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STAR-STUDDED DANCE SOIREÉ RECOGNIZES DANIEL LEWIS,
FOUNDING DEAN OF NEW WORLD SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
Daniel Lewis - A Life of Dance,
New World School of the Arts' dance performance, in honor of
Daniel Lewis, was the climax of an invigorating choreographic
affair. Honoring the founding dean of dance, whose dedication
and commitment to NWSA surpasses twenty four years, the
recognition not only offered an opportunity for alumni, faculty,
and students of South Florida's premier arts conservatory to
reconnect and engage with each other and with loyal arts
enthusiasts and supporters, but it also brought to our community
a plethora of professional dance companies and respected
choreographers from across the nation.
The
soirée began with a VIP reception at La Loggia Restaurant, in
downtown Miami, where more than 150 of Dean Lewis' colleagues
and closest friends from around the world, gathered to share
memorable anecdotes about the dean's artistic and educational
career. Among the speakers were Jeffrey Hodgson-NWSA
Interim Provost, Richard Klein-founding Provost of New
World School of the Arts, Jack Anderson, renowned dance
critic for the New York Times, and Edward Effron-dance
lighting designer and long-time friend of Daniel. With a
sumptuous menu, photos and laughter, and unique stories to last
a lifetime, the VIP reception was the perfect prelude to what
would soon become one of New World School of the Arts' most
outstanding dance presentations.
Just
a short distance away, over 700 guests gathered for the special
tribute concert at Miami's landmark theater, Gusman Center for
the Performing Arts. The dance concert, directed by NWSA faculty
Josée Garant, began with a presentation of proclamations
by City of Miami and City of Miami-Dade County in honor of
Daniel Lewis. Followed by an emotional retrospective video of
Dean Lewis' artistic career, which began at the tender age of
four, Robert Battle, NWSA alumnus and Artistic Director
Designate for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, set the ideal
mood for a stellar evening of dance with a warm, witty, and
humorous opening address.
Among the choreographies presented at Daniel Lewis - A Life
of Dance were Vespers for Frida, choreographed by
NWSA's Peter London, Serenata Morisca, by Martha Graham,
Anna Sokolow's September Sonnet, Battlefield by
Robert Battle, and Daniel Lewis' own choreography And First
they Slaughtered the Angels, among others. Other notable
speakers throughout the evening were Michael Uthoff-Artistic
Director of Dance St. Louis, Gerri Houllihan-American
Dance Festival, Jim May-dancer and Artistic Director of
Sokolow Theater Dance Ensemble, and Carla Maxwell-Artistic
Director of José Limón Dance Company.
During the outstanding concert, Interim Provost, Jeffrey
Hodgson, announced the Daniel Lewis Endowed Scholarship,
made possible through the generosity of New World School of the
Arts' Foundation and Executive Board members. With a $10,000
contribution by former Foundation Board member Lydia Harrison
and her husband Burt Harrison, the endowment, which will
become one of Dean Lewis' legacies at NWSA, quickly raised in
excess of $36,000 to benefit the college dance students of New
World School of the Arts.
To culminate the evening, fellow deans Jim Gasior [Music], Patrice Bailey [Theater], and Maggy Cuesta [Visual Arts], accompanied by high school Principal Lisa Noffo, presented Dean Lewis with a beautiful ceramic sculpture by NWSA visual arts faculty, Susan Banks, as a sign of friendship and seal of gratitude for the more than two decades of service and commitment to New World School of the Arts.