Rennie Harris Puremovement Digital Program

Rennie Harris Puremovement

Rome & Jewels February 02 . 03 2024 Moody Performance Hall

Cover Photo By Jonathan Hsu | Courtesy of Rennie Harris Puremovement

Discover the stars and the flights.

American Airlines is proud to be the Official Airline of TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND.

American Airlines and the Flight Symbol logo are marks of American Airlines, Inc. oneworld is a mark of the oneworld Alliance, © 2019 American Airlines, Inc. All rights reserved.

CAPTIVATING | POWERFUL | INSPIRED Nothing Replaces The LIVE Experience - This is our mantra this year. It is time to get back to celebrating the arts in person, with shared experiences and inspiration. So often, I leave the theater awe-struck at what I’ve just experienced; that’s what we aim for. This season will not disappoint.

Dance is such a distinct art form. Luminous, arduous, meaningful and inspiring.

“I’m overwhelmed; this was not what I expected.” This is the reaction I most often hear from audiences, something our longtime subscribers have always known.

Our 40+ years of experience affords TITAS the unique perspective of looking back and appreciating the amazing impact that high-quality, curatorial arts presentation has on a community, on a city.

TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND continues to present the most innovative, the most remarkable artists touring the world today. It’s time for all of us to return to the extraordinary shared performance experience, to leave our devices off and experience art with all our senses. Nothing Replaces the LIVE Experience!!!

The 2023:24 season won’t disappoint. International, creative and breathtaking imagery makes this an exceptional set of the world’s most interesting movement artists. We proudly present a season of ten extraordinary companies from the United States, Japan, Canada, Israel and France. Four of these companies are making their Texas/Dallas debuts with TITAS. Thank you for being a part of another year of breathtaking performances, and thank you for actively engaging in the arts and for being a part of the TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND and AT&T Performing Arts Center family.

What we do together, truly does make a difference.

Charles Santos, Executive Director/Artistic Director TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND

Friday & Saturday | February 02, 03 2024 | Moody Performance Hall

TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND In association with AT&T Performing Arts Center Presents

Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater WITH

ROME & JEWELS

(Rome & Jewels contains intense language and a few scenes depicting violence)

DIRECTED, CHOREOGRAPHED, WRITTEN & CONCEIVED BY Rennie Harris Executive Director Rodney Hill ADDITIONAL-WRITERS Ozzie Jones, d. Sabela Grimes, Rodney Mason and Raphael Xavier ORIGINAL LIGHTING DESIGN Pamela Hobson

ORIGINAL SOUND DESIGN & MUSICAL DIRECTION Darrin Ross

ORIGINAL VISUAL DESIGN Howard Goldkranz

DRAMATURG Ozzie Jones LIGHTING DESIGN Julie Ballard MUSIC Numb by Portishead and Leave it by YES VISUAL DESIGN Ryder Palmere

CAST AND DANCERS

James Colter Raphael Xavier Anthony Denaro Tracy Thomas Ramon Gilmore Miyeko Urvashi Rennie Harris Joel Martinez Rodney Mason Angel Anderson Fyness Mason Maggie Waller Rachel Snider Joshua Archibald Zakhele Grabowski Phil Cuttino, Jr. RENNIE HARRIS PUREMOVEMENT CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF STREET DANCE THEATER RODNEY HILL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MASTERS DEGREE: FINE ARTS

RENNIE HARRIS PUREMOVEMENT AMERICAN STREET DANCE THEATER CONTACT: 267.236.4097 OWNER: RUNTOUCHABLEZ INC. RODNEYHILL@RHPM.ORG

WHAT’S WHAT? When I was young, I saw West Side Story and immediately thought to myself, “Why aren’t there street dancers in this movie?” I re-imagined it with street dancers every time I watched the film. Little did I know, I’d grow up to become a choreographer. Some years later, around the mid to late 1990s, a thought popped into my mind: “Do a Hip-Hop version of West Side Story.” Immediately, I began to create the work in my head and dreamt of it for weeks. By 1996-97, I started to set phrases on the company. Unbeknownst to the company I secretly cast Duane Holland as Rome. I continued to work out ideas every day with no financial support or performance in sight. Eventually Mark Murphy, the former presenter of On The Boards, caught wind of what I was doing and asked if I would present the workshop version of it at On The Boards Theater in Seattle, Washington. I agreed and presented a 45-minute workshop of the Rome & Jewels. At this point, there were no monologues it was purely dance. By 1998, I wrote the first draft of the script. It was a fusion of the original script of Romeo and Juliet mixed with colloquial language. One day before the start of rehearsal, Rodney Mason walked through the door and yelled aloud, “Yo Rome, thou art a villain, so what’s up”?! And there you have it! Down goes Sonny Liston. It became clear to me we didn’t really have to stay so exact. That night I began re-writing the script and gave everyone updated scripts, but there was a problem.

The dancers couldn’t act. Well, not the way that would be believable.

I then reached outside of the company for actors that could street dance

Photo By Erin X Smithers | Courtesy of Rennie Harris Puremovement

and remembered a young man I worked with in the past by the name of d. Sabela Grimes. Next, I brought in a dramaturg who I knew as an accomplished director and rapper in Philadelphia, Mr. Ozzie Jones. At some point during the creation process I hired Ozzie to play my version of the Tony character in West Side Story “Old Man.” The last change to the script came as a default decision but not in a negative way. d. Sabela Grimes and Rodney Mason were established poets and readers of Shakespeare and, as if ordained by Shakespeare himself, each of them began to fuse their poetry with dialogues and eventually wrote their own monologues. Ozzie Jones also wrote his own monologue and the rest is history.

The title Rome & Jewels is an encoded jab at the Hip-Hop community.

Rome = Roam, Jewels = jewelry. It means roaming for jewelry. In my opinion, the Hip-Hop community is always roaming, or rather searching, for the golden grail/money/riches, as if it were their only means of rising out of their current situation. Ozzie Jones’s opening monologue explains it brilliantly. “Big and Pac roamed for jewels, but don’t we all? You ain’t nobody until you’re somebody on some motherfucka’s wall. One big, black, fat, and ugly, the other scarred up like tags on a train. Spitting freestyles for thirty Gs with pounds of weed on the brain. Now, here, heartbreak gets popped too while bullets crash through. Cause in the jungle sometimes what love got to do? When all your eyes are set on nothing you get tempted like David Ruffin. Cause in the death angel’s arms, our screams sound like mumbling. Through Rome, we see Jewels, and Rome stands for quest to get love, props, or dough before he dies from the stress.”

TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND Next Engagement

PARSONS DANCE COMPANY Moody Performance Hall March 15 . 16 2024

To support TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND Please Scan, and Thank You.

The use of cameras, camcorders, tape recorders and cell phones is strictly forbidden during the performance.

WHO’S WHO? “Harris is the most respected and, to my knowledge, the most brilliant Hip-hop choreographer in America” – Joan Acocella, The New Yorker

LORENZO RENNIE HARRIS (Founder, Artistic Director, Choreographer and Director) Dr. Lorenzo (Rennie) Harris was born and raised in an African American community in North Philadelphia. Since the age of 15, Harris has been teaching workshops and classes at universities around the country and is a powerful spokesperson for the significance of “street” origins in any dance style. In 1992, Harris founded Rennie Harris Puremovement, a street dance theatre company dedicated to preserving and disseminating street dance culture through workshops, classes, lecture, lecture demonstrations, residencies, mentoring programs, and public performances. Coining the term Street Dance Theater and Hip-hop Concert dance, Harris founded his company based on the belief that hip hop culture is the most important original expression of a new generation. With its roots in the inner-city African American and Latino communities, hip hop can be characterized as a contemporary indigenous form, one that expresses universal themes that extend beyond racial, religious, and economic boundaries, and one that (because of its pan-racial and transnational popularity) can help bridge these divisions.

Harris’s work encompasses the diverse and rich African American traditions of the past, while simultaneously presenting the voice of a new generation through its ever-evolving interpretations of dance. Harris is committed to providing audiences with a sincere view of the essence and spirit of hip hop rather than the commercially exploited stereotypes portrayed by the media.

Photo By Jonathan Hsu | Courtesy of Rennie Harris Puremovement

Currently, Harris tours a collection of evening-length works as well as classic repertory works of the last 30 years. Rome & Jewels, the first evening-length work written, choreographed, and directed by Rennie Harris, uses Shakespeare’s text, to tell its own story based on West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet. To date Rome & Jewels is the longest touring street dance theater work in American history with three Bessie Awards and four Black Theater Alvin Ailey Awards. It was also nominated for a Lawrence Olivier Award (UK) and received The Harman Shakespeare Theater Award for adaptation of West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet.

Rome & Jewels has performed for sold-out audiences nationally and internationally. The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote of the work, “Harris has built a wedge that will open the doors of America’s art centers, displaying hip hop as clear cultural expression, compelling to all races and generations… Rome & Jewels is clearly the work of an artist of uncommon vision…we get to witness, right here in our city, the evolution of an important new dance form.”

In addition, Harris’s body of work includes evening length works such as Falling Crumbs From the Cake, Something To Do With Love, Legends of Hip Hop, Facing Mekka , 100NAKEDLOCKS, HEAVEN, LUV American-Style, Rennie Harris Funkedified, LIFTED, and two new works still in creation and development phase-American Street Dancer and Losing My Religion. In Facing Mekka, Harris continues his quest to present street dance on the concert stage. To this end, he has developed a solo that challenges his own choreographic experiences and audience’s expectations of hip hop and street dance. Harris approaches the vocabulary of this work, entitled Lorenzo’s Oil, as a butoh-style hip hop dance. The solo is meant to integrate calming, serene space (represented by the butoh style) with Popping.

Lorenzo’s Oil turns street dance on its head in order to draw attention away from the spectacle and acrobatic and high-powered movements that many audiences, particularly those outside of hip hop movement, expect, and see what it could/should be. Dr. Harris found a way to marry his story with social dances and bring them to the concert stage, creating a cohesive dance style that finds a cogent voice in the theater. Much of Dr. Harris’s work has explored his personal experiences as an African American male growing up in North Philadelphia.

At the turn of the century alongside Princess Grace Kelly, Dr. and Julius Erving, Rennie Harris was voted one of the most influential people in the last one hundred years of Philadelphia history. He’s been compared to twentieth-century legends, Basquiat, Alvin Ailey and Bob Fosse. In 2010 he received an honorary doctorate in the Arts and Humanities from Bates College (Maine) and a 2nd Honorary Doctorate in the Fine Arts from Columbia College (Chicago). He received the Kulu Mele’ African Rooted

Dance award and the Guggenheim (2010). He has also been featured in Rose Eichenbaum’s Masters of Movement-Portraits of America’s Great Choreographers with dance legends such as Carmen de Lavallade, Judith Jamison, Fayard Nicolas and Gregory Hines. In addition, he was awarded a medal from the Kennedy Center (DC) as a master of African American Choreography. Touring Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and surrounding countries, Rennie Harris served as one of four Ambassadors for the United States as part of President Obama’s cultural exchange program, Dance Motion USA, which was led by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Recently, Rennie Harris became a recipient of The Doris Duke Artist Award (2020). He and his group of dancers and their infectious brand of movement have toured around the globe pioneering Hip-hop Dance Theater as a cogent and viable voice. Dr. Lorenzo "Rennie" Harris is atop the hip-hop heap, its leading ambassador.

ACTORS/DANCERS Rodney Mason aka Duck Butt (Rome) (Original Cast) Transplanted

to Portland from South Philly, Rodney is a Song and Dance man who won the starring role of “Tony Sinclair” for the Tanqueray worldwide campaign beating out the Wayans brothers and 800 candidates in the US and UK for this sophisticated Black Brit. Rodney has become a famous character in commercials, print/editorial, billboards, and live guest appearances at major events. Rodney has served his country and is a Gulf War Veteran.

His experience defending his country as a Marine has colored his work

Photo By Jonathan Hsu | Courtesy of Rennie Harris Puremovement

and his performance message. He is also a theatre and performance artist, utilizing his Street Dance skills, spoken word poetry, and rap to create many unusual and original characters for film, television, commercials, and stand-up comedy appearances. Rodney has also worked with the Groundlings and 2nd City in Chicago and toured the world with Rennie Harris Puremovement, an American Street Dance Theater company out of Philadelphia PA, as a core member. He is known for his award-winning role (Lawrence Olivier Award—Best Performance) in ROME & JEWELS. Other stage work includes TOTEM ROAD with the Olive Dance Company and a stint with the Baltimore Outreach Program in YO BALTIMORE where he received critical acclaim. His TV appearances include the MTV Vibe awards, hosting Comedy Central, and cable TV.

Joel Martinez aka Teknyc (Merc) was born and raised in

Santurce, Puerto Rico until 13. He credits an early interest in breaking "breakdancing" to his older brother Willie Martinez. As a B-boy, Teknyc and his crew, Skill Methodz, became one of the most iconic crews in the dance's street dance history as a graffiti writer Teknyc is a proud member of one of the most legendary crews, Fame City Kings (FC) and Fast Breaking Artists (FBA). Teknyc has painted murals worldwide, from NYC to Puerto Rico, Los Angeles, Paris, Japan, London, Amsterdam, Portugal, Dubai, Prague, Berlin, Argentina, and Brazil. He was also a member of Rennie Harris Puremovement in Rome & Jewels, Facing Mekka, and repertory works nationally and internationally. As a member of Rennie Harris Puremovement, he served as an ambassador of Hip-hop for President Obama's Dance Motion USA that toured Israel, Eygpt, Jerusalem, Palestine, and other surrounding countries on behalf of the United States.

Joshua Archibald aka butterfly.god (Tybault) is a Jamaican-born,

Miami-raised multidisciplinary performance artist. Having a background in music production and performance as well as theatrical performance and writing, Joshua received most of his dance training at Miami-Dade College as both a dance major and member of Jubilation Dance Ensemble. Following his studies, he moved to Atlanta, GA, in pursuit of his artistic career utilizing all his experiences and acquired knowledge.

Having completed a season with T. Lang Dance Company, Joshua spent 2 additional years in Atlanta training the rest of his skill set. In that time, he worked with production crews for many local events (such as art installations, galleries, live performances etc.), as well as frequently engaging with artists of those respective communities. Since then, he has moved back to Miami to further his development and begin creating work for himself as an independent artist.

Zakhele Grabowski aka Swazi is a Breaker, Tap dancer, and musician, born in Eswatini, currently living in NYC, by way of Mozambique and North Carolina. He is a member of the Dynamic Rockers Crew, Team USA Breaking For Gold (teen), Maurice Chestnut's Dance Therapy, and the mentee of Neguin in RedBull BC One's Under My Wiiings program.

He is also an alum of the School at Jacob's Pillow, Tap ensemble 2023. In 2022 Swazi competed with Team USA in France for the ISF Gymnasidade. He is USA Breaking For Gold Teen Team's Silver medalist for 2023. In September of 2023 he won the USA World Kidz Championship breaking battle, and will go on to represent the USA in the World Finals in Slovenia, the summer of 2024. He is a member of the cast in We Move In Color which launched at The Strand Theatre in Boston, was presented privately at The Kennedy Center in DC, and is now touring. He has performed at various venues including New York City's Little Island in "Beats, Rhymes and Tap Shoes" and New Jersey Centre for the Performing Arts. Swazi is thrilled to have the opportunity to perform with Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater, and he thanks Rennie, Rodney, and all the company for welcoming him.

Raphael Xavier (Old Man) Originally from Wilmington, Delaware,

Raphael Xavier is an award-winning artist and alumnus of the world renowned Hip Hop dance company, Rennie Harris Puremovement.

A 2013 Pew Fellowship Grantee, 2016 Guggenheim Fellow and 2016 United States Artist Fellow, Xavier has been a professional breaker/ dancer for the last 20 years, working in a variety of fields including music, photography and film. A self-taught Hip Hop dancer and Breaking practitioner since 1983, Xavier continues to learn and recreate new ways to expand the vocabulary of the dance form through constant research of the culture, performance, practice and by staying present in the community. His extensive research in Hip Hop forms and culture, specifically Breaking, has led to the creation of Ground-Core, a Somatic dance technique that gives the practitioner a better understanding of the body within all dance forms. His goal is to make the form accessible to any body type and level. Ground-Core technique is featured in most of his choreography and repertory works. He is currently in production on a new repertory show entitled Sassafrazz: From Roots to Mastery. The production features a Jazz quartet and 4 breakers highlighting the parallels of street dance, improvisation and African-American forms.

Xavier currently lives in Philadelphia and is a professor at Princeton University and UT Austin where he teaches the History of Hip Hop Dance and Culture and Intro to Breaking courses.

Anthony Denaro aka B-boy YNOT M.F.A explores the design,

sustainability, history, and community of Hip Hop. Through a futurist lens, YNOT’s work manifests in dance, typography, music, and architecture. YNOT’s reputation in the dance world precedes him.

As a B-boy, he’s traveled the world extensively judging battles, teaching workshops, and building cultural awareness. In YNOT’s vision of the sustainability of Hip Hop, teaching and mentorship are paramount.

Currently, YNOT teaches workshops internationally as well as virtually and in person through University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Arizona State University, and Texas Tech where he facilitates Breaking Technique, Stylized letterform Design and Sound Design For Electronic Music Production. Alongside his dance and professorship, YNOT creates two- and three-dimensional visual works (physical and digital) that construct a possible future of the Hip Hop aesthetic.

James Colter aka Cricket (Original Cast) is a professional

street dancer who has performed, taught, and lectured on the form internationally for over 22 years. In addition, he is a well versed visual artist (sequential art, children’s book illustrations, etc) choreographer and artistic director. Mr. Colter (Cricket) has taught globally at numerous hip hop dance festivals including Bates Dance Festival and the Illadelph Legends Festival. Cricket was a featured dancer in the Disney movie Step Up 2: The Street and has danced for various recording artists including, Boys II Men, KRS-1, Will Smith, Eve, Avril Lavigne, Fall Out-Boy and was a host MTV Japan’s Dreamers television show.

Cricket has worked with the legendary street dance pioneer Bill "Crutch Master" Shannon, urban tap dancer, Tamango Van Cayseeleas, and London’s best known urban theatrical wordsmith and curator, Jonzi D. Cricket has produced and directed various dance pieces in Philadelphia, New York City and London, including Heroes, a London based hip hop theater show where he acted as director and principal costume designer.

Mr. Colter is a part of the Step-Fenz dance crew, a NY based dance group that is known for its mix of B-boy and House dance. He is a founding member of Rennie Harris Pure Movement (RHPM) and has worked with the company for over 16 years.

He is an original cast member of Rennie Harris’s Bessie award winning multidisciplinary hip hop theater presentation, Rome & Jewels. During his time with RHPM, Cricket was involved in teaching and performing throughout the globe and was the leader of Puremovement’s educational outreach program. Cricket’s artistic mission is to push the limits of the various movements that exist in Hip-Hop and in other contemporary dance forms by blending various art forms in order to tell a viable story on the concert dance stage and rid the stigma that Hip-Hop is merely an

athletic form of dance that can only be performed in a showcase setting.

Cricket believes that, through Hip Hop, complex stories can be told and the boundaries of theater can be pushed by adding the urban/hip hop aesthetic to costume design, set design, soundscapes, etc. Mr. Colter has recently founded his own company Concept Kinetics to accomplish his goal.

Phil Cuttino, Jr. aka JipTheRuler (Ben V) is a Philadelphia native

hip-hopper from birth, is skilled in breakin', graffiti, DJ-ing, and rapping.

His first performance was at the age of four with his father, a prominent MC and B-Boy in the Philadelphia hip-hop scene. He started in a crew called the X-Men doing local talent shows and learned from some Philadelphia greats. He has toured throughout the United States and internationally and currently is a core member, advisor and the director of social media of 'Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater.

Miyeko Urvashi Rennie Harris the eldest daughter of Rennie Harris

was born in Philadelphia and began training at the age of eight in Austin, Texas. She later returned to Philadelphia and began her pre-professional training at the Koresh School of Dance where she trained under Melissa Rector, Roni Koresh, and Eva Szabo. Harris performed with Koresh Youth Ensemble for three years. Most recently she performed with Maura Townsend Dance at the 2022 Los Angeles Dance Festival at the Luckman Theatre. Harris is a recent high school graduate currently attend California State University of Los Angeles with a major in Communication Disorders.

She is excited to be performing with Rennie Harris Puremovement and looks forward to this next chapter in her life.

Fyness Mason was raised in New York City, is a Temple University,

B.A., and Harcum College Graduate. Her Hip Hop dance career began with Rennie Harris Puremovemnt Dance Company in 2005. Mason has performed nationally and internationally in theaters such as the Kimmel Center, Kennedy Center, Saddlers Wells in London, England, Alvin Ailey theater, Carpenters Center in Long Beach, Joyce theater, Lied Center, Bates Dance Festival, Bryn Mawr College, Wells Fargo Center, N.Y.C. SummerStage, and Bam Theater. In addition, she's taught classes at Temple University, Bryn Mawr College, Florida State University, Bates Dance Festival, and more. Fyness teaches classes that incorporate movement from the African Diaspora, as well as Hip-hop. Fyness has also performed with Face Da Phlave Entertainment, Montazh all woman's Hip Hop Dance Company, Flyground with Lela Aisha Jones, Oyin Hardy's Troupe Dada, and the late Kariamu Welsh. During Fyness's hiatus from

dance, she went back to school to study Occupational Therapy Assisting.

She raised three children with her husband, Steve Mason (resident D.J. at W.D.A.S. Philadelphia radio station). Recently Fyness returned to the stage and is ready to share her love for dance with her community with the goal of uplifting women through hip hop dance culture with a message that you can do anything you put your mind to and then some.

Angel Anderson is a movement artist whose origins are the south

suburbs of Chicago. She is an alumna of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and her Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Anderson’s interests revolve widely around dances of the African Diaspora, traditional dances from West Africa and the ways in which both can and do exist in a contemporary setting. She is also interested in the hybridization of and dialogue between dances from the African Diaspora and continent. Her research largely examines this, and the African retention present inside of street and club dance culture in forms such as House and Hip Hop. She has received her certificate of completion for finishing her first year of the Africa Diaspora Training Program at Ecole Des Sables. During her time in Senegal, she trained with artists such as Serge Aimé Coulibaly, Alesandra Seutin, Josepha Madoki, and Anani Sanouvi. Alongside performing as a new core member in Rennie Harris Puremovement in works such as LIFTED, Nuttin’ But A Word, and Rome & Jewels, she is also studying under Rennie Harris University to expand her knowledge on the lineage of street dance and club culture. She is most looking forward to the opportunity to develop her own pedagogy and teaching practice.

Maggie Waller is a dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist born

and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. Heavily involved in the local hip hop community, she pulls from various dance forms, such as Waacking, House, Locking, Breaking, Hip Hop, Postmodern Contemporary, and Tap, in her performance work, choreography, and freestyle/battle practice. She is a recent graduate of Arizona State University, obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, a Minor in Justice Studies, and two Certificates in Arts Entrepreneurship and Socially Practice in Design and the Arts. In addition, Maggie is a Fulbright Summer Institute Participant, a recipient of the Joan Frazer Memorial Award for Judaism and the Arts, and a published writer. Maggie currently lives in Washington, D.C., teaching and making.

She is deeply honored to be a core company member of Rennie Harris Puremovement and to be a part of the Rome & Jewels legacy.

Rachel Snider is a Chambersburg, PA native who now resides in

Philadelphia. She began training under the direction of Moncell Durden's Keystone Dance Project, performing lecture demonstrations and afterschool programs. Rachel later met her biggest dance inspiration and mentor, Marcus Tucker, of The Hood Lockers, whom she's trained under for six years. She is an alumnus at Jacob's Pillow for Social Dances - Jazz to Hip Hop. Rachel performed in Hood Nation's D.E.E.T.O.U.R. show at Jacob's Pillow, Ursinus College, and York College and supported Marcus Tucker's teaching residency at Eastern University. She has taught in Philadelphia for six years at Movemakers Philly and First Position Dance Arts. Rachel is excited to continue her dance journey with Rennie Harris Puremovement in this work.

DJ’S Evil Tracy The International Showoff (Original DJ) started under

a local Philly legend, DJ Grand Master Ant, who used to rock house and block parties back in 1981. Ant would let Tracy and a friend carry crates and rap with his legendary Philly group Fatal Funk Force. Eventually, Tracy began DJing under his cousin DJ Kid Swift and later founded Action Figure Crew, which included his cousins DJ Kid Swift, DJ Aktive, and DJ Ghetto (Battle Champions) along with other legendary Philly DJs. To his credit. Tracy is the creator of Needle To Da'Groove, which toured briefly.

He was nominated for a Bessie Award for Outstanding Sound Design or Musical Composition in 2023. Current Mixtape – ‘Rockin' The Funky Beats.

DJ Razor Ramon is a DJ/ Turntablist/ Producer from Philadelphia, Pa.

He has been in the Philly Hip-Hop scene for over 30 years and has been influenced by DJ’s such as Grandmaster Flash, Grandmixer D.XT., the late Jam Master Jay, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Cash Money. The award winning Turntablist is the 2001 Philadelphia City Paper Pitch Control DJ Battle Champion, as well as the 2002 NBA All- Star Weekend DJ Battle Champion and the 7- time Power 99fm (Clear Channel) DJ Battle Champion. Ramon has also performed on stages throughout the United States and internationally including Toronto (Canada), Venice (Italy), Monaco (France), London (U.K.), 26 cities in The Netherlands, Auckland (New Zealand), 6 cities in Mexico, Bejing (China), and Melbourne and Sydney (Australia).

Razor Ramon has performed with such artists as poets Ursula Rucker, Mo Beasley and Rich Medina, Hip Hop artists Grand Agent, Kenny Muhammad The Human Orchestra, Poor Righteous Teachers, DJ Cash Money, Supernatural, Medusa, Hezekiah, Boogaloo Sam (the creator of

popping & boogalooing) & The Electric Boogaloos, the late Don Campbell (the creator of locking), Crazy Legs, Pop Master Fabel and the Rock Steady Crew, Illstyle and Peace Productions Dance Theatre Company, and Danse4Nia/ Phoenix Danse. Ramon has also performed Off- Broadway in Rennie Harris’ Hip Hop Legends. Ramon was part of one of the first Hip- Hop acts to perform at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Pa. (Rennie Harris’ Hip- Hop Legends). He has commercially recorded music with Grand Agent, Mel Ink, Boyz II Men, Wort Und Totschlag (W.U.T.-German Hip Hop Artists), Theotis Joe, and NFL Films. He also released two solo albums entitled INTRODUCING THE TURNTABLISTIC DJ RAZOR RAMON and FOR BEATS SAKE VOLUME I. DJ Razor Ramon is the recipient of the 2003 Philly DJ Appreciation Award for his years of dedicated service, and in 2023, he made history by becoming the first turntablist to be nominated for the prestigious Bessie Award. DJ Razor Ramon continues to create music, perform in theatres, clubs, and lounges throughout Philadelphia and abroad displaying his skills and passion for the art of Turntablism.

THE DESIGNERS Pamela Hobson (Original Lighting Designer) Pam began her career

at Howard University in 1982 in Washington, D.C. and is the original lighting designer for Rome & Jewels and other repertory works. She was also the road manager for Rennie Harris Puremovement, as well Lejá Dance Company, Patty Labelle, INVINCIBLE: A Glorious Tribute to Michael Jackson, created, produced and directed by Darrin Ross for RossLive Entertainment, The Boys Choir of Harlem and many other artists and companies. Hobson is the founder and director of INTO THE LIGHT productions in 1996 and is a veteran lighting designer who has shaped the industry for over 25 years.

Julie Ballard (Lighting Designer) Julie E. Ballard, USA829, is a

professional lighting designer, ETCP-certified electrician, and theatrical technician. She is affiliated with IATSE Local 2 and the Actors’ Equity Association. Additionally, Ms. Ballard is the owner/operator of OverlapLighting Productions, LLC, a freelance production company specializing in lighting design, production/stage management, and photography. She has designed for the Charlotte Ballet, Giordano Dance Chicago, Ballet West, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. She has freelanced for two decades in and around the Midwest, touring regionally, nationally, and internationally with Hubbard Street, Pilobolus, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, The Seldoms, and David Dorfman Dance, among others. Theatre audiences have seen her designs in the U.S.,

across Europe, Siberia, and South Africa. Ms. Ballard holds degrees in Theater (BA, 1999) and Lighting Design (MFA, 2004) from Kent State University and the University of Florida, respectively. Visit her portfolio at overlaplighting.com

Don Miller (Costume Designer) Donald Miller III is the premiere

clothing designer in Philadelphia. To his credit he is also a Certified Public Accountant with a Bachelors of Science degree from Xavier University of Louisiana. He is the founder of Rock Paper Denim 1970, an inspirational apparel brand with an upscale urban prep look that is rooted in the music and culture of the 70’s. The distressed, but polished aesthetic portrays the grit and grunt that the grind unselfishly gives along the journey. The mission of the company is to inspire people with a message of hope that is expressed through style and story. Rock Paper Denim is mainly an athletic casual brand with a range of unique clothing styles. However, they believe purpose is your finger print engrained on life’s surface.

Therefore, the brand is designed to inspire individuals to aspire to pursue, maintain and manifest their passion. You’re all welcome. Join us at www. rockpaperdenim.com.

Darrin Ross (Original Sound Designer/Composer) recently

completing the score and soundscape for Alvin Ailey American Dance theater's first two act ballet called LAZARUS, Ross has been collaborating with Dr. Rennie Harris for over 35 years. He started by producing and engineering songs with Jam On Productions in 1984. His work with Jam On Productions led to various television and record productions.

Eventually, Darrin founded I.Q. Records. He also did sound design and composition for Suzan Lori Parks' TopDog/Underdog. Ross, over the years, has received numerous grants for his works from the Rockefeller Foundation, Ford Foundation, Meet The Composer, Dance Advance, and recently from the Gross Foundation. He is the recipient of a 2001 New York Dance & Performance Award (Bessie) for his music composition and soundscape for Rome & Jewels. Ross has worked with and many established artists in the industry such as: Jazzy Jeff, Newcleus, Doug E. Fresh, Freeway, Kim Waters, The Roots, Bahamadia Todd Terry, Joanna Gardner, The Intruders, Mike Knox, and many more. His sound design and composition credits include Rennie Harris Funkedified, Rennie Harris Lifted, HEAVEN, Facing Mekka, Rome & Jewels, LOW, Prince Scarecrow's Road To The Emerald City, The Kimmel Center Presents, Philadanco : The Philadelphia Experience, Same Spirit Different Movement, Impossible Izz Possible, Evolution, Champions of the Dance, BREAK!, The Urban Funk Spectacular, King Michael, Fallen Crumbs from the Cake, Cool Heat Urban Beat, BREAK! and Skate, The Pennsylvania Ballet, The Memphis Ballet, The Colorado Ballet, Hot Mouth, RHAW Love American

Style, Maurice Hines' Hot Feet, The Kennedy Center Honors, Carols in Color, We Dance to Inspire, and numerous dance theater works. Ross is the president of RossLive Entertainment. He is currently touring his production Invincible: A Glorious Tribute to Michael Jackson and scoring an upcoming T.V. drama called the N.C.

Ryder Palmere (Visual Designer) was created in the East and refined in the West. He is a Renaissance man inspired by the lives and works of Jung, Klimt, Lynch, Morricone, and Bukowski. He wants two dogs.

Rodney Hill (Executive Director) was born and raised in the tough

streets of North Philadelphia, entering the Hip-hop scene in 1988. For more than a decade, Hill has blazed the stages in venues, nationally and abroad. He has been featured in many videos for such artists as Boys II Men, Will Smith, and Musiq Soulchild, to name just a few. He has also performed on TV shows such as R&B Divas: Los Angeles, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Soul Train, NBC’s NFL Under the Helmet, and BET’s Teen Summit. In addition, he has toured and performed with Rennie Harris Puremovement, R&B singer Brave Williams, Julian King, R&B group AAries, Mad Skillz, rapper Eve, R&B legend Teddy Pendergrass, Janet Jackson’s Dj Aktive, R&B singer Shanice Wilson, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, and Philly’s own The Roots. An accomplished dancer, choreographer, and teacher, Rodney Hill has performed and taught at universities and dance studios locally, nationally, and internationally in London, Santiago (Chile), Toronto, Bermuda, Monaco. Bogotá; Democratic Republic of Congo, East Asia, Egypt, England, Israel, and Palestine. In 2020, Hill graduated from Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, with an MFA in choreography. Hill's inspiration for dance comes from his community and family. He continues to educate and inspire others through his hard work, dedication, and commitment to Hip-hop and its culture. In January 2022, Hill was sworn in as Councilman for Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, a suburban community just outside North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he grew up.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Rennie Harris Puremovement would like to thank Joan Meyers Brown, Artistic Director and Founder of Philadelphia Dance Company, The Community Education Center (Philadelphia), and Carla Perlo, Executive Director of Dance Place Theater (Washington, DC) for their support. In addition, we’d to thank those who supported the re-mounting of Rome & Jewels: Jeremy Alliger, Theresa Pelicata, Bonnie Cox, Jackie Lopez, Cheryl Curcio, In addition a special thank you thank you to Emily Harrison, Sheila McDaniel, Laura Faure, Beth Boone, Janice Marks, Teresa Eyring, Olga Garay, The Bracciale family, and The Kedhar family for their generous donations. Last but not least a special shout out goes to Moncell Durden who got us to our goal in the last hour, thank you sir!

And a special special thanks to Tina Hueges who made this happen.

Thank you for all the hard work and positive energy that pushed all of us through to the other side. I remain in your debt….Rennie Harris

Photo By Erin X Smithers | Courtesy of Rennie Harris Puremovement

TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND SUPPORTERS As of May 2023 PLATINUM $20,000 and up American Airlines Beverly Blumenthal* City of Dallas, Office of Arts and Cultural Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District Program Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Mona and Bill~ Graue Zoé de Ropp Hart~ and Todd Hart Neiman Marcus Ann and Fred~ Margolin DeMetris Sampson~ Sheraton Dallas Hotel Texas Commission on the Arts Jean Baptiste “Tad” Adoue, III Fund of The Dallas Foundation TACA (The Community Arts Alliance) Donna M. Wilhelm Family Philanthropy Fund GOLD $10,000-$19,999 Anonymous Leland Burk and Thomas Feulmer Lee A. Cobb~ and Lucilo A. Peña Crow Museum of Asian Art of the University of Texas Dallas Trammell S. Crow Carol A. Crowe Claire Dewar~ Empire Baking Co/Meaders and Robert Ozarow Read and Steven~ Gendler Gayle and Jim Halperin Jay Franke and David Herro Ambassador Ron Kirk and Matrice~ Ellis-Kirk Lola~ and Todd Lott National Endowment for the Arts Cindy and George Santos Margaret Selby/Selby Artists Management

Greg Swalwell and Terry Connor The Eugene McDermott Foundation The Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust Michael Weinman Nan White SILVER $5,000-$9,999 Dabney and Ric Abel Anonymous Arts Midwest Touring Fund Audrey and Joel~ Bines Lois Anne Bond Diane and Hal Brierley Delia and Michael~ Crossley Harlan R. Crow Foundation Daniel H. Lome Foundation Lauren Embrey/Embrey Family Foundation Rebecca and Barron Fletcher, III Forty Five Ten Michael Ginsberg and Lorri Michel/ Sterlizia Foundation Hall Arts Restaurant Fund of Communities Foundation of Texas Tracey Nash Huntley and David Huntley Madeline Jobst and Ralph Randall KERA Madeline and Jim McClure Susan and Bill Montgomery Harry S. Moss Foundation Dana Nearburg Lynn and Hisashi Nikaidoh Nancy Cain Robertson and Sanford Robertson Sally Pian and Ira Silverman Roberto Powers Deedie Rose Eugene Sepulveda and Steven Tomlinson Nancy Whitenack

BRONZE $2,000-$4,999 Anonymous Association of Performing Arts Professionals Cultural Exchange Fund Barbara and William Benac Sue~ and Ted Benn Booker T. Washington HSPVA Mary Ann and Greg Borden-Neary Kimberly and Jose Bowen Kitty~ and Keith Carter Communities Foundation of Texas Richard Delaney Lenore~ and Kevin Diamond Meghan Downey Bess and Ted Enloe Wanda Gierhart-Fearing~ and Dean Fearing Mary and Hilton Geartner Carol and Don Glendenning Linda and Scott Greer Gail Griswold~ and Bill Brice, Jr. Kathy and Graham Greene Amy Lewis Hofland Denise Huddle Rusty and John Jaggers Rodger Kobes~ and Michael Keller Carol and Mark Kreditor Lisa and Peter Kraus Bill Leazer Michelle and William Lockhart Veronica Moyé Jill and Brent Magnuson Gail and Guillermo Marmol Tom and Charlene Marsh Family Foundation Doug Mitchell and Ed Calcote Mary and Sean O’Brien Jay Oppenheimer Joe and Arnold Pacetti Joseph Patti Mary and Robert Potter Tracy Preston~ Janine and Charles Pulman Lisa Simmons Jacqueline and William Stavi-Raines Saundra Steinberg~ and Matthew Wilner

Arlene Switzer Steinfield~ and David Steinfield Titens Family Philanthropic Fund of the Dallas Jewish Community Foundation Stacey and Michael~ Titens Lily~ and Jeff Weiss Sophie and Eric Zuckerman PRODUCER’S CIRCLE $1,000-$1,999 Cordell Adams Anonymous Steve Atkinson and Ted Kincaid Deborah Bennett John R. Blanton, Jr. and Deborah Handler Kathy Chamberlain/Chamberlain Ballet Sue Ellen Chambers O. Paul Corley, Jr. Lisa Dawson and Tom Maurstad Maureen and Robert Decherd Karen and Clay Deniger Julie and Bob England Faynetta Fort David Glover and Jorge Martinez Steven Goldfine and Deborah Deitsch Perez Maria Gomez and Luis Escobar Carol Hall Denise Roberts Hurlin Kathryn Jordan Donna M. Kun Tara Lewis and John Swords Veletta Forsythe Lill and John C. Lill Francis Luttmer and Jose Gomez William McManemin McManemin Family Fund of the Communities Foundation Marilyn K. Mueller Diana and Geoff Newton Noel Pittman Dr. Rhonda Porterfield and Dr. Arthur Bollon~ Andrew Rosen Amy Rudy Ann Simmons and Cara Moore Julia Simon and Bernard Shaw Bliss and Pelham Smith

Gloria Snead Social Impact Architects Martin and Judy Tobey Diane Lynn Wahl Timothy Webster and Ernest Norden DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE $500-$999 Carlos Barroso and Kay Colbert Mike Birrer Paula Blackmon Lauren Corr Leslie Ann Crozier Kathleen Delsanter and Sari Bahl Helen and Jerome Frank Kim Fredenberg Alex Hamerman Maria Hasbany L. Keith Hughes Louise W. Kahn Endowment Fund of the Dallas Foundation Niketa Kumar and Sam Kaminksy Garfield Lemonius Candace MacMahon Patricia Meadows Renae Williams Niles Nancy Pearce Jill and Francois Perrin Jacqueline Porter/The Dallas Conservatory Cindy and Howard Rachofsky Charles Santos and Rick Bond Genie and Gary Short Michelle Wilson CHOREOGRAPHER’S CIRCLE $250-$499 Anonymous Dolores Barzune Allison Bovard Michele DeSalme and Frederick Toulmin Mark Heymann Margaret H. Jordan Susan Paul and Jim Kipp Kathy and Randy Luster Abbie Meyering and John Sadler Donovan Miller

Janet Mockovciak Kim Noltemy Lynn and Mark Oristano Annita and Mark Ryan Stanley Sanders Sue and Sam Sayah Lenore M. Sullivan and Barry N. Henry The Benevity Community Impact Fund Roslyn Dawson Thompson and Rex Thompson Ellen Tye Dale Van Vleck Marilyn and Larry Waisanen Maureen and John Wangermann Donna and Ronald Whitehead COMPOSER’S CIRCLE $100-$249 Stephanie Al Otaiba Anonymous Anonymous in honor of Saundra Steinberg Louise Applebome Sari Bahl Giving Fund Charles Barefoot Dave Bedford Karl Berger Sarah Biettner Jo and Ralph Blackburn* Lisa Calhoun Jan Callender Nancy Calomiris Beverly and Don Campbell Mildred Carrethers Fran Carris Sarah and Christopher Cauble Patricia and James Chatt Courtney Clendenin and Joshua Miller Philip Clemmons Kay Colbert and Carlos Barroso Jennifer Conley Nina Cortell and Bob Fine, M.D. Cece Cox Carol L. Croy Huong Dang Rebecca Daniels Joan Davidow and Stuart Glass Audrey Decherd

Dawn Edelman Debbie Eichner Tammy Elkins Mark Foster John Frazier and Tom De Arman Barbara and Stowe Gardner Ruben Gerding Jenny Givens Jamie Gonzales Marge and Larry Goodman Murray Gordon Daniel Guenther and Tom Fowler Marcie Guidry Lisa and Eric Hall Jennifer Heffernan Chris Heinbaugh Pamela R. Hill Stephen Hoffner Holly Hrabik Joanne Hurtekant Ronit Ilan Michael Kaufman Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart Maureen and Tim Kroeger Bonnie Kudlicki Kelley Lindquist Elizabeth Lang-Miers and Jeb Miers Alan H Levi Lillian Lin Barbara Lynn Julie and Anthony Matt Kathryn McBride Amy and Gavin Melmed Paula Miller Regina Montoya and Paul Coggins Elya Naxon Deborah and Jim Nugent Finley O’Neill and Scott O’Neill Anthony Petrosky Cheryl and Scott Pike V. Diane Pitts Marianne Pohle Cheryl Pollman Chad Priest Betheny Reid Lynne Richardson Cynthia Rollow and Edward Bennett

Sonja Bilger Romanowski Keira Scanks Sally Schreiber Edwin Seifert Rob Senders Kristin Shelley Chris and Ken Sherman Erica Shoemaker Debbie and Todd Siddens Nancy and Rene Somodevilla Melanie H. Spiegel Molly Steele Richard Stern Dorit and Michael Suffness Tina Syring Deborah Tapler and Jeffrey Horswell The Boeing Company Gift Match Program The Meadows Foundation Gift Match Program Rebecca Torres Jean-Louis Trochu Douglas Unger Elizabeth Van Vleck Linda Vorhies Mary Sue and Bart Wade Sarah and John Wechsler Nancy Whittier Byron Williamson Michael Wilson Carol Windham Judy Youngblood and Dan Butler ARTIST’S CIRCLE Up to $99 Tina Aguilar Judy and Dennis Ashworth Sheila Avidon and Michael Scott Tequita Azantilow Carron Batt Manuel Beckles Shimon Braff Luba Brewster Rachel Brittenham Sophie Burton Lakecha Butler Teresa Byrd

Paul Cadwalladerf Julia Callaway and Joe Madden Stan Carpenter and Jerry Baden Holly Castora Sarah and Christopher Cauble Carrie and Brandon Chenault Jessica Chiles David Chong Chip Clint Jordan Conway Nina Cortell Thierry Couturier Gail Cronauer Carol Croy Jacqueline Czitrom Joe Czyz Louise Delano Desiree DeLullo Jeanet Deskin-Haig and Donald Haig III Anthony Dinh Amy Donham Leasa Donovan Bryan Douglas Monica and Christopher Ducic La Rhonda Duncan Leslie el-Effendi Kathryn Eller Robert Emery Rola Fakhoury Michelle Spezio Ferm Andrea Fields Jill Flynn Samuel Gatzert Bobby Gibbs and Mallory Fosdick Debra Gibert Wayne Gilbert Elizabeth Gillaspy and Randy Clements Larry S. Glazer Storrow Gordon Howard Gottlieb Gregory Graham Marisol Guerra Andrea Hagar Robert Hale John Hall Patricia Halpern

Will Handy Amanda Hart Kenneth Heimlich Wendy Helker Andrew Hopkins Demaceo Howard Thomas Hulsebosch Philip Inman Laura Jacobus Suzie Jary and Eric Pratt Patrick and Taylor Johnson Renea Jones Darlene Judy Kristin Julian Nakizito Kazigo Kathryn Kessler Sheilon King Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart Jason Klein Dawn Knowlton Vince Kordmeier Budi Kusumo Charmaine Lampert Lori Lawrenz Kenneth Leathers Maria Lowery Anthony Ludlow Barbara Lynn Lorn MacDougal Jeannine Mahoney Jessica and Dylan Malek Leticia McCray Aleta McGhee Yaminah McKessey Maranatha McLean Loren Moore Robert Moore Alejandro Munoz Alice Murray Pamela Navarro Charles Nearburg Gernelle Nelson Natalie Newman Deborah and Jim Nugent Linda Owen Kimberlie Page Claudia Palomeque

Emmanuel Parker Riana Pellicane-Hart Shawanna Phillips Dr. Michael and Mrs. Iris Podolsky Cheryl Pollman Ellen Presby Odealya Price Jim Price Gerald Ragan Susan Abrams and Gregory Rainger Cinde Rawn Stephanie Riggall Cynthia Rollow and Edward Bennett Jane Scholz Alexandra Schwartz Jodee Sedalnick Kathleen Sharp Sheila and Joel Sheilds Allen Simmons Michael Simone Jennifer Simpson Snehamay Sinha Suzanne and Jamie Smith Nancy and Rene Somodevilla Nancy S Spence Melanie H. Spiegel TW Spilker

Jay Stamper Camille Stearns Miller Bradley Swiger Monica Tenhunen Lela Thompson Meagan Kirk Thompson Hubert and Dr. Linda Threats Iris Tinner Veronica Towe Stormi Truesdell Martha Turner Amparo Valenzuela Michael van Enter Gordon Walker Sadie Wallace Paula Wenstrom Linda and Ralph Williams Marc Williams Christy Wolverton James W. Woodall Meredith and Ian Zapata * in Memoriam ~ denotes TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND Board of Trustee

Photo By Jonathan Hsu | Courtesy of Rennie Harris Puremovement

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Lee Cobb, President Sue Benn Joel Bines Arthur P. Bollon Mary Ann Borden-Neary Michael Crossley Claire Dewar Matrice Ellis Kirk Wanda Gierhart Fearing

Steven Gendler Bill Graue Rodger Kobes Noelle LeVeaux Lola Lott Eli Mercado Tracy Preston DeMetris Sampson

Charles Santos Saundra Steinberg Arlene Switzer Steinfield Estela Tejeda-Moreno Michael Titens Chandana Weerasekara Krista Weinstein Lily Cabatu Weiss

Penny Atkiss William Benac Jeanne Marie Clossey Lauren Embrey Bess Enloe

Rebecca Enloe Fletcher Kathryn D. Greene Carol Hall Gayle Ziaks Halperin Sally Hansen

Zoé deRopp Hart Alan Lerner Charlene Marsh Lynn Nikaidoh Deedie Rose

CHARLES SANTOS

TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND CO-FOUNDERS

TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND

HONORARY BOARD Mr. Tom Adams (TITAS Co-Founder)

Executive Director Artistic Director JOHN FRAZIER Director of Operations JESSICA MALEK Director of Development/ Education STEVE HAMILTON Accountant

Tom Adams and Gene Leggett

700 North Pearl Street, Suite 1800 Dallas TX 75201 214.978.2855 Box Office 214.880.0202 titas.org attpac.org/titas

Just Renovated

Step into a completely transformed space at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. Fresh out of a multi-million-dollar hotel-wide renovation, we welcome you with an elevated arrival experience in an exceptional Arts District location. Renovated guest rooms and suites feature new aesthetics and furnishings paired with stunning views.

Sheraton Dallas Hotel 400 North Olive Street Dallas, Texas 75201 T 214 922 8000

For more information about the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, visit Marriott.com/DALDH.

Sheraton

SheratonHotels

SheratonHotels

©2019 Marriott International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All names, marks and logos are the trademarks of Marriott International, Inc., or its affiliates.