CLARK CENTER MEMORIES
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Samba: Resistance in Motion - Barbara Browning
“The dancers were beautifully diverse – not just in nationality or ethnicity but also age, gender, sexuality, and “skill,” which in truth was less a question of physical prowess than of being able to find a home in the rhythms that pounded through the space.”
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Our Direct Line to Asadata Dafora and Jacob’s Pillow by Ramona Candy
“Thank you to Mickey, Zebedee, and to ancestors Charles and Asadata Dafora. What a legacy! And if I might speak for the dancers whose wrists remember – oh the wrists! — and who performed Asadata Dafora at Jacob’s Pillow in 1978, we are honored to have a place in it.”
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Donald McKayle, A Great Man, by Loris Anthony Beckles
“Donald McKayle, one of the giants of the dance world, is documented in books and video, etc. These are my own “memory snapshots” of him.”
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Memories of Jimmy Truitte Toby Hankin
“I remember Jimmy as a tall and elegant man. He wore multiple rings, and a gold chain around his neck. I met him first in Brooklyn — it was about 1963, and I was 14 years old.”
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Brooklyn Wasn’t Enough, but Clark Center Was - Spider Kedelsky
Clark Center was a wonderland for me, a veritable candy store, a smorgasbord at which each day I could choose my favorite dish. There were classes of all kinds, rehearsals for Broadway shows, dance companies in residence, showcase concerts for young choreographers, and fabulous visitors – “Oh, you just missed Geoffrey (Holder) and Carmen (De Lavallade). They stopped by to say hello.”
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Ntozake Shange – On Clark Center
"I said, “Okay, I’ll take a beginners class. So I went with her the next day...Little did I know that it was Thelma Hill’s class for beginners. Well, what did I find out? That I was before the beginners. I was the person who was antediluvian, compared to the dancers in the beginning class plus, I couldn’t find my balance...so I kept thinking that I was going to fall on my face and break my front teeth..."
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RC, Brooklyn, NY
“I remember rushing from work to make a 6 o’clock class with Charles Moore. When you got to the 8th Avenue building, bolted up the stairs to the second floor, you found person upon person, in the hallways waiting for class to begin, in the office negotiating a new card with Joanie, Roger or Louise herself and the dressing rooms were full, and messy with clothes but what a good feeling to be there!!! I am so happy to see this page and look forward to keeping up with Clark Center NYC”
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C. Gooden, NYC
“Charles Moore’s class was the best African dance class in town and I loved taking it. There were times the class was crowded but everyone had a good time and he had some great drummers. I also took Jill Williams’ modern class and remember how kind and patient she was with her students. It’s no surprise she’s gotten us all back together through the facebook page and now this site and other upcoming programs.”
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A. Jones, Poughkeepsie, NY
“I miss Clark Center and the days spent with wonderful dancers, teachers and ordinary people taking dance classes.”