The DCDC performs at McNicholas in memory of Maya Angelou

The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC) has been using dance and song as an enriched learning “rooted in the African American experience since 1968”¹. There are multiple dance companies within DCDC: DCDC professional, Jeraldyne Blunden Fellows, and DCDC2.

DCDC’s professional company has traveled the world performing to packed audiences. DCDC2 made a particular stop in Cincinnati, Ohio to perform for McNicholas High School on March 8, 2024.

At their McNicholas performance, choreographed by Shonna Hickman-Matlock, Director of DCDC2 and Arts Enrichment Programs, the dance was dedicated to Maya Angelou. Angelou is a famous songwriter, poet, dancer, and activist, which they made clear in the biographical dance. The dance included segments that illustrated key parts of Maya Angelou’s life, speeches, and writings to bring attention to the impact she had on the world.

Hickman-Matlock, sister of Eric Hickman who teaches biology and environmental science at McNicholas, states, “I, from as far back as I can remember as a little girl, was amazed by Maya Angelou. Her ability to have such a love for all people, matter what color, no matter what age, no matter economic status, she was about humanity.”

Many parts of the dance highlight this, including the constant words “I rise” from her famous poem “And Still I Rise” throughout which emphasize Angelou’s characteristic of resilience in the face of the world’s cruelty. The dancers used the beat of Angelou’s words to create movements symbolizing her use of voice by raising their hands in the air towards the sky.

A picture of the dancers from DCDC2 raising their arms and hands to show Maya Angelou’s use of voice. The action occurs while a powerful speech of Angelou’s plays in the background.

Another point emphasized in the dance was Maya Angelou’s belief that one should not hide but acknowledge the past to move forward for the better. Hickman-Matlock states, “I had the opportunity to meet her, and she was humble. She was about truth and honesty, accountability, learning, and growth as a human being and about giving back. So, I wanted to honor her.” This interaction inspired Hickman-Matlock to include the section of choreography to Maya Angelou’s work that the whole dance ensemble agreed was impactful and inspirational for this dance project to the words, “I am a human being, nothing human is alien to me.”

One of the dancers, Fara², agreed, stating “Maya Angelou, she used her art as a conduit for, like…it is something that brought life. She used art to bring life and healing to the world community, but not only to her community. As Shonna was saying just now, you know, to the wider world, she was a humanitarian. Nothing human is alien to me.”

DCDC2 hopes to honor Maya Angelou and her work and teachings with this dance. They hope to convey Maya Angelou’s teachings of the importance of valuing and embracing each other above all else. “I felt like she was a great loss to the world, but her legacy lives on through her words, the films, the music, and so we keep Maya and her wisdom and her visions of life by talking about her. And I could do that best through dance,” states Hickman-Matlock.

Although they wish for this dance work to inspire those who’ve witnessed it, they acknowledge that different parts will stick out to different people. Hickman-Matlock states, “Everyone is going to decide for themselves which part they connect to and what inspired them. And so it’s up to a viewer, a personal connection, understanding what brings meaning, what they can relate to their life. But I hope that they take away from it, not only honoring this woman, but listening as well.

DCDC excels at expressing what they wish to through dance. They won the 2016 Bessie Award for Outstanding Revival and are ranked in the top 20 African American arts and cultural organizations in the country.

DCDC has special qualities and points which make their company stand out compared to most dance companies. Their goal is to make dance accessible to the community and all who wish to learn and watch it. The positive response from McNicholas students emphasized that the connection between dance and spoken word can be a powerful vessel for learning.