Creative Outlet
Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn is a professional dance company that marries rigorous classical and modern technique with African-American soul and spirit. Under the direction of Jamel Gaines, the company has been hailed by reviewers in the United States and Europe for its “richness of dance tone” and “contagious vitality. The repertoire addresses socio-cultural issues through an artistically potent mixture of theater, song, movement and poetry, and the performers imbue each work with a deep spiritual resonance.
The company has collaborated with such artists as Michael Jackson, Malik Yoba, Max Roach, Savion Glover, and Jennifer Holiday. They have performed in major venues and festivals including The United Nations, Acapulco Black Film Festival, BAM Dance Africa, 651 Arts, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Jacob’s Pillow and Lincoln Center Out of Doors. Our artists have performed on Broadway in shows like The Lion King and FELA!, Maafa, MTV Live with Britney Spears, Fosse and Donald Byrd’s Harlem Nutcracker. The company has had the opportunity to tour nationally and internationally and “…was unveiled as one of the best performances of this edition of the festival,” in Spoleto, Italy – (Italian Press).
http://www.creativeoutletdance.org/
Ballet Noir
Since 2007 co‐artistic directors Corey Baker and Leyland Simmons have led an outstanding collection of dance and music artists in noted performance venues suchas the City Center Studio Showcase, The Nu\’92Dance Festival at Riverside Theater, E‐Moves 9 Showcase at Harlem Stage Gatehouse, The African Burial Ground Dedication Ceremony, Smoke Lillies Jade Arts Initiative, The Joyce Soho A.W.A.R.D. Show!, Battery Parks Downtown Dance Festival, The Garden State Festival, The Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Festival, City Parks East River Park Dance Series in NYC, and the 2009 International Ballet Festival of Miami.
Ballet Noir is a recipient of the 2008 Harlem Stage ‘Fund for New Work’ Grant Sponsored by Mayor Bloomberg and has been featured in Dance Magazine’s 2008 October issue along with Lois Greenfield’s 2010 Breaking Bounds Calendar. Ballet Noir’s mission is to feature artists of diverse disciplines and cultural traditions in works that reflect the kaleidoscope of expression in a 21st century America. By integrating a broad scope of musical, literary, theatrical, technological and visual artistic expression, we seek to create a relevant social experience for our audience through performing arts.
