“I Am Deeply Rooted: Our Founders in Conversation with Cleo Parker Robinson” will kick off a spring tradition for one of Chicago’s leading dance companies. Deeply Rooted Dance Theater’s Annual Dance Education Spring Showcase, taking place May 6 at the Reva and David Logan Center in Hyde Park, will honor its co-founders, Kevin Iega Jeff and Gary Abbott, who together created the company 27 years ago. A mentor and one of the people who kindled their inspiration for bringing Deeply Rooted Dance Theater to life will join them in the pre-show discussion.
Cleo Parker Robinson founded her dance company, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, in Denver’s African-American community Five Points 53 years ago. Her love of dance stems from hardship. A debilitating childhood illness left her so incapacitated that all she craved was the ability to move. That hunger for movement would lead her to dance and place her on a path to recognition and acclaim. Last year President Biden honored her at the White House with a National Medal of Arts award.
Beyond receiving notable artistic achievement, the two dance companies also share similarities in the types of dance they present. The degrees to which they emphasize modern, classical, American and African American influences may vary, but their end goal to energize audiences, tell compelling stories through their art and extolling the wonder of movement are the same. Past challenges, current projects and future goals will all be part of their pre-show conversation.
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater Annual Dance Education Showcase
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
915 E. 60th Street – Chicago
May 6, 2023
Tickets for the performance only at 7 pm – $25
Tickets that include “Meet the Founders” pre-show talk at 6 pm – $35
All tickets: deeplyrooteddancetheater.org/dance-education-performances/de-showcase-2023.
Additional Information: deeplyrooteddancetheater
All programming is subject to change