Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre
Who are we?
Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre is an innovative professional ballet and modern dance company. From New York State, New York City, across the Nation, and around the Globe, our approach is an example of how to address racial, women, and equality issues without losing the faith and support of the people in the majority. Our upstate division was founded in a diversity challenged part of New York State. 35 years later, music, dance, theater and scholarly projects support our foundation; while multicultural Initiatives and Workshops throughout the world plant curiosity for what comes next. Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre presents the New York Dance Festival at Lincoln Center co-hosted by New York Institute of Dance & Education, while other partnerships ensure continued innovation.
Our Mission
Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre’s mission is to illustrate through the arts the abundant resources and enrichment, which minority persons, women, and people of color bring to our lives and society.
Vignettes of History
The First Decade
1988
The original inception of the Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre began in 1988 as part of the original national production of “Motown and the Mirror”, created as student and administrative initiative at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Purchase. Motown and the Mirror was performed at the Westchester Performing Arts Center- today known as PepsiCo Theater. The production was conceived, written, produced, and directed by Sean McLeod, with collaborators Gregory Livingston and Kerry, along with an incredible team of students, Kerry, Joel, and Kim; also now stars that include; Seth Gilliam, Roy Reno Wilson, Gregory Livingston himself, Andrea Fairweather Bailey, and administrators who made it all possible like the incredible Deanne “Dee” Molinari and President Sheldon Grebstein.
1990
Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre founded an upstate division in Central New York. First in Auburn NY, Harriet Tubman’s chosen free home, then expanded the footprint to include Geneva, Syracuse, Rochester and many other upstate cities; including the noted Amnesty International concert, “The Oneness Of All”.
Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Sean McLeod forged a partnership with Cayuga Community College’s Director of Student Services Joy Shortell, and then college President Dr. Larry Poole, along with Purchase Conservatory of Dance alumni Gregory Livingston to expand this artistic platform. Additional guest artists invited to join the international faculty included; Laurie Lubeck (American Ballet Theatre) and Sheryl Woodmansee (Washington Ballet,) Rosanna Seravalli (American Ballet Theatre & SUNY Purchase), to teach in sessions twice a year plus contribute to Workshops and special competitions. These sessions, the Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre Winter and Summer Dance Intensives, were the foundation offerings of the New York Dance Festival.
1991
Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre founded an upstate division in Central New York. First in Auburn NY, Harriet Tubman’s chosen free home, then expanded the footprint to include Geneva, Syracuse, Rochester and many other upstate cities; including the noted Amnesty International concert, “The Oneness Of All”.
Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Sean McLeod forged a partnership with Cayuga Community College’s Director of Student Services Joy Shortell, and then college President Dr. Larry Poole, along with Purchase Conservatory of Dance alumni Gregory Livingston to expand this artistic platform. Additional guest artists invited to join the international faculty included; Laurie Lubeck (American Ballet Theatre) and Sheryl Woodmansee (Washington Ballet,) Rosanna Seravalli (American Ballet Theatre & SUNY Purchase), to teach in sessions twice a year plus contribute to Workshops and special competitions. These sessions, the Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre Winter and Summer Dance Intensives, were the foundation offerings of the New York Dance Festival.
1993
Over the next several years SUNY Purchase alumni Thomas Warfield, Gregory Livingston and Roxanna Young would work with, and come to the Finger Lakes Region of New York invited by their former classmate, Sean McLeod, Artistic Director of the Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre. Together they would come to be known as the foundational faculty, and teach the classic modern dance techniques of Graham, Limon, Cunningham; classical ballet, and dance composition they learned while studying together at Purchase Conservatory of Dance outside of New York City. There they studied with giants of dance that include Kazako Hirabiyashi, Mel Wong, Larry Clark, Gayle Young, Sarah Stackhouse, Bette Jane Sills, Rosanna Seravalli, Mette Spanardi, Niel Greenburg, Burt Tourbough, Armgard von Bardeleben, Alfredo Corvino, Dr. Shelly Burg, Richard Wolfe, and all led by the singular Carol Walker.
Additionally 1993 would see the premiere of the play “A Moment in History”, the premiere of the musical “A Woman Called Harriet”, the participation in the social justice establishment of “A Coalition for a Better Auburn and Cayuga County”, and the eventual founding of the “Harriet Tubman Center for Justice and Peace”.
1995
Community of Color World Culture Celebration Launches to great statewide success. A joint collaboration with Roxanna Young (NYC KDT branch, Associate Director) this celebration drew people of all ethnic and racial backgrounds together to honor community, black history and world culture. This also marked the National Community of Color Honors Awards which were created to publicly acknowledge and honor those who dare to make a positive change in society. The objective was to create a climate for conversation, appreciation, and graciousness among people from different backgrounds. It worked.
The Second Decade
2003
Artistic Collaboration with the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center. Merit Ester Engelke (Germany) was featured at the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center and documented the New York Dance Festival experience. Sculptor Eric Rosé featured sculptures of Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre company members.
The Drummer and Dancer Tour with Jim Donovan launched. The Tour lasted for two years, including major stops at the Great Blue Heron Festival, the maiden voyage of the Carnival Legend, and the New York Dance Festival.
2005
Mission to South Africa with Reverend Karibo Molefe. After returning from a tour to South Africa, Sean McLeod set the seminal work “South African Peace” to pay homage to the overcoming of apartheid in South Africa.
2007
The Smoke & Mirrors exhibit by Mark Andrews opened at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs, NY, with several images of Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre members including Sean McLeod, Lorienne Beals, and Jerami Kipp. A selection of images from the collection had their international debut at the Fairfields Arts Centre, curated by Andrew Buchanan, in Basingstoke, England the following year.
2008
A new performance company was born out of the tradition of Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre – the Sean McLeod Dance Experience. The company made its first tour to England to debut new works, making a follow-up tour in 2009 that included performances at The Anvil in England, Alvin Ailey’s Citigroup Theater in NYC, and at the Judson Memorial Church in NYC. SMDEx featured work by multiple established and up and coming choreographers.
The Third Decade
2011
20 years after their initial partnership, Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre reformed a Partnership with Cayuga Community College, teaching McLeod Technique throughout the calendar year. The first McLeod Technique Reinforced Motor Function Clinical was taught during the New York Dance Festival, not only allowing attendees to learn how to use this technique themselves, but how to teach, apply, and become certified in RMF.
2013
Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre rekindles a Partnership with Auburn Enlarged City School District. Through this partnership, $22,000 worth of scholarships were granted to AECSD students to attend the New York Dance Festival. The Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre reestablished their local performance home at West Middle School in Auburn NY.
2014
Rebuilding a Footprint in NYC. Sean McLeod reestablished the Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre/Sean McLeod Dance Experience in NYC. Hosting quarterly workshops and auditions to bring new dancers into the fold and focusing on allowing dance to be a happy and healthy environment in the NYC ecosystem.
The first CNY concert in 13 years was held in Auburn, NY in September 2014, featuring the newly revitalized performance company.
2015
25 Year Anniversary! This year of celebrations included Inside the Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre presented at Alvin Ailey’s Joan Weill Center for Dance, 25th Anniversary Kick off Concerts in Skaneateles, NY, A European Tour to the Czech Republic, Italy, and Germany, and rounding out the year with the 25 Year Talk Around during the New York Dance Festival!
2016
The Inaugural Harriet Tubman Freedom Music Festival is held in Auburn NY during the New York Dance Festival, in partnership with the New York Institute of Dance & Education.
2018
Increasing Diversity & Inclusion in Dance!
The Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre was invited to be part of the Collaborative Health Initiative launched by the International Associations of Blacks in Dance in partnership with the Mellon Foundation and the Non-Profit Finance Fund.
Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre launches the “Mission for Inclusion”, the Black Ballet Choreographers Symposium and Commissions Conference, and the Black Ballet Discovery Project to promote diversity, inclusion, and equity in the world of classical ballet.
The Fourth Decade
2020
Celebrating 30 Years during COVID. The Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre celebrated 30 years of impact virtually around the globe. A Series of online concerts through the “International Stage Series” were presented in July. The Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre and its partner the New York Institute of Dance & Education also celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the New York Dance Festival Online, and the Harriet Tubman Freedom Music Festival and National Harriet Tubman Freedom Awards were presented virtually as well.
2022
Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre forms a partnership with New York City Ballet and School of American Ballet Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford and the New York Dance Festival moves to Lincoln Center.
2024
With the support of the National Endowment of Arts and access to School of American Ballet through a partnership with SAB and New York City Ballet Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford; Two Black Voices was a collaborative intellectual vehicle to present, teach, and study the under treasured Black Dance Vocabularies of Fagan Technique and McLeod Technique. This research, cross analysis, and data driven study took place through in-studio workshop sessions launched at School of American Ballet, scholarly conversation, and performance of choreography by William J Ferguson II and Sean McLeod.
Grammy Nominated Taiwanese Composer Chihsuan Yang and Jefferson Award for Public Service to America, celebrated African American Composer, Director, and Choreographer Sean McLeod; collaborated on a cross cultural work fusing their cultural music and heritage. Made possible by New Music USA and supported by the National Parks Arts Foundation and their support of what’s creatively next in music and dance. This new work expanded concepts of culture, heritage, and what aspects define one another.
2025
35 Year Anniversary! Celebrations include the 35th Annual New York Dance Festival, the 35 Year McLeod Technique panel, International Touring to Greece, England, France, Belgium, Germany, and Spain, and the 35th Anniversary Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre Gala.
