Bold and inventive, the Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company continues to present captivating, relevant modern dance works. The company, helmed by artistic director Mary Pat Henry, marked its 25th anniversary with an eclectic show Saturday at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s White Recital Hall.
Read more
News
Review | Wylliams/Henry Celebrates a Quarter-Century of Excellence in Dance
For any arts organization to reach its 25th anniversary is cause for applause. But such an achievement is perhaps even more notable for a dance company. Dance, one of the most revered art forms, is also among the least understood.
Review | 25th anniversary season concert features world premieres, repertoire favorites
Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, marking 2 1/2 decades dedicated to creating and presenting exemplary modern dance that addresses social justice issues and examines human interactions. The performance Saturday in the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s White Recital Hall included world premiere works as well as highlights from the company’s repertoire.
Read more
KC’s Top Contemporary Dance Company Celebrates 25 Years of American Choreography
It all started over lunch, during a festival in Vancouver, B.C., where Mary Pat Henry and Leni Wylliams were discussing their favorite dancers and choreographers. She was a dance teacher from South Carolina and he a rising star in the New York dance scene, but the two discovered they had remarkably complementary visions of dance and its history. Both were nationally respected dancer-choreographers who had worked with major companies, but in the coming years they would embark on building a new company that would change the face of dance in the Midwest.
Review | Company celebrates its 25th year with two big performances
Leni Wylliams and Mary Pat Henry were Kansas City arts pioneers.
Long before the Crossroads Arts District or the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Wylliams and Henry saw Kansas City as the perfect home for their new dance company.
Read more
Auditions, January 2016
Want to dance with or for Wylliams/Henry?
WHCDC will be holding an audition for The Riverside Dance Festival Intensive and for the WHCDC Company.
Read more
Review | New works, new dance partners
New Dance Partners should be a must-attend event on every local arts lover’s calendar. Now in its third year, the program, hosted by the Performing Arts Series at Johnson County Community College, commissions new works by notable choreographers for the participating companies. This year, Gregory Dawson set twisted metal on Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company, Katarzyna Skarpetowska was paired with Owen/Cox Dance for La Locura, and new to the project this year, the Oklahoma City Ballet’s Speaking in Spheres was choreographed by Brian Enos. The diversity of movement and distinctive characteristics of each choreographer befit the paired ensemble. Read more
Review | “Affairs of the Heart” doesn’t miss a beat
Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company presented six dance works in its spring program, “Affairs of the Heart,” this past weekend. “Affairs of the Heart” featured the work of five choreographers who captured the vast and powerful emotions that come with falling in and out of love. The dances ranged from pieces about the joyful discovery of falling in love, the art of seduction, unquenchable desire, betrayal, and the insatiable human need for human connection.
Read more
‘Modern Night at the Folly’ choreographic showcase displays creativity, strength
Vulnerability, frailty and ambiguity were the strengths of this year’s “A Modern Night at the Folly,” the 12th annual choreographic showcase presented by City in Motion Dance Theater. Despite the late winter storm Saturday night, an audience of dance enthusiasts gathered in the Folly Theater to enjoy a varied, creative program from local and regional artists.
Trailer for Upcoming “New Dance Partners” Documentary
Here is the trailer for the upcoming premiere of the New Dance Partners documentary which is produced by the students of JCAV-TV. Its public debut will be December 7th at 7pm, at the Rio Theatre in Overland Park, KS.