This I Know For Sure...

Name of Performance: This I Know For Sure...

Company Name: Dayton Contemporary Dance Company

Country or Region: USA

Date: September 27

Time: 19:15-21:15 P.M.

Venue: Shanghai Magnolia Theatre (no. 308 south chongqing road)

Duration: 23 minutes

Choreographer: Ray Mercer

Artistic Director: Debbie Blunden-Diggs

Technical Director: Matthew Evans

Group Leader: Michelle VanHuss

Dancers:

Devin Baker, Qarrianne Blayr, Michael Green, Stevie Lamblin, Robert Pulido, Elizabeth Ramsey, Trezon Carnell Dancy, Nile Alicia Ruff, Quentin Apollo Vaughn Sledge, Matthew J. Talley, Countess V. Winfrey

Single Ticket ￥280, VIP ￥580, Student Ticket ￥100.

Festival Pass (All 6 performances) ￥3480.

About the Performance:

This I Know For Sure... captures the “lightbulb” moment of the creative

spark. What happens between the choreographer envisioning the steps and

the dancers bringing them to life?

"This I know for sure. Art is not absolute. It has different feelings,

textures, intentions, and vantage points and I think that’s what makes

art so beautifully divine. When we allow ourselves to see the difference

within ourselves and the differences in others I think that’s what makes

art so amazingly beautiful and poignant. This I know for sure." - Ray Mercer

About the Artist:

Ray Mercer has emerged as one of the USA’s most prolific choreographers.

Mercer’s dynamic, visually striking and thought-provoking choreography

has won the best onstage presentation award seven times at Broadway

Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ annual Gypsy of the Year competition, more than

any other choreographer, is a recipient of Joffrey Ballet's

Choreographers of Color Award, and a Capezio Ace Awards finalist.

Mercer started his dance training at the age of 17 when he studied at the

University of New Orleans. He has performed with Chicago’s Deeply Rooted

Dance Theater, as a guest artist with the Boston Ballet and on the national

tour of The Lion King. He’s worked with performers Garth Fagan, George

Faison, Aretha Franklin, Kevin Iega Jeff, Louis Johnson, Rod Stewart and

more.

Currently the resident choreographer for the Ailey/Fordham Bachelor of

Fine Arts program, Mercer also directed and choreographed for the

Smithsonian Oman Project, where his choreographic work is archived in the

Smithsonian Museum. Just last year, Mercer choreographed Deep Love: A

Ghostly Rock Opera at The New York Musical Theatre Festival. Mercer and

his work as a choreographer have been recognized by The New York Times,

Chicago Sun-Times, Dance Magazine and Movement Magazine.

About the Company:

Dayton Contemporary Dance Company was founded in 1968 to create performance opportunities for dancers of color. Fifty years later, it remains rooted in the African American experience, committed to the development of diverse movement artists on the global stage.

A co-recipient of one of the American dance world’s highest honors, the 2016 Bessie Award for Outstanding Revival, DCDC has been presented by American Dance Festival, Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and supported by National Endowment for the Arts and New England Foundation for the Arts among others. University of Dayton, with a presence in Suzhou Industrial Park, is DCDC's Anniversary Season Touring Sponsor.

The culturally diverse company is dedicated to exceptional performance and quality community engagement. DCDC has toured the world, dancing onstage for packed houses in Bermuda, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia and South Korea. Visit www.dcdc.org for more information.