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| Cleo Parker Robinson Dance: "Breakin' the Rules" From April 1 - 9 for five performances only "Breaking the Rules" showcases four works, each of which broke the rules of social acceptability. The evening’s crowning performance, featuring live music by some of Denver’s best jazz musicians, will be the world premier of the multi-media Breakin’ the Rules, created for the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble by dance innovator Chester Whitmore, through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. With the influx of black residents between 1911 and 1929, Five Points became a requisite stop for the world's premier African-American jazz musicians--including Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Lionel Hampton, Billie Holiday, Josephine Baker and countless others who stopped in Denver on their way between Midwest and West Coast tours to play the clubs and performance halls. The area became well known for its after-hours jazz scene and it’s openness to all races and cultures. Born in Denver’s Five Points to artistic inter-racial parents, Cleo Parker Robinson has a life-long association with the location of this production. Cleo Parker Robinson Dance has been an integral part of the Park Hill and Five Points neighborhoods for 35 years and based in the Historic Shorter AME Church building in The Points for over 16 years. Her father, Jonathan “JP” Parker, was the Director of the Houston Fine Arts Center, which is now the Kay Schomp Theatre. Cleo is a graduate of the Colorado Women's College, the site now occupied by the Denver School of the Arts (DSA). Breakin’ the Rules celebrates Cleo and her Ensemble’s legacy in Denver’s Historic Five Points community and her Ensemble’s roots on the Houston Fine Arts Theatre stage where she and her father collaborated. Breaking the Rules will showcase four works, each of which broke the rules of social acceptability. · The legendary 96 year-old Katherine Dunham’s Barrelhouse Blues was created in 1934 and was recently performed by Ms. Parker Robinson at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House for the Mayor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts. · Also featured will be Nocturne, created in 1952 by the iconic Donald McKayle as a wedding gift for his bride and set to the music of legendary blind urban jazz percussionist Louis “Moondog” Hardin. This passionate and sensual choreography was inspired by the art of Paul Gauguin. · Also on the evening’s program will be Church of Nations, created for the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble in 1991 by the visionary Kevin “Iega” Jeff. The catalyst for Church of Nations was a statement made by President George H. Bush just hours prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the beginning of the Gulf War. · The evening’s crowning performance, featuring live music by some of Denver’s best jazz musicians, will be the world premier of the multi-media Breakin’ the Rules, created for the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble by dance innovator Chester Whitmore, through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Dancing since 1974, Chester Whitmore originally studied to be a cinematographer. An encounter with legendary tap dancer Fayard Nicholas of the Nicholas Brothers changed his life. Mr. Whitmore is considered one of the premier archivists of vernacular dance. His life’s work is the preservation of the traditions of black dance from its roots in African dance taking us through the slave dances, swing, lindy, jive, be-bop, jazz and tap eras and into present day hip hop traditions. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |