We took the train from Los Angeles to San Diego. Carmen de Lavallade was the Guest Artist for this concert, performing her signature solo piece by artist-husband, Geoffrey Holder: The Creation.
It was also during this concert that Carmen graciously coached me in the solo female role in Donald McKayle’s renowned ballet, Rainbow Round My Shoulder, which I’d been performing on tour. Our work together would form a lasting professional imprint: throughout my career I would dance several roles first danced by Carmen, including Lester Horton’s Orozco, and the role of “Mme. Chacounne” in Donald’s reconstruction of the 1954 Broadway hit, House of Flowers for The Denver Center Theatre Company in 1987.
Carmen and I spoke about my learning and dancing The Creation. She’d written me a letter stating that she had spoken to Geoffrey about and having seen selections of my work from the sample video I sent them he agreed. Alas time passed and the idea never came to be.
Learning Lester Horton’s duet Orozco from the original archival dance film featuring Carmen and Alvin Ailey, Harvey Cohen and I were coached by Horton dancer and teacher Don Martin and Carmen’s sister, Yvonne de Lavallade. The richness of the experience remains with me, and it was thrilling to gather together on the occasion of Carmen’s Los Angeles concert, “As I Remember It” at The Wallis in 2016.
