CurtainConnect

CurtainConnect Connecting dance professionals worldwide. Empowering artists to preserve their stories and shape the living legacy of dance. CurtainConnect.com.

CurtainConnect.com is thrilled to feature the incredible artist Vince Collins! With over three decades of experience as ...
06/18/2026

CurtainConnect.com is thrilled to feature the incredible artist Vince Collins! With over three decades of experience as a dancer, choreographer, educator, and public health leader, Mr. Collins embodies what it means to use dance as a catalyst for change. From his 17-year tenure as a soloist with the Dance Theatre of Harlem to his brilliant career as a principal dancer with the Oakland Ballet, his journey is nothing short of inspiring. He specializes in elite-level training and choreography, dedicated to bringing impactful arts exposure to communities of color and mentoring the next generation of dancers.

Explore his full career story, view his gallery, and connect with his incredible history here: https://curtainconnect.com/profiles/b723f55c-4c48-4e61-9b25-3a0da75c98a3

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Personal Collection - Artist-N-Action Vince E. Collins, New York City 1998. Photo Credit: Unknown. Courtesy of CurtainConnect.

How do they do it? For ballet to appear effortless, airy, and fluid, hours of grueling work are necessary. The energy ...
06/17/2026

How do they do it?

For ballet to appear effortless, airy, and fluid, hours of grueling work are necessary. The energy and attention to detail required to perform a five-minute ballet would challenge the strongest weightlifter, the highest-scoring basketball player, and the most decorated tennis player. Explore the stories behind the artistry on CurtainConnect.com.


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Charlotte Ballet. Photo credit: Todd Rosenberg.

From her foundational training at the prestigious V. Chabukiani School of Choreography in Tbilisi, Georgia, to the inter...
06/16/2026

From her foundational training at the prestigious V. Chabukiani School of Choreography in Tbilisi, Georgia, to the international stages of Copenhagen, Gvantsa’s dedication to ballet is truly inspiring.

As a professional artist with the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre since 1999, Gvantsa has spent over two decades bringing classical and contemporary masterpieces to life—including standout performances like presenting the choreographic work, Chaconne.

Her passion for the art form continues to evolve. In 2023, she took on a brilliant new role as the Founder and Owner of the Academy of Dance Ballet in Tbilisi, passing on her invaluable pedagogy and experience to the next generation of dancers.

We are so proud to feature Gvantsa. Explore her story and work: https://curtainconnect.com/profiles/a75abdc4-602f-40b9-b598-5a8f5c683b6a

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Gvantsa Rekhviashvili and Dimitry Jalagania in Chaconne, 2008, Tbilisi Opera House. Photo Credit: Unknown, Courtesy of CurtainConnect.

When Judy Tyrus and Paul Novosel were writing Dance Theatre of Harlem: A History, A Movement, A Celebration, they perfor...
06/16/2026

When Judy Tyrus and Paul Novosel were writing Dance Theatre of Harlem: A History, A Movement, A Celebration, they performed considerable research to identify the dancers photographed throughout the years. The book reflects the collective brilliance of the hundreds of artists who shaped this history. They endeavored to include names wherever possible, although space and editorial considerations did not allow every individual to be listed in all situations. At DTHbook.org, we welcome additional information to help expand and deepen these records over time.

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Dance Theatre of Harlem Company, Church of the Master, 1969. Photo credit: Unknown. Courtesy of ChromaDiverse, Dance Theatre of Harlem Book Extras.

Something quiet threatens the place of dance in our culture, with devastating consequences: a lack of sustained momentum...
06/12/2026

Something quiet threatens the place of dance in our culture, with devastating consequences: a lack of sustained momentum toward preserving the records of dance legacies. Dance is already difficult to preserve due to the fleeting nature of performance. If archival collections—costumes, performance programs, documents, videos, photographs, and more—are left unsecured, so is the history they represent.

How do we piece history back together without well-preserved archival collections? What will the future look like if we lose vital parts of our culture, and is that a future we want?

Dance organizations, and the individuals who comprise them, must make the conscious decision to safeguard the diverse, vibrant legacies of dance. ChromaDiverse supports that decision by making the process of preserving dance archives more accessible, practical, and achievable to carry through.

This is your time to act. Through June 30, all donations are 100% matched. Donate today. https://chromadiverse.org/donate/


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Daniel Sanz in photoshoot for the production HITS Collection 2022, BalleTeatro Dominicano. Photo Credit: Carlos Rosario

This week, CurtainConnect.com is featuring Shoko Tamai, a New York-based dancer and choreographer originally from Yamana...
06/09/2026

This week, CurtainConnect.com is featuring Shoko Tamai, a New York-based dancer and choreographer originally from Yamanashi, Japan. As the founder of Ninja Ballet, Shoko creates a unique blend of movement where "Swan Lake meets The Matrix” (The DancEnthusiast). By combining the technical grace of classical ballet with the discipline of martial arts, she brings together Eastern and Western traditions in a way that feels both fresh and cinematic.

Beyond her choreography, Shoko’s career is defined by her commitment to the dance community. From producing the benefit show “Unlimited” to receiving a New York Innovative Theater Award, her work explores how different art forms can interact and inspire. Whether she is performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe or developing new work with stage weapons and acrobatics, Shoko is constantly expanding the possibilities of the stage.

You can explore Shoko’s full profile and professional journey on CurtainConnect: https://curtainconnect.com/profiles/3e0bf0e0-c390-4e49-8a2e-a915add025a6

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Shoko Tamai in Ninja Ballet, choreography by Shoko Tamai, December 8, 2017. Photo credit: Garry Platt. Courtesy of CurtainConnect

Lecture demonstrations in public schools were a staple part of the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s community outreach. It was ...
06/08/2026

Lecture demonstrations in public schools were a staple part of the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s community outreach. It was Arthur Mitchell’s aim for children to see the making of an artist, particularly a classical ballet dancer. “They need to know there are professional Black dancers, and they need to see what we can do.” —Arthur Mitchell, excerpted from Dance Theatre of Harlem: A History, A Movement, A Celebration by Judy Tyrus and Paul Novosel.


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Terri Tompkins, Audrey Connally, Anjali Austin, Elena Dominguez, Endalyn Taylor, and other company members in a lecture demonstration. Photo Credit: Unknown. Courtesy of ChromaDiverse, Dance Theatre of Harlem Book Extras.

Talk about catching pure flight. That’s Endalyn Taylor and Calvin Shawn Landers completely defying gravity in Alvin Aile...
06/05/2026

Talk about catching pure flight. That’s Endalyn Taylor and Calvin Shawn Landers completely defying gravity in Alvin Ailey’s famous ballet, "The River". Legendary photographer Martha Swope captured this split-second of pure energy and flawless coordination. It was taken during Dance Theatre of Harlem’s big Opening Night Gala back on March 30, 1993, at the Kennedy Center.

This specific show was a massive deal—it marked the company’s 24th anniversary and their 13th year bringing the house down in Washington, D.C. DTH's founder, Arthur Mitchell, always believed that dance has this incredible power to break down walls, bring people together, and inspire anyone to dream big. Decades later, looking at this photo, you can still feel that exact passion and magic bouncing right off the stage.

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Endalyn Taylor, Calvin Shawn Landers in "The River". Opening Night Gala March 30, 1993, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, choreographed by Alvin Ailey. Photo credit: Martha Swope.

Oakland Ballet performed two versions of the choreographic work Boléro. The first version premiered in 1974 and became o...
06/05/2026

Oakland Ballet performed two versions of the choreographic work Boléro. The first version premiered in 1974 and became one of Oakland Ballet’s most popular works. Choreographed by Marc Wilde and set to the intense and marvelously dynamic score of the same title by Maurice Ravel, the work brilliantly showcased each member of the cast as the music built up to a crescendo.

“All the dancers liked working with him (Marc Wilde), for Wilde was witty and charming, spontaneous but also organized and always inspiring.” —From Oakland Ballet: The First 25 Years by William Huck

In 1995, Oakland Ballet performed a reconstruction of Bronislava Nijinska’s Boléro. The work was staged by Nina Youshkevitch from notes in two languages.

“The company has drawn upon notebooks of choreographer Bronislava Nijinska and the personal experiences of one of her dancers, Nina Youshkevitch... the 17-minute gypsy-inspired dance is not as famous as Marice Ravel’s music. But one wouldn’t exist without the other—Ravel wrote the score for the ballet, which premiered in Paris in 1928.” —Robert Taylor, the Oakland Tribune, October 20, 1995.


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#1 – Joral Schmalle, Joy Gim, and Sean France in Bolero, Oakland Ballet Company. Photo Credit: Unknown.

#2 – Julie Lowe in Bolero, Oakland Ballet Company, 1986. Photo Credit: Harry Wade

#3 – Nina Youshkevitch, Joral Schmalle, Joy Gim, Stephanie Powell, and Sean France in rehearsal for Bolero, Oakland Ballet Company, 1995. Photo Credit: Nan Melville

In dance archives filled with thousands of images of dancers and students, one group that is often majorly overlooked is...
06/04/2026

In dance archives filled with thousands of images of dancers and students, one group that is often majorly overlooked is the technical crew: the incredibly talented architects of the way the stage appears, how the show runs, and so much more.

This photo taken during Dance Theatre of Harlem’s 1988 Soviet Tour, captures the crew who helped bring 32 performances to life in major theatres in Moscow, Leningrad, and Tbilisi. They made the impossible happen every night. Looking back, it wasn’t easy, but it was certainly transformative. Let’s hear it for the crew!

To discover more about this amazing tour and the people behind it, visit DTHbook.org



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#1 - Company members and crew onstage.
Photo Credit: Unknown. Courtesy of ChromaDiverse, DTH Book Extras.

#2 - Company members and crew onstage, Monte Carlo Opera House.
Photo Credit: Marcel Loli.

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