The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company - Research Paper Example

For centuries, many have enjoyed watching dance performances. Onlookers get lost in the gloriousness of the performance, as the dancers look absolutely remarkable in every way. They glide across the stage with such splendor, and the audience is totally amazed at how fabulous of a job the dancers are doing. Furthermore, their outfits are marvelous and eye catching! One company that many have found to be quite impressive in today’s times, as far as top quality shows are concerned, is the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company was established in 1968 in Dayton, Ohio by a woman named Geraldyne Blunden. This woman was extremely talented, and she was determined to use her talents to bring about a better reputation for the African American race, since at the time, African Americans were marginalized to the extremes. Because she was a fabulous dancer, she decided that she would open up a dance company to train people to be some of the best dancers in the country. Her determination and diligence resulted in her dream becoming a reality, as her company eventually became a success (Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, “Company History,” 1). She never realized how much of a hit this company would continue to be. Today, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company is still putting on dance shows of the highest quality. The Artistic Director, who is a descendent of the founder and whose name is Debbie Blunden, exercises much care when setting up the performances. The image of the company and its mission means a great deal to her, so it is important to her that performances are nothing less than quality (Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, “Board, Staff and Supporters,” 1). The company still lives according to Geraldyne’s vision in that it still dedicates itself to teaching young people to become professional dancers. The outreach department, along with the Educational Director, work together to bring out the talents in children and young adults living in disadvantaged communities. This program enables these disadvantaged ones to have a shot at life, as well as a chance to shine, as they will be groomed well enough to share their talents abroad (Dayton, contemporary Dance Company, 1). Because these children and adults appreciate the personal interest that Dayton Contemporary Dance Company expresses towards them, they work hard to be the best they can be. This is one of the chief reasons that Dayton Contemporary Dance Company has some of the best performances around, since they are done out of shear appreciation and heart felt feelings for the opportunities they are given (Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, 1). Many times, when things are appreciated and valued, such as these performances, it always causes people to do their absolute best. Though this company focuses much on educating disadvantaged people, giving them a chance to shine and become something great, they also hold a dance school, known as the Geraldyne School of Dance, to teach anyone who is interested in learning the art of dancing. They have a holistic style of learning the art, as they focus on all aspects of the human being, such as the spiritual, emotional, and physical parts. Students are taught to have an open minded approach to dancing. What’s more, they learn other life long lessons, such as how to carry oneself and behave professionally (Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, “Geraldyne School of the Dance,” 1). To ensure that the highest quality is maintained, the choreographic process is designed and planned ever so carefully. Multiple individuals work together on the project to see to it that all runs smoothly throughout the show. This structure works well in that the work is spread out among numerous individuals rather than having one individual that is put in charge of taking care of all matters. For instance, there is an Education and Outreach Coordinator, a Wardrobe Coordinator, and Artistic Director, a Rehearsal and Coach and Company Manager, and a tour and Productions Manager (Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, “Board, Staff and Supporters,” 1). These people work together to uphold the vision that Geraldyne Blunden had in mind when she first founded the company. They, too, share her love for the company, and they put forth whatever effort possible to keep the mission of this company alive. The mission of the Dayton Contemporary Dance company is to put on performances that will captivate the interest of the public. These performances are put on throughout the entire United States, as well as all over the world in order to reach the broadest audience possible (Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, “Company History,” 1). According to two magazine articles that were written about the company and its dance performances, it was stated that all performances were done in a professional and eloquent fashion. The performances were absolutely stunning to watch, and the audience became mesmerized by the beauty of it all. The dance routines were done in such a way that it seemed as though the people were flying over the stage. Their formations were perfected to the highest degree. Along with their splendid performances were their outfits. Dancers were dressed in nothing but the finest, with the clothing accenting their beauty (Indianapolis Monthly, 167); (Rose, 1). Numerous individuals truly feel that this company has truly lived up to its mission in that they continuously put on top quality performances. Today, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company continues to travel all around the world, impressing countless individuals with extraordinary performances. This year, they are celebrating their fortieth anniversary with a spring show that is supposed to be a blast! Because this is a significant celebration, a lot of effort is being put forth to see that this show will be a major lifetime experience for all that attend. Dayton Contemporary should be proud of all that they have accomplished, as many hurtles had to be overcome in order for this company to become what they are today. Work Cited Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. 2009. 23 Mar 2009 . Emmis Communications, "Dayton Contemporary Dance Company." Indianapolis Monthly September 2003: 167. Thom, Rose. "Dayton Contemporary Dance Company." Dance Magazine December 1998: 1. Annotated Bibliography Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. 2009. 23 Mar 2009 . This is the official website for Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. On these pages, you can find the dates and times of upcoming performances, as well as information about the company itself, such as when it began and who is behind the operation. Emmis Communications, "Dayton Contemporary Dance Company." Indianapolis Monthly September 2003: 167. In this article, Indianapolis Monthly reviews one of the performances of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company that was put on back in 2003. Much is said about their style, their appearance, and their ability to captivate their audience. Thom, Rose. "Dayton Contemporary Dance Company." Dance Magazine December 1998: 1. Dance Magazine is a magazine that features articles about contemporary dance companies and their performances. This particular article talks about the excellence of the performances put on by Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. Read More