Timeline
THE 40 YEAR LIFE DANCE OF UBW
When Black Women+ Speak launches at the Brooklyn Academy for Music.
World premiere of SCAT!… The Complex Lives of Al & Dot, Dot & Al Zollar. Conceived & Directed by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar; Original Music Composed by Craig Harris; Co-Choreographed by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar & Vincent Thomas in collaboration with the company; Dramaturgy by Talvin Wilks.
2024
World premiere of Haint Blu (site-responsive). Conceived, choreographed, and directed Chanon Judson and Mame Diarra Speis, Co-Artistic Directors.
2023
Hands Singing Song is commissioned by American Dance Festival.
The company is awarded a Doris Duke Award for New Work from the American Dance Festival.
1998
The New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellowship supports UBW three-year apprenticeship program. UBW welcomed four apprentices: Kentoria Earle, Ziiomi Law, Makeda-Lily Love-Roney, and Shayla Taylor.
UBW launches the Choreographic Center Initiative Producing Program (CCI 2.0). Inaugural Fellows: Morgan Johnson, Pia Murray, Stephanie Rolland, and Cheri L. Stokes.
UBW returns to touring with the premiere of Haint Blu: Proscenium Version.
UBW holds 2022 Summer Leadership Institute: “Are We Democracy?” This is the first in person SLI since 2019.
2022
UBW begins the creation and development of Haint Blu.
UBW returns to the performance stage after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic at the 2021 Huntington Arts Festival.
UBW receives $3M gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott: “286 Teams Empowering Voices the World Needs to Hear”.
UBW holds the first Virtual Generative Dancer Workshop.
UBW honored at the Live Arts Miami Artistry in Rhythm (A.I.R.) Dance Conference.
2021
UBW is named one of “America’s Cultural Treasures” by the Ford Foundation.
UBW’s first-ever Virtual SLI & BOLD Alumni Convening themed Gathering Our Stories, Strengthening Our Networks. In partnership with Junebug Productions and the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB), sponsored by Crux.
Launch of UBW’s online Artist Journal and virtual performances.
UBW joins Park Avenue Armory and National Black Theatre for the 100 Years | 100 Women Initiative. This initiative included the February 2020 symposium, “Culture in a Changing America,” at Park Avenue Armory; and Celebration of Commissions Virtual Watch Party.
UBW is the featured dance company to perform at Town Hall’s Inaugural Lena Horne Prize honoring Solange Knowles.
2020
UBW New Artistic Directors announced. Mame Diarra Speis and Chanon Judson named as Co-Artistic Directors of UBW Touring Company. Courtney Cook and returning company member Love Muwwakkil are promoted to Co-Rehearsal Directors.
UBW celebrates its 35th Anniversary with Homecoming in Brooklyn, NY.
Launch of UBW Homecoming Fund.
Summer Leader Institute (SLI): “When Black Women(+) Prevail, We All Prevail,” generates the largest number of SLI participants, since the first SLI in 1997.
UBW announces the 2019 - 2020 CCI Fellowship Candidates: Jenn Freeman/Po’Chop, nia love, and Kesha McKey.
2019
UBW launches website redesign.
Inaugural group of UBW Choreographic Center Initiative (CCI) Choreographic Fellowship Candidates become Fellows.
2018
Premiere of Hair & Other Stories. Choreographed by Chanon Judson and Mame Diarra Speis with The Company.
Launch of the UBW CCI Choreographic Fellowship Program.
2017
UBW Choreographic Center Initiative (CCI) is launched.
2016
UBW celebrated its 30-year anniversary with friends at the Anniversary Gala at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).
Premiere of Walking with 'Trane Side A & B. Choreographed by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar and Mame Diarra Speis.
2015
Premiere of Dark Swan.
2014
Blood Muscle Bone, UBW's collaboration with Liz Lerman in progress.
2012
Visible premieres.
BOLD launched as formal education and community engagement.
2011
UBW tours South America in March as one of three American companies selected to inaugurate DanceMotion USA, a cultural diplomacy initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs produced by BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music).
Zollar: Uncensored, 25th anniversary premiere.
2010
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar is invited to a White House convening for innovative, grassroots leaders building community and is named a fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.
To celebrate and recognize its 25-year anniversary season, UBW launches Being Bushified, its monthly programming series held in the Great Room in its Brooklyn headquarters.
2009
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar is named a United States Artist Wynn Fellow.
2008
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar is awarded a Bessie for her work as choreographer/creator of Walking with Pearl…Southern Diaries.
2006
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar completes Walking with Pearl…Southern Diaries, which follows 2004’s Walking with Pearl…Africa Diaries, both of which pay tribute to the legendary choreographer, educator and social activist, Pearl Primus.
2005
Premiere of Walking with Pearl…Africa Diaries at Columbia College Dance Center.
The first Brooklyn Summer Leadership Institute is held. Participants co-create a piece called Are We Democracy?
2004
UBW begins a summer camp partnership with the Brooklyn YWCA.
2004
UBW’s Hair Parties project receives funding to promote arts-based civic dialogue, which prompts Jawole Willa Jo Zollar to initiate discussion of UBW’s core values.
2002
UBW moves to Brooklyn to be more fully connected to an African American community.
2000
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar develops the Institute entitled “A New Dancer for A New Society” in tribute to W.E.B. Dubois. It is the first of its kind in the dance industry.
1997-99
The idea for the Summer Leadership Institute emerges from problems encountered regarding UBW’s community engagement work in Miami.
1995
Shelter is set on the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and becomes a staple in the company’s repertory. UBW incorporates as a non-profit and is awarded the New York Dance and Performance Award (“Bessie”).
The first community engagement project takes place in New Orleans.
1992
Praise House premieres at the Spoleto Festival with previews at Atlanta Black Arts Festival.
1990
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar spends a month in New Orleans and creates I Don’t Know But I’ve Been Told If You Keep On Dancin’ You Never Grow Old, a tribute to popular and vernacular dance traditions within the African American community.
1989
Heat premieres.
Shelter premieres (an adaptation of Heat).
Lipstick premieres (an adaptation of Heat).
LifeDance II – the Papess…mirror in the waters premieres (excerpt from Heat).
Shelter becomes known as a signature work and identifies UBW as a company that creates works around issues of social justice.
1988
1985
UBW shares a stage with Sweet Honey in the Rock and discovers the women’s community is embracing its work.
On June 30th, Urban Bush Women premieres in New York City self-presented by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar.
1984
FOUNDER’S BIO & TIMELINE
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar