Daniel Lewis (choreographer)
Encyclopedia
Daniel Lewis is a choreographer and author
, and Dean of Dance at the New World School of the Arts
. Internationally recognized dancer, teacher, choreographer and author
in 1962 and Juilliard in 1967. For twelve years beginning in 1962, he danced with the José Limón
Dance Company originating many roles. As Limón's assistant, Lewis completed the choreography of the Waldstein Sonata, which Limón had not finished before his death. In addition Mr. Lewis danced with the companies of Ruth Currier, Felix Fibich, Stuart Hodes, Sofie Maslow, David Wood, Norman Walker, Matthew Diamond, Charles Weidman
, Anna Sokolow
, American Dance Theater, The Juilliard Dance Ensemble, Contemporary Dance System, Daniel Lewis Dance, plus others. He danced in the Yiddish Theatre
from 1960-64. He danced in the CBS Productions of AND DAVID WEPT, choreography by José Limón, DREAMS, choreography Anna Sokolow, and many LAMP UNTO MY FEET, CAMERA THREE, and PBS, WNET (NYC) programs.
, at the Juilliard School
between 1984-87. He was also an Adjunct Professor at New York University
and a Professor at Amherst College
for six years while his company was in residence there.
In 1987, Lewis joined the New World School of the Arts
of the Miami Dade College
as founding Dean of the Dance Department
. He created the dance division's eight-year Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) program which begins in the ninth grade. In 1988, he formed Miami Dance Futures, Inc., a production company for the Miami Balanchine Conference, the Dance History Scholars’ Conference, the National High School Dance Festival and the Modern Dance Sampler.
and Doris Humphrey
for the Hong Kong academy of the Performing Arts, Miami City Ballet, The National Ballet School, The London Schhool of Contemporary Dance, The American Dance Festival, Royal Danish Ballet
Royal Swedish Ballet
, American Ballet Theatre
, Batsheva Dance Company, National Ballet of Canada
, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.
, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre
, the American Ballet Theatre
, the National Ballet of Canada
, He has been commissioned to create works by many companies including the Dallas Civic Opera
, the American Opera Center at Lincoln Center, the Juilliard School
and the University of California
.
, dance panelist and adviser to the Canada Council
and the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs. Members of the Council of Arts Accrediting Associations (CAAA)
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and Dean of Dance at the New World School of the Arts
New World School of the Arts
New World School of the Arts is a public magnet high school and college in Downtown Miami, Florida with dual-enrollment programs in visual arts, dance, theatre, musical theatre, instrumental music, and vocal music. Both the college and the high school are accredited by the Southern Association of...
. Internationally recognized dancer, teacher, choreographer and author
Dancer
Lewis was born in Brooklyn, New York; he graduated from the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing ArtsFiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts is a high school specializing in teaching visual arts and performing arts, located near Lincoln Center and the Juilliard School in the Lincoln Center district of Manhattan, on Amsterdam Avenue...
in 1962 and Juilliard in 1967. For twelve years beginning in 1962, he danced with the José Limón
José Limón
José Arcadio Limón was a pioneer in the field of modern dance and choreography. In 1928, at age 20, he moved to New York City where he studied under Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman. In 1946, Limón founded the José Limón Dance Company...
Dance Company originating many roles. As Limón's assistant, Lewis completed the choreography of the Waldstein Sonata, which Limón had not finished before his death. In addition Mr. Lewis danced with the companies of Ruth Currier, Felix Fibich, Stuart Hodes, Sofie Maslow, David Wood, Norman Walker, Matthew Diamond, Charles Weidman
Charles Weidman
Charles Weidman is a renowned choreographer, modern dancer and teacher. He is well known as one of the pioneers of Modern Dance in America. He wanted to break free from the traditional movements of dance forms popular at the time to create a uniquely American style of movement...
, Anna Sokolow
Anna Sokolow
Anna Sokolow was a Jewish American dancer and choreographer.-Training:...
, American Dance Theater, The Juilliard Dance Ensemble, Contemporary Dance System, Daniel Lewis Dance, plus others. He danced in the Yiddish Theatre
Yiddish theatre
Yiddish theatre consists of plays written and performed primarily by Jews in Yiddish, the language of the Central European Ashkenazi Jewish community. The range of Yiddish theatre is broad: operetta, musical comedy, and satiric or nostalgic revues; melodrama; naturalist drama; expressionist and...
from 1960-64. He danced in the CBS Productions of AND DAVID WEPT, choreography by José Limón, DREAMS, choreography Anna Sokolow, and many LAMP UNTO MY FEET, CAMERA THREE, and PBS, WNET (NYC) programs.
Academician
Lewis joined the dance faculty of the Juilliard School in 1967, and was Assistant to the Director of the Dance, Martha HillMartha Hill
Martha Hill was one of the most influential American dance instructors in history. She was the first Director of Dance at the Juilliard School, and held that position for almost 35 years.-Biography:...
, at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
between 1984-87. He was also an Adjunct Professor at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and a Professor at Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
for six years while his company was in residence there.
In 1987, Lewis joined the New World School of the Arts
New World School of the Arts
New World School of the Arts is a public magnet high school and college in Downtown Miami, Florida with dual-enrollment programs in visual arts, dance, theatre, musical theatre, instrumental music, and vocal music. Both the college and the high school are accredited by the Southern Association of...
of the Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College, or simply Miami Dade or MDC, is a state college with eight campuses and twenty-one outreach centers located throughout Miami-Dade County, Florida in the United States. It is part of the Florida College System. Miami Dade College is the largest school in the Florida College...
as founding Dean of the Dance Department
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
. He created the dance division's eight-year Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) program which begins in the ninth grade. In 1988, he formed Miami Dance Futures, Inc., a production company for the Miami Balanchine Conference, the Dance History Scholars’ Conference, the National High School Dance Festival and the Modern Dance Sampler.
Choreographer
From 1966 to 1988 Mr. Lewis choreographed 24 choreographic works for such schools and companies as, Towson State College, Swarthmore College, The José Limón Dance Company, Barnard College, Teachers' College, The University of Michigan, Hampshire College, The New World School of the Arts, The Juilliard School, The University of Calgary, Portland State, American Wind Symphony, Lincoln Center Student Programs, Reed College, UCLA, Tsoying Senior High School, Daniel Lewis Dance, Contemporary Dance System, New World School of the Arts, as well as companies in South America and England. He choreographed operas for the American Opera Center at Lincoln Center, The Houston Grand Opera, and the Dallas Civic Opera.Director and Reconstructor
He has staged and directed the works of José LimónJosé Limón
José Arcadio Limón was a pioneer in the field of modern dance and choreography. In 1928, at age 20, he moved to New York City where he studied under Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman. In 1946, Limón founded the José Limón Dance Company...
and Doris Humphrey
Doris Humphrey
Doris Batcheller Humphrey was a dancer and choreographer of the early twentieth century. Humphrey was born in Oak Park, Illinois but grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She was the daughter of Horace Buckingham Humphrey and Julia Ellen Wells and was a descendant of pilgrim William Brewster...
for the Hong Kong academy of the Performing Arts, Miami City Ballet, The National Ballet School, The London Schhool of Contemporary Dance, The American Dance Festival, Royal Danish Ballet
Royal Danish Ballet
The Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, it originates from 1748, when the Royal Danish Theatre was founded, and was finally organized in 1771 in response to the great popularity of French and Italian styles of dance...
Royal Swedish Ballet
Royal Swedish Ballet
The Royal Swedish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in Europe. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, King Gustav III founded the ballet in 1773 as a part of his national cultural project in response to the French and Italian dominance in this field; he also founded the Royal Swedish Opera and the...
, American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
, Batsheva Dance Company, National Ballet of Canada
National Ballet of Canada
The National Ballet of Canada is Canada's largest ballet troupe. It was founded by Celia Franca in 1951 and is based in Toronto, Ontario. Based upon the unity of Canadian trained dancers in the tradition and style of England's Royal Ballet, The National is regarded as one of the premier classical...
, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.
Other achievements
He has staged works for such companies as the Royal Swedish BalletRoyal Swedish Ballet
The Royal Swedish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in Europe. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, King Gustav III founded the ballet in 1773 as a part of his national cultural project in response to the French and Italian dominance in this field; he also founded the Royal Swedish Opera and the...
, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre
Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey, Jr. was an American choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York. Ailey is credited with popularizing modern dance and revolutionizing African-American participation in 20th century concert dance...
, the American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
, the National Ballet of Canada
National Ballet of Canada
The National Ballet of Canada is Canada's largest ballet troupe. It was founded by Celia Franca in 1951 and is based in Toronto, Ontario. Based upon the unity of Canadian trained dancers in the tradition and style of England's Royal Ballet, The National is regarded as one of the premier classical...
, He has been commissioned to create works by many companies including the Dallas Civic Opera
Dallas Opera
The Dallas Opera is an opera company located in Dallas, Texas . The company was founded in 1957 as the Dallas Civic Opera by Laurence Kelly and Nicolà Rescigno, both of whom had been active with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the first as administrator, the second as artistic director.-The company's...
, the American Opera Center at Lincoln Center, the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
and the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
.
Affiliations
He is a President of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Schools of Dance, has served as a dance panelist on the Fulbright Screening Committee and for the National Endowment for the ArtsNational Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
, dance panelist and adviser to the Canada Council
Canada Council
The Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown Corporation established in 1957 to act as an arts council of the government of Canada, created to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. It funds Canadian artists and...
and the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs. Members of the Council of Arts Accrediting Associations (CAAA)
Awards/recognition
- the "Gold Medal for Lifelong Achievement in Dance" from the National Society of Arts and LettersNational Society of Arts and LettersThe National Society of Arts and Letters, known as the NSAL, is a non-profit group founded in 1944 that assists promising young artists through arts competitions, scholarships and other career opportunities.- National Career Awards Competition :...
(1990) - "Outstanding Service Award" from the Florida Dance Association (1991 and 2000)
- the "Florida Arts Recognition Award" from the Florida Arts Council (2001).
- "Honorary Chairmanship of dance4life" (2002)
- "Lifetime achievement award" and the "Nancy Smith Award" at the Florida Dance Festival (2002)
- "Lifetime achievement award" from the National Dance Educators Organization (2011)
Published works
- The Illustrated Dance Technique of Jose Limon, Princeton Book Company Publishers, ISBN 0-87127-209-1(also translated in German, Spanish and Japanese)
- Dance in Hispanic Cultures, M.E. Sharpe (June 1, 1994) ISBN 3-7186-5534-9
External links
- New World School of Arts faculty bio
- Miami Dance Futures
- DANCE: 5 by Daniel Lewis Company, New York Times article, March 7, 1981
- DANCE: Daniel Lewis and Anna Sokolow, New York Times article, January 22, 1984
- "NWSA to honor Daniel Lewis for 24 years as dance dean" Biscayne Bay Tribune
- "Lord of the Dance"
- "Dance Magazine May 2011"
- "Miami Herald June 2011"
- "Dance Teacher Mag february 2011"