DANIEL HARDER (Bowie, MD) began dancing at Suitland High School’s Center for the Visual and Performing Arts in Maryland. He is a graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance where he was awarded the Jerome Robbins/Layton Foundation Scholarship and participated in the Holland Dance Festival with the School and as a member of the Francesca Harper Project. Mr. Harder has worked with and performed works by Nacho Duato, William Forsythe, Donald McKayle, Debbie Allen, and Christopher L. Huggins. After dancing in the European tour of West Side Story, Mr. Harder became a member of Ailey II. He joined the Company in 2010.
Troy Powell remembers the late Alvin Ailey fondly. The legendary choreographer saw something in Powell at nine years old and recruited him for a children’s program after leading a masterclass at his elementary school. Perhaps that’s why, when asked about Ailey’s legacy, Powell says simply, “It's magical.”
WASHINGTON (ABC7) — As we honor Black History Month, we were happy to welcome back the historic Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. The company’s long-standing impact on ballet and promoting the African American experience is celebrating 60 years. Company members Courtney Celeste Spears and Daniel Harder offered a sneak peek at this week’s Kennedy Center showcase were. For more information, visit alvinailey.org.
Modern dance is waning in popularity, and young people don't seem to feel as connected with the work anymore. So what's a 60-year-old ballet company like Alvin Ailey to do to seem limber again?
