Donald Byrd in Underserved Island Communities

Dancers Lionel Blandford, April Wanstall and Karen More lead teens from Baldwin High School’s Alternative Learning Center in a movement class at Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Omori dance studios. (Photo and caption courtesy of the Maui Arts & Cultural Center)

By Ryan Blum

When "Hawai’i" is mentioned, one is apt to think of a tropical paradise free of care and worry, and not a group of underserved communities. However, Hawai’i residents face economic challenges that affect their ability to adequately support presenting activity. For starters, residents have a higher cost of living compared to that of the mainland: 27% higher in fact for a family of four. The majority of Hawai’i’s businesses are small, with 58% having fewer than five employees and 95% having fewer than 50 employees. Hawai’i has nearly 20% more retailing jobs per capita than the national average. Because of its climate, natural beauty, and stunning beaches, Hawai’i is a prime tourist destination and as a result, its economy is highly dependent upon tourism for revenue. Therefore, economic conditions on the mainland U.S. and Asia can have a dramatic impact. Combined these factors with the expense of bringing performing artists thousands of miles to an island chain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and one begins to understand why most Hawaiian communities are underserved.

Facing these challenges on the Hawaiian Island of Maui is the respected Maui Arts & Cultural Center (MACC) in Kahului. From the 26^th of November through December 1st, 2001, the MACC hosted a weeklong dance residency by Donald Byrd/The Group. The engagement included 11 residency activities for 9 different groups throughout the Maui community, including youth in a recovery program, students in alternative education classes, college dance students, a seniors group, and professional actors and dancers; along with 2 public performances.

Dancers April Wanstall and Karen More teach a movement class in MACC's Omori dance studios to seniors from Kaunoa Senior Center, a county-operated facility that provides daytime activities for Maui's seniors. (Photo and caption courtesy of the Maui Arts & Cultural Center)

Donald Byrd and the MACC — A Good Fit

For those unfamiliar with Donald Byrd and his company, overstating his importance to the field of modern dance is difficult. During his career, Donald Byrd has created over a hundred dance works. In the words of his own company, "much of his work emphasizes social concerns such as isolation, community, culture and gender." The Pittsburgh Dance Council, a dance presenting and service organization, noted that "to witness The Group perform a Donald Byrd work is to experience the human body's potential to exceed physical and emotional limits of energy and control."

Before founding his company in 1978, Donald Byrd studied dance at several respected institutions including Tufts, Yale, the Cambridge School of Ballet, the London School of Contemporary Dance, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. He has danced for some of the best companies and choreographers, such as Twyla Tharp, Karole Armitage, and Gus Solomons Jr. Recognized for his creativity and skill, Byrd and his company have received numerous grants awards and honors. Mr. Byrd is also an educator, having taught at the California Institute for the Arts; Wesleyan University; the School of Visual Arts; Harvard Summer Dance Center; California State University, Long Beach; the University of California at Santa Cruz; and Ohio University.

Students trying out moves in a class at MACC’s Omori Dance Studios. (Photo and caption courtesy of the Maui Arts & Cultural Center)

An important part of the project coordinated by the MACC was the work Donald Byrd/The Group undertook in Hana, a remote community on the less inhabited eastern side of the island. Three dancers from the company taught movement workshops to members of the Hana Art Barn (a community arts center) and to 8^th graders at Hana High School. The community of Hana was given a free public performance at Helene Hall that same evening.

One of the core beliefs of the MACC is that "the arts have the power to build and transform community." Karen Fischer, Managing Director of the MACC, noted that her organization "booked Donald Byrd/The Group because of the artistic excellence of the company and the nature and depth of their residency work–including the ability to take half the company, Little Byrds, to remote, technically challenging performance locations." Donald Byrd, the Artistic Director and company’s founder, commented on the variable structure of his dance troupe. He explained, "the reason for designing something like the Little Byrds is it’s the same work that the [entire] company might perform, but a smaller group can perform it. It provides real artistic integrity, while at the same time providing this access."

The Residency in Hana — Positive Results through Community Building

Given the qualifications of Donald Byrd/The Group, the success of the residency should not be a surprise. Local journalist Ron Youngblood, author of the "Stage Scene" section of The Maui News, wrote that "it’s hard to say what impressed the audience most about the Donald Byrd concert at Castle Theater last Saturday–the dancers, the dancing or the compositions." Yet, much of the strength of the project came from the high degree of interaction between the dancers and members of the Maui communities, particularly through the outreach activities undertaken by the performers. Donald Byrd led movement workshops for at-risk teens in both the Maui Youth & Family Services program (a residential program for teens in recovery) and the Alternative Learning Center (a program for students who have difficulty in a regular high school setting). Dancers from Donald Byrd/The Group provided master classes to Maui Community College dance students, Seabury Hall dance students (a prep. School on the island with a dance program), intermediate to advanced level island dancers, and the cast of Ulalena (a Hawai’i based professional theatrical show on Maui). Lastly, a movement class organized through Kaunoa Senior Services was given to Maui seniors.

	Alexander Damiani, Devin Pullins and Thaddeus Davis of the Little Byrds -- dancers from the full company able to create performances in spaces with virtually no technical capacity -- talk with the audience after a performance at the Helene Community Hall in Hana Bay, an isolated rural community on Maui. (Photo and caption courtesy of the Maui Arts & Cultural Center)

The impact of this project upon Maui residents was articulated by the community organizers who helped to make the outreach activities so successful. Paul Janes Brown, Development Director at Maui Youth & Family Services, noted that, "the kids we work with are adolescents that have difficulties caused by some emotional or physical trauma. The opportunity to see artists and work with them uplifts them and has substantial benefits to their self esteem, which is one of the things we are interested in developing as much as possible. We got really great feedback from the girls. It led us to pursue cultural enrichment funding in other projects due to the positive experience from that workshop."

Another witness to the positive influence of the residency was local dancer and educator Mardi Swatek, who said, "I am in a mentoring program here in the schools, helping to integrate arts into the curriculum. One of the principal dancers really connected with the Hana community. And watching him understand what they needed, it was great for me to see as an artist and a teacher." One Hana student made a particular impression on Swatek. She remembered that "one of the boys was asking me about dance. Most of these kids don’t go to college; he was asking me about dance and he was interested in becoming a dancer. I don’t think he had ever considered going to college before."

The residency changed more than the community members in Hana and Kahului–it influenced the artists as well. In speaking of his work on Maui, Donald Byrd noted that, "my experience there was remarkable . . . that access to rural communities that performing and presenting organizations provide is important. As a company we have had two or maybe three experiences that have had a profound effect on us. One was the performance in Hana. The dancers felt something special and unique that clarified why they became dancers and performers. What it did was made me recommit myself to this idea of accessibility. Those kinds of programs are really inspiring and wonderful reminders to artists of what we do and how we can really reach people."

The Donald Byrd/The Group project undertaken by the Maui Arts & Cultural Center had a positive effect on many members of the community: students, teachers, the elderly, and residents of Hana. Americans living in the middle of the Pacific Ocean had an opportunity to see a world-class dance company, which inspired non-arts organizations to consider cultural programming and inspired at-risk students to consider the benefits of a college education. Through its selection of Donald Byrd/The Group, the Maui Arts & Cultural Center demonstrated its commitment to using the performing arts to build community and provide access.

Behind the Scenes

Support for the Donald Byrd/The Group project was made possible through the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program, which helps to address needs in underserved areas like Maui. This program helps provide access to excellence in the live performing arts in isolated communities throughout the West.

In the western United States, the NEA’s Regional Touring Program funds are channeled through TourWest, a competitive grant program administered by the Western States Arts Federation. Applicants may apply for up to two grants for artistic fees for out-of-state performers. TourWest grants are provided to encourage the presentation of performing arts programming to culturally diverse audiences and underserved audiences that do not typically enjoy ready access to the performing arts. For additional information on TourWest, please consult the WESTAF Web site at www.westaf.org, call WESTAF at (303) 629-1166, or e-mail them at staff@westaf.org.

On June 14, 2001 Donald Byrd announced that his company, Donald Byrd/The Group, would disband as a result of financial pressures. Mr. Byrd will continue to choreograph and is undertaking projects with other dance companies.

National Endowment for the Arts
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