How to go
What: “Street Beats”
Where: Carillon Park, 1000 Carillon Park Blvd., Dayton
When: Friday; Venue opens at 5:30 p.m.; Concert begins at 7:30 p.m. rain or shine.
Cost: $25; Children ages 5 and under will be admitted free.
Tickets: Call Ticket Center Stage (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com
FYI: Patrons are advised to bring a lawn chair or blanket. No pets or coolers allowed.
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company will incorporate a street fair essence into its unique brand of African-American contemporary dance for its aptly titled “Street Beats” concert Friday at Carillon Park.
Postponed last season due to ongoing construction at Carillon Park, “Street Beats” will feature works by such choreographers as Stafford Berry and Kiesha Lalama while also spotlighting guest companies such as SMAG Dance Collective and Chenaulte Dancers. At the same rate, the concert seeks to entice the public with a family-friendly flair intended to provide a greater connection between patrons and the organization. The personable event will allow patrons to get to know the dancers better while providing an assortment of fun options for children.
“I enjoy opportunities to feature DCDC outdoors,” said artistic director Debbie Blunden-Diggs. “Carillon Park is a beautiful setting and will be perfect for the event. The performance portion will be great, but there will also be a lot of activities for kids as well as food trucks and vendors. We also plan to have a mini zumba and mini hip-hop class that will be open to everyone. We’ll also have balloon artists and face painters on hand. We want this event to have the feeling of a mini, outside street fair. I like to think of this event as DCDC’s last summertime fling since summer seems to have gotten away from all of us this year.”
Blunden-Diggs is also ecstatic about the recent renovation of DCDC’s studios at 840 Germantown Street, which has housed the troupe since 2010. She is pleased and grateful for the generous support from the community to ensure the organization would be able to fully operate and create in surroundings that showcased them in the best possible fashion.
“We’re finally in a place that feels like it’s ours,” she said. “It doesn’t feel like we’re putting on someone else’s coat for we walk into the studio now and it feels like our own coat. We always wanted to have a studio that suited a nationally-recognized dance company. And sometimes it just takes the time that it takes. But the space is beautiful, our dancers love it, and we’re looking forward to growing there in the future.”
Looking ahead, Blunden-Diggs emphasizes the importance of providing entertainment for patrons, particularly with concerts saluting Motown, Duke Ellington and Broadway. She says “Street Beats” will be an effective preview of what lies in store this season.
“I want people to realize that dance, even in its purest art form, is entertainment,” she said. “I think some people view dance, particularly contemporary dance, in the same way they view contemporary art. I feel they believe you have to be a part of an elitist group that really knows about it. So, our goal this season is to make sure our audience is entertained every time we take the stage. I’ve chosen programs this season that will hopefully help lead audiences to us from an entertainment standpoint. I want people to see DCDC who haven’t seen us before.”
About the Author