the company
“… A vocabulary, drawn from many parts of the African diaspora, that Mr. Brown has developed into a personal language that’s flexible, richly expressive and irresistibly kinetic…”
— The New York Times
Founded by Ronald K. Brown in 1985 and based in Brooklyn, New York, EVIDENCE, A Dance Company focuses on the seamless integration of traditional African dance with contemporary choreography and spoken word. Through work, EVIDENCE provides a unique view of human struggles, tragedies, and triumphs. Brown uses movement as a way to reinforce the importance of community in African American culture and to acquaint audiences with the beauty of traditional African forms and rhythms. He is an advocate for the growth of the African American dance community and is instrumental in encouraging young dancers to choreograph and to develop careers in dance.
Brown’s choreography is in high demand. He has set works on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Cleo Parker Robinson Ensemble, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Jennifer Muller/The Works, Jeune Ballet d’Afrique Noire, Ko-ThiDance Company, Philadanco and others. He choreographed Regina Taylor’s award-winning play, Crowns and won an AUDELCO Award for his work on that production. “I hope that when people see the work, their spirits are lifted. I am interested in sharing perspectives through modern dance, theater and kinetic storytelling. I want my work to be evidence of these perspectives,” says Brown.
EVIDENCE now tours to some 25 communities in the United States and abroad. The company has traveled to Cuba, Brazil, England, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, Senegal, Nigeria, South Africa and Canada to perform, teach master classes and conduct lecture/demonstrations for individuals of all ages. EVIDENCE brings arts education and cultural connections to local communities that have historically lacked these experiences. Annually the company reaches an audience of more than 25,000.
the director
RONALD K. BROWN raised in Brooklyn, NY, founded EVIDENCE, A Dance Company in 1985. He has worked with Mary Anthony Dance Theater, Jennifer Muller/The Works, as well as other choreographers and artists. Brown has set works on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Jennifer Muller/The Works, Jeune Ballet d’Afrique Noire, Ko-Thi Dance Company, Philadanco, Muntu Dance Theater of Chicago, Ballet Hispánico, TU Dance, and Malpaso Dance Company.
Brown is the recipient of the 2020 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award. His other awards and recognitions include the AUDELCO Award for his choreography in Regina Taylor’s award-winning play Crowns, received two Black Theater Alliance Awards, and a Fred & Adele Astaire Award for Outstanding Choreography in the Tony Award winning Broadway and national touring production of The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, adapted by Suzan Lori Parks, arrangement by Diedre Murray and directed by Diane Paulus.
Brown was named Def Dance Jam Workshop 2000 Mentor of the Year and has received; the Doris Duke Artist Award, NYC City Center Fellowship, Scripps/ADF Award, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts Choreographers Fellowship, New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, United States Artists Fellowship, a New York Dance and Performance “Bessie” Award, Dance Magazine Award, and The Ailey Apex Award.
Brown is Co-Artistic Director of The Billie Holiday Theatre’s Youth Arts Academy, and a member of Stage Directors & Choreographers Society.
PErCUSSION BITTER SWEET: TENDER WARRIORS (2024)
Percussion Bitter Sweet: Tender Warriors is the latest work by Ronald K. Brown / EVIDENCE commissioned for the 2024 Max Roach 100 Celebration, choreographed by Ronald K. Brown & Arcell Cabuag. The piece is set to Percussion Bittersweet, a seminal work by Max Roach (1924-2007) recorded in 1961 characterized by its Afro-Cuban percussion. The work was created for EVIDENCE and Malpaso based in Havana, Cuba and has been performed by the two companies together, it has also toured the country as part of the centennial celebration with EVIDENCE alone.
THE EQUALITY OF NIGHT AND DAY (2021)
“Our destination in the midst of unrest is truth, peace, and solidarity. Focus on what is right, continue to do the work, and keep love and truth at the front.” –Ronald K. Brown, 6/2020 The Equality of Night and Day (TEND) (2021) is the newest work by Brown examining the concepts of balance, equity, and fairness in light of the conflicting present-day issues that young people, women, and people of color now face in a world where exploitation, gentrification, racism, and xenophobia are on the rise. The current shift in public discourse has anchored the new piece. Created in part during creative development residencies at LUMBERYARD and Center of Creative Arts (COCA) made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the work was also supported by additional creative development residencies in the Pillow Lab and at the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography at Florida State University.
TEND is realizing that there is a need for mercy in a bigger way than you thought. Brown is seeking to break open truth, not from anger but with a gentle focus—a sensitivity and steadfastness that draws on history. The work is accompanied by Jazz pianist and composer Jason Moran who has created an original score with additional speeches from Racial justice advocate Angela Davis. Deborah Willis, the foremost expert on African American photography in the country if not the world, has curated a display of photography projected on stage. Costumes are designed by Omotayo Wunmi Olaiya, a collaborator of Ron’s since 1995; and EVIDENCE’s Technical Director Tsubasa Kamei has provided the scenic, projection, and lighting design.
As described by Ron, “I found it interesting to work on TEND, during the global pandemic when people around the world were prioritizing the health and safety of each other and there was also a wave of killing with very little consideration of a person’s life or humanity. The current increase in racial violence inspired one of the images in TEND. “We walk an elephant circle of compassion, protection and grief for the involuntary martyrs. We walk until their bones become ash and the wind blows the dust on our skin. We are them and they are us. The Equality of Night and Day. The work in the end is an offering and a prayer for peaceful rest and ascension.’’
“DURING THESE DAYS WHEN FOLKS ARE TALKING ABOUT THE EARTH TAKING ITSELF BACK AND,THE SKY IS BRIGHTER, THE STARS ARE CLOSER, WE PRAY THAT WE ARE SAFE AND HEALTHY… AND A MAN CAN STILL BE KILLED BY A POLICE OFFICER’S KNEE ON HIS NECK. I’M HAPPY WHEN THE LIGHT SHIFTS OUTSIDE, THE SUN EASES ON, AND A SWEET DAY BEGINS…IT BECOMES EVENING, AND THE TONE OF PEACE AND REST BECOME DELIGHT. MOVING WITH A STEADINESS THAT IS HOPEFUL AND AWARE THAT SWEET DAYS AND DELIGHT ARE NOT A PART OF EVERYONE’S DAY OR NIGHT.
– Ronald K. Brown, 05/2020
Walking out the dark
Walking out the Dark (2001) is a hauntingly beautiful quartet mirroring conversations amongst family, friends and lovers.
NEW CONVERSATIONS
New Conversations (2018) with original music by Grammy Award Winning composer Arturo O’Farrill, has five sections that allow the dancers to follow each other to a space that is cleared for what is RIGHT. In each of the distinct sections; Clearing the Jungle, Iron Meets Water, Dance of the Elements, Elegua, and Free-play, the dancers use contemporary and Afro-Cuban dance to embody the music.
COME YE
Inspired by the music and sociopolitical legacies of artists/activists Nina Simone and Fela Kuti, this multimedia work (2003) utilizes Mr. Brown’s signature style of kinetic storytelling through African, Caribbean, modern, ballet and social dance styles to summon warriors, angels and activists dedicated to the pursuit of liberation and peace amidst the struggles of human conflict.
HIGH LIFE
High Life (2000) is built as images of migration and discovery of decadence. This dance looks at the movement, stories and music that describe the journey of the American Negro from the rural south to the north. The work also examines music, fashion and culture, which developed in West African cities as young people and families left their villages making their way to the dreams and aspirations pregnant in developing metropolises. The implications of newfound freedom and self-determination are addressed in this dance, where celebration and new beginnings are examined alongside the traditional and cultural values that are lost the discovery of so called liberation.
MARCH
A part of his larger work Lessons, March (1995) is an extraordinary duet set to a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that speaks to the value of a man. The movement embodies the sentiment of the text to illustrate a physical story of perseverance, dignity, and collective strength and caretaking.
OPEN DOOR
Open Door (2023 Company Premiere) provides a journey into Afro Cuban social and traditional dance forms embodying the music of Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble. The opening is set to La Puerta, and introduces two dancers who serve as hosts and guides.
Open Door is a metaphor; the hosts are opening the door to the world of Afro-Cuban music and dance. The dancers are lead in a path full of celebration, culture and joy.The piece is an ode to Afro-Cuban dances of the Orisha and salsa, fueled and propelled by the musical compositions, each section invigorating the dancers leading to the final section of liberation and the arrival of contentment and peace.
Open Door was originally choreographed for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 2015, and became part of the EVIDENCE repertory in 2023.
A core part of the EVIDENCE mission is to bring community engagement and cultural connections to every region it visits. Through these programs, EVIDENCE’s goal is to increase access to arts education, to teach children and adults about cultural heritage and tradition, and to support practitioners of dance through training and mentorship.
COMMUNITY MASTERCLASS
EVIDENCE’s community dance class strives to bring dancers of all ages and backgrounds together to participate in fun and engaging movement class. Featuring simplified steps form Brown’s blended style of contemporary, African and Caribbean dance styles, classes begin with a warm-up and continue with movements that teach rhythm, using the body to express ideas. Themes of strength, prayer, and celebration are incorporated into the movement that is taught. Participants should dress in loose fitting clothing. No dance experience is needed, just an open heart.
AFRO-CUBAN CONNECTION
This residency option explores Ron’s use of the vocabulary and cultural influences learned during his numerous trips to Cuba and Africa. Beginning in 2001 with the creation of his work Walking Out the Dark, Ron has explored the connections between Cuba and Africa. This residency highlights those connections through masterclasses, talks and curated performances of Ron’s Afro-Cuban choreography.
CONTEMPORARY DANCE CLASS
Master Classes are designed for intergenerational participants with a wide range to no dance experience. Classes begin center floor with and emphasis on alignment, rhythm and using the body to express ideas and themes; strength, prayer, and celebration. Classes for beginning/intermediate/advanced dancers begin with meditation and floor work that includes stretching and mind body centering exercises. Center floor work or barre work includes alignment and the introduction of the various dance techniques that are incorporated in the vocabulary of Ronald K. Brown/ EVIDENCE, A Dance Company. Phrases across the floor use influences from the western modern dance as well as traditional and social dances from West Africa, the Caribbean and the US.
GATEKEEPERS COMMUNITY CLASS
This inter-generational workshop brings together parents, grandparents, Guardians and youth to share stories. After a basic warm-up and community building exercise, the participants are given their first assignment. The children tell the adults their favorite story and the adults write it down, the adult/senior tells the child something that they need/want them to know and the child writes it down. The group then convenes in a circle to hear the next assignment: Act out their own story. The participants then share the story through movement, the third time with music that has been selected to assist in deepening the investment in the story. The group that is viewing is asked “what did you see?” The participant has the option to tell the story while they are moving, have some read the story while they act it out, or to simply share the story with us. This workshop was designed out of the ideas supported by the dance piece Gatekeepers. In some Native American and West African Cultures, a child is given the name of an elder or ancestor so they understand their connection to the heaven and earth. Sharing the same name also encourages a sense of lineage, responsibility and caretaking. This workshop provides a space to reinforce these ideas.
REPERTORY WORKSHOP
This workshop taught by Ronald K. Brown and/or Associate Artistic Director Arcell Cabuag gives young dancers and pre-professional students the opportunity to learn Ronald K. Brown EVIDENCE, A Dance Company repertory. Students will start with a technique class where they will stretch, warm up and learn the fundamentals of the EVIDENCE esthetic and movement vocabulary. The directors will decide and teach an excerpt from its repertory that is conducive for the class level. This class may be conducted during a two- to three-week process. Depending on the institution, it may also be followed by in informal showing.
TEXT & MOVEMENT CLASS
This workshop has been conducted for all ages. Actors, Performing Artists, teachers and non-dancers have participated in this workshop. The class begins with basic community building exercise and a simple warm up that brings the group into a circle. The participants are paired up and go aside to tell each other stories. They write the stories/documenting the other person’s story. The next stage is each person ”acting out their story” without words. These studies are shared one at a time and the class, and the viewers tell ‘what they see’. Music is added to assist in bringing the study to a deeper understanding. Finally the student either reads the story, or shows us the story and tells us. This assignment allows us to talk about body language, intention in creating and performing work.
CHOREOGRAPHY LAB
In the Chore-Lab participants will learn tools to employ in the development of choreography. Including; Improvisation with their dancers, partnering, creating companion phrases, how to use space, music and text. Participants warm up together, are given a practical experience that demonstrates the assignment for the day. Each individual is given time to work on the assignment that employs the specific tool. The group reconvenes to discuss how effective the attempt was and each participant is able to respond to the feedback. This workshop is for first time dance makers, emerging choreographers as well as choreographers who want to gain additional ways of working.
TWO-YEAR OLD GENTLEMEN WORKSHOP
This workshop is for fathers & sons, or mentors and mentees. The group warms up together and sit in a circle to discuss their concerns. Similar to the Text & Movement workshop, the participants pair up to exchange stories that are then acted out. This workshop was designed to support the ideas that are at the core of the dance piece Two-Year Old Gentlemen. The bond between boys and men in their development is very important as we look to create a space where role models can guide and support the endeavors of the youth who are the leaders of tomorrow.
LEGACY & EXPRESSION WORKSHOP
Utilizing the basic tenets of his wildly popular text and movement workshop, Ronald K. Brown and/or members of EVIDENCE work with participants of any age using photographs and the content suggested in them, such as like legacy, community, family, identity, and the emotions expressed by those idea. The workshop can be done using photographs that the participants have taken themselves around a theme or if the presenter is hosting the Charles “Teenie” Harris: Rhapsody in Black and White exhibit, those photographs can also be utilized. This workshop helps tie together and reveal the influence that Teenie’s photography has on Ron’s creation of the dance work – how one legacy of expression influences another. Taking “static” captured moment in time and creating a movement sequence that strives to reveal the history, legacy, dignity and vitality of that photograph or the ideas or feeling in it is the challenge participants will come to appreciate in this workshop. After creating and sharing their own movement expression, the participants may discuss what was captured and how the photographs relate to and reveal the story or idea that is being told.
