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30-397: The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company was founded in 1968 by Jeraldyne Blunden as a performance outlet for students at Jeraldyne's School of Dance. Blunden picked students from her school for the dance company, acquiring twelve female dancers by 1972. One of these original dancers was Blunden's daughter, Debbie Blunden-Diggs, who would later become artistic director of the company. In 1973,

60-497: A "genius grant" from the MacArthur Foundation . Jeraldyne Blunden left a permanent mark on the field of contemporary dance by inspiring a generation of choreographers and dancers. Her company, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company , has grown to be one of the largest companies of its kind between Chicago and New York City , and proudly holds the largest repertoire of classic works by African-American choreographers in

90-480: A 100-voice choir assembled from local churches, instrumentalists, dancers from both the company and DCDC2, and nationally renowned jazz and blues saxophonist Kirk Whalum and equally renowned gospel and R&B singer Shirley Murdock . The company commissioned new dance works inspired by the powerful paintings of Jacob Lawrence from choreographers Donald Byrd , Rennie Harris , Kevin Ward, and Reggie Wilson. This became

120-890: A backing vocalist for his family's band Zapp , which had several hits on Warner Bros. (and its Reprise Records imprint). Based on this success, Troutman began recording tracks with Murdock and lead singer Sugarfoot of the Ohio Players , among others, at his Dayton -based recording studio, Troutman Sound Labs. Murdock and Troutman's first charted single was a Warner Bros. single issued as Roger (featuring Shirley Murdock), "Girl, Cut It Out", which charted at number 79 R&B in early 1985. Murdock signed with Elektra Records and released "No More", written by Shirley Murdock and Gregory Jackson (Cincinnati, Ohio funk keyboardist and member of Zapp), which made it to number 24 R&B in early 1986. Then came her signature hit, "As We Lay", written by Zapp's Larry Troutman and keyboardist Billy Beck (of

150-626: A new era of opportunity. Blunden's School of Dance was founded on the premise that students should have a place to learn, train, and perform before moving on to bigger city stages. To provide high caliber dance training in Dayton, Blunden continued to train and perform across the country, bringing back knowledge and experience to the Midwest. Her experiences included performances and classes at American Dance Festival , Antioch Summer Theatre, Connecticut Dance Theatre Workshop, Dance Theatre of Harlem , and

180-564: A performance. They performed Black Snow, a collaboration with acclaimed composer Roy Meriwether at Memorial Hall in front of a sold-out audience. Over the years, Blunden shaped the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company as a repertory company, inviting many renowned guest artists to create pieces for her dancers. Blunden possessed powerful foresight and wisely acquired works by young, budding choreographers such as Ulysses Dove . This powerful foresight also led her to

210-1155: A sold-out audience. Blunden shaped the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company as a repertory company through her continuous invitations for renowned guest artists to create pieces for her dancers. Young, budding choreographers, including Ulysses Dove , contributed to the growing company's repertory. DCDC's outstanding repertoire includes works by world class master choreographers such as Eleo Pomare , Alvin Ailey , Ulysses Dove , Merce Cunningham , Donald McKayle , Rennie Harris , and Talley Beatty . Today, DCDC continues to acquire new works by contemporary choreographers including Bebe Miller , Warren Spears , Dianne McIntyre , Shapiro and Smith, and Ronald K. Brown . To further expand its repertoire, DCDC commissioned works inviting Bill T. Jones , Garth Fagan , Dwight Rhoden and Doug Varone to participate in DCDC's What Dreams We have and How They Fly. This four-piece program premiered in 2003 to celebrate Dayton's native sons,

240-661: Is best known for her 1986 R&B hit single "As We Lay" and for her vocals on Zapp and Roger 's hit single " Computer Love ". Her lead vocal special guest appearance with Smooth Jazz artist Ben Tankard , climbed to #1 Gospel and #20 on Billboard Top 200 on WOW Gospel 2006 and is certified Gold. Their collaboration of the Lionel Richie song "Jesus Is Love" is one of the most played songs on Sirius XM Radio gospel channel for eight years since its initial release. Murdock started out singing gospel music in her native Toledo. Singer/musician Roger Troutman hired Murdock as

270-502: Is now run by Debbie, her daughter, and DCDC2 is run by Shonna Hickman-Matlock. Her granddaughter Alexis is taking classes at Jeraldyne's School of Dance hopefully to take over DCDC or her older sister Lyndsey Diggs Blunden's achievement has been recognized both in Dayton and throughout the nation. She received honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Dayton and Wright State University , as well as prestigious awards including

300-677: The American Dance Festival in Connecticut where she studied with dance icons such as Martha Graham , José Limón , George Balanchine , and James Truitte . These teachers later became her colleagues and friends as she followed the pioneering path of the Schwarz sisters, excelling as dancer and director. Blunden attended the Connecticut College for Women (1959), Central Connecticut State University (1960),

330-489: The New York Times described Blunden's legacy as a beloved leader in the dance world, stating, "That no-nonsense approach to life was mixed with steely determination, a great personal warmth and humor and an unsentimental humanity that made her a much-loved figure on the national dance scene." Her legacy is still carried on today by her daughter Debbie Blunden-Diggs and granddaughters Alexis Diggs and Lyndsey Diggs. DCDC

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360-530: The Wright Brothers’ first flight 100 years ago and will artistically explore what the invention of flight means to our contemporary world. 2013-14, as part of DCDC's 45th Anniversary, 10 new works were commissioned for DCDC by choreographers' Kiesha Lalama, Ronen Koresh, Ray Mercer , Donald Byrd , Alvin Rangel, Rodney A. Brown and more. The company's apprenticeship dance corps, DCDC2, was established as

390-544: The 1940s and The Schwarz School of Dance had not admitted black children due to the possible ramifications to the school. Yet, despite social pressures, the founders of the school, Josephine and Hermene Schwarz, decided to break social boundaries and brought their school to African-American students through the Linden Center. Throughout Blunden's dance career, the Schwarz sisters served as her role model and mentor. The sisters helped her gain access to summer scholarships to

420-615: The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. In 1968, Blunden founded her own dance company, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company , to create more opportunity for her students to perform. While Blunden saw the obstacle of adding a second dance company in a city as small as Dayton, she tenaciously pursued her dream and began to handpick dancers from her dance school for the company. By 1972, the dance company had twelve female company members, including Blunden's daughter, Debbie Blunden-Diggs. Blunden's new company provided

450-650: The American Dance Festival. Under her leadership, the student population soon outgrew the Linden Center's capacity and the Schwartz School of Dance had to move to the basement of St. Margaret's church on McCall and Home Avenues in Dayton. As the school flourished, Blunden experienced some major life changes. She married Charles Blunden in 1959 and a year later gave birth to her daughter, Debbie Blunden-Diggs. In 1963, Blunden chartered her own dance school named Jeraldyne's School of Dance, beginning

480-600: The Associate Artistic Director of the company and Debbie Blunden-Diggs the new Director of DCDC2. Blunden taught dance at Ohio State University , Wright State University , the University of Toledo , Wilberforce University , and the Miami University of Ohio . Blunden died on November 22, 1999, at age 58. She left behind a legacy of an innovative dance company already receiving national and international recognition. Jennifer Dunning from

510-651: The Clark Center for the Performing Arts (1968-74), and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (1971-75). At age nineteen, Blunden became the director of dance classes at the Linden Center. Blunden made sure her students were able to gain a broad range of experiences, including summer opportunities and scholarships to attend schools such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (later Ailey School), Dance Theatre of Harlem , and

540-755: The MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship Award, the Dance/USA 2000 Honors Award, the Katherine Dunham Award, the Dance Magazine Award, The National Black Arts Festival 's Lifetime Achievement Award, Dance Women Living Legend Honors, and the Regional Dance America Northeast Award. Shirley Murdock Shirley Murdock (born May 22, 1957) is an American R&B singer-songwriter, who

570-536: The Ohio Players). The tender, melancholy ballad made it to the R&;B Top Ten in 1986 and peaked at number 23 pop and number 21 on the adult contemporary chart in early 1987. Her debut album was certified gold , also helped along by the follow-up hits "Go on Without You" and "Be Free." She also released albums in 1988 ( A Woman's Point of View ) and 1991 ( Let There Be Love! ). In early 2000, Murdock toured in

600-508: The company is on tour. The company aims to use dance as an experiential tool to facilitate learning in all subjects, supporting student success as determined by the state of Ohio Academic Content Standards. Jeraldyne Blunden Jeraldyne Blunden (nee Kilborn) (December 10, 1940 – November 22, 1999) was the founder and artistic director of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company , the oldest modern dance company in Ohio. In 1994, she received

630-549: The company performed Blunden's ballet, Flite, earning the honor of being the first African-American group to gain membership to the Northeast Regional Ballet Association Festival. The company soon produced its first large scale performance in 1976, also marking the first time the dancers were paid for a performance. They performed Black Snow , a collaboration with acclaimed composer Roy Meriwether at Dayton's Memorial Hall in front of

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660-610: The company's new artistic director. The company has toured internationally to other countries including Bermuda , Canada , Chile , France , Germany , Poland , Russia , and South Korea DCDC is one of three dance companies across the United States tapped to tour internationally through the seventh season of DanceMotion USA , a dynamic cultural diplomacy program run through the U.S. Department of State and Brooklyn Academy of Music. The company performed in China to celebrate

690-557: The company's second largest touring project. The company commissioned Dianne McIntyre to choreograph a piece celebrating the life and poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar . The company united choreographer Ronald K. Brown with noted jazz pianist Mulgrew Miller in an innovative jazz/dance collaboration. In celebration of Dayton's native Wright Brothers ’ 100th Anniversary of flight, the company invited Bill T. Jones , Bebe Miller , Jawole Willa Jo Zollar , Dwight Rhoden , and Doug Varone to create new works that artistically explore what

720-484: The cultivation of young talent such as Dwight Rhoden , who founded his own company and became one of the country's most well-known dance artists. Seeing promise in both Kevin Ward, one of her dancers, and Debbie Blunden-Diggs, Blunden primed them to be her successors and created a space for Kevin Ward as director of the company's apprenticeship dance corps, DCDC2, established as the pre-professional wing of her rising touring company. Blunden fell ill in 1990, naming Kevin Ward

750-797: The grand opening of the University of Dayton 's China Institute in Suzhou Industrial Park. The company performed in Chile alongside Hubbard Street Dance Chicago , Cirque Eloize , and Chile's Jose Luis Vidal at the Las Condes Municipal Theatre. The company reprised its most popular dance offering ever, In the Spirit of... , held at the Dayton Masonic Temple . In the Spirit of... paid tribute to African-American liturgical worship, complete with

780-498: The inspirational/gospel play Be Careful What You Pray For with Cuba Gooding, Sr. and David Peaston . Murdock released Home , her gospel-music debut album, in 2002 on T.D. Jakes ' Dexterity Sounds record label. She made her acting debut in the movie Sweating in the Spirit . Most recently, Murdock has signed with Tyscot Records and released her most recent album in March 2007. In 2009, Murdock collaborated with Teena Marie on

810-684: The invention of flight means to our contemporary world. This five-piece program was the first and largest touring project the company has had in its history. DCDC premiered Children of the Passage by Donald McKayle and Ronald K. Brown . This work was commissioned by the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center as part of a major project, The company offers lecture demonstrations, workshops, school field trips, and residency programs adaptable for all ages. These educational offerings are available both in Dayton and while

840-413: The opportunity for her to cultivate her choreographic talent through the creation of new works for her company. The performance of her ballet Flite in 1973 earned her company the honor of being the first African-American group to gain membership to the Northeast Regional Ballet Association Festival. The year 1976 marked the company's first large-scale performance and the first time the dancers were paid for

870-406: The pre-professional wing of the rising touring company under the leadership of Kevin Ward. In 1990, Blunden fell ill and Kevin Ward became the new artistic director of the company. Blunden's daughter, Debbie Blunden-Diggs, became the new director of DCDC2. Since, former DCDC dancer Shonna Hickman-Matlock has become director of DCDC2. Kevin Ward retired on July 1, 2007, and Debbie Blunden-Diggs became

900-543: The world. Blunden began her dance training at the age of six at the Linden Center, a recreation center in the African-American community of West Dayton, Ohio. In 1948, a number of African-American mothers approached the Schwarz School of Dance, later to become The Dayton Ballet School, about providing opportunities for their children to enroll in the school. However, segregation was common in Dayton during

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