HBDA Retrospective

HBDA Retrospective somebody

A retrospective of 10 years of HBDA performances hosted by renown
tap dancer and dance historian, Chester Whitmore

 

THE
CREATIVES

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Ron Parker

Producer, Director and Narrator

 
 
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Chester Whitmore

Artistic Director and Host

 
 
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Ron recognized the cultural and historic value of Chester's choreography. 

He brought together a group of dancers, raised the funds and produced the first show for Black History Month 2011.

 

HBDA Retrospective 2021 Show Program (772.17 KB)
A Night at Club Alabam (2021) Show Program (198.3 KB)
Central Avenue Dance Ensemble
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A Night at Club Alabam

A Night at Club Alabam somebody

a night at club alabam

LA Dance Chronicle says ....

"What is Club Alabam? “A Night at Club Alabam” is a vintage nightclub floor show (using modern video technology) composed of the following: Singers, Chorus Girls, Tap Dancing, Vernacular Jazz Dances, Vaudeville Acts, Ballroom Dancing, and Exotic Dances: Arabian Sword Dance (with dancing girls!), Flamenco (with live guitarist!), Mambo Caliente, and Tango Milonga (with live pianist)"

Read the full LA Dance Chronicle Article >

Recorded Juneteenth 2021

If you attended the 2021 Live Webinar on Juneteenth you can log in with your e-mail address to watch. Your e-mail will be verified and a unique code for viewing will be sent to your registered e-mail address. Thank you for your support.

Download the show program >

MISSED THE LIVE WEBINAR?

You can still see the show by donating to support us.

A donation will register you and provide access to the two-hour plus video. Once your registration and donation are approved you will receive an e-mail with a unique code you can use above to watch.

​Download the show program >

 

 

Central Avenue Dance Ensemble
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About

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Ron PARKER

Ron is a Ballroom dancer and dance historian who came to dance from the world of business and was also swept up by the importance of educating the community on its dance history.  He has produced and directed the DBDA show for the past 10 years.

Ron was born, raised and educated in Loas Angeles.  Upon graduating from UCLA, Ron started a computer software business which he ran successfully for 20 years.  Around 2000, because of the changing demographics in the city, he decided to take up Salsa.  He went on to learn and master Ballroom, Argentine Tango and most of the partner social dances.  In 2003 Ron joined Chester Whitmore, who wanted to form an all-black Lindy Hop dance group.  They named it the Central Ave Dance Ensemble.  

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CHESTER WHITMORE

Chester is a world-renown choreographer, tap dance, lindy hop instructor and dance historian who toured the world with the original HBDA for over 15 years beginning in the late 1980s.  He is one of the last surviving members of the famed "Hoofers Club" and has studied under and worked with some of the greatest vernacular jazz dancers of the 20th century.  He has endevaored his entire career to preserve and promote American  vernacular jazz dances and their history.

Teaching assignments included Herrang (Sweden), and dance performances, Salzburg (Austria), the San Francisco Jazz Festive (1997), the Monterey Jazz Festival (1996), performing with veteran jazz greats Jon Hendricks and Joe Williams.  Mr. Whitmore is actively involved in projects reaching young people through Los Angeles Cultural Affairs evens ans performer or as teacher for the Parks and Recreation Divison, African Marketplace, and in schools and universities throughout the U.S. Chester Whitmore has taught almost everyone who has made a name in the swing scene.

 
 

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DONORS AND SPONSORS

Over the years, a lot of people have supported The History of Black Dance in America not only by purchasing tickets to performances, but also by direct donations of both time and money.  This list is way too numerous to list.  However, based upon past programs, here are some of the names that stand out:

Susan and Mark Fien, Donors

Natalie Linthorst, Donor

Doug Hammond, Donor

Deborah Fields Perez, By Your Side Dance Studio, Sponsor

Judy Pritchett, Frankie Manning Foundation, Donor

USA Dance - Los Angeles Chapter, Sponsor

Kickstarter Donors

Hatch Fund Donors
 

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PEOPLE
WHO JUST HELPED OUT

 

There are many, many people who just helped us out along the way. Some on staff, some on their own time because they believed in what we were doing. Again, too many names to list exhaustively, but here are many of the ones you will find in our past programs:

Gwen Allen, Fumi Bankole, Daniel Berney, Angela Billingsley, Paulette Brockington, James Burns, Laura Cannelias, Deja Colon, Charles Douglas, Lauren Duda, Karen Ellis, Rusty Frank, Gi Gi Gamble, Joan Gelin, Doug Hammond, Jane Hammond, Rosa Harris, James L. Hubbert, Alfredo Iraheta, Lori Landau, Macintosh County Shouters, Michael McCarrell, Sherrie Norwood, Gaida Paulovska, Deborah Fields Perez, Judy Pritchett, Joan Robinson, Prince Ross, Korinna Sehringer, Leba Shana, Joe Solario, Livia Squires, Barbara Stewart, Brendell Stewart, Josef Vinson, Xia Wang
 

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IN MEMORIAL

There are several people who helped us over the years who are no longer with us. We do cherish the memories of their time with us.

Lance Benishek, Choreographer, Dance Historian
(historical accuracy)

Marcia Gleason, Wardrobe
(and spirtual motivator)

Gayle Goodrich, Photogrpaher
(took photos for most of our shows)

MaDonna Grimes, Hip Hop and Fitness Legend
(honored at our 2016 show)

Paul and Arlene Kennedy, Universal Dance Designs
(rehearsals at their studio)

Lynn Posner, Dancer
(and beloved dance partner)

 

Central Avenue Dance Ensemble
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Donate

Donate somebody

DONATE

A donation will register you and provide access to the two-hour plus video. Once your registration and donation are approved you will receive an e-mail with a unique code you can use above to watch.

If you are wondering why you should donate, here is why - We lost everything in this fire. All our costumes, props, lighting, etc collected over 10 years gone in a flash.   We cannot perform the show again without your help and support.

November 23, 2020 (Gardena, CA) - A three-alarm fire broke out this afternoon in a Gardena storage facility and took more than two hours to extinguish, but no injuries were reported.  Within 15 minutes, the one-unit fire had spread to multiple units on the second floor, Lopez said. A second-alarm response was requested shortly after 2 p.m., followed by a third-alarm response about 2:45 p.m.

Please help us to not only tell the History of Black Dance in America but be able to perform it again in the near future.


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Central Avenue Dance Ensemble
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HBDA Gallery

HBDA Gallery somebody

HBDA gallery

history of black dance

The History of Black Dance in America (HBDA) is a multimedia dance show which explores the 200 year history of African-American Vernacular Jazz Dance in America. The show was performed by the Central Avenue Dance Ensemble (named after the historic African-American section of Los Angeles) live on-stage from 2011 until 2020. Many of these shows were videotaped with camcorders in the theaters, sometimes by paid staff, sometimes by random members of the audience.

The Best of HBDA is a retrospective of selections from these recordings -- the most popular, the most memorable and the sentimental favorites. The show is a unique combination of education and entertainment, the first of it’s kind for this particular subject. This retrospective will be hosted by the renowned tap dancer and dance historian, Chester Whitmore. He will give you a little perspective on the histories of the dances you will see re-created. He will also conduct a short Q&A at the end of the video screenings. He will be joined in this session by HBDA Producer, Director, Writer and Narrator, Ron Parker.

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Central Avenue Dance Ensemble
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Watch

Watch somebody

 

WATCH

Click here to watch the video

If you attended the 2021 Live Webinar during Black History Month you can log in with your e-mail address to watch. Your e-mail will be verified and a unique code for viewing will be sent to your registered e-mail address. Thank you for your support.

If you are not registered, donate below to register and watch.

 

DONATE

A donation will register you and provide access to the two-hour plus video. Once your registration and donation are approved you will receive an e-mail with a unique code you can use above to watch.

If you are wondering why you should donate, here is why - We lost everything in this fire. All our costumes, props, lighting, etc collected over 10 years gone in a flash.  Look at our Gallery to see just a little of what was lost.  We cannot perform the show again without your help and support.

November 23, 2020 (Gardena, CA) - A three-alarm fire broke out this afternoon in a Gardena storage facility and took more than two hours to extinguish, but no injuries were reported.  Within 15 minutes, the one-unit fire had spread to multiple units on the second floor, Lopez said. A second-alarm response was requested shortly after 2 p.m., followed by a third-alarm response about 2:45 p.m.

Please help us to not only tell the History of Black Dance in America but be able to perform it again in the near future.

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Central Avenue Dance Ensemble
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