The Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company has been hailed by critics and audiences alike as one of the most exciting, captivating dance troupes in the Midwest. Wylliams/Henry has been spotlighted Dance Magazine’s Critic's Choice issue of “favorite picks across America” and in the National Endowment for the Arts 2008 Report. In 2017, Wylliams/ Henry performed at the Dance USA National Conference Gala held in Kansas City, MO at the Kauffman Center of Performing Arts in 2017. Wylliams/ Henry was honored to perform on the world reknown stage of Jacob’s Pillow at the Inside/Out Festival on the main stage in 2018. Works by internationally acclaimed choreographers, such as David Parsons, Dwight Rhoden, Donald McKayle and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, as well as classics by some of the 20th century's greatest masters, such as Jose Limon, Frank Chaves, Hanya Holm and Anna Sokolow, are presented by the Company in each of its seasons. New works expressing important social issues from the Holocaust to racism are a hallmark of the company in performances that are thought provoking and speak to the human spirit. WHCDC is known for its beautiful, athletic style in a repertory ranging from the lyric to the avant garde. Performances are given in both conventional and non-traditional spaces -- often in partnership with community organizations -- to introduce contemporary dance to new audiences. Wylliams/Henry connects with a broad spectrum of individuals in both urban and rural communities, while presenting the most powerful and uplifting works from the rich archive of American modern dance.
Wylliams-Henry is proud to call Kansas City home and is honored to be "Artists-in-Residence" at the UMKC Conservatory.
“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. Founded in 1991, the Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company is going strong and is a vital part of our city’s arts scene.”
