Look who we ran into recently! We got the opportunity to have a chat with Roger Lee of Roger Lee Arts. We couldn’t wait to find out more about what the company was up to, their mission and how they plan to impact the community through dance. Of course I couldn’t let Roger get away without to inquiring about the costumes. There is something special about when the choreography, music, hair, makeup and costumes all come together. Let’s see what Roger had to say:
Tracey- How did Roger Lee Dance Company come about?
Roger:
Roger Lee Dance Company was born in 2012. It was the culmination of my love for choreography and performance. I stepped out on faith and produced our first concert in April 2012. This spring we are blessed to be celebrating our 5th anniversary and 10th concert series. My dance company has also performed for thousands of people at Philadanco’s Annual Founders Day Concert, 2016 WaWa Welcome America Festival, and 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Tracey- What is your Dance company’s mission?
Roger:
The mission of Roger Lee Dance Company is to provide professional dance performance for the community. We fulfill this mission by producing two concert series per year (spring and Christmas).
Tracey- Who do you admire in the dance industry?
Roger:
I admire many incredible people in the dance community including Joan Myers Brown, Debbie Allen, Mia Michaels, Alvin Ailey, and Alwin Nikolais.
Tracey- What is the Roger Lee Dance Company proudest achievement?
Roger:
Roger Lee Dance Company’s proudest accomplishment is performing for over 25,000 people at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Tracey- How important is hair, makeup and costumes to you ?
Roger:
Hair, makeup, and costumes are very important to the performance. I believe that dance is a visual art form. The visual elements are extremely important because they enhance the dance movement. Hair, makeup, and costumes takes dances to a polished performance quality. It is what separates a performance from a rehearsal, in my opinion.
Tracey- Do you offer classes? If so what kind?
Roger:
Yes, I offer a fun adult hip-hop dance class on Thursday nights, 7:15-8:15 pm at Equilibrium Dance Academy (1802 S. Broad Street, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19130).
Tracey- What projects are you currently working on?
Roger:
Roger Lee Dance Company is presenting its 5th anniversary at 10th concert series Timeless. The show is family-friendly, runs for around an hour, and ends with an inspiring question and answer session with the cast. The shows are Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20 at 8pm at Performance Garage (1515 Brandywine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130) and tickets cost $20 online at danceboxoffice.com and rogerleearts.com . We are also running a fundraiser for our 5th anniversary season where we hope to raise $5,000 this year. Please feel free to contribute any amount at https://www.gofundme.com/roger-lee-dance-co-5th-anniversary. Every dollar helps!
Tracey- Where do you see the Roger Lee Dance Company in the future?
Roger:
I see Roger Lee Dance Company continuing to produce our dance concert series for my hometown of Philadelphia, PA. We cannot do it without the support of our community. We appreciate each and every one of your contributions. God bless you all!
Tracey- Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Roger:
I am an award-winning entrepreneur, educator, author, speaker, and multi-disciplinary artist from Philadelphia, PA. As the owner of Roger Lee Arts, LLC, I lent my creative expertise to world-renowned brands including Philadanco, Joffrey Ballet School, Broadway Dance Center, WaWa Welcome America Festival, and Democratic National Convention. By the age of 26, I received over 10 awards, 50 media features, and three adjunct professor positions, wrote two self-published e-books, and gave a TEDx Talk. I earned my Master’s Degree in Arts Administration from Drexel University, Bachelor’s Degree in Dance and Media & Communication Studies from Ursinus College, and Diploma from Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.
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