Diplomats of Dance enjoy private tour of NPG's "Eye Pop: The Celebrity Gaze" with Dana Tai Soon Burgess

On July 11, 2015, the Diplomats of Dance Society arranged a private, docent-led tour of the National Portrait Gallery's new exhibition "Eye Pop: The Celebrity Gaze", which features among its familiar faces DC's very own mainstay choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess (in a portrait by CYJO).

Lucky RSVP-ers to the very intimate occasion enjoyed a full précis of the famous faces on display, which included Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Brad Pitt and - across from Dana's portrait - Britney Spears and Peter Dinklage. The unique approach that the Smithsonian museum has taken with this special exhibit (on view through July 10, 2016) is evident, and the selected works are diverse in subject as well as medium. From the Smithsonian:

"This exhibition features 53 portraits of luminaries who have been at the top of their fields. See them in drawings, paintings, video portraits, photographs, sculpture, and prints. Many of these works of art have never been publicly displayed and all recent additions to the museum's collection. Taken together, these portraits allow us to question celebrity and peel back its layers."

After the tour, attendees enjoyed refreshments in the Portrait Gallery's beautiful Kogod Courtyard, and Dana chatted with everyone about his upcoming Kennedy Center show in September, which will include a new dance work that is a result of a collaboration with NASA!

See more pictures in (and join) our Facebook group!

See Dana's portrait at the National Portrait Gallery with us on July 11th!

Dear Diplomats and friends,

Mark your calendar! As we mentioned in an email to our members, we are so excited about the National Portrait Gallery's upcoming exhibition "Eye Pop: The Celebrity Gaze" that will feature a portrait of Dana Tai Soon Burgess alongside the recognizable faces of Katy Perry, Marc Jacobs and Oprah Winfrey! Dana stopped by NPG ahead of the exhibition's launch - check out images from that on DTSBDC's Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The Diplomats of Dance Society will be doing a group visit to the National Portrait Gallery on Saturday, July 11th at 2pm. We will receive a private, docent-led tour of the new "Eye Pop" exhibition, see Dana's photograph by artist CYJO on display, followed by libations and conversation with Dana outside the Courtyard Cafe in the museum's beautiful Kogod Courtyard!

From the National Portrait Gallery:

In a world consumed by personal and celebrity image making, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery considers how personalities are constructed with “Eye Pop: The Celebrity Gaze.” The exhibition features 53 portraits and will be open at the Portrait Gallery May 22 through July 10, 2016.

See the NPG's press release here.

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company (DTSBDC) has performed at the National Portrait Gallery before, including as part of their 2013-2014 "Dancing the Dream" exhibition, where Dana and his dancers choreographed and premiered two new dance works as a 'living exhibit' component to the exhibition ("Homage" and "Confluence" were also performed at the Kennedy Center in 2014). See the Washington Post's article about it here:
Dana Tai Soon Burgess and company bring National Portrait Gallery exhibit to life

This innovative exhibition gives a wonderful opportunity to visit the magnificent National Portrait Gallery with friends, support the preeminent modern dance company of the nation's capital and its choreographer, who is "not only a Washington prize, but a national dance treasure" (Pulitzer Prize-winner Sarah Kaufman, The Washington Post).

So, have brunch - or sleep late - and then join us at 2pm* in the F Street entrance lobby of the National Portrait Gallery! Please feel free to forward this and invite friends!

Spaces for the tour are very limited, so please RSVP ASAP!

*Please arrive before 2pm to assemble prior to the tour.

RSVP HERE