Five landmark works take the stage November 6-7 at the Dee & Charles Wyly Theatre, with on-demand streaming available through November 9
Supported by Presenting Sponsor Texas Instruments and Choreography Sponsors The Dallas Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts
DALLAS – Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) presents GENESIS, its 2026 Director's Choice Series, Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Dee & Charles Wyly Theatre, 2400 Flora Street, in the Dallas Arts District. The first main company program of DBDT's 50th anniversary home series, GENESIS goes back to where the story began with the iconic works that laid the foundation for the company.
The program celebrates works by choreographers whose voices helped shape DBDT's repertoire:
...And Now Marvin by Darryl B. Sneed (1995)
A Rag, A Bone, and A Hank of Hair by Talley Beatty (1991)
Camouflage by Ben Stevenson, O.B.E. (1983)
Nascimento by David Parsons (1990)
Smoke by Bruce Wood (2001)
The opening-weekend celebration will also honor DBDT's founder. Artistic Director Richard A. Freeman, Jr. plans to recognize Ann Williams and special guests.
"Every story has a beginning, and GENESIS is ours. Fifty years ago, Ann Williams had a dream, and these are the works that grew from it. We are honoring the artists who helped shape our foundation and sharing that history with longtime patrons and new audiences alike." said Freeman.
GENESIS is the first of three home series programs that anchor DBDT's 50th anniversary season, "50 Years in Motion," each built around a different chapter of the company's story. INHERITANCE (February 12-14, 2027) reflects on the artists and works that have carried DBDT's legacy forward, and UNCHARTED (May 14-15, 2027) turns toward the future with the company's first program devoted exclusively to world premieres.
WATCH ON DEMAND The Friday, November 6 performance will be available to stream from 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 7, through Monday, November 9. Streaming tickets are available at DBDT.com/GENESIS.
GROUP OFFERS AVAILABLE Groups of five or more save 10 percent, and groups of ten or more save 15 percent. Learn more at DBDT.com/GROUPS.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR'S CHOICE SERIES Presented by Dallas Black Dance Theatre at the Dee & Charles Wyly Theatre, the Director's Choice Series gives Artistic Director Richard A. Freeman, Jr. the opportunity to curate a program that speaks to the company's artistry and history.
EVENT DETAILS
GENESIS | Director's Choice Series: Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Location: Dee & Charles Wyly Theatre, 2400 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Tickets: DBDT.com/GENESIS or (214) 871-2313
On Demand: Available Saturday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m. CT, through Monday, November 9; streaming tickets at DBDT.com/GENESIS
Group Offers: Groups of 5+ save 10%, groups of 10+ save 15%; DBDT.com/GROUPS
LEGACY SPONSORS
Harold Simmons Foundation
CATALYST SPONSORS
Mellon Foundation, Texas Instruments, Communities Foundation of Texas
SEASON SPONSORS
City of Dallas Office of Arts & Culture, The Addy Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, The Dallas Foundation, Anonymous, The Blessing Family Endowment, Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust, The Village Giving Circle, Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, Rea Charitable Trust, Holloway Family Foundation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, NBC 5/Telemundo, Texas Metro News, American Airlines, Oversee My IT, The Dallas Post Tribune, Trendy Africa, Lexus, Arts & Culture Texas, DeDe in the Morning, The Dallas Morning News, fyi50+, ROXOR Spirits, Gracepoint Media, Roy & Christine Charitable Trust, Genesis Inspiration Foundation
ABOUT DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATRE
Founded in 1976 by Ann Williams, Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s mission is to create and produce contemporary modern dance at the highest level of artistic excellence through performances and educational programs that bridge cultures and reach diverse communities. As the largest and oldest professional dance company in Dallas, DBDT is the fourth-largest Black dance company in the nation, ranks in the top 10 largest contemporary modern dance companies in the U.S. and is included among the nation’s 50 largest ballet companies by Dance Data Project. Located in the thriving downtown Dallas Arts District, the nation’s #1 Arts District (USA Today), DBDT has performed worldwide for over 5 million arts patrons and 3 million students in 35 states and 16 countries on five continents. The performances include three Olympics (1992, 1996, and 2012), the nation’s most prestigious venues (Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Broadway, Jacob’s Pillow and Joyce Theatre), and for such luminaries as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and South African President Nelson Mandela. Since 2020, DBDT performances have been viewed virtually in 45 countries and expanded to include virtual student matinees and cultural literacy programs. Since 2021, the virtual education performances have been viewed by nearly 200,000 K-12 students across 28 districts throughout the nation. The Company has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as an American Masterpiece Touring Artist (2008) and received the Texas Medal of the Arts Award for Arts Education (2017).
DANCER BAILI GOER / PHOTO BRIAN GUILLIAUX