IN THE COMPANY OF FRIENDS: The Dancers and Creative
TALENTS of
Director/Choreographer
Gower Champion
Continued from Home Page
Then on to Panel 2, with Karin Baker (42nd Street), Nicole Barth (Carnival, Hello, Dolly! Sugar), Gene Bayliss (Make a Wish, Carnival, Bye Bye Birdie), Marge Champion (Lend an Ear, Make a Wish, Hello, Dolly!), Ed Kresley (Bye Bye Birdie, Hello, Dolly!), Bert Michaels (Sugar, Mack & Mabel) and Tony Stevens (Rockabye Hamlet). David Hartman ended the panel with his touching remarks from Gower’s memorial service in 1980. Not a dry eye in the house, as they say… And the finale, contrary to Ms. Channing’s wishes (it was NOT from Hello, Dolly) was 42nd Street – “Lullaby of Broadway,” recreated by Gower Dance Assistant, Karin Baker.
Intermission and the end of the show were like another event altogether! Dancers reunited with other dancers, Legends and leading Broadway show folk mixing with gypsies (Donald Saddler, June Havoc, Lonny Price, Harvey Evans). Special thanks to Ed Gaynes, who donated his theater for the evening, and everyone who donated their time and talent to this wonderful enterprise, especially Richard Skipper as Carol Channing, the great David Hartman, and the lovely and loquacious Marge Champion. As is always the case with Dancers Over 40 events, the “stars” are really the “dancers,” whom we salute time after time, and who share their history, their legacy and their lives with the rest of us so that their knowledge can educate the next generation of dancers. All of these panels are filmed and donated to the Jerome Robbins Dance Collection at the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts.
DO40 is happy to link with other organizations to ensure every dancer has all the information they need to continue a happy, productive and creative life. Some organizations assist financially, some transition dancers to other occupations, some provide health benefits and options. Dancers Over 40 is here to guide them through all of that… but also to tend to their Souls. It was a joyous event, where everyone was so proud to be in their profession and so proud to still say, “Yes, I’M A DANCER.”
DO40 President John Sefakis, Marge Champion,
Ed Kresley and Nicole Barth
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DANCE PARADE WINDS
DOWN BROADWAY,
SALUTING JAZZ GREAT LUIGI
by Francis J. Roach
Picture this: A parade of over 4,000 colorfully costumed dancers, representing thirty international styles of dance, promenading to their own rhythms on The Great White Way – Broadway. Then, imagine that parade ending in a New York City park, where many of those dancers perform their styles on an outdoor stage – free to the public.
An event like this actually does take place. It happens once a year in New York City where it has been a spectacle of terpsichorean beings heralding themselves in front of mankind.
This collection of movers is assembled by a “grass-roots” organization, meaning a group of do-gooders who originated the promotion of dance as an art form and who are not sponsored by any pre-existing operation. It is an idea that recently came into fruition more recently; there have been two annual NYC parades and there are not plans for the Spring of 2009 event.
The organization that runs this venue is Dance Parade,Inc. They have gathered quite successfully many styles of dancers – ballet, jazz, modern, international folkloric, hip-hop, etc. – to dance together on the Big Apple streets, stopping pedestrian and car traffic so that people might be caught within a spontaneous movement explosion within their own grasp.
The parade’s founder and chief organizer, Greg Miller, explains, “The parade is dedicated to a few important things: celebrating the diversity of dance in New York City; promoting dance as an expressive and unifying art form; showcasing all forms of dance and educating the general public about the opportunities to experience dance.” He also reported that the not-for-profit company relies on sponsorships, grants, donations and benefit proceeds to cover the operational costs of the events.
As with many parades, a noteworthy person or celebrity may be highlighted by giving them an honor of being their “grand marshal.” The Grand Marshal for the 2008 Dance Parade was a pioneer to rated the world’s first technique for America’s art form of jazz dance, Luigi. The event’s press representative, Fran Kirmser, told me about their choice, “We select a member of the dance community who has devoted their life to promoting dance as an expressive and healthy art form. Luigi epitomizes the vision and values that Dance Parade showcases each year. Our hats are off to Luigi.”
On the sunny day of the festivities, Luigi said, “out of all the dancers, choreographers and teachers in New York City, I am honored to be picked the grand marshal. A parade like this is a dream come true.”
In a usual format for a grand marshal, Luigi sat on the top of the backseat in a convertible automobile while doing his famous port-de-bras for the public. Countless jazz dancers festooned in costumes with his logo, “Never Stop Moving,” danced joyously around him.
Then, when the revelers ended in the park, Luigi’s nineteen year-old student Erika Black, opened the dance performances performing his choreography to his other student, Liza Minelli’s recording of “New York, New York.” A more apropos moment for this city could not have happened.
To quote one on-looker, Alisoun Price, “The dance supporters who packed into the part went wild. It was a great day!”
Picture such an event on the Champs Elysees…in London’s West End… in Shibuya in Tokyo…on the Via Veneto: a eventual celebration world-wide. For more news on this glorious event, go to www.danceparade.org.
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