[NEohioPAL]Dance company moves into Karamu House

Tue Aug 3 09:54:43 PDT 2004

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For More Information, contact
Michael Medcalf, Artistic Director
Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre
(216) 426-8156 or Medcalf216 at aol.com

Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre
Finds New Home at Karamu House, Inc.

The Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre (CCDT) has a new home.  In early 
August 2004, the six year old troupe will be housed at Karamu House Inc., where 
it will receive space rent-free for offices, classes, rehearsals, and 
performances.  In return, CCDT will provide Karamu House with an evening-length dance 
concert that will be included in the Karamu House Performing Arts season 
subscription series, and dancers for the Mary and Joseph characters in Karamu's 
production of "Black Nativity."  In addition, the new partnership will provide for 
collaboration on projects such as "The Daughter of a Buffalo Soldier, " a new 
evening length dance-theater work commissioned from internationally renowned 
Cleveland-born choreographer Dianne McIntyre.  This new dance-theater work 
will chronicle the life of Cleveland social worker/choreographer Marjorie 
Witt-Johnson who took the Karamu dancers to the New York World Fair in 1940 and will 
premiere in May of 2005 at Karamu House. 

Escalating violence and vandalism in recent months forced CCDT to look beyond 
its home of six years at the old Hodge School in Cleveland's St. 
Clair-Superior neighborhood. "Although the old location was a good starting point for the 
company, the security issues became a major distraction from the work of 
building and managing a growing dance company," said Michael Medcalf, artistic 
director and founder of Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre.
The partnership with Karamu House will allow CCDT to reduce expenses and 
balance the books this season and beyond.  Monthly savings in rent and other 
expenses are expected, while enhanced earnings are projected through increased 
enrollment in the company school and expanded teaching opportunities for company 
dancers. 
Other generous gifts of support in recent months to CCDT have come from the 
Cleveland Foundation, the George Gund Foundation, the United Black Fund, the 
Thomas L. White Foundation, the Cleveland Browns Foundation, The Kulas 
Foundation, The John P. Murphy Foundation, The Nord Family Foundation and the Ohio Arts 
Council.

Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre is a professional dance company 
dedicated to enhancing the lives of minorities and all people by celebrating diversity 
through dance.  Karamu House, Inc., the oldest African-American cultural arts 
institution in the country, has its roots planted deeply in the history of 
Cleveland's African-American community.  Founded in 1915 as a settlement house, 
it was given its Swahili name ("a place of joyful gathering") in 1941, 
reflecting its commitment to foster true interracial understanding and cooperation 
through appreciation of African-American culture.

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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT  SIZE=3D2 PTSIZE=3D10 FAMILY=
=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">For More Information, contact<BR>
Michael Medcalf, Artistic Director<BR>
Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre<BR>
(216) 426-8156 or Medcalf216 at aol.com<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre<BR>
Finds New Home at Karamu House, Inc.<BR>
<BR>
The Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre (CCDT) has a new home.  In ear=
ly August 2004, the six year old troupe will be housed at Karamu House Inc.,=
 where it will receive space rent-free for offices, classes, rehearsals, and=
 performances.  In return, CCDT will provide Karamu House with an eveni=
ng-length dance concert that will be included in the Karamu House Performing=
 Arts season subscription series, and dancers for the Mary and Joseph charac=
ters in Karamu's production of "Black Nativity."  In addition, the new=20=
partnership will provide for collaboration on projects such as "The Daughter=
 of a Buffalo Soldier, " a new evening length dance-theater work commissione=
d from internationally renowned Cleveland-born choreographer Dianne McIntyre=
.  This new dance-theater work will chronicle the life of Cleveland soc=
ial worker/choreographer Marjorie Witt-Johnson who took the Karamu dancers t=
o the New York World Fair in 1940 and will premiere in May of 2005 at Karamu=
 House. <BR>
<BR>
Escalating violence and vandalism in recent months forced CCDT to look beyon=
d its home of six years at the old Hodge School in Cleveland's St. Clair-Sup=
erior neighborhood. "Although the old location was a good starting point for=
 the company, the security issues became a major distraction from the work o=
f building and managing a growing dance company," said Michael Medcalf, arti=
stic director and founder of Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre.<BR>
The partnership with Karamu House will allow CCDT to reduce expenses and bal=
ance the books this season and beyond.  Monthly savings in rent and oth=
er expenses are expected, while enhanced earnings are projected through incr=
eased enrollment in the company school and expanded teaching opportunities f=
or company dancers. <BR>
Other generous gifts of support in recent months to CCDT have come from the=20=
Cleveland Foundation, the George Gund Foundation, the United Black Fund, the=
 Thomas L. White Foundation, the Cleveland Browns Foundation, The Kulas Foun=
dation, The John P. Murphy Foundation, The Nord Family Foundation and the Oh=
io Arts Council.<BR>
<BR>
Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre is a professional dance company dedicat=
ed to enhancing the lives of minorities and all people by celebrating divers=
ity through dance.  Karamu House, Inc., the oldest African-American cul=
tural arts institution in the country, has its roots planted deeply in the h=
istory of Cleveland's African-American community.  Founded in 1915 as a=
 settlement house, it was given its Swahili name ("a place of joyful gatheri=
ng") in 1941, reflecting its commitment to foster true interracial understan=
ding and cooperation through appreciation of African-American culture.<BR>
<BR>
###<BR>
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