Black Dance - PAD Showcase SESSION

Welcome to the launch of the first PAD Showcase SESSION, celebrating the artistry of Black dance.

Throughout history, Black dancers and choreographers have challenged societal norms, broken barriers, and paved the way for future generations. Dance has been a powerful tool for celebrating identity, reclaiming narratives, and advocating for social change. 

Today, the influence of Black dance can be seen and felt across various genres, inspiring movements that continue to shape and redefine the greater American cultural landscape. In these live performances, artists play homage to the rich tradition of Black dance and its profound influence on American culture. 

Meet the host: Tamica Washington-Miller

Tamica Washington-Miller is Associate Director for the Lula Washington Dance Theatre, and the named successor for the organization. She is a dancer, choreographer, performing artist and arts leader. The Lula Washington Dance Theatre is currently celebrating its 45th anniversary and Moving Towards 50! Founders Erwin and Lula Washington are Tamica’s parents. Together they forged a space for Black choreographers and dancers to hone their skills and showcase their works.

Lula Washington Dance Theatre has produced trailblazing choreographers and dance leaders over the decades.  They own their own dance home and multiple properties in Los Angeles, CA. They have toured throughout the United States, Brazil, China, Russia, Israel, Germany Mexico, and Spain. Two new LWDT works will premiere in March at the Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki, Auckland Arts Festival. They are a founding company within the International Association of Blacks in Dance, one of the largest service organizations in existence dedicated to the Dance works of people of African descent. Through years of touring, creating, teaching and making space for dance Tamica can speak personally to the power and impact that dance can have, in particular, the works of people of African heritage. She currently sits on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Blacks in Dance, the board of Trustees for Dance/USA and the Board of Directors for the Western Arts Alliance. 

Meet the Artists

Staycee Pearl Dance Project

Photo credit: Steve Pisano

Staycee Pearl is the co-artistic director of PearlArts and STAYCEE PEARL dance project & Soy Sos, where she creates artful experiences through dance-centered multimedia works in collaboration with her husband and artistic collaborator, Herman Pearl. Staycee received her initial dance training at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. In 2009, STAYCEE PEARL dance project & Soy Sos (SPdp&SS) debuted at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater. Since then the duo has produced several works including ..on being…, OCTAVIA, and FLOWERZ, and are currently working on their National Dance Project supported CIRCLES. Staycee is passionate about sharing resources and creating opportunities for the arts community by initiating project-generating programs including the Charrette Series, the In The Studio Series, and the PearlDiving Movement Residency.

LaTasha Barnes

Photo courtesy of the artist

Multi-Bessie award winner (2021/2023), and New York Times celebrated Best Dance & Breakout Star (2021) LaTasha Barnes is an internationally awarded and critically-acclaimed dance artist, choreographer, scholar, and tradition-bearer of Black American Social Dance co-based in Phoenix, AZ and New York. A Richmond, VA native, she is globally celebrated for her musicality, athleticism, and joyful presence throughout the cultural traditions she bears: House Dance, Hip-Hop, Waacking, Authentic Jazz, and Lindy Hop, among them. Barnes’ expansive artistic, competitive, and performative skills have made her a frequent collaborator to The Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts, Summer Dance Forever & Foundation Hip-Hop Center Amsterdam, Singapore-based Timbre Arts Group, Ephrat Asherie Dance, and many more. 

Rennie Harris Puremovements

Photo courtesy of the artist

Lorenzo “Rennie” Harris is a leading ambassador for Hip-hop. Harris grew up entrenched in Hip-hop culture and was immersed in all its forms — music, dance, language. Throughout his career, he has embraced the culture and sought to honor its legacy. He believes Hip-hop and Street Dance is the purest form of movement in that it honors both its heritage from African and African American-Latino culture.

Harris has received numerous honors, including three Bessie Awards, four Alvin Ailey Black Choreographers Awards for Rome & Jewels, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts. He has also earned two honorary doctorates and was the first street dancer to choreograph a full-length work for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Recognized as one of Philadelphia’s most influential figures, Harris is credited with coining the terms Street Dance Theater and Hip-hop Concert Dance and has received lifetime achievement awards from Dance Magazine and the Palm Desert Festival.

Music From The Sole

Photo credit: Titus Ogilvie Lange

Music From The Sole is a tap dance and live music company celebrating tap’s Afro-diasporic roots, with influences from Afro-Brazilian dance, samba, jazz, house, and more. Led by Brazilian choreographer Leonardo Sandoval and composer Gregory Richardson, their work blends sound and movement to honor tap’s heritage.

The company performs at both music and dance venues, with credits including Lincoln Center, Jacob’s Pillow, and Caramoor Jazz Festival. They’ve been commissioned by Works and Process at the Guggenheim and supported by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation and the Jerome Foundation.

Committed to community engagement, they partner with organizations like the National Dance Institute and bring performances to schools, hospitals, prisons, and parks, sharing the transformative power of dance and music.

Dayton Contemporary Dance Company

Photo credit: Jeff Sabo

A catalyst for change, DCDC has redefined dance. It has increased awareness of the African-American experience, ethos, and cultural heritage. Their professionally trained dance artists come from all over the country. They're known for their precision of dance execution, artistry, and connecting with audiences by emoting feelings that will touch your soul. One never leaves a performance unmoved. They use their bodies as instruments to communicate and elevate an impactful experience.

MOLODI

Photo credit: The Comic Kid

MOLODI performs a dynamic blend of stepping, beatbox, poetry, hip hop, and interactive storytelling. Using only their bodies as instruments, Molodi creates an explosion of rhythm from stomps, claps, snaps, and shouts that fill the stage as intricate choreography and interactive word play engage the audience. The goal is to bring a fresh perspective to the performing arts world using body percussion as a language to tell original stories of human resilience.