The DanceAfrica, DC Elders’ Council, Dance Place, and The International Association of Blacks in Dance are pleased to announce and highlight the recipient of the Deal-Davis DanceAfrica, DC Commission, Samantha Salters.
Named for Washington, DC Elder of African Dance, Baba Melvin Deal, founder of African Heritage Dancers and Drummers, and DanceAfrica Founding Artistic Director, Ancestor Charles (Chuck) Davis, the Deal-Davis DanceAfrica, DC Commission Project bolsters the development of a new generation of choreographers creating traditional and contemporary works in African and African Diaspora dance expressions.
Responding to a field wide need for commissions that support choreographers who work in African and African Diaspora dance expressions, we are excited to provide this opportunity to Samanatha Salters.
Samantha Salters is from Washington, D.C., a member of Coyaba Dance Theater, an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University and the inaugural recipient of the DanceAfrica DC, Deal-Davis Commission. She holds an M.F.A. in Dance and Certificate in Comparative Ethnic Studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. Her interests are in the traditional and contemporary art forms of the African diaspora.
As a recipient of the Deal-Davis Commission, Samantha was provided monetary, artistic, and administrative support towards the creation of an original dance work grounded in the deeply rooted traditions of the African Diaspora that simultaneously move the art form into the future. The commission was awarded to Samantha by a panel consisting of the DanceAfrica, DC Elders’ Council, Dance Place, and The International Association of Blacks in Dance staff based on the strength of the application and artistic merit.
Samantha’s new work, Mama’s love will be showcased at Dance Place’s 2021 DanceAfrica DC Festival as part of a virtual presentation on Sunday, June 6th at 1pm EST. Mama’s love is inspired by folk stories of Anansi the spider and explores a journey of love and unity through traditional and contemporary dance forms of the African diaspora.
Learn more about this year’s full DanceAfrica, DC schedule of events, including the premiere of Samantha’s new work, on Dance Place’s website here. Stay tuned; in the coming months, a second Deal-Davis DanceAfrica, DC commission will be announced for a new work to be presented at DanceAfrica, DC 2022.
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About The Dance Africa DC Elders’ Council
Led by DanceAfrica DC’s Griot and Council Member, Mama Sylvia Soumah, the Dance Africa Elders’ Council was instituted in 2018 to serve as advisors to the long-term vision of DanceAfrica DC. The Council consists of Baba Melvin Deal, Baba Baile McKnight, Mama Akua Kouyate and Mama Makini Niliwaambieni.
About The International Association of Blacks in Dance
The International Association of Blacks in Dance preserves and promotes dance by people of African ancestry or origin, and assists and increases opportunities for artists in advocacy, audience development, education, funding, networking, performance, philosophical dialogue, and touring.