Setting The Stage 2020

"The Moving History of African-American Dance"

Kansas City and Topeka

Created, Choreographed and Directed by Tyrone Aiken

Thursday 27 February 2020
The GEM Theatre, 1615 E. 18th St. Kansas City, Missouri

Saturday 29 February 2020
Georgia Neese Gray Theatre at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas

Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey


This program is a set of slide presentations paired with corresponding choreographies based on the presentation subject.
These photos were taken in performance on two stages, The GEM in Kansas City, Missouri's "jazz district" and in the Georgia Neese Gray Theatre at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.

Shooting the second venue this year (Topeka) actually made it better for me in terms of still pictures.
There is no studio rehearsal and no dress rehearsal for me at which I can take stills (my preferred method) so I have to shoot stills at the same time I am shooting 4-camera (2 fixed) video during the performance with an audience, and I am in the middle of that audience. That means I miss a lot of pictures both because I have to jump back to video to make sure I am still in frame and because this is my first chance to see these pieces with these dancers this year. So, the performance at The GEM on Thursday gave me a bit of a leg up in knowing what to shoot by the time I got to the Saturday performance.

Warming up before the GEM show: Psalm Gadson (left) and Courtney Collado
Warming up before the GEM show: Psalm Gadson (left) and Courtney Collado

The cast of dancers (in order of their solo/duet performances):
Abram Hawkins - Flowers Today (2020)
Courtney Collado - Let Me In (2020)
Psalm Gadson & Marcus Johnson - Bound (2020)
Kennedy Banks - In Transit (2019)
Christopher Peacock - Everyday (2017)

The full-cast start and finale pieces are:
Tryin to Get There (2020
Over and Over (2020)

Tryin' to Get There - Christopher Peacock, Abram Hawkins, Courtney Collado, Kennedy Banks, Psalm Gadson, Marcus Johnson
Tryin' to Get There
- Christopher Peacock, Abram Hawkins, Courtney Collado, Kennedy Banks, Psalm Gadson, Marcus Johnson

Flowers Today - Abram Hawkins
Flowers Today - Abram Hawkins

Let Me In - Courtney Collado
Let Me In - Courtney Collado

Bound - Psalm Gadson and Marcus Johnson
Bound - Psalm Gadson and Marcus Johnson

In Transit - Kennedy Banks
In Transit - Kennedy Banks

Everyday - Christopher Peacock
Everyday - Christopher Peacock

Over and Over - Courtney Collado, Abram Hawkins, Kennedy Banks, Christopher Peacock, Marcus Johnson, Psalm Gadson
Over and Over - Courtney Collado, Abram Hawkins, Kennedy Banks, Christopher Peacock, Marcus Johnson, Psalm Gadson

After the show in Topeka: L-R - Tyrone Aiken, Courtney Collado, Abram Hawkins, Christopher Peacock, Kennedy Banks, Marcus Johnson, Psalm Gadson
After the show in Topeka: L-R - Tyrone Aiken, Courtney Collado, Abram Hawkins, Christopher Peacock, Kennedy Banks, Marcus Johnson, Psalm Gadson

Psalm Gadson in the dressing room at The GEM
Psalm Gadson in the dressing room at The GEM

Courtney Collado in the dressing room at The GEM
Courtney Collado in the dressing room at The GEM

Bound - Psalm Gadson
Bound - Psalm Gadson

After the show in Topeka at Washburn: Christopher Peacock, Psalm Gadson, Tyrone Aiken, Abram Hawkins, Kennedy Banks, Marcus Johnson
After the show in Topeka at Washburn: Christopher Peacock, Psalm Gadson, Tyrone Aiken, Abram Hawkins, Kennedy Banks, Marcus Johnson

Let Me In - Courtney Collado
Let Me In - Courtney Collado

Everyday - Christopher Peacock
Everyday - Christopher Peacock

In Transit - Kennedy Banks
In Transit - Kennedy Banks

Tryin' To Get There - Christopher Peacock, Abram Hawkins (behind), Courtney Collado, Kennedy Banks, Psalm Gadson, Marcus Johnson
Tryin' To Get There - Christopher Peacock, Abram Hawkins (behind), Courtney Collado, Kennedy Banks, Psalm Gadson, Marcus Johnson

After the show in The GEM - Chris Peacock surrounded by his students from Paseo Academy
After the show in The GEM lobby - Chris Peacock surrounded by his students from Paseo Academy

Bound - Psalm Gadson, Marcus Johnson
Bound - Psalm Gadson, Marcus Johnson

 

KC Friends of Alvin Ailey

Setting the Stage

The moving story of African-American dance
Created, Choreographed and Directed by Tyrone Aiken
Thursday, Feb 27, 2020, 7 pm at the GEM Theater, 1615 E. 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri
Saturday, Feb 29, 2020, 6 pm at Georgia Neese Gray Theatre on Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas
Video inserts Michael Joy KCFAA
Performance video by Mike Strong - www.kcdance.com


Unless otherwise noted photos and copyright 2024 Mike Strong KCDance.Com and Mike Strong Photo Gallery and CV Site - Email This Page

KCFAA and Ailey Links on this Site

See also: http://www.kcfaa.org

   

Setting the Stage 22 Feb 2023
Setting the Stage 27 & 29 Feb 2020
Setting the Stage 28 Feb 2019
Setting the Stage 26 Feb 2015
Setting the Stage 2012
Setting the Stage 2010

Ailey Trio 10, 12 Jan 2023
Ailey Trio 14 Jan 2016
Ailey Trio_Jan 2013

AileyCamp 8 july 2014
AileyCamp_15 july 09


Gala - 4 May 2019


Gone Before - 28 March 2019



Juneteenth at the Nelson with KCFAA


KCFAA Festival on the Vine June/July 2016



KCFAA Festival on the Vine June 2015



Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 22-25 Oct 2015


 


Ailey Breakfast with Jamison and Battle_13 apr 2011



Ailey_Nov 2008


Other Pages related to Ailey or KCFAA

Battleworks Concert - 25 October 2008
Robert Battle's company at that time
UMKC Master Class with Robert Battle - 20-24 Oct 2008
Note: In spring 2011 Robert Battle took over as Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey from the retiring Judith Jamison.