S2E8 - African Dance & Ballet: A Conversation With Regina Perry-Carr, Former Artistic Director Of Muntu Dance Theatre & Elaine Blair, Director Of The Sammy Dyer School Of The Theatre

The Either/And Podcast w/ Bril Barrett

Episode Notes

African Dance & Ballet: A Conversation With Regina Perry-Carr & Elaine Blair

Regina Perry-Carr, Former Artistic Director of Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago (MDT). Perry-Carr is the 4th Artistic Director in the notable, historic forty-nine year old organization. A native of Chicago,IL, Perry-Carr began her formal dance training with her mother Regina Taitts and ballet instructor, Charlene Rose(Cecchetti technique) at the age of three. Perry-Carr continuously trained in dance throughout elementary school and high school under the tutelage of her mother's dance program located in the Oak Park YMCA and with Nunufatima created by Taitts. In 1991,she began training with Najwa Dance Corps and Mama Andrea Vinson. In 1994, Perry-Carr was accepted into the workshop training program of Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago under the direction of Mama Amaniyea Payne.

Perry-Carr owes much of her training & development in Muntu, to Mama Vaune Blalock, former principal dancer of MDT. Perry-Carr advanced through the ranks of the Muntu becoming an apprentice and in 1998 matriculating to the main company becoming one of their full-time teaching artists and principal dancers. Perry-Carr began teaching and performing nationally and internationally with Muntu and later independently.

After taking leave from the company, in 2008 Perry-Carr founded and served as Artistic Director of Nunufatima Dance and Crafts Company, a non-profit performing arts and education organization dedicated to educating, entertaining and cultivating community through all forms of performing arts. Perry-Carr has performed for numerous venues, which include theater, television and film. Her teaching and choreographic credits include elementary and high school, park districts, arts organizations, dance studios, professional dance companies, and theatrical productions. Perry-Carr was able to study and dance with African Dance legends; Baba Chuck Davis, Arthur Hall, Baba Kwame Ishangi, Papa Abdoulaye Camara, Mama Amaniyea Payne, Idy Ciss and Moustapha Bangoura. Regina is a dancer extraordinaire, believing dance is not only movement but requires body, mind,and spirit. Regina is commended for having a beautiful poise which radiates the stage and warms the hearts of those seeking to learn the technique and the beauty of African dance. Perry-Carr is credited with being a wife, mother, dancer, choreographer, director and producer. Perry-Carr has thirty plus years of training and twenty-four years of teaching experience in West African Dance. She has grown to understand being a lifelong student of this ancient and amazing art form called African Diasporic Dance is an honor. Perry-Carr has spent more than thirty years honing her dance craft. She thrives teaching and empowering others through movement and song. As the Artistic Director of Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago, she passionately teaches about cultural transformation, understanding, and education of our rich African and African American dance traditions.

Elaine Blair is a native of Chicago, IL. She began her training at the age of 10 at a south side YMCA under the direction of Enid Collins. She later trained at the Sammy Dyer School of the Theatre learning many genres of dance under the tutelage of Shirley Hall-Bass. She went on to study with Joel Hall, Homer Bryant, Alvin Ailey School (NY) and attended Columbia College (Chicago) where she earned a BFA degree in Dance Teaching emphasis. During her performing years, one notable performance was the opening act for Sister Sledge and the Spinners at the Arie Crown Theater. Her television and film performances were "Dance Fever" and "Rappin Roots". Elaine has taught many workshops in Chicago, the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance School in Denver, CO, and has taught and performed in many cultural exchange programs in Nassau, Bahamas with the Bahamas Dance School. In 1992, Elaine received the Talented Teachers award from the Whirlwind Performance Company and in 2002 was nominated for the Golden Apple Teachers award. Her professional career was a teacher in the Chicago Public school system for 29 years. For the last 26 years she was the director of the dance department at Carver Military Academy where she exposed students to various genres of dance and theatrical productions. She retired in July, 2021. Being part of the Sammy Dyer School of the Theatre for over 30 years, she has taught Ballet, Jazz, and choreographed annual productions and competitions. After many years of training alongside the former Director Muriel Foster, Elaine looks forward to continuing the legacy of the 90 year old training school along with Sammy Dyer's talented creative team to reach 100 years.

Produced by Vanessa Abron - [e-mail] Edited by Tristan Bruns - [e-mail] Recorded On Location at The M.A.D.D. Rhythms Podcast Network Located Inside The Harold Washington Cultural Center

https://www.maddrhythms.com/m-a-d-d-rhythms-podcast-network

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