-- For Immediate Release --
Contacts: Atarius Armstrong
ALA Dance, Artistic Director
atariusarmstrong@gmail.com
July 7, 2022
ALA DANCE PRESENTS SECOND PRODUCTION CELEBRATING HERITAGE
July 15-17 at The B Complex, ALA Dance will produce their second dance concert, Magnolia,
an ode to home. This performance will feature choreography by Atarius Armstrong and Patsy
Collins, who both recently premiered work in March for Dance Canvas; additionally Emory
professor and company dancer Julio Medina will feature work in the upcoming production.
Inspired by Kehinde Wiley’s usage of jasmine, African blue lilies, and chrysanthemums in
President Obama’s portrait to connect to the former president’s lineage, Armstrong’s direction
for Magnolia makes homage to his home state of Mississippi and the state flower’s symbolism
of purity and nobility. Each work showcases a dynamic blend of contemporary dance,
acrobatics, and theatre to share a view of home.
Magnolia will feature Cabbage in the Concrete, selected for Dance Canvas’ 2022 season, and
premiering new works by Armstrong and Collins.“[Cabbage in the Concrete] was based on my grandfather, who just so happened to grow a cabbage in his concrete driveway. It made me think about the connection to my family, and our personal lineage, and how we as individuals have this natural ability to grow through strange environments and strange places,” said Armstrong. He continued, “So, the piece is all about reconnecting to family lineage and the healing of generational trauma.” -Armstrong, in interview with Lois Reitzes for WABE'
Reported by ArtsATL as “highly emotional and athletic” and by Daniela Cintron as “[...] perfect.
[...] beautiful, [...] seamlessly impactful”, ALA Dance is a breakout company to watch.
About ALA Dance
Founded in 2020 by Artistic Director Atarius Armstrong, ALA Dance is a multidisciplinary
movement company composed of creatives across various mediums of movement modalities.
We strive to create innovative works for the stage, film, and beyond. For more information about
ALA Dance, visit https://ala.dance
WHAT: ALA Dance presents Magnolia
WHEN: July 15 & 16, 2022 - 8 pm
July 17, 2021 - 2 pm
WHO: ALA Dance
WHERE: The B Complex
1272 Murphy Ave SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, United States
Tickets start at $30 and can be found at https://aladance-magnolia.eventbrite.com with $15
student tickets available at the door.
To help support the endeavors of the company and its production, you can make a donation at:
https://ala.dance/support
You can find Atarius Armstrong’s interview publication with DanceATL at:
https://danceatl.org/atarius-armstrong-brings-a-unique-perspective-to-atlanta-dance/
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Photos by Christina Massad