Join us May 22 – June 5th for “Breathing Space“. The Company is reviving the late choreographer Jonathan Phelps’s piece, Blue Songs, set to four songs by Aretha Franklin. The power and emotion in the piece will surely move our audience.

Jonathan Phelps was most widely known for his performances with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre (1992-1998), while he was also an inspiring teacher and an accomplished choreographer. With roots in Central Pennsylvania and a degree from the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts, Jonathan launched his professional career at Jacob’s Pillow as a charter member of the Jamison Project in 1988, after which he danced with Donald Byrd and then Ailey. He performed with Walkerdance (8&ah1) and taught worldwide, notably at the Pillow where he played a major role with the Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program. He had many performing credits with off-Broadway productions, leading roles with the New York City and Philadelphia Opera Companies, television credits including Emmy Award-winning “A Hymn for Alvin Ailey” and a European tour of “The Dancing Man.” He served as Adjudicator for Regional Dance America Festivals in the  Northeast and Southeast regions and throughout his career, 26 of his ballets were selected and presented in Regional Dance America Festivals. 

BBT first hired Jonathan to choreograph in 1993, creating a 1920’s inspired piece called “A Stomp, The Blues, and A Paper Moon”. He was hired again in 2008 when he created “Blue Songs” set to four Aretha Franklin songs. The piece was selected to be performed at the RDA/Northeast Festival in Dayton, Ohio. Sadly, Jonathan passed away a year later on January 10, 2009, at the age of 42 after complications from heart surgery. His smile and giving spirit were infectious and his talent was immense. 

The company wishes to thank Chet Walker for his blessing and support in our re-staging and presentation of Jonathan’s work. We are grateful for the opportunity our dancers have had to study the uniquely layered aspects of Jonathan’s vision, as the piece encompasses the universal human themes of both joy and pain told through the lens of young women stepping into their power after a season of darkness. To honor Jonathan’s memory in a way that is personal to his story-telling in “Blue Songs,” the company will be making a donation to “Safe Berks,” formerly Berks Women in Crisis.

“Blue Songs and its original cast were so special and I never thought we’d reset the piece. But everything happens for a reason and with former dancer Rachael Hart home in PA this past year, the timing just felt so right. It’s been an amazing experience watching the full-circle moment of Rachael teaching our current dancers Jonathan’s movement and she and I both felt so joyful passing on his creative genius to a new generation of dancers. And this new cast is absolutely amazing in this piece.” – Kelly Barber, Artistic Director

 

Some of Jonathan Phelps’s biographical info is courtesy of the Jacob’s Pillow Archive, https://archives.jacobspillow.org/Detail/entities/12266