He trained at the Philadelphia Dance Company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, the Martha Graham Center for Contemporary Dance, the Paul Taylor School, the Juilliard School, Jacob’s Pillow, the Pennsylvania Ballet School, and the International Ballet Theatre School.Īs an educator, he is on faculty at The Ailey School, Steps on Broadway, and Harlem School for the Arts. Shaheed's life had long been building to this moment, and his academic history is as impressive as his professional.Īt 13, he was accepted to the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, then studied in the Philadelphia Dance Company’s (PHILADANCO) Training & Instruction program. Here is an artist to pay attention to, to what he has been doing, and how it opens up that all of us seek and want joy, especially in a society that'd often so polarized." "Part of the reason I wanted to write about him was to say, joy is a thing to use as a connection, as an inspiration, as an outcome. "He has been working for the better part of 60 years, and has always worked in joy," Shaheed said. I then used joy as a method as a theoretical framework to analyze Myers, and to argue that all of his work was always about joy. Not relative to the piece, but feeling joyous. "Doing the research, the history, the interviews, what came up was the title of his work called "Joy." All of my interview participants kept using the word joy. "In scholarly textbooks, there's not much written about him," Shaheed said. program, Peridance, STEPS on Broadway, The Juilliard School and at Jacob's Pillow, where he has coached and mentored dancers for 36 years. Myers is resident choreographer and instructor for PHILADANCO! and is on faculty at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. Shaheed's research and dissertation were on another dance pioneer: choreographer Milton Myers, who lives and works in New York City. I'm grateful to be a pioneer, to walk in the footsteps of other pioneers."
It's not lost on me that had those pioneers – to use that word purposefully – not built this program, perhaps I wouldn't have a chance to get a PhD in dance. The continuation of that legacy is where TWU is situated, where this dance program continues to push boundaries of inclusivity so that a Black man can come to the university and write a dissertation. "University dance programs were started by women. "In the field of dance, a lot of the doors early on were opened by women," he said. Shaheed shattered one of them when he became the first Black male to earn a PhD in dance at TWU. I'm so excited, I can't believe it."Įven at a university that prides itself on diversity and inclusion, there remain barriers to break. "I didn’t even have enough time to wait for the elevator to take me downstairs," Shaheed said.Ī few minutes later, the verdict was rendered. Then he was excused for the committee to consider its judgement. This summer, Shaheed went before an audience of more than 100 people – some on zoom and some in person – on the Texas Woman's University campus to present his dissertation before defending it in private session. He is founder and executive artistic director of his own company, Dance Iquail.īut it's rare for him to perform standing still. He has been in Broadway productions including Hot Feet, The Lion King and Purlie, and in film and television.
He has performed professionally with Compagnie Thor in Brussels, the Sean Curran Company, Ronald K Brown/ Evidence and the Fred Benjamin Dance Company. The 38-year-old dancer has an illustrious résumé.
J– DENTON – Iquail Shaheed is no stranger to the stage. All three suspects have been charged with murder.Meet TWU's first Black male doctor of dance Iquail Shaheed The suspects then fled from the scene and were later arrested in Georgia. Walton can later be seen knocking Prejean out, at which point all three suspects began kicking and punching him in the head. Prejean can be seen pushing Williams at one point, and police say that’s when the fight started. Mesquite police have since arrested three suspects - Xzaviour Williams, 20 Darius Williams, 26 and Cameron Walton, 26.Īccording to the ABC affiliate, surveillance footage showed Prejean arguing with the suspects as they were walking away from the basketball courts.
Prejean was found unresponsive on the floor near the basketball court and was eventually transported to a local hospital. When officers arrived at the scene, witnesses said off-duty security guard, Patrick Prejean, had been assaulted by multiple people. The fight took place at Fitness Connection gym in Mesquite on January 22. Recently released court records reveal that a fight over a basketball game at a Texas gym led to the death of an off-duty security guard.
0 kommentar(er)
