Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company Marks 30th Season

From The Georgetowner:

The dancers, designers and founding choreographer of Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company (DTSBDC) were met with a standing ovation by a sold-out crowd at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, following a special one-night performance on Nov. 30.

The evening opened with an excerpt from “A Tribute to Marian Anderson,” a piece choreographed during DTSBDC’s residency at the National Portrait Gallery. This was followed by “Transformations,” which featured costumes by Project Runway finalist Patricia Michaels, “Fractures” and “Surroundings: A Tribute to Maya Lin” (also created as part of the dance company’s NPG residency). 

The evening culminated in the energetic “Mandala,” inspired by Burgess’s tours to India and Pakistan. A VIP reception was held at the Kennedy Center’s Roof Terrace Restaurant, where Honorary 30th Season Chair, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), mingled with supporters and friends. Aaron Myers, Executive Director of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, addressed the crowd and presented a mayoral proclamation, and the dance company’s board conferred awards to major supporters and partners.

Read the article here. 

Interview on DC’s Fox 5

DTSBDC's "A Tribute to Marian Anderson"

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company premiered "A Tribute to Marian Anderson" to standing ovations at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery on February 3, 4 and 24th.

As the Smithsonian’s first-ever choreographer in residence, Dana Tai Soon Burgess created the new work in response to the museum’s exhibition “One Life: Marian Anderson”. The 30 minute performance “paid homage to Anderson’s voice and grace while underscoring the racial barriers she overcame.”

Congresswoman and civil rights activist Eleanor Holmes Norton spoke as the guest of honor on opening night.

See photos and links below!

Standing ovations followed all three performances. Photo credit: Jeff Malet

Photo credit: Tony Powell

Photo credit: Jeff Malet

Eleanor Holmes Norton and Dana Tai Soon Burgess. Photo credit: Jeff Malet

For more photos and reviews, see the links below:

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company Premiers ‘A Tribute to Marian Anderson’ (photos)

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company’s ‘A Tribute to Marian Anderson’: Harmonic motion (review)

Stalwart in Step or Stance (review)

Dance Tribute to Marian Anderson (social pages)

Dance Informa article: Dana Tai Soon Burgess' mother to make cameo in revival of "Tracings" this Saturday at the National Portrait Gallery

This weekend's performance by Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery is a special one. The work, "Tracings", will be revived and performed at 6:00 p.m. in the Kogod Courtyard of the museum, free and open to the public - but please arrive early. (We have a arranged a private tour prior to the performance.) 

Dana's mother, who appeared in the 2003 premiere of "Tracings" at the Kennedy Center, will return to Washington, DC for a cameo in this Saturday's show. The piece is inspired by Dana's own family's immigration to America, and the experience of Korean-Americans, and immigrants in general, as they left their mother country and settled in a new land.

From Dance Informa:

"Burgess also details some of the inspirations for movement content in, and aesthetics of, the work. He describes scars on his mother’s hands, which he would ask about when he was a child. In an as age-appropriate way as possible, she told Burgess about working on pineapple plantations when she first came to America (Hawaii, more specifically). The hands thus became a focus in the movement. He recounts how remembering these scars, and the stories she told him about how she got them, was an “ah-ha” moment for him in creating Tracings. His mother, visual artist Anna Burgess, will have an actual physical presence in the work, as well; she will appear as a special guest performer."

Read the article in its full glory at Dance Informa here.

Pre-performance private tour at the National Portrait Gallery

The Diplomats of Dance Society will enjoy a private tour, with curator Robyn Asleson, of the “Portraits of the World: Korea” exhibit at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery on Saturday, May 4th at 5:00 p.m., just prior to the 6:00 p.m. performance of Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company's performance of "Tracings" in the museum's Kogod Courtyard.

"Portraits of the World: Korea" is part of a series dedicated to highlighting the global context of American portraiture, and displays the work of pioneering feminist artist Yun Suknam (born 1939), and uses portraiture to gain insights into the lives of women, past and present.

Choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess, a Korean-American, premiered "Tracings" at the Kennedy Center in 2003. This very personal dance is the story of his family's immigration to Hawaii from Korea in the early 20th century. His mother, artist Anna Kang Burgess, will be in Washington, DC to make a cameo in this very special revival of the piece.

Tour and performance are free. Space is limited.

RSVP here

Storytelling through Dance: Perspectives Inspired by American Portraits

Watch this new video from the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery!

Don't miss We choose to go to the moon Dec. 12, 15 and 18 at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery!

We choose to go to the moon publicity photo. Credit: Jeff Watts

"We choose to go to the Moon" will close out the National Portrait Gallery’s special 50th anniversary programming tied to the museum’s 50th exhibition, One Year: 1968, An American Odyssey exhibition. The program is also in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum’s kick-off of year-long programming with events honoring the Apollo missions and the country’s future in space.

Inspired by the space race and President Kennedy’s 1962 speech at Rice University entitled “We Choose to Go to the Moon,” Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company developed this performance in collaboration with NASA. The piece explores the connection between humanity and space, touching upon America’s idealism around the space race, the mystery of the cosmos, and the fragility of life.

We choose to go to the moon received rave reviews and standing ovations when it premiered at the Kennedy Center in 2015. The sound score features astronaut Bruce McCandless, space scientists, and a New Mexico medicine woman. Do not miss this opportunity to see this brilliant dance free!

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company at the National Portrait Gallery
Dec. 12, 15, 18, 6:30 p.m.
McEvoy Auditorium (enter at G Street lobby)
Select your date and reserve your seats here! 

Don't Miss: Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company Presents "Portraits" at Kennedy Center June 15th and 16th, 7:30pm

The first-ever resident dance company at the Smithsonian presents three new dances created at the National Portrait Gallery during Burgess's residency as the Smithsonian Institution's first official choreographer. The dances, I am Vertical, After 1001 Nights, and Confluence exemplify Burgess's sublime choreography which poetically delves into the emotional terrain of our shared humanity. Burgess has been called "not only a Washington prize but a national treasure" by the Washington Post Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Sarah Kaufman.

Click here to purchase tickets now through the Kennedy Center website.

Photo by Jeff Watts

DANA TAI SOON BURGESS to be awarded the 2018 Paul Ré Peace Prize by the University of New Mexico Foundation

DANA TAI SOON BURGESS will be awarded the 2018 Paul Ré Peace Prize by the University of New Mexico Foundation for bridging communities around the globe through choreography.

We are currently in Dana's hometown of Santa Fe and heading to Albuquerque tomorrow, May 24th, where Dana will receive the award, which traditionally acknowledges those who can bridge the arts and sciences to promote peace. His breath-taking work in collaboration with NASA, We choose to go to the moon, which featured interviews with famed astronaut Bruce McCandless, space scientists, as well as a special New Mexican medicine woman as part of the soundscore, is an example of how he not only bridges cultures through movement and storytelling, but also schools of thought.

From the UNM News Desk:

"The winner of the 2018 Peace Prize in the general category will be Dana Tai Soon Burgess for his work as an acclaimed choreographer, performance artist, and cultural figure.
...
Burgess promotes peace and harmony through his art form of dance and his beautiful, innovative choreography. For 25 years, he has worked on projects across the globe as a teacher and a performer engaging audiences and forming friendships around the world. He believes that finding connections between cultures and artists is a key to peace and diplomacy."

See "Portraits" at the Kennedy Center June 15th and 16th

A scene from DTSBDC's I Am Vertical at the National Portrait Gallery, inspired by
the "Sylvia Plath: One Life" exhibition there.

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company made history recently as the Smithsonian Institution's first dance company in residence, creating dynamic dance works from exhibitions at the National Portrait Gallery. 

On June 15th and 16th at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the company presents three new dances created at the National Portrait Gallery during Burgess's residency as the Smithsonian Institution's first official choreographer.

The dances, I am Vertical, After 1001 Nights, and Confluence exemplify Burgess's sublime choreography which poetically delves into the emotional terrain of our shared humanity.

Burgess has been called "not only a Washington prize but a national treasure" by the Washington Post Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Sarah Kaufman.

 Click here to purchase tickets. Space is limited.

Join us to Watch Dance-Making for "The Face of Battle" with Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Co. at Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery

Publicity photo for "After 1001 Night" by Jeff Watts

RSVP to watch dancers rehearse for the upcoming performance of "After 1001 Nights", inspired by the emotional National Portrait Gallery exhibition "The Face of Battle: Americans at War, 9/11 to Now", currently on display at the museum. Dana Tai Soon Burgess is the Smithsonian’s first choreographer-in-residence. The public rehearsal will take place in “Face of Battle: Americans at War 9/11 to Now”; Louie Palu room. Join the Diplomats of Dance Society at 1:00pm in the lobby on F Street to tour the exhibition, watch the rehearsal, and have some refreshments while speaking one on one with Dana and the dancers afterward in the National Portrait Gallery's Courtyard Cafe.

Click here to RSVP now! Space is limited!

The premiere of the final performance will be on Saturday, July 8th, 2pm and 4pm in the museum's Kogod Courtyard.

Conversation, Dance and a Book Signing for DTSBDC at the Arts Club

Last night, the Arts Club of Washington hosted a talk-back with DTSBDC Board President Bonnie Kogod and Dana Tai Soon Burgess, featuring excerpts of the recent dances created from exhibitions at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, where Dana is the first-ever choreographer in residence. It was stirring and wonderful by all accounts! The audience was engaged about the history-making artistic residency, and we look forward to seeing them on July 8th in the beautiful Kogod Courtyard of the museum!

Dana Tai Soon Burgess and Bonnie Kogod

DTSBDC dancers performing an exerpt from a recent work by Burgess

Image from Matailong Du's book, DTSBDC@25

Dana and artist Matailong Du had a book signing event with National Portrait Gallery historian Amy Henderson at the Arts Club of Washington​l. The book, DTSBDC@25, comes from photographs by Matailong that document Dana's creating process on the first dance, "Margin", that he created at National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution after being named choreographer in residence. Please contact DTSBDC if you want a copy. Dana's next project "After 1001 Nights" will be premiering on July 8th, 2017, with open rehearsals in June, at the National Portrait Gallery. (Event photos by Wanyu Zhang)

Matailong Du, Dana Tai Soon Burgess and Amy Henderson

Matailong Du with DTSBDC@25

Take a watch: Smithsonian's first-ever choreographer in residence

Watch these two short videos about Dana Tai Soon Burgess and his role as the Smithsonian's first-ever choreographer in residence, creating new works with his dancers and team inspired by intriguing exhibitions at the National Portrait Gallery!

Opening Reception of "Artistry Portrayed: Photographs of DTSBDC's 'Margin'"

Photograph by artist Matailong Du ("Duma") of the production of DTSBDC's "Margin" in October 2016.

Join us for the opening reception of "Artistry Portrayed" and see photographs by Corcoran School School of the Arts and Design student Matailong Du (MA, New Media Photojournalism) that artfully document the production of "Margin", a dance performed by the internationally renowned Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company at the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution in October 2016, where six portraits from the Outwin 2016 exhibition were transformed into dance.

When: Tuesday May 2nd, 5-7pm
Where: Luther W. Brady Art Gallery, 805 21st Street NW, 2nd floor
RSVP here

Behind the Scenes With DTSBDC: Join us for an open rehearsal!

Dana Tai Soon Burgess and dancers rehearsing in studio.

Join the Diplomats of Dance Society on Saturday, March 11th, to observe Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Conpany in rehearsal as they prepare for an upcoming tour to New Mexico. This behind-the-scenes event will be held at the dance studio at Georgetown Day School (4200 Davenport Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For information, visit http://dtsbdc.org.

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company recently made history by being named the Smithsonian's first-ever resident dance company at the National Portrait Gallery. As Washington's main modern dance organization, they have a unique movement aesthetic that incorporates multiple artistic disciplines into their shows and work. Their all-original modern dance works tell stories that cross the barriers of time and culture. Dana Tai Soon Burgess's internationally renowned choreography is empathetic to our universal human condition. He has been called the "poet laureate of Washington dance" and described as a "national dance treasure" by the Washington Post's Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Sarah Kaufman.

Check out this month's issue of Air France Magazine

One of "10 Highlights" of Washington, DC is our own Dana Tai Soon Burgess!

Link to digital issue

DTSBDC Dance and Movement Classes at Glen Echo Park

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company (DTSBDC) will present a variety of classes at Glen Echo Park! The classes will be infused with the unique 'movement vocabulary' that founder and choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess has developed over two decades as a critically acclaimed and internationally renowned choreographer. DTSBDC, now in entering its 25th season, is the preeminient contemporary dance company of the Washington D.C. region.

Artistic Director and choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess has been awarded multiple honors including the Mayor's Art Award, two Senior Fulbrights, the Pola Nirenska Award and seven Metro D.C. Dance Awards. The company has toured around the world as a U.S. State Department Cultural Envoy to represent the United States abroad. DTSBDC also tours nationally and has performed at the White House at the invitation of the President and First Lady Obama. Most recently, DTSBDC made history as the first dance company to be in residence at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.

As a contemporary modern dance company, DTSBDC teachers are offering dance classes to teens and adults in the many styles of dance that are incorporated in Mr. Burgess' unique style of movement.

On Thursday, January 5th, the #DiplomatsOfDance host committee joined for Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company's first 'Stretch and Strength' class of 2017 taught by dancer Ben Sanders, a unique class that builds strength and flexibility while protecting joints and muscles. It was marvelous!

Register now for a variety of dance classes at http://glenechopark.org/dtsbdc!

Meet Korean-American choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess whose performances have inspired audiences worldwide https://t.co/KakA9djruJ

— CGTN America (@cgtnamerica) October 29, 2016

Dana Tai Soon Burgess named first resident choreographer at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company dancers performance premiere of "Confluence" in the National Portrait Gallery's Kogod Courtyard.

Read The Washington Post article by Pulitzer Prize-winner Sarah Kaufman

Post-performance reception celebrating the Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company’s newest creation!

The Diplomats of Dance Society will host a post-performance champagne reception with Choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess and his dancers!

WASHINGTON - Feb. 10, 2016 - PRLog -- The Diplomats of Dance Society is excited to announce a post-performance champagne reception in celebration of the newest dance work by the Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company (DTSBDC). On February 28, 2016 at 2:00pm and 6:00pm the public is invited to a free dance performance at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Following the 6:00pm performance, the Diplomats of Dance Society will host a reception at NoPa in celebration of the dance company, tickets can be purchased at http://diplomatsatnopa.eventbrite.com in advance at $20 for society members and $40 for non-members.

Scene from a past Burgess dance work (Charlie Chan and the Mystery of Love).

Time after time, the DTSBDC provides global audiences with cross-cultural perspectives while utilizing visual, musical, and spoken arts as well. Choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess’s latest creation is no different. Inspired by Alexander Gardner’s famous Civil War-era images, Burgess promises a powerful and moving performance in, “The Foster Suite: The Remains of Loss and Longing”.

The Diplomats of Dance Society is an organization dedicated to highlighting and supporting the DTSBDC’s unique artistic and cultural work both in the United States and abroad. Young professionals and art-interested Washingtonians alike come together at events throughout the year to applaud Burgess and his dance company. Members and donations for the Diplomats of Dance Society directly support ‘dance diplomacy’ as DC’s foremost modern dance group prepares to embark on two international tours as a U.S. State Department cultural envoy in 2016.

To become a Diplomat of Dance, please find information on the Become a Diplomat page.

See this press release on PRLog here

Download the PDF here