B. Moore Dance unveils long-delayed tribute to soul singer Donny Hathaway
Bridget L. Moore’s long-simmering work about 1970s soul singer Donny Hathaway is finally making it to the stage. The multimedia production, featuring live music, spoken word and dance, pays homage to the artist perhaps best known for his duets with Roberta Flack (“The Closer I Get to You,” “Where Is the Love”) and was first conceived by the Dallas-based choreographer six years ago.
It was scheduled to premiere under a different title in 2020 as part of the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Elevator Project series, but the date was delayed due to the pandemic. The heart and soul of Donny Hathaway Three performances of B. Moore Dance are now scheduled at the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Moore was born and raised in Oak Cliff. He is a graduate of the school and former artistic director of the Dallas Black Dance Theater.
Vocalists include Booker T. singer Garry Williams and Miracle Foster (aka Mirek.el), who are accompanied by Kwinton Gray on keyboards. Brandon Goodluv brings spoken word to the performance, while Moore’s troupe dances their choreography. Moore says she discussed the project with Hathaway’s youngest daughter Donnita, who heads the Donny Hathaway Legacy Project.
This legacy has grown in importance over the years. Underappreciated at the time, Hathaway died in 1979, apparently by suicide. He was 33 years old.
Details
August 23 at 7:30 p.m. and August 24 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theater at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, 2501 Flora St. $30-$45. bmooredance.org.