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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.

Meet Carla Fauchard ()—a Dominican dancer, choreographer, educator, and artistic director whose journey spans from the D...
06/01/2026

Meet Carla Fauchard ()—a Dominican dancer, choreographer, educator, and artistic director whose journey spans from the Dominican Republic to Bordeaux, France. Raised in a dance academy environment, Carla revered dance as a discipline and an emotional sanctuary from a young age.

Carla is the visionary and creator of a unique neoclassical movement language that bridges the structure of classical ballet with the expressiveness of contemporary dance, expressing stories, memories, and resilience. Following the deeply impactful loss of her mother, Carla refocused her practice on creating intense, emotionally honest experiences where dancers and audiences can feel seen and connected.

Her legacy is as historic as it is heartfelt. As the leader of BalletTeatro Dominicano, Carla directed the first Dominican dance delegation to compete at the USASF The Dance Worlds Championship, securing 10th place globally in 2016 and rising to 8th place in 2017. Today, even while navigating the cross-continental challenge of rebuilding her artistic path in France, she continues to guide her academy.. Carla is living proof that art has the power to heal, transform, and build human communities across any distance.

Discover the artistry and impact of Carla Fauchard: https://curtainconnect.com/profiles/e2b87448-3d75-4f3a-924c-aed316db67be


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Dominican Republic, 2015. Photo Credit: Personal Collection of Carla Fauchard

Les Noces originally premiered in 1923 for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. Choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska with ...
05/30/2026

Les Noces originally premiered in 1923 for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. Choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska with music by Igor Stravinsky, the work depicted a Russian peasant wedding ritual. Deeply stylistic and bound to Stravinsky’s score, the work was restaged/staged by Irina Nijinska and Howard Sayette.


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Mario Alonzo in Les Noces. Photo credit: William Acheson. Courtesy of ChromaDiverse, Oakland Ballet Legacy Project.

“Agnes de Mille called Mel Tomlinson the most exciting Black dancer in America... Tomlinson masterfully studied a real s...
05/29/2026

“Agnes de Mille called Mel Tomlinson the most exciting Black dancer in America... Tomlinson masterfully studied a real snake that he encaged and toted around, scaring fellow dancers.”

—Excerpt from Dance Theatre of Harlem: A History, A Movement, A Celebration by Judy Tyrus and Paul Novosel


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Mel Tomlinson as the snake in Arthur Mitchell’s Manifestations. Photo credit: Marbeth. Courtesy of ChromaDiverse, Dance Theatre of Harlem Book Extras.

“It was a company day off, but dancers knew that if they had not taken advantage of the opportunity, they would never ha...
05/27/2026

“It was a company day off, but dancers knew that if they had not taken advantage of the opportunity, they would never have the chance to see the pyramids... they awoke at 4:00 am to be on the Giza Plateau before sunrise. Dwight Carter (the photographer) set up the quintessential shots with expert foresight. He brought a wooden board that he masked with some rocks, so the dancers had a firm foundation on which to pose in their ballet shoes.” Excerpted from Dance Theatre of Harlem: A History, A Movement, A Celebration.

For more about the company’s trip to Cairo, go to DTHbook.org.



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Dancers Richard Witter and Yvonne Hall in Geoffrey Holder’s Dougla costumes at the Pyramid of Giza, 1990. Photo credit: Dwight Carter. Courtesy of ChromaDiverse, Dance Theatre of Harlem Book Extras.

From a wide-eyed boy dreaming in Mexico to a powerhouse on the global stage, Luis Dominguez’s journey is a beautiful tes...
05/26/2026

From a wide-eyed boy dreaming in Mexico to a powerhouse on the global stage, Luis Dominguez’s journey is a beautiful testament to where a single spark of childhood passion can lead.

As a remarkably versatile company dancer with the Dance Theatre of Harlem from 1988–2000, Luis effortlessly commanded the stage across a vast spectrum of styles. From mastering Balanchine and neoclassical works to breathing life into DTH’s signature contemporary pieces and complex narrative ballets, his artistry knew no bounds.

His dedication to the craft only grew, later serving as the Artistic and Executive Director of the Lexington Ballet from 2003–2020, shaping the next generation of dancers and major dance organizations. Today, Luis continues to express his boundless creativity as a visual artist, trading the stage for canvas and paint.

Every artist's journey is a piece of living history. Seeing his legacy preserved today reminds us of the incredible power of a lifelong dedication to the arts.

What did your "dreaming" phase look like? Document, share, and protect your own dance legacy on CurtainConnect.

🔗 Explore Luis’s full incredible journey: https://curtainconnect.com/profiles/f92bc039-9ac7-47b1-8331-04c6b4e24992

Photo Credit:
Left – Personal Collection, Luis
Right – Dance Theatre of Harlem, 1980s

One of the great pleasures of experiencing dance is seeing awe-inspiring angles, lines, and strength come into play, esp...
05/22/2026

One of the great pleasures of experiencing dance is seeing awe-inspiring angles, lines, and strength come into play, especially when two dancers sync in perfect harmony. This image from a rehearsal of Oakland Ballet Company’s Angel Island Project at the Paramount Theatre captures exactly that—magnificence and grace suspended high above the stage.

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Oakland Ballet Company. Photo Credit: John Hefti.

Originally from Portugal, Paulo Manso de Sousa continues blazing the trail ignited by Ronn Guidi, founder of Oakland Bal...
05/21/2026

Originally from Portugal, Paulo Manso de Sousa continues blazing the trail ignited by Ronn Guidi, founder of Oakland Ballet Company. From his early days in Oakland to his remarkable career with an impressive range of major dance companies spanning the country, he has carried forward a commitment to artistry, excellence, and mentorship. As a dancer, teacher, model, actor, and choreographer, Paulo’s career exhibits the genre-crossing possibilities that a foundation in dance can open up.

As Paulo reflects:
“The Oakland Ballet Company was ahead of its time… As a young dancer, my experience at OBC helped form my love for and outlook on ballet and art. I still hear the voices of some of the greats we worked with as I coach and teach my students, and I hope to pass what they taught us on to the next generation.”

This is how legacy lives on: in the artists who embody it and share it with others.

Donate to Save Legacy: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/obclegacyprojectfund/

Photos courtesy of Paulo Manso de Sousa and ChromaDiverse, Oakland Ballet Legacy Project.

Miami City Ballet
The Metropolitan Opera
Paulo Manso de Sousa

This month’s CurtainConnect artist spotlight honors (Elena Bartley )Elena Dominguez Bartley, a dancer originally from Me...
05/21/2026

This month’s CurtainConnect artist spotlight honors (Elena Bartley )Elena Dominguez Bartley, a dancer originally from Mexico whose career started with Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) in 1980 and has since taken her around the world. Elena performed as a soloist for 15 years before becoming an entrepreneur and master trainer in Pilates. She has carried her DTH dance experience and deep expertise in Pilates to multiple countries including Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Costa Rica, and France. She has also designed equipment for Pilates in Spain and founded the country’s first Pilates Marathon. In 2020, she moved back to Mexico, where she runs her own Pilates studio and creates educational videos. Her work in the field of Pilates embodies the idea that a dancer’s legacy can extend far beyond the stage, thus impacting future generations of artists worldwide.

Learn More about Elena on her CurtainConnect profile:
https://curtainconnect.com/profiles/8ea5027e-98e7-4f48-aa63-9b5b586a4107

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