Ron Brown seeks Common Ground

It seems almost surreal that contemporary dance celebrity Ronald K. Brown has been frequenting campus to choreograph a piece for Duke students. In addition to his own dance company, Evidence, Brown has choreographed works for Alvin Ailey [see neighboring story], Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Jeune ballet d'Afrique Noire and countless others. Brown is the recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York Foundation for the Arts. He has recently been heralded as one of the most profound choreographers of the modern dance generation by the New York Times. Fiercely in demand as a choreographer, Duke and the surrounding communities have eagerly awaited his arrival.

Assistant Professor of Dance, Ava Vinesett, explained that students were invited to participate in a three-day workshop with Brown in October. It was from this workshop that the dancers for Brown's piece, titled Common Ground, were selected. Brown visited campus this past weekend to work for four days with this selected group, and their piece will be performed in its entirety this March.

Brown is careful to explain that he wants his dancers to experience more than merely memorizing the intricate steps for a performance. He said that every movement tells a story and that he works hard to relate this concept to his dancers. "Executing the step is one thing, but understanding and feeling what is behind it is another," he noted. Dancer Victor Jeffreys explains "at first I was really nervous about getting the steps, but Ron would have a story for the movements, and now I realize how much that makes sense."

Evidence is renowned for its electrifying shows that are frequently categorized as African dance. As Vinesett describes, Brown's piece combines African, modern and ballet dancers. This variety of dancers makes Brown's piece remarkable. Brown's choreography is renowned for providing the audience with an explosive and electrifying performance, and Common Ground does just that.

While Brown's dancers were quick to praise him for his patience, Brown describes himself as demanding. "I teach classes and work all day long. When the day ends I'm tired, yet I still go and take dance classes. I encourage my company members to do the same. Dance is something you always have to be learning and exploring."