Immerse yourself in the fluid eloquence and highly anticipated Northrop onstage debut of Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE. For this 40th anniversary celebration honoring Ronald K. Brown, one of our generation’s most highly sought-after choreographers, EVIDENCE will be joined by esteemed local trailblazer TU Dance. This exceptional program will showcase the transformative works of Brown, whose choreography has been hailed as “richly expressive and irresistibly kinetic” (The New York Times).
The evening features Where the Light Shines Through, a soul-stirring piece commissioned by TU Dance in 2017 that tells a story of solidarity and perseverance, set to traditional music recorded by Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba and other world music artists. Next on the program is Percussion Bitter Sweet: Tender Warriors, a 2024 commission honoring drummer, composer, and activist Max Roach on the occasion of his centennial birthday. The program concludes with Brown’s seminal masterwork Grace (1999), his first commission for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, a beloved classic showcasing Brown at the height of his artistic powers.
This unforgettable evening brings to the stage two powerhouse companies, dancing in three masterful works, woven together by the rhythms, traditions, and cultural narratives of the African diaspora
Top image: Gregory Hamiliton in Percussion Bitter Sweet Tender Warriors. Photo © Steven Pisano.
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EVIDENCE
“This is a fitting tribute and a hell of a show.”—The New York Times
“ … A vocabulary, drawn from many parts of the African diaspora, that Brown has developed into a personal language that’s flexible, richly expressive, and irresistibly kinetic … ”—The New York Times
“It is in such a moment, Brown shows his ability to transcend religious beliefs to achieve something more universally and poetically spiritual.”—The New York Times
TU Dance
“Unrelentingly exciting, a celebration of body, heart, mind and soul that successfully blended multiple artistic visions.”—Pioneer Press
“TU Dance tackles important questions—about social justice, history, and human resiliency—with verve.”—Minnesota Monthly
“It’s gasp-inducing virtuosity—complex, poetic, and deeply human. These are people dancing, not just dancers performing.”—Pioneer Press
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- Performance Begins: 7:30 pm
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Acknowledgments
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
