Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE and PHILADANCO

The 92nd Street Y marked a significant milestone in dance history with an unforgettable performance celebrating the Harkness Dance Center’s 90th anniversary. The evening featured two iconic companies, Ronald K. Brown’s EVIDENCE performing Upside Down and PHILADANCO showcasing Talley Beatty’s Pretty is Skin Deep, Ugly is to the Bone. Allison Manning, co-executive director of 92NY, set the tone with a heartfelt welcome, inviting the audience to reflect on the immense dedication it takes to bring such culture-shaping artists to the stage.

When the curtain rose, an excited inhale overtook the audience. Energy was palpable as the EVIDENCE Ndancers dove deep into African diasporic rhythms mixed with contemporary movements. Upside Down reflected on shared histories and lineages, with each dancer embodying the themes of the work. The piece,
originally created in 1998, brings Brown back to the 92NY, where Judith Jamison first witnessed one of his rehearsals and invited him to create for the Alvin Ailey company.

The performance was a tribute to both the space and the lineage of dance that has shaped Brown’s career.
Everyone was immersed in an emotionally charged atmosphere, leaving all with an undeniable sense of greatness. Athleticism was married to musicality and soulfulness. Each layer in the groove of the music was tended to, with groups weaving between one another forging an intricate call and response relationship. Broken into two parts, each movement culminated as the group carried one of the male dancers. An emotional visual, he was lifted up on his back, arms wide, and soft, his head carefully cradled.

PHILADANCO’s performance marked a powerful debut at the 92NY. Known for its ethereal technical precision and dynamic energy, those traits were brought to life in Pretty is Skin Deep, Ugly is to the Bone, a piece by Talley Beatty, a 20th-century dance icon. Decked in bright, colorful unitards, the costumes amfplified and echoed the dance’s vibrancy.

From the moment they entered, the company flooded the stage with dynamic, high-energy movement that
never lost its artistic depth. Dancers held intense athleticism yet remained grounded in their storytelling, allowing the energy to stay true to the legacy. A dramatic, poetic ladder solo, Ghettoscape Ladder, interrupted the fast-paced group work. It is one thing to have a beautiful adagio, it is another to have a beautiful adagio atop a ladder.

When she hits a high battement, resting her heel on one of the rungs, all 4 men rush out onto the stage, snap u p the ladder, with her on topof it! It brings her into a split being carried high above the men’s shoulders and off into the wings. Wows and oos crackled throughout the audience.

Both Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE and PHILADANCO! delivered unforgettable performances, celebrating our rich dance heritage and the ongoing efforts of 92NY to bring powerful, transformative work to life. The evening served as a reminder of the importance of dance in holding space for cultural narratives, as well as an invitation to recognize the immense effort behind every performance.

EYE ON THE ARTS, NY — Emma Morris