Royal Purple

Issue date: 11/20/07 Section: Arts & Lifestyle

Media Credit: Photo Submitted

The Evidence Dance Company will be performing at the Irvin L. Young Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 28.

The New York Times has praised Evidence founder Ronald K. Brown as "one of the most profound choreographers of his modern generation." Brown's work has also been commissioned by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II Dayton Dance Company and the Cleo Parker Robinson Ensemble as well as other dance companies.

Evidence will perform three pieces titled "One Shot," "Come Ye" and "Upside Down." "One Shot" will be a longer piece, with many parts to it as well as some solo pieces within the dance. "Come Ye" will utilize more African dance themes.

Evidence will be mixing various style of dance, including modern, hip-hop and African dance in its performance as well as spoken word in its pieces in order to tell a story.

"One of the most interesting things about dance is how the stories are told without words," Young Auditorium Marketing Specialist Leslie LaMuro said.

Evidence was started in 1985 by Brown when he was 19 years old. Brown uses dance as a way to preserve his African heritage and culture, as well as showing it for a new generation.

On his Web site Brown says "I want people to have their spirits lifted. I am interested in sharing perspectives through modern dance, theater and kinetic storytelling. I want my work to be evidence of these perspectives."

Evidence has tours scheduled to more than 15 cities across the U.S. as well as Cuba, Brazil, England and France to perform and teach dance.

Efforts to bring Brown and Evidence began after scouting Evidence and Brown for several years.

"This is something new and different for students to try," LaMuro said.

In 2002, the dancers in Evidence became salaried, providing the dancers will full time work for the first time, a major step in providing a livable lifestyle for artists.

For more information, visit www.evidencedance.com for highlights and dance demonstrations.

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