Philadelphia-based
hip hop dance company Rennie Harris Puremovement will come to Stevens Point
this March through the Sentry Insurance Invitation to the Arts series.
The
group will give a public performance at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31, at Sentry
Theater. The show will feature signature works as well as Rennie Harris’ new
piece, “Nuttin’ But a Word.” Tickets are $20 each and will go on sale Sunday,
Feb. 21, at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point University Information
and Tickets, http://tickets.uwsp.edu or 715-346-4100. All proceeds
will be donated to local arts programming.
On
Tuesday, March 29, the company will hold master classes at UW-Stevens Point and
at the Boys and Girls Club of Portage County Berard Center. The following day
will include another master class at UW-Stevens Point as well as demonstrations
of the “History of Hip-Hop” at Sentry Theater for local Stevens Point area
sixth grade students and dance students at UW-Stevens Point.
Harris
founded the dance company in 1992 to preserve and disseminate hip hop culture
through workshops, classes, lectures, demonstrations, residencies, mentoring
and public performances. Harris is one of the most influential spokespersons
for the significance of “street” origins in any dance style.
The
company portrays the diverse African-American traditions of the past while
presenting voices of a new generation with sincerity rather than stereotypes.
Harris’ work to influence contemporary dance has earned him a Guggenheim Award
and honorary doctorate from Bates College.
The Sentry Insurance Invitation to the Arts is sponsored by
Sentry Insurance Foundation in conjunction with the College of Fine Arts &
Communication at UW-Stevens Point. The program provides local students, from
grade school to college, opportunities to interact with outstanding
professionals in the fine arts including Yo Yo Ma, Mandy Patinkin, Patti LuPone
and Audra McDonald.