirds” from our “Firebird” is set in the Caribbean. It was created by an extraordinary artist by the name of Geoffrey Holder. Geoffrey Holder was a renaissance man. He was a visual artist, a choreographer, an actor. 

We made the decision to bring the ballet back because there are generations of young people who have never seen this work before. We felt it was a really wonderful time for storytelling, to share something that is an expression of joy, and we felt that there was no better city to have this first look at the ballet again in Detroit. 

Detroit really kicks off what is going to be a phenomenal 12-month tour of the ballet with a global premiere in Paris. We wanted to do it in a city that we love, a city that has been so warm and welcoming to us and we’re really excited to be able to bring this ballet back. 

BridgeDetroit: Alexandra, how does it feel to be playing the lead role for “Firebird?” 

Hutchinson: It’s definitely a big honor because it hasn’t been performed in so long, and it’s an iconic piece for the company that is full of beautiful music by Stravinsky, and choreography by John Taras, who used to be the rehearsal director for New York City Ballet, and Geoffrey Holder created the costumes and the set. It’s just such a grand piece. We don’t normally have a full story ballet in our repertoire, so it really feels like a special kind of gem for the season. To be able to do the leading role is just a dream come true. I get to dance with my best friend, Derek Brockington, who’s playing the prince. 

My parents actually got to see it (“Firebird”) back when it first premiered in the 80s. I’ve heard many, many stories about how beautiful it was and how important it was at the time. It’s exciting to be able to perform it now and keep the legacy alive and share it with new audiences. 

BridgeDetroit: Has it been challenging learning the choreography for the piece? 

Hutchinson: It’s definitely been difficult because it is a test of stamina. I stay on stage for about seven minutes, so it’s a lot of dancing, and being one of the only people on stage is always a challenge. But because it’s such an iconic role as a ballerina – and in my career – it’s a challenge that I’m really excited to overcome and to continue to grow into the role as we get to perform it.

BridgeDetroit: Anna, Dance Theatre of Harlem has a contemporary piece in the program titled “Take Me With You,” which is set to music from Radiohead. How did that come together? 

Glass: During the pandemic, (Dance Theatre of Harlem Artistic Director) Robert Garland was looking at a lot of work online. He stumbled upon this duet created by the choreographer Robert Bondara and really loved the energy of it. He (Garland) reached out to the choreographer to see if he’d be willing to do a live version of the ballet. 

This work (“Take Me With You”) is very different from “Firebird.” When you come to see a Dance Theatre of Harlem performance, you get a sampling of all types of dance–classical, neoclassical and contemporary, and this ballet is so different from what people normally expect of us. Radiohead is an iconic rock band and when audiences see this work, they’re not only seeing another side of Dance Theater of Harlem, but they’re also seeing how technically proficient the dancers are. 

BridgeDetroit: What are some other things people can expect to see during the show? 

Glass: Robert Garland has a piece in the program, “Nyman String Quartet No. 2.” In the way that Robert is so phenomenal as it relates to his choreography, this ballet is set to contemporary classical music, but the movement is very much of the African American aesthetic. In the ways that Robert is so extraordinary with the work that he does, you hear the rhythms of the music in a very different way. Sometimes, when we hear classical music, it gives you the experience that you have to sit up straight and you can’t nod your head to the rhythms of music. But in this ballet, you’re hearing rhythms very differently because of the ways the dancers are moving. 

Another contemporary piece, “Passage of Being,” is by the choreographer Jodie Gates, which is a really powerful ballet about the passing of time and the struggles and challenges that we go through as human beings. It’s a really gorgeous ballet that I think the Detroit audience is going to really resonate with.

BridgeDetroit: Dance Theatre of Harlem always hosts a series of classes and events with local schools and the overall community. Why is it so important to continue this tradition? 

Glass: Dance Theatre of Harlem was founded by the legendary dancer Arthur Mitchell and Mr. Mitchell felt very strongly that through this art form, young people learn about discipline and perseverance and believing in themselves. 

We were created first as a school and the company came a little bit later. We believe that it is important for young people to see not only what this beautiful art form looks like, but that young people also have the opportunity to experience seeing people that look like them on stage. This art form takes a lot of skill, a lot of practice, to do what these dancers do on stage and it is important to us that we engage with young people. That is one of the main reasons why we like to make sure that we are engaged in the community. We really, truly believe that ballet belongs to everyone, and we want to introduce this art form to as many people as possible.

As always, have a great week! 

Until next time,

Micah 

---

313 Scene

• November is National Native American Heritage Month, and BridgeDetroit teamed with One Detroit for a report on wild rice — the state’s official native grain and a key part of Indigenous history in Michigan. BridgeDetroit’s Jena Brooker and One Detroit’s Bill Kubota went along for a manoomin harvest on the Au Sable River where new rice beds now grow on the northeastern Michigan river because of a dam removal. Brooker and Kubota capture the cultural significance of manoomin, how it’s processed and why it’s so important in the region. 
• The White Stripes’ legacy of innovation has earned them a place in the Rock & Roll Hall Fame. They were inducted in Los Angeles on Nov. 8, along with Outkast, Cyndi Lauper and Soundgarden. The band often expressed themes related to Detroit’s industrial struggle and innovation in their gritty, genre-bending sound and lyrical storytelling. (The Conversation) 
• Footwear company Timberland announced the opening date for its first Detroit location, set for Friday. The store is located at 1217 Woodward Ave., across the street from Bedrock’s new Hudson’s site tower. (Detroit Metro Times) 
• Employees of the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) have announced an effort to form a union. Working with AFSCME Michigan, a state chapter of the national union representing employees at museums across the U.S., including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Detroit Institute of Arts Workers United (DIAWU) is made up of staff from various departments. Their goal is “building a fair, transparent and respectful workplace that aligns with the values the museum shares with the community.” (Detroit Free Press) 
• “Ready to Love” recently launched its Season 11 premiere — bringing the series to the Motor City with a cast of Detroit locals. The Oprah Winfrey Network’s reality dating television series will feature the romantic pursuits of 20 Detroiters, men and women across a variety of professions in Detroit. (Detroit Free Press) 

What’s Going on in the D?

• R&B star John Legend is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his debut album “Get Lifted” with a stop at the Fox Theatre at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Available tickets start at $77 on Ticketmaster. 
• New York-based cartographer and writer Jake Berman will be at Next Chapter Books at 6:30 p.m. Thursday for a talk on his latest book, “The Lost Subways of North America.” Joining Berman is Detroit cartographer Alex B. Hill to discuss Detroit transit and other cities that have lost subways. The event is free. 
• Michigan Central’s “Winter at the Station” event returns for its second year, beginning Friday. Guests can enjoy festive decor, performances from local artists, hands-on activities, as well as curated food, drinks and gifts. Friday’s kickoff includes live performances by Steffanie Christi’an at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., plus DJ Legendary J. Hearns throughout the evening from 5-10 p.m. Tickets are $15. “Winter at the Station” runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday until Dec. 28. Most days are free, but tickets are required on select dates. 
• The Redford Theatre is hosting a screening of the romantic comedy, “High Fidelity,” at 8 p.m. Friday. John Cusack runs a Chicago record store while juggling girlfriends (and managing a staff of eccentrics, including Jack Black) in the film based on the book by Nick Hornby. Tickets are $7. 
• The Peacock Room is hosting “Threads of Time: A Detroit Vintage Market” from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Visitors can expect a curated selection of vintage and antique clothing, accessories and home decor from some of the best collections in metro Detroit. Some of the vendors include Detroit Antiques Art and Design, Behind The Attic Door, Old School Flair and Repop/Vintage Eastern Market.