A message from Co-Artistic Director, DeeAnna Hiett:

Dear Friends of Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Co:

At this special time of year, I wanted to tell you how much you are appreciated for your support of the Wylliams/Henry dancers. For all of us, the journey has included years of hard work and training…and the gifts of our many patrons. 

My story begins in the small town of Whitehouse, Texas (population 1,245) the year I graduated from high school. 

I was brought up in a household of six siblings, a railroad man as my father and a stay at home mom. My dad was previously in the military and instilled discipline and a strong work ethic in our home. For the earliest part of my upbringing, my brothers and sisters and I were not allowed in the house until it was dark. I suppose this was to keep my mom’s sanity. Looking back I certainly understand why. As a child, I had very high energy even after I had been playing outside all day in the hot Texas sun. Again, to keep her sanity, my mom put me in a local community dance class. I was alive and in love from that moment and have never stopped. 

When I moved to NYC, I was grateful that a strong work ethic and discipline had been instilled in me. So many dancers at The Ailey School had financial support from their families so they didn’t have to rush to work every evening after training all day. Panic about the lack of sleep, food and money was a constant push on my back to keep me going. There were dancers no longer standing next to me at the ballet barre because it was too difficult for them to exist in NYC. Again, thanking my mom and dad for giving me life skills, I can’t say that was a difficult time in my life because all I could think about was getting into the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater company…and I did. 

I have been blessed to have shared the stage with amazing artists and danced spectacular ballets from some of the most inspiring creators of dance around the world. After over three decades of performing, I now want to focus my attention on the next generation.

The Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company is an incredible, energized, athletic, and diverse company, and I am proud to say that we are training young dancers right here in Kansas City. When I first joined the company as a dancer, I would have friends from NYC, Chicago and others cities that would come dance with the company. Almost all of the company dancers were not from Kansas City but flown in from other cities if they had time off from other dancing gigs. Currently, WHCDC consists primarily of alumni or current students from the University of Missouri/Kansas City Conservatory, where I am an associate professor of dance. 

We have trained a dance company right here in Kansas City! Dancers don’t have to live in NYC to dance amazing works of art because we have it right here. The company recently performed ‘The List’ by Christopher Huggins, a former Ailey dancer and internationally acclaimed choreographer, and ‘Silently Screaming’ by Frank Chaves, former artistic director of River North Dance Theater and a Hubbard Street dancer--just to give an example of the incredible work that is being done here in Kansas City.

WHCDC needs more performance opportunities, not only for the dancers but for our city. I believe strongly in the law of abundance. We all know how competitive the dance world is, so instead of having fewer dancers, let’s increase the size of the dance world by creating more opportunities.

With your support, we can make this happen.

On behalf of all of us, many thanks!

Deeanna

DeeAnna Hiett, Co-Artistic Director

Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company