Contemporary dance in Alabama is characterized by history and tradition. For example, today's official American Folk Dance of Alabama is the square dance, and it has been recorded since 1651 in historical documents. In addition to folk dancing, Alabama also has a variety of professional and pre-professional dance organizations presenting shows throughout the year. A blend of the present and yesteryear, Alabama dance is perfectly balanced and appeals to any audience.
Dance Companies
Alabama has a variety of dance companies and troupes around the state. The Alabama Dance Company, headquartered in the downtown arts district of Mobile, is a modern dance company that includes students, professional, and guest artists. The company offers classes, performances, educational programs, and tours.
Also in Mobile is the Mobile Ballet Company, the premiere ballet company in the Gulf Coast area. The troupe presents full-length performances of ballet classics, including Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and The Nutcracker. The company also features visiting professional dancers and produces special events such as the Carnival of the Dance. The Mobile Ballet Company is associated with the Mobile Ballet School, and it draws on the school for promising dancers.
The Alabama Ballet is a professional company located in Birmingham, with a roster of professional dancers and apprentices from around the world. The company stages a series of productions throughout the year. With a reputation for high-quality dancers and leadership, the Alabama Ballet is well-respected in the ballet world.
The Alabama Dance Theatre, located in Montgomery, is a company that includes both professionals and students. The company performs contemporary and classical styles of dance and is housed in the Armory Learning Arts Center. Holiday and spring productions are staged each year, in addition to a free summer performance that is the culmination of a summer workshop program.
For a variety of professional dance performances, visitors can attend shows at the Alys Stephens Center for the Performing Arts in Birmingham. The Jamison Investment Company Movement and Magic Series hosts a variety of touring dance companies throughout the year to perform.
Visitors to Pelham can see the dancers of the Alabama Youth Ballet, which is a self-sustaining arm of the Stevan Grebel Center for Dance. The Alabama Youth Ballet was created to offer a training ground for up-and-coming ballet dancers for the future professional dance. Concentrating on the transition from class to stage, the company stages at least two major productions each year.
Other dance companies and schools of interest include the Natyanada Dance School in Birmingham, which teaches the traditional dance drama of South India, and the Poza: African Dance Troupe in the Shoals area, which combines rhythm, drum, and dance to tell a story. In Dothan, the Southeast Alabama Dance Company presents an annual production of The Nutcracker, in addition to a yearly spring performance.
Most of the colleges and universities in the state also have a dance program, and often present staged performances. These include Troy State, the University of Alabama, Auburn, Alabama State, and others. The metro areas in Alabama also host touring performances at local civic centers and performing arts centers.
Get involved
For those who want to put on their own dancing shoes, the annual Moon Over Three Caves Dance is held near Huntsville as a benefit for the Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama. The event is held at the historic Three Caves, which is a former quarry. It includes dinner and dancing, but tickets are pre-sold only, so visitors must purchase them in advance.
Another special event is the annual Gulf Coast Zydeco Music and Crawfish Festival, held each May in Daphne. This festival is centered around the Cajun culture with Zydeco dancing, lessons, and crawfish and is held at the Daphne Civic Center.
The Alabama Dance Council, headquartered in Birmingham, holds the annual Alabama Dance Festival each January. The festival features a variety of classes, workshops and performances by dance companies from around the state. New for the 2008 festival is Dance Across Birmingham, a day of free dance classes designed for non-dancers.
Visitors who enjoy ballroom styles can get involved in activities presented by any of several ballroom organizations in the state. Groups like the Birmingham Ballroom Dance Association, the Ballroom Club of Montgomery, and the North Alabama Dance Club in Florence hold a variety of classes, dances, and events around the region.
Alabama is an exciting state to visit, offering a variety of dance styles. Whether immersing oneself in the fairytale world of a staged ballet performance, slipping on dancing shoes for a Zydeco band, or doing the official folk dance of the state, Alabama has plenty for everyone.
Learn the history of music in Alabama.
