Alvin Mayes
Alvin Mayes’ research involves making dance for diverse communities. 2012 and 2013 were particularly productive. Fall 2013 he was invited to create e a new work for Community College of Baltimore County Dream Catchers and to re stage Eireann Kente for The Maryland Youth Ballet for its spring 2014 season. In summer 2012 he was invited to Manta, Ecuador to work with contemporary dance company Compañía Ceibadanza. Los Ojos Sobre Manabí, which he created there was accepted into XI Festival Internacional “Fragmentos de Junio” 2013 in Guayaquil, Ecuador. In summer 2013 he received a grant from the Greenbaum Charitable Foundation to return to Ecuador to create a new work for the youth of Manta, Escenas del Oeste and a collaborative work with Compañía Ceibadanza: Momentos en Tiempo (por fotografías de nos famílias) and Desdamona.
He worked collaboratively with composer Bernard Meiterman creating a score for Shadow of the Shades for Montgomery College. For the School of Theatre, Dance and Performance studies he co-directed In the Red and Brown Water with Scot Reese winning “Best of 2012” honors by DCMetroTheaterArts. In the past Reese and Mayes collaborated on Sophisticated Ladies, The Colored Museum and Free to Sing for the opening of Strathmore Hall.
I have made new works for Montgomery College for since 1985. Some recent works there are Where Rivers Meet – 2012, Dreaming in Color 2011, Through Shadow and Light 2010; for Community College of Baltimore Dream Catchers 2013 and Early Fall 2011, which was performed for 10th anniversary of 9/11 in Baltimore; Anne Arundel Community College Red and Black Dance 2010
His other awards include the 2012 Outstanding Service Award by Maryland Council of Dance, 2011 Pola Nirenska Award for Lifetime Achievement in Dance, a number of Metro/DC Dance Awards, and Gold Medals in choreography in the JCC Maccabi Games and the World Cup for in Hawaii or acrobats Ethan Wilanski and Dave Anderson.
Education/Training:
B.S. in Mathematics, University of Michigan 1969, Teaching certification 1970. Modern dance Elizabeth Bergmann and Gloria Newman. Choreography with Gloria Newman and Phyllis Lamhut. Partnering and support with Antony Tudor and Gloria Newman.
Representative Productions:
Tahquamenon Falls, a contemporary ballet: commissioned by the Maryland Youth Ballet in 1993, reconstructed and performed at Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center in Rockville, MD, May 16 & 17, 2009.
Love Come Down: a dance concert with 22 dancers and 13 musicians; Dance Place, October 18 & 19, 2008.
Days of Stars, Moon and Dreams, "Evenings with my Dad viewing the northern night sky"; Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington in October 2007 The Colored Museum, April 19 – 28, 2007, and Sophisticated Ladies, October 17 – 25, 2003, choreographer; Scot Reese, Director, University of Maryland Department of Theatre.
Representative Publications/Research Activities:
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, a multicultural, multigenerational non-auditioned and volunteer theater group performing Gilbert and Sullivan.
I work with a team of students from the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington preparing them for the Maccabi Games, which have been in Irvine, CA, Memphis, TN, New York, NY, Detroit, MI, Houston, TX, and Rockville, MD Montgomery College Dance Company: Each spring I choreograph a work for the company, which include Ellipse, Eclipse 2009, Brentwood Sway 2007, and Kender in the Woods 2005.
Representative Publications/Research Activities:
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, a multicultural, multigenerational non-auditioned and volunteer theater group performing Gilbert and Sullivan.
I work with a team of students from the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington preparing them for the Maccabi Games, which have been in Memphis, TN, New York, NY, Detroit, MI, Houston, TX, and Rockville, MD Montgomery College Dance Company: Each spring I choreograph a work for the company, which include Ellipse, Eclipse 2009, Brentwood Sway 2007, and Kender in the Woods 2005
Honors and Awards:
2013 Greenbaum Charitable Foundation Grant to work with children where dance is less assessable.
2012 Outstanding Service Award by Maryland Council of Dance.
2011 Pola Nirenska Award for Life Achievement in Dance presented by Washington performing Arts society.
2009 Metro DC Dance Award for Tahquamenon Falls staged on the Maryland Youth Ballet.
2008 Edgeworks Dance Ensemble Men of Honor Recipient for leadership and involvement in the Greater Washington Metro community.
2007 Metro DC Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance Education.
2004 American College Dance Festival, East Central Region, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan - Adjudicator.
2003 Distinguished Scholar-Teacher Award for the Center of Teaching Excellence at the University of Maryland.
1996 Arts Achievement Award presented by Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.
July 14, 1994 - The National Dance Association Plaudit Award
January 23, 1986 - The Michigan Dance Association Plaudit Award for contributions to Dance and Dance Education