Dallas Black Dance Academy
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Dallas, TX. – Dallas Black Dance Academy (DBD Academy) presents its fourth annual Espresso Nutcracker, with a new twist on a holiday tradition. The performance is jazz-influenced by the music of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite.
Co-Sponsors for the Espresso Nutcracker are Macy’s and the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture. The single performance is scheduled for Saturday, December 11, 2021, at 7 pm in the Majestic Theatre, located at 1925 Elm Street, Dallas, TX. The performance is also available via live streaming and on-demand.
Through their sponsorship, Macy’s is sharing virtual viewing access with up to 30 social service agencies and children’s hospitals nationwide. Started in 2020, last year’s initiative allowed over 1,500 youth and families the opportunity to virtually share in the holiday experience. “We are honored to provide support to such an incredible organization, whose impactful work plays a vital role in strengthening and enriching our community,” said Emma Conniff, corporate giving associate at Macy’s. “The holidays are when Macy’s shines the brightest, and we are excited to partner with Dallas Black Dance Academy to spread holiday magic to viewers of all ages.”
DBD Academy Director Katricia Eaglin, assisted by the academy ballet instructors of the Pre-Professional Division levels 1-4 students who will perform in the production, choreographed Espresso Nutcracker. Eaglin was inspired to use the traditional Tchaikovsky music along with tracks from Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite, selecting Ellington tracks that were still recognizable to the original work. She added narration to the performance to unlock the mystery and magic of the storyline. Eaglin also added an African dance to the Land of Sweets Act that includes Spanish, Arabian, Chinese, and Russian dances in the original.
“I was inspired to create and produce the Espresso Nutcracker for Dallas Black Dance Academy so our academy students could be involved in the Nutcracker tradition,” said Katricia Eaglin. “We’re excited to have our students re-enter the theatre and share how they have grown while training virtually during the 2020-2021 season!” The DBD Academy 2021-2022 classes are dual with students learning at Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) studios and virtually. DBD Academy is the official school of DBDT.
The original Nutcracker Ballet, choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, is one of the most famous ballets in the world. It tells the story of young Clara’s magical journey on Christmas Eve. Many dance academies bring in professionals to dance key Nutcracker roles, but Dallas Black Dance Academy students will dance all the key parts, such as the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Snow Queen. DBDT professional dancers will dance the adult characters of the Mother, Father, and Drosselmeyer.
NO SUBSCRIPTIONS OR GROUP DISCOUNTS FOR THE 45TH SEASON
Dallas Black Dance Theatre is limiting seating capacity to allow for social distancing in accordance with CDC guidelines. Because of limited ticket availability, DBDT will not be able to give discounts on groups or subscriptions this year.
ESPRESSO NUTCRACKER PERFORMANCE
Saturday, December 11, 2021, 7:00 pm
Majestic Theatre
1925 Elm Street
Dallas, TX 75201
In-person tickets are $55.
Live streaming tickets are $55 per household. You can watch the live stream broadcast in real-time beginning at 7:00 pm CDT on Saturday, December 11, 2021.
The on-demand option is also $55 and will be available starting at 9:00 pm CDT Saturday through Monday, December 13, 11:59 pm CST.
For more performance details visit www.DBDT.com.
2021 - 2022 | DBDT Season Media and Travel Sponsors
NBC 5, Texas Metro News, The Dallas Morning News, American Airlines, DART, The Dallas Weekly.
2021 - 2022 | DBDT Season Media Supporters
Elite News, FYI-50+, The Dallas Examiner, The Dallas Post Tribune, Trendy Africa, Arts+Culture.
ABOUT DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATRE: Dallas Black Dance Theatre is an internationally recognized professional dance company that engages the cross-cultural community through contemporary modern dance presented from the African American experience. The National Endowment for the Arts designated the 45-year-old company as American Masterpiece Touring Artist in 2008. The company also received the Texas Medal of Arts Award for Arts Education in 2017.
As a result of COVID closures, Dallas Black Dance Theater’s 44th season was entirely virtual, with many of its stage performances reimagined on film across the Dallas landscape. During the summer of 2020, Dallas Black Dance Theatre became the first professional dance company in the world to present its entire season as paid-only virtual performances, a new business model developed after the closing of live performances during the pandemic.
In 2021, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival commissioned Darrell Grand Moultrie to choreograph the new work LIKE WATER for Dallas Black Dance Theatre as the inaugural recipient of the Joan B. Hunter New Work Commission in a world premiere at the prestigious dance festival.
As Dallas’ oldest and largest professional dance company, Dallas Black Dance Theatre ranks as the 10th largest minority arts organization in America and the fourth largest black dance company in the nation.
Ann Williams founded Dallas Black Dance Theatre in 1976. Melissa M. Young took the helm as Artistic Director in 2018 after starting at the company as a dancer in 1994. Zenetta S. Drew has led the administrative side of the company since 1987 as Executive Director following a volunteer assignment for the dance company.
The mission of Dallas Black Dance Theatre is to create and produce contemporary modern dance at its highest level of artistic excellence through performances and educational programs that bridge cultures and reach diverse communities.
The virtuosic dancers of Dallas Black Dance Theatre have mesmerized 5 million arts patrons across 16 countries, including two Olympic Cultural events. Five performing companies comprise Dallas Black Dance Theatre and its training Academy. Dallas Black Dance Theatre consists of 14 full-time salaried dancers performing a mixed repertory of modern, jazz, African, and spiritual works by national and international choreographers. DBDT: Encore! features 10 artists of rising excellence from across the nation who support Dallas Black Dance Theatre's growing local and regional educational outreach. 2.7 million students, grades K-12, have experienced the dance company's performances and educational outreach programs.
Dallas Black Dance Academy, the official school of Dallas Black Dance Theatre, celebrates 48 years of delivering dance instruction to a community of diverse backgrounds. The academy was the first in the nation to train a student who received the Presidential Scholar Award in Dance in 1980. More than 500 students participate weekly in 50 dance classes, including ballet, jazz, tap, modern, and African. Classes are held at Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s studios and are open to students ages four to adult. The academy has three performing ensembles: Allegro Performing Ensemble, Dallas Black Dance Theatre's premier academy ensemble, Senior Performing Ensemble, and Junior Performing Ensemble.
Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s permanent home in the historic Moorland YMCA building in the Dallas Arts District includes dance studios, training facilities, and administrative offices. Dallas Black Dance Theatre is a resident company of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, and its performance home is the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre.
For more details, visit www.DBDT.com and www.dbdt.com/academy.
