
Christopher McDaniel, photo by Michelle James
Hello friends and fans of DTH. My name is Christopher McDaniel and I am a member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble. We recently embarked on the second leg of our Dance For America Tour. The first stop is Bellingham, Washington. Then we are off to Oregon and California. Join me as I chronicle our adventures.
Day 1 – Uneventful long travel day. In the rain!
Day 2 – This stretch of touring is off to a wonderful start! My nerves were on a rollercoaster the entire day leading up to the performance of Robert Garland’s new pas de deux “Hallmark”. We had a very calm and productive spacing rehearsal wherein my partner Renee Bharath helped me to relax. It made me confident that the show would go well. And it did!
There was such a rush of positive and encouraging energy from the audience at the Mount Baker Theatre in Bellingham, Washington! As I shot out of the wing for the very first run, my nerves were gone, but I was able to put myself into the moment and into the ballet. Twas quite a surreal experience. I Left the theatre that night knowing I was a dancer for sure! Getting on that stage and being able to perform such amazing ballets, makes all the difficult travel hours and conditions so worth it! I am excited for what’s to come on the remainder of the DTH Ensemble’s tour!