SITE TOOLS
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Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Celebrates 30 Years
By JLM
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In the words of Cleo Parker Robinson,
"dance is just life out loud!" If dance is just life out loud, then the 30th
Anniversary Gala Celebration of Cleo Parker Robinson Dance (CPRD) in September 2000 was
church out loud. And there was plenty to celebrate and be thankful for!
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Cleo Parker Robinson Dance
Photo by Rose Eichenbaun
Courtesy CPRD |
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CPRD's fall concert combined jazz, gospel, funk, vocals, choral harmonies and dance in
Mary Lou's Mass, originally composed in 1971 for Alvin Ailey by jazz innovator Mary Lou
Williams. The music of Mary Lou's Mass invoked the spirit of a catholic liturgy. Cleo
Parker Robinson opened the celebration with an introduction and welcome. An enthusiastic
and gracious hostess, she shared her awe and amazement at celebrating 30 years of dance
and thanked the Denver community and the audience for their continued support. Cleo Parker
Robinson then invited the audience to enter mass and experience the heart and soul of jazz
great Mary Lou Williams.
The audience entered sacred space and witnessed the celebration! Mary
Lou's Mass was filled with words of scripture, spirituals and dance. A huge cross was
suspended from center stage and bright colors filled the ceiling, as if illuminated by
stained glass windows. A dancer, dressed as a priest, led a procession down an aisle of
acolytes with candles, while blessing the audience with holy water. A choir also sang,
accompanied by a full orchestra.
One of the highlights of Mary Lou's Mass was the story of Elijah and the Juniper Tree,
which centers on the relationship of the church and the community. The performance
appealed to several senses and posed the timeless question of the role of the church in
society. Patrick Peel exquisitely performed the part of the Juniper Tree, which served as
a visual metaphor for the life of the church in the community. Patrick, a performing
member of CPRD, is a standout in the ensemble cast. In his demanding role as the Juniper
Tree, his muscled physique and lithe energy captivated the audience.
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Patrick Peel
Photo by Allen Birnbach
Courtesy Patrick Peel |
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Patrick joined CPRD three years ago, largely based on the
recommendation of a friend. According to Patrick, he knew that he wanted to join a black
dance company and experience black dance. A graduate of San Francisco State University
with a B.A. in dance performance and choreography, Patrick performed in regional theater
in California and with Western Stage Theater Company, Sierra Repertoire Theater Company,
Savage Jazz Dance, Ouish Dance Company and Embaje Dance Company before joining CPRD.
After three years of performing, Patrick has captured what makes CPRD unique. He describes
the energy that he feels in the predominately black ensemble cast as a shared "common
bond on stage," or "one spirit with many voices."
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The energy that Patrick describes is easily attributable to the guidance
and direction of Cleo Parker Robinson, the Founder and Executive Artistic Director of
CPRD. Meeting with Cleo Parker Robinson (affectionately known as Cleo) to share her
thoughts and reflections on 30 years of dance, one is instantly taken with her energy and
passion. She's the driving force behind Denver's evolution as a dance mecca. Today, the
dance company and school are housed in the Shorter A.M.E. Church building, a Denver
historical landmark. Thus, the 30th anniversary's celebration of the intersection of
church and dance is a seemingly effortless leap.
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Patrick Peel
Photos by Allen Birnbach
Courtesy Patrick Peel
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According to Cleo (who studied at the Alvin Ailey School), dance is simply a way of life.
It's simply what life is about. Dance is the interrelationship between our life
experiences and ownership of expression. She admits that she cannot remember a time when
she was not dancing. Cleo remembers a childhood filled with creative energy and
spirituality. At the age of ten, Cleo nearly died of heart complications. She remembers
being treated in a segregated hospital and becoming concerned about the healing process
and limitations of the body. Dance became her healing art and path of self-discovery.
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Cleo Parker Robinson
Photo by Kermit Hayes
Courtesy CPRD
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Against the backdrop of social change and self-awareness, dance served a curative function
and continues to do so today. For Cleo, dance is the universal language that captures our
shared experiences. It illuminates a contagious energy and provides an opportunity to
celebrate the interconnectedness of our experiences and our shared community . . . the
same shared "common bond on stage," or "one spirit with many voices,"
that Patrick describes as a dancer in the company.
Forming the now internationally recognized dance company in the Rocky Mountain Region was
a family affair for Cleo as well as an opportunity to prove to the world that she is a
superwoman. A superwoman celebrating the opportunity to share how wonderful dance or life
can be. According to Cleo, the celebration of the blessings of her journey includes
recognition of our shared responsibility.
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And the next thirty years? Well Cleo wants everybody dancing of course! "That would
be a thrill," she explains.
Come and enjoy a Cleo Parker Robinson Dance performance and share in the continued
celebration. For upcoming dates and a school schedule visit the CPRD website at www.cleoparkerdance.org.M
December 2000
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