It just got easier to explore the performance history of some of North Texas’ best dance and music.
Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) is launching DBDT On-Demand Collection, a library of works performed by DBDT, DBDT: Encore!, and DBDT Academy. The COVID pandemic spurred the dance company to present selected works on-demand. Since July 2020, DBDT’s digital offerings have reached patrons from 34 countries and 38 states, expanding the dance company’s audience significantly.
View the DBDT On-Demand Collection here
"We want to share our most beloved dance works with audiences who may not be able to see us at an in-person performance. Our data on our virtual audience shows 70 percent are from 200 miles outside of Dallas, 60 percent are from outside of Texas, and 40 percent are brand new audience members,” said Zenetta S. Drew, DBDT’s Executive Director.
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Melissa M. Young, DBDT's Artistic Director, has selected a collection of audience favorites to feature during Black History Month 2023 and will continue to add to the catalog of DBDT's On-Demand Collection in the future. Three of the most dynamic works available for viewing now are Beams from Heaven by Christopher L. Huggins, Nineteenth by Nycole Ray, and Awassa Astrige/Ostrich by Asadata Dafora. Complimentary bonus videos will be included in the collection as well.
The dance company also launched a new digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and cultural app created by Bloomberg Philanthropies. DBDT is the first dance company available on the app, joining more than 160 other cultural organizations with guides available on Bloomberg Connects.
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The arts app makes the dance company accessible for either onsite or offsite visits through video, and photo features about the company‘s performances, history, leadership, dancers, innovation, choreographers, touring calendar, and glimpses behind the scenes.
“Bloomberg Connects enables audiences worldwide to virtually experience Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s performances, historical archives, and access to the DBDT On-Demand Collection,” Drew said. “We are excited to be a part of this ‘art and culture without walls‘ concept that Bloomberg Philanthropies is providing as a part of its mission to bring the love of art into the lives of everyone.”
The app is available for download from Google Play or the App Store or by visiting Bloomberg Connects
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is opening a new archival reading room in the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. The reading room, made possible with support from Joanne Bober, Diane and Hal Brierley, Yon Jorden and Cece Smith and Ford Lacy, is located on the lower level of the hall near the Guest Services Center in the space previously occupied by the Symphony Store.
The reading room features historical documents, past program books, and several pieces of memorabilia. There will also be rotating exhibits from the orchestra’s history. Visitors will also be able to watch archival news programs, interviews with artists, and past audio and video performances.
Several documents are on loan from the archives of Morton H. Meyerson. Visitors may view original acoustical sketches and recommendations for the Eugene McDermott Concert Hall, historic press clippings from the launch and correspondence to and from Meyerson regarding the construction of the Meyerson Symphony Center.
“The Dallas Symphony Orchestra has a rich history since its launch in 1900. I was surprised when I arrived that a formal archives had not been perpetuated at the organization,” said Kim Noltemy, Ross Perot President & CEO of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. “We are thankful that we now have the support to launch a full archival program and display fascinating pieces from our history to the public.”
The reading room is the first step in a larger archival program led by Denise McGovern, Vice President of Communications & Media, and Karen Schnackenberg, Principal Librarian (Jessie D. & E. B. Godsey Chair).
Schnackenberg’s 32-year tenure at the DSO has provided her with a keen knowledge of the history of the organization and the personnel who made events happen. McGovern’s experience in media drew her to find a method to exhibit audio and visual materials that showcase the performances from the ensemble’s history. McGovern and Schnackenberg have worked together for the last three years.
“I knew that the reading room needed a way to listen and watch the concerts we have performed throughout our history and present media that wasn’t on paper,” said McGovern. “Visitors to the room at launch will be able to view news broadcasts from the opening of the Meyerson, listen to Eduardo Mata’s final performance as Music Director of the DSO, view Fabio Luisi’s first concert after being named Music Director and watch interviews with past orchestra members.”
The archival work revealed a pervasive problem: hundreds of the orchestra’s performances have been recorded on obsolete media. Without intervention, the performances could be lost to time. A grant from the Summerlee Foundation, an organization dedicated to the preservation of Texas history, helps the orchestra begin to digitize the audio catalog, preserving it for future generations.
“This is an evolving project, but an important one for the DSO,” Noltemy said. “Our current performances, initiatives and programs are built on the work that was done in the past by hundreds of musicians, supporters, and audience members. I look forward to learning more about the incredible history of the DSO and sharing it with the citizens of Dallas.”
Learn more: Dallas Symphony Orchestra
