Lula Washington Dance Theatre Explained

Lula Washington Dance Theatre is a contemporary modern dance company based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1980, the repertoire dance ensemble has performed across the United States and toured internationally.

History

After graduating from UCLA, Lula Washington established the Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Theatre in 1980.^[1] She and her husband, Erwin Washington, a journalist and playwright, founded the dance company to offer creative opportunities for minority artists in Los Angeles, particularly in South Central Los Angeles.^[2]

In the mid-1980s, the company morphed into the Lula Washington Dance Theatre (LWDT).^[3] A multiracial troupe of approximately one dozen professional dancers, LWDT tours nationally and internationally. LWDT performs primarily choreography by Lula Washington, Los Angeles’ best-known African American choreographer who received choreography credits for the movies Avatar and The Little Mermaid.^[4] LWDT is a member of The International Association of Blacks in Dance and hosted the IABD annual conference in 1992, 2005, 2011, and 2018.^[5] LWDT is considered to be “one of the most admired African-American contemporary dance companies” in the Western United States.^[1]

In 2021, LWDT received its second-largest gift in company history, a nearly one million dollar grant payable over four years from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.^[6] The gift will fund building upgrades, dancers’ salaries, and administrative support.^[6]

Building

In 1988, the Lula Washington Contemporary Dance Foundation purchased an approximately 12,600 square-foot building on Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles.^{[7] [8]} The building serves as a community cultural center and houses four dance studios, instructional areas, and the LWDT school and administrative offices.^[9] In 1994, the Northridge Earthquake destroyed significant parts of the building, and LWDT received a $1.3 million gift—the largest in LWDT’s history—from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to rebuild its building.^{[6] [7]}

School

Established in the 1983,^[10] the Lula Washington Dance School offers elementary and advanced classes in ballet, jazz, African, tap, and other dance styles.^{[2] [3]} The school’s annual Kwanzaa celebration is a South Los Angeles tradition.^{[9] [11]} The school’s motto is, “I Do Dance, Not Drugs.”^[2]

Notable performances and tours

LWDT has performed in more than 150 cities in the United States and around the world.^{[2] [3]} Notable venues and tours include:

• China (25-day tour to Hangzhou, Jiaxing, Kaifeng, Luohe, Wuhan, Xi'an, Xinyang, Xucheng, and Zhengzhou) (2011)^{[12] [13]}
• International Book Fair, LA artists showcase, Guadalajara, Mexico (2010)^[9]
• Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, Massachusetts
• John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, Zev Yaroslovsly Signature Series (with Complexions Ballet), Los Angeles (2013)^[14]
• Joyce Theatre, New York, NY
• Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
• Lincoln Center Out of Doors, New York, NY
• Montclair State University, New Jersey (2010)^[9]
• New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ
• Ordway Theater, Minneapolis, MN (2015)^[4]
• Pioneer Center, Reno, Nevada

Repertoire

LWDT’s repertoire includes works that explore homelessness, 9/11, police brutality, the Civil Rights movement, and the Underground Railroad, and other topics.^[1] The following is a representative sample.

• African Ukumbusho. Choreographer: Lula Washington.^[15]
• Angelitos Negros. Choreographer: Donald McKayle^[13]
• At First Sight (2013). Choreographer: Christopher Huggins. Music: Sigur Rós.^[14]
• Check This Out (1997). Choreographer: Lula Washington.^[15]
• Communion. Choreographer: Donald Byrd.^[10]
• Death and Eros. Choreographer: Donald McKayle.^[9]
• Enough? (2016). Choreographer: David Rousseve.^[16]
• From the Heart (1984). Choreographer: Lula Washington.^[15]
• Games. Choreographer: Donald McKayle.^[9]
• Global Village. Choreographer: Lula Washington.^[12]
• Hallowed (2018). Choreographer: Kyle Abraham
• Hands Up, A Testimony (2020). Choreographer: Tommie Waheed Evans.
• Harambe Suite. Choreographer: Lula Washington.^[11]
• Let Their Voices Be Heard (1988). Choreographer: Lula Washington.^[15]
• Little Rock Nine. Choreographer: Lula Washington.
• Love Is... (2010). Choreographer: Christopher Huggins.^{[12] [17] [4]}
• To Lula With Love / Warrior (2020). Choreographer: Christopher Huggins.^[17]
• Magical Cusp (2017). Choreographer: Gaspard Louis.^[17]
• Open Your Eyes. Choreographer: Lula Washington.
• Peeps. Choreographer: Tamica Washington-Miller.^[4]
• Rainbow Etudes. Choreographer: Donald McKayle.^[9]
• Reign. Choreographer: Rennie Harris^{[17] [12]}
• Search for Humanism. Choreographer: Lula Washington.
• Snowy Day. Choreographer: Tamica Washington-Miller.
• Songs of the Disinherited. Choreographer: Donald McKayle.^[9]
• Spontaneous Combustion. Choreographer: Lula Washington.^[12]
• Temporary Spaces. Choreographer: Anthony Burrell^{[17] [18]}
• The Message. Choreographer: Lula Washington.^[18]
• The Movement. Choreographer: Lula Washington.
• There is Always Tomorrow. Choreographer: Tamica Washington-Miller.^[18]
• Tribute to the Release of Nelson Mandela and the Youth of South Africa (South African Boot Dance) (2005). Choreographer: Lula Washington.^[19]
• Turn the Page (2013). Choreographer: Lula Washington.^[14]
• We Wore the Mask. Choreographer: Lula Washington.^[12]
• www.connections.2010. Choreographer: Lula Washington. Music: Rolling Stones and Michael Jackson.^[9]
• Zayo (2020). Choreographer: Esie Mensah.^[17]

Leadership

• Lula Washington, co-founder and artistic director^{[20] [1] [6]}
• Erwin Washington, co-founder and executive director^{[20] [6] [9]}
• Tamica Washington-Miller, associate director^{[20] [6] [9]}
• Marcus L. Miller, resident composer and percussionist^[13]

Dancers

• Joniece Boykins (2012-)^[21]
• Quron Clarks (2016-)^{[19] [21]}
• Danny Guerrero (2017-)^{[19] [21]}
• Kaitwan Jackson, Apprentice (2021-)^{[19] [21]}
• Ongelle Johnson (2018-)^{[19] [21]}
• Kozue Kasahara (2019-)^{[19] [21]}
• Vuong Nguyen, Apprentice (2019-)^{[19] [21]}
• Glenn Rodriguez, Apprentice^{[19] [21]}
• Kylie Shea, Special Guest^[21]
• Diána Worby, Apprentice (2020-)^{[19] [21]}

Former Dancers

• Joshua Alexander^[21]
• Jaela Anderson^[19]
• Naila Ansari^[14]
• Michael Battle^[13]
• Mataji Booker^[22]
• Bernard Brown^[14]
• Dwayne Brown^[13]
• Queala Clancy^{[14] [13]}
• Thomas Davis^[21]
• Tehran Dixon^[21]
• Khilea Douglass^[14]
• Simone Ewell^[19]
• Christopher Frazier^[21]
• Ralph Glenmore^[22]
• Krystal Hicks^[21]
• Shameika Hines^[22]
• Saidiya Imari^[21]
• Khalelah Jones^[19]
• Grace Marti^[19]
• Micah Moch^{[14] [13]}
• Joel Muepo^[19]
• Christopher Nolen^[13]
• Dominique Oakley^[19]
• Ra’JahNae Patterson^[14]
• Destiny Polian^[19]
• Mayumi Rhone^[19]
• Mary Runkle^[13]
• Lynette Shigg^{[12] [13]}
• Nabachwa Ssensalo^[22]
• Jamal Story^[21]
• Haniyyah Tahirah^[13]
• Jeremiah Tatum ^[14]
• Ramon Thielen^{[12] [13]}
• Michael Tomlin III^[21]
• Jack Virga-Hall^[21]
• Tamica Washington-Miller^{[12] [13]}
• Robert Wherry^[19]
• Janay Wiggins^[19]
• April Wilkins^[13]

Notes and References

1. Lula Washington Dance Theatre. The Kennedy Center. https://www.kennedy-center.org/artists/l/lo-lz/-lula-washington-dance-theatre/
2. Lula Washington | 2nd Vice Chair. International Association of Blacks in Dance. https://www.iabdassociation.org/page/lulawashington
3. Creating a Home for Black Dance. Lula Washington Dance Theatre. Cultural Treasures of South LA. https://southlaculture.org/portfolio_page/lula-washington-dance-theatre/
4. Considine, Basil (October 31, 2015). REVIEW: Lula Washington Dance Theatre (Ordway). Twin Cities Arts Reader. https://twincitiesarts.com/2015/10/31/review-lula-washington-dance-theatre-ordway/
5. Conference and Festival: History and Timeline. International Association of Blacks in Dance. https://www.iabdassociation.org/page/confest-history
6. Easter, Makeda (Jan. 15, 2021). How a $970,000 award represents hope and change for a Black L.A. dance company. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/ente rtainment-arts/story/2021-01-15/lula-washington-dance-mellon-foundation
7. Weinert, Laura (November 5, 2019). Lula Washington Dance Battles CRA. Backstage. https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/lula-washington-dance-battles-cra-37481/
8. City of Los Angeles (March 8, 2005). Certificate of Occupancy: 3773 Crenshaw Boulevard, Los Angeles. https://ladbsdoc.lacity.org/IDISPublic_Records/idis/Report.aspx?Record_Id=50486860&Image=Visible&ImageToOpen=
9. Levine, Debra (January 31, 2010). Lula Washington: A life changed by dance. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-ca-lula-washington31-2010jan31-story.html
10. Lula Washington. Co-founder, Artistic Director. Lula Washington Dance Theatre. https://www.lulawashington.org/about/lula-washington/
11. LULA WASHINGTON DANCE THEATRE’S 2023 KWANZAA CELEBRATION. Support Black Theatre. https://www.supportblacktheatre.org/event/lula-washington-dance-theatres-2023-kwanzaa-celebrations/
12. Levine, Debra (Jun 13, 2011; updated December 6, 2017). From Central Los Angeles to Central China: Lula Washington Dance Theatre. China, Meet Crenshaw: Lula Washington Dance Theatre Goes On Tour. Huffington Post. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/hiphopping-with-the-hood_b_873663
13. Lula Washington Dance Theatre: Superb in Zhengzhou. Artmeme. May 29, 2011. https://artsmeme.com/2011/05/29/lula-washington-dance-theatre-superb-in-zhengzhou/
14. Mann, Natalie Mislang (August 21, 2013). LULA WASHINGTON DANCE THEATRE MEETS COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET. https://playwritingworld.wordpress.com/2013/08/21/lula-washington-dance-theatre-meets-complexions-contemporary-ballet/
15. Open Your Eyes: Lula Washington Dance Theatre | Artbound | PBS SoCal. 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqn2sc9BJTo
16. Web site: Dance Preview: LULA WASHINGTON DANCE THEATRE (Ford Amphitheatre). www.stageandcinema.com.
17. Choreographers. Lula Washington Dance Theatre. https://www.lulawashington.org/company/choreographers/
18. Press Release (December 21, 2017). Lula Washington Dance Theatre Makes Wallis Debut with Three Evenings Featuring Programs Celebrating the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Highlighting Three Decades of Programming. Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. January 11 – 13, 2018. https://thewallis.org/storage/press_releases/thewallis/3845ac64932460a539edd97b4b25a5ae42713bc3.pdf
19. Ubuntu=Kapwa. I am Because You Are. LULA WASHINGTON DANCE THEATRE and KAYAMANAN NG LAHI PHILIPPINE FOLK ARTS. June 19, 2021. Los Angeles. https://www.kayamanan.org/ubuntukapwa
20. Board of Directors. Lula Washington Dance Theatre. https://www.lulawashington.org/about/board-of-directors/
21. Dancers and Staff. Lula Washington Dance Theatre. https://www.lulawashington.org/company/dancers-and-staff/
22. Looseleaf, Victoria (December 29, 1997). Washington’s ‘Gospel Christmas Suite’ Struggles to Gain a Solid Footing. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-dec-29-ca-3087-story.html