Madison Ballet will be welcoming dancer, choreographer and arts advocate Darwin Black from Los Angeles who will work with students of the School of Madison Ballet in a one-week intensive program. An advocate for equal access to the dance and the arts, Black’s work as a dancer and choreographer has been celebrated nationally.
“Darwin is an artist whose skills have been sharpened with the great companies of our time, but his vision comes from his heart,” said Madison Ballet CEO Jonathan Solari in a statement. “From starting foundations providing opportunities for dancers from single-parent households to choreographing with boldness and strength, Darwin has found purpose in his work on and off stage. I imagine that sense of purpose will be contagious to our students and audiences.”
Black’s first original work as a choreographer, Saint Paul Ballet’s “OFF THE BASE,” premiered at The Cowles Center March 2017. In October 2018, he Premiered “N.L.I.F” (Never Live In Fear) for Minnesota Dance Theatre.
Originally from Newark, N.J., Black started his dancing at the age of 16. He graduated from Newark Arts High School in 2006 and he furthered his training with the New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble. After a year of training at Alvin Ailey American Dance as a Fellowship Student under the Oprah Winfrey Scholarship, he began his professional career with the Miami Contemporary Dance Company, performing repertory by Ray Sullivan.
(Photo by Kenneth Nyameke)
Black later joined The Sacramento Ballet and the Pascal Rioult Dance Theater, touring throughout the country. He danced as a freelance artist for Alaska Dance Theatre, Lustig Dance Theatre, Oakland Ballet, Nimbus Dance Works, Jennifer Muller/The Works, and he toured throughout Europe with Momix. Black later joined TU Dance under the leadership of Toni-Pierce Sands & Uri Sands.
A public reception for Black and a brief performance will be held at Table Wine, 2045 Atwood Ave., Monday, July 15, 6:30 p.m. with a $10 suggested donation going directly to support the work of the School of Madison Ballet.
