Javier Ninja It was a hot night at Harlem Stage when Kyle Abraham, choreographer, dancer and recipient of the MacArthur Foundation's Genius Grant award, curated an evening of Counterculture, part of the Gatehouses’ “Uptown Night Series.” The bleachers were pushed back to make room for this non-stop, LGBTQ night of music and lots of dancing. From the top of the show, Harlem Stage’s Brad Learmonth (Director of Programming), alongside Abraham, made it clear that the action that evening would take place near the stage, as well as on the dance floor, so everyone should get ready—and so they did. Abraham, self-described as “…a black, gay, hip-hop-loving male who grew up working in record stores and spent much of his nightlife in dance clubs,” shared his loves and it was a success. Dance fiends Wendell Cooper and Javier Ninja stopped the show completely, pumping out move after heart-pounding move! Opening and closing the evening were rappers William (Will) Sheridan and Le1f respectively, with DJ Edgar UM spinning. Harlem Stage and Abraham promises that this is the beginning—there is more to come. Let’s hope so!
Wendell Cooper (left)
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