“We have dancers in their 70s as well as their 20s and 30s,”
says managing director and CEO Jane Hirshberg. “Our dancers
don’t necessarily look like the stereotypical definition of dancers. They look like people.”
Cultivating diversity—of age, of size and of culture—has
been an important mission for many modern dance compa-
nies. The Philadelphia Dance Company, Philadanco, draws on
black traditions and intense physicality to create dance that
conveys passion, power and a commitment to diversity. Em-
ploying an impressive roster of nationally and internationally
known choreographers, Philadanco founder and executive
artistic director Joan My-
ers Brown has developed
“Our dancers
an impressive and popular
don’t necessarily
repertory. Over the years,
Brown has learned a thing
look like the
or two about what makes
audiences tick.
stereotypical
“I think people pick
modern dance groups that
definition of
they like, that do the type of
dancers. They
work that they respond to,”
she says. “Some people like
look like people.”
dance to be highly intellec-
tual, so they have to figure
out what’s going on and
come up with their own interpretation. Some people just like
dance that’s joyous, and they enjoy the movement and the skill
of the dancers.”
Body and Soul
Attempting to create works that captivate both head and
heart, Boston’s Prometheus Dance is highly regarded for its
exploration of political and social issues through dance.
The group’s best-known work, the evening-length performance Apokalypsis, used company members, dance students
and elders from the community to highlight the plight of
international refugees. Artistic directors Diane Arvanites-Noya and Tommy Neblett focus not on breaking barriers per
se but on taking audiences on a journey, sometimes joyous,
sometimes painful.
“I completely understand the appeal of mindless escapism,” explains Neblett. “But it’s also good to face yourself and
face what’s happening, to be aware of it and see it through an
artistic perspective.”
If you’re ready to enjoy the eye- and mind-opening effects of
a live modern dance experience, then Morris has an even better
idea for you. “To really get into dancing seriously, take classes,”
he says. “I happen to have a great school for all sorts of dancing:
modern dance, ballet, tango, salsa, West African.”
Shameless plugs aside, it’s worth noting that many modern
dance companies do have dance academies or educational
outreach programs that take dance directly to the public
schools in their communities. With any luck, the next generation will grow up understanding dance in a whole new way. As
Philadanco’s Brown puts it, “The capacity of the human body is
amazing—what the body can do and the stories it can tell and
the emotions it can evoke. If you don’t experiment and try to
see it, then you’ll never know.”
