DWIGHT RHODEN: THE DANCERS' CHOREOGRAPHER

<!DOCTYPE HTML> <html> <head> <title>DWIGHT RHODEN: THE DANCERS' CHOREOGRAPHER | Icons</title> <meta charset="utf-8" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />  <link rel="stylesheet" href="../_assets/css/main.css" /> <link href="../_cms/global.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">  <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-93732114-1"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'UA-93732114-1'); </script> </head> <body class="subpage"> <div id="page-wrapper">  <div id="header-wrapper"> <header id="header" class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="12u">  <a href="../index.php"><img src="../_images/logo/logo.png" id="logo"></a>  <nav id="nav"> <a href="../">Home</a> <a href="../about/">About Us</a> <a href="../resources/">Resources</a> <a href="../references/">Networks</a> <a href="../research/">Research</a> <a href="../directories/">Directories</a> </nav> </div> </div> </header> </div>  <div id="content-wrapper"> <div id="content"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="3u 12u(mobile)">  <section> <header> <h2>Join the ICONS</h2> </header> <p><p>Dance ICONS is a global network for choreographers of all levels of experience, nationalities, and genres. We offer a cloud-based platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, inspiration, and debate. Dance ICONS is based in Washington, D.C., and serves choreographers the world over. </p> <p> </p> <p>Subscribe today to receive our news and updates. Become a member of <em>your </em>global artistic community -- join the ICONS!</p> <p> </p> </p> <p> </p> <ul class="link-list"> <li><a href="../contact/list.php" >Subscribe</a></li><li><a href="../pages/?p=160219160835" >Archives - ICONS INSPIRE</a></li><li><a href="../pages/?p=160127195927" >Archives - ICONS NEXT STEP</a></li><li><a href="http://danceicons.org/contact/debate_archive.php" >ARCHIVES - MONTHLY QUESTIONS</a></li><li><a href="../contact/" >Contact Us</a></li></ul> </section> </div> <div class="9u 12u(mobile) important(mobile)">  <section> <header> <h2 align="center">DWIGHT RHODEN: THE DANCERS' CHOREOGRAPHER</h2> </header> <p><p><img alt="" src="/_images/uploads/DWRPort(1).jpg" style="width: 222px; height: 266px; margin: 15px; float: left;" /></p> <p> </p> <p>American choreographer <span style="color:#008000;"><strong>Dwight Rhoden</strong></span> stays busy as a Founding Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer of Complexions Contemporary Ballet and professor of dance at Chapman University in Orange, California. He spoke to ICONS about his journey to the 30th anniversary season of Complexions, how his identity impacted his journey, and how he’s still banging down the door for more opportunities for his dancers. Rhoden is frank is his push for excellence from himself and his dancers, while also being honest in his trademark coquettish style and humor.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.3800000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> </p> <div><span style="color:#B22222;"><strong>Dance ICONS:</strong> </span><strong>You were a very successful performer with a great dancing career. Was there something about that career that was lacking or that caused you to make the switch to being a choreographer?</strong></div> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#008000;"><strong>Dwight Rhoden</strong>:</span> I started off as a dancer, but I always created from the very beginning, not even knowing. I didn't know the word choreography, to be honest with you, but I knew that I was always making things up. I love to perform, and I had an amazing performing career. It wasn't something missing. It was just a focus shift for me. I always knew this was pulling me to make things. I love working with artists and bringing things out that might not obviously be there on the surface, but digging deeper into each artist and finding out what they had to say and giving them the opportunity to say it.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="/_images/uploads/DWR1.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 305px; float: right; margin: 15px;" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#B22222;"><strong>ICONS:</strong></span> <strong>Given the history of ballet as originally a white and European court art form, how do you situate being a Black artist in that field in 2024?</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#008000;"><strong>DR:</strong> </span>Because it's 2024, all of those labels and lines are really just so irrelevant in my opinion. The way I look at ballet and classical dance is: I<span dir="RTL">’</span>m an artist first, who is a Black man. I don't lead with the fact that I'm Black because it's obvious. It's part of my story.</p> <p> </p> <p>I also come from a mixed-race heritage. I don't have to make an effort to do that. I believe in the beauty of diversity anyway. Having everyone in the room be the same is a bore and would be one note. I need multiplicity in the stories, the backgrounds, so everyone brings something interesting into the room.</p> <p> </p> <p>The way I use ballet is to shape, clarify, and fine-tune the body. And as a Black man, there are no restrictions; I can do whatever I want. And I'm better for it. I hope that whatever doors I crashed open, that I've brought something to spaces that they never had before. Many times, I was the first Black choreographer inside of those ballet companies back in the early 90s.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><img alt="" src="/_images/uploads/DWR2.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 300px; float: left; margin: 15px;" /></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><span style="color:#B22222;">ICONS:</span></strong> <strong>Is there something that you struggle with as a choreographer, and has that changed over time?</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#008000;"><strong>DR:</strong></span> I feel as though I have the tools, and even if I got stuck, I could figure out a way because what I rely on also is the artist not to make up the piece, but to influence it. I become inspired as long as they're involved and present. If they have energy, I'm going to have energy. I truly believe that I'm a dancer's choreographer. I'm there to serve them as well, to serve their journey as an artist. So really the challenges are always being able to have dancers that will participate in the way that I think they should, that would benefit them the most. I have to do this with love even if it’s sometimes tough love -- it<span dir="RTL">’</span>s all to guide them. Even the most advanced sometimes need a little extra support.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#B22222;"><strong>ICONS</strong>: </span><strong>Many choreographers have a signature work. Do you think of yourself as having one, and then separately, do you have a favorite of your own works? Are they the same, or are they different?</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><span style="color:#008000;">DR</span>:</strong> I think one of the works that has received a great deal of love is one work called <em>Woke</em>. It's probably one of my favorite ballets that I have done. And there was also one I did for San Francisco Ballet, which was called <em>Let</em><em><span dir="RTL">’</span>s Begin at the End</em>. It was my first work for them; I'm still very inspired by watching it. My mother was actually passing away. She was slowly dying during the time of <em>Let</em><em><span dir="RTL">’</span>s Begin at the End</em>, and much of that sort of idea of going forward was worked out through that ballet, but then <em>Woke</em> was a big political statement.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><img alt="" src="/_images/uploads/DWR4.png" style="width: 327px; height: 333px; float: right; margin: 15px;" /></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><span style="color:#B22222;">ICONS</span></strong><span style="color:#B22222;">:</span> <strong>Other people have spent years describing your work as many things: athletic, sexy, technical, impressive, but how do you wish people would describe your work?</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#008000;"><strong>DR:</strong></span> Impactful, touching. I want to reach my audience. I do the work for the artists and then the artists are my voice. I'm not on stage anymore. I have no way to reach the world except through my dancers. That's why there's such care with the artists, because the artists are the vessel; they're the vessel to the world. I could go online and do a bunch of talking, I guess, but who wants to hear that? I'd rather see a show. Wouldn't you rather see a show -- see the dancers dance?</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#B22222;"><strong>ICONS:</strong></span> <strong>This is the 30th anniversary season of Complexions, and you have three premieres on the program. Can you tell us about those different works?</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>DR:</strong> One of the works is my <em>Bolero. </em>Another is <em>This Time with Feeling</em>, which is a sort of neoclassical work with an original score by David Rosenblatt. It is a typical ballet structure with a variation: a group comes on; there's a soloist downstage, but what happens then is that they become taken with the music. The movement goes beyond the classical and then that's where the body starts to fold and you start to have other qualities that you don't typically associate with classical ballet. It's a very dynamic score with three movements.</p> <p> </p> <p>Then there's another piece called <em>Benny</em> and is to Elton John<span dir="RTL">’</span>s <em>Benny and the Jets</em>. This is kind of a preview to something that is on my wish list, which is to do a full Elton John suite. It<span dir="RTL">’</span>s purely selfish because I love that music. It's the 30th anniversary, so I'm going to do something I really want to do.</p> <p> </p> <p>Now there's another piece and that's the same choreography. The music is <em>Caruso</em> sung by Pavarotti. So the music is an aria, but there's no difference in choreography. There's a difference in interpretation and it's an experiment. One is on program A and one is on program B. They'll be doing the same steps, but it won't look or feel the same. <em>Caruso</em> is sweeping and lush, and <em>Benny and the Jets</em> is a little bit coquettish, rebellious, and a little bit of attitude.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><img alt="" src="/_images/uploads/DWR6.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 276px; float: left; margin: 15px;" /></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#B22222;"><strong>ICONS:</strong></span> <strong>Many choreographers have already choreographed to <em>Bolero</em>, some successfully and some controversially, so what are you bringing to it now?</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#008000;"><strong>DR:</strong></span> The one work that I'm very excited about is <em>Bolero</em>, which as you said many people have done. I was in the Ailey company and I did a piece for the school and Alvin was still alive. He said you really should do a <em>Bolero</em>. I was scared to death of that piece of music. And many years later, here I am with my age and experience and having gone through all I've gone through, now I'm ready. My Bolero is a piece that embraces the theme of love revolution, which is kind of our theme for the 30th anniversary season. It's the fight for freedom. It's the fight for love is the fight for togetherness and unity. It's a very big group work. It's very grounded, very contemporary. It's a little bit wild.</p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#B22222;"><strong>ICONS:</strong></span> <strong>What advice would you give to your younger self now that you've </strong><strong>been running a company for 30 years?</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><span style="color:#008000;">DR:</span> </strong>Relax. And I'm still working on that, by the way. One of our mantras at Complexions is <span dir="RTL">“</span>Nothing to prove, everything to share,” which came from Ulysses Dove, who was one of my mentors. I feel as though the business itself, especially being a Black choreographer in the ballet space, I pushed really hard because I had to if I wanted to find my place. When I say relax, it doesn't mean not work hard. It just means do what you do. They will come to you eventually. And I really do operate that way. You have to be where you are now. It doesn't mean you don't have goals, aspirations, and you can see that beautiful thing you want down the pike, but at the same time, have patience.</p> <p> </p> <p>                          <img alt="" src="/_images/uploads/DWR7.jpg" style="width: 700px; height: 254px;" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#B22222;"><strong>ICONS:</strong></span> <strong>What do you see as the next goal for Complexions moving into the next decade?</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#008000;"><strong>DR:</strong></span> Our academy is booming, but we can only do our programs: the winter intensive, a summer intensive, even a spring program. We have these young people that have been with us for quite a bit of time. And I would love to have them all year. I<span dir="RTL">’</span>m a professor at Chapman University, and since I see those students more regularly, I also want that for our Complexions Academy students. One of the big goals for Complexions is to have a building.</p> <p> </p> <p>We are nomads after 30 years. I see us having a space and a training ground for the next generation. And certainly for the company, they deserve it. And I think Desmond and I are really thinking about the future because there will be succession. We will not always be sitting in these seats, but we are hopeful that if we've done our job right and set things up in terms of who and what we are as a brand, our identity and our place, then someone else could come in and Complexions could become whatever it needed to become with that choreographic voice, or number of voices. I'm hoping that we will find a way for this to be enduring.</p> <p> </p> <h3 align="center" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:24px;"><span style="color:#008000;">*       *       *       *        *       *</span></span></h3> <p> </p> <p> <strong>Biography</strong> of Dwight Rhoden and company link: <a href="https://www.complexionsdance.org/dwight-rhoden">https://www.complexionsdance.org/dwight-rhoden</a></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Photos </strong>courtesy of <strong>Complexions Contemporary Ballet</strong>, choreographed by Dwight Rhoden with company performers, all rights reserved © 2024</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Video Demo:</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/nb3VKwkXH7s" width="640"></iframe></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><strong> INTERVIEW'S CREATIVE TEAM ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Interviewer: Charles Scheland</strong></p> <p><strong>Executive Content Editor: Camilla Acquista</strong></p> <p><strong>Executive Assistant: Charles Scheland</strong></p> <p><strong>Executive Director: Vladimir Angelov</strong></p> <p><strong>Dance ICONS, Inc., November 2024 © All rights reserved</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="/_images/uploads/ICONS%20CORPORATE%20LOGO.jpg" style="width: 336px; height: 219px;" /></p> <p>We acknowledge with appreciation the government's contribution to our organization by </p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="/_images/uploads/DCCAHLOGO.jpg" style="width: 234px; height: 63px;" />     <img alt="" src="/_images/uploads/NEALogo%20copy.jpg" style="width: 159px; height: 55px;" /></p> </p> </section> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>  <div id="footer-wrapper"> <footer id="footer" class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="8u 12u(mobile)">  <section> <h2>Stay Connected...</h2> <div> <div class="row"> <div class="8u 12u(mobile)"> <ul class="link-list last-child"> <table width="30%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" > <tr> <td align="left"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Dance-Icons-International-Consortium-for-Advancement-in-Choreography-759918904119050/" target="_blank"><img src="../_images/icons_sm/facebook.png" ></a></td> <td align="left"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/danceiconsinc/" target="_blank"><img src="../_images/icons_sm/instagram.png" ></a></td> </tr> </table> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> <div class="4u 12u(mobile)">  <section> <h2>Who Are We?</h2> <p><p>Dance ICONS is a global network for choreographers of all levels of experience, nationalities, and genres.  We offer a cloud-based platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, inspiration, and debate.  Dance ICONS is based in Washington, D.C. and serves choreographers the world over.</p> </p> </section> </div> </div> </footer> </div>  <div id="copyright"> © 2025 ICONS. All rights reserved. | <a href="../_doc/pp.pdf" target="_blank">Privacy Policy</a> | <a href="../_doc/tou.pdf" target="_blank">Terms of Use</a><br> Development: <a href="http://media4artists.com">Media4Artists</a> </div> </div>  <script src="../_assets/js/jquery.min.js"></script> <script src="../_assets/js/skel.min.js"></script> <script src="../_assets/js/skel-viewport.min.js"></script> <script src="../_assets/js/util.js"></script>  <script src="../_assets/js/main.js"></script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

DWIGHT RHODEN: THE DANCERS' CHOREOGRAPHER | Icons