In 1999, after twenty-five years of teaching dance and performing in other modern dance companies, Artistic Director Sara Draper formed Dancepatheatre and dedicated it to attracting audience members and performers from diverse social groups to share artistic experiences of modern dance theatre together.
Dancepatheatre excels in creating inspiring, original works of dance theatre, incorporating the spoken word and revealing universal human commonalities through authentic stories of individual’s lives. To this end, Dancepatheatre presentations often blend styles from around the world, showcase dancers of various generations together, and bring together performers that reflect populations from around the planet.
Dancepatheatre artists often incorporate live or recorded spoken word as integral elements of their works. Storytelling, original movement vocabulary, strong visual imagery, and humor evoke meaningful personal connections with audience members. The modern dance tradition of socio-political commentary and satire is a feature of much of the repertoire, while other works highlight the very intimate inner experience.
As Dancepatheatre’s primary choreographer, Ms. Draper enjoys bringing in other artists to enrich the company’s repertoire, sometimes as collaborators. Original music scores by Sharon Joy and Aaron Hermes enhance several of the company’s works, and Elizabeth Gilbert’s poetry provides the foundation for another. Frequent Dancepatheatre dancer Toni Leago Valle and New York’s Mario Zambrano both have choreography featured in the group’s past productions.
The company has performed in Atlanta, Chicago, and in Houston by invitation in the Jewish Community Center’s Dance Month and Miller Outdoor Theatre in A Weekend of Texas Contemporary Dance. The company has presented concerts at Barnevelder Movement/ Arts Complex and at DiverseWorks and is sometimes featured in Barnevelder’s Big Range Dance Festival and in other specialized venues. Dancepatheatre also performs educational programs for students throughout the year through Young Audiences of Houston.
The 2007-2008 season focuses on the Al Andalus Project and all its events, which you can find on the Events page.. Visit Al Andalus! The Legend for more details.
At Dancepatheatre performances, you can expect:
- Dynamic modern and post-modern dance
- Reflections of different cultures
- Storytelling using authentic life stories
- Spoken word - sometimes multilingual
- Multimedia with audio text and poetry
- Talented, multi-generational casts
- Original music
- Inventive movement vocabulary and striking visual imagery
- Social and political commentary, satire, and humor
- An audience of diverse cultures
- To be entertained, moved, inspired, and uplifted
Dancepatheatre exists for the creation and performance of relevant, meaningful, and stimulating works of contemporary dance theatre. Dancepatheatre seeks to enrich and uplift a diverse audience through inspiring performances of original works that illuminate our common humanity.
Victoria Loftin - Secretary
Laura Lopez - President
Laura McCarver - Treasurer
Carol Warley - Vice President
Toby Atkinson
Holly A. Bronson
Dr. Sharon Joy
Scott Palmer
Robert Ruello
Geoff Whittaker
Thomas Yeager
Sara Draper - Artistic Director
Coming Soon
