Dance Theatre Of Harlem - Programme A & B

Dance Theatre of Harlem Programme A & B arrives in Lyon

We are honored to welcome Dance Theatre of Harlem for Programme A & B, two distinctive evenings that celebrate the company’s signature blend of classical rigor and contemporary voice. From our vantage point in Lyon, hosting this ensemble means offering audiences the crisp musicality, speed, and sculptural clarity that have defined the company since its founding, alongside bold, present-tense creativity. Programme A & B has been curated to contrast textures and tempos: one evening might foreground luminous neoclassical lines and the other might reveal a more urban pulse, underscoring how the company moves fluently between ballet’s codified language and vibrant, modern inflections. Our Lyon stage invites you to experience this dialogue up close—the hush before a solo, the electricity of a finale—while the city’s discerning dance public provides the ideal context for an encounter with artists whose craft speaks powerfully to today’s audiences.

Artistic momentum: legacy, innovation, and a season in motion

This visit comes at a dynamic moment for the company. Under Artistic Director Robert Garland, Dance Theatre of Harlem is advancing a repertoire that honors its heritage and expands it with new commissions. Recent seasons have featured works by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Claudia Schreier, alongside galvanizing creations by Garland himself. Pieces such as Higher Ground showcase how groove and grace can coexist inside a ballet framework, while the company’s neoclassical backbone—shaped by the discipline of its founders—continues to animate revivals and stylistic homages. Programme A & B continues in that spirit of juxtaposition: luminous pointework set against rhythm-driven phrasing; sweeping ensemble architectures offset by intimate solos and duets. You will recognize a commitment to musical intelligence, fast footwork, and fully embodied storytelling, carried by a roster of artists whose technique is matched by radiant stage presence. As touring continues across major stages this season, Lyon is a key stop where the repertory’s emotional breadth—joy, resolve, tenderness, triumph—can be felt in the space between dancer and audience.

As a presenting house in Lyon, we are preparing the stage with meticulous care so that each passage—whether a sleek allegro, a finely traced adagio, or a burst of vernacular energy—lands with clarity. Programme A & B has been designed to reward multiple visits: each evening stands on its own, yet together they form a panoramic view of the company’s artistry today. Expect crystalline unisons that test the edges of musical precision, as well as richly characterized moments that draw the eye to an individual dancer’s phrasing and breath. Our teams calibrate sightlines, lighting palettes, and acoustic detail to honor the choreography’s architecture and the score’s contours, whether the music pulses with contemporary verve or glows with classical refinement. In a city that prizes both tradition and innovation, Dance Theatre of Harlem’s appearance affirms how ballet can be at once exacting and generous—an art of line and an art of community—inviting Lyon audiences to witness a living repertory continually renewed by the artists who carry it forward.