Atlan&cDanceTheatreRECENT20YEARS:In1999,PaigeWhitley-Bauguess,localBaroqueDancerofinterna<onalstature,wasawardedaChoreographer’sFellowshipfromtheNCArtsCounciltocreateaneduca<onalBaroqueDancevideo.Atlan<cDanceTheatrepartneredwithPaigeontheprojectandpresentedthefirstBaroqueArtsProject(BAP)publicperformanceinJanuary1999.Footagefromthetwopublicperformanceswereusedinthevideowhichsoldworldwide.PaigebecameADTAr<s<cDirectorin2002.Withmul<plefounda<onandartscouncilgrants,ADTpresentedthreeseasonsoftheBaroqueArtsProjectMusicandDanceseries.BAP,co-directedbyPaigeandbaroquetrumpeterBarryBauguess,

specializedinmusicanddanceofthe17thand18thcenturiesandcoreNC-basedmemberswerefrequentlyjoinedbypres<gioushistoricaldanceandearlymusicar<stssuchasdancerThomasBaird(NYC)andmusiciansofPiVsburgh-basedChathamBaroque(2002and2005).

Paigewasthe1989-91NCVisi<ngAr<statCravenCommunityCollegeandownedDownEastDancefrom1991-2001.TwocommunitydancegroupsdirectedbyWhitley-Bauguess-theCravenHistoricalDancers(adults)andTheNewBernDancingAssembly(youth)-grewoutofhercommunityac<vi<esandwereregularlyinvitedtoperformatTryonPalaceforspecialeventssuchastheChristmasCandlelightTours.Paigecon<nuestoteach,direct,andperformBaroqueDancearoundtheworldasasoloistandwithdancepartnerThomasBaird.Then,ADTwasmostlyinac<veun<lthefallof2018.

KnowingthatBAPhadconcertscomingupacrossNC,ADTdecidedtoawaken“thesleepingbeauty,”balletpunintended,andresumetheoriginalgoalofenrichingcultureandeduca<oninthecommunity.InMarch2019,ADTpresentedLaBelleDanse,featuringPaigewithmusiciansBarryBauguessonBaroqueTrumpet,JohnB.O’Brienonharpsichordandorgan,andBrentWissickonbaroquecelloandgamba.TheyperformedintheStanlyHallBallroom.

Atlan&cDanceTheatreEARLYYEARS:UndertheleadershipofElizabethPope,FounderandDirectorfrom1985-2002,Atlan<cDanceTheatrepresentedalocalconcertseason,toured,andwasonNCArtsCouncil'sTouringRosterandSCArtsCommission'sApprovedAr<stRosterthroughthe1994season.Choreographersduringtheperiodincludedinterna<onallyrecognizedar<stsSalAiello,RickMcCullough,MarkDendy,ShirleyRirie,andothers.TheNCArtsCouncilsupportedADTduringthisperiodwithavarietyofgrants.

From1994to1999,ADTservedasalocalserviceorganiza<onaddressingspecialdanceneedsinthecommunitythroughperformancesforthegeneralpublicandmasterclassesforareadancestudentsbyimpressivear<stsandpublicschoolprojectstoreachunderservedgroups.In1992,JT

BarberElementarySchool,ledbyPennyKing,andAtlan<cDanceTheatrewereawardedtheGovernor'sProgramsofExcellenceinEduca&onawardforTheMastersprograminwhichstudentsanalyzedpain<ngsandinterpretedthemwithmoderndance.ThisledtoextensiveaferschooldanceprogramsandperformancesforJTBstudentsaswell.ADTalsomaintainedastageligh<ngpackage(fundedbytheMaryWhi<ngEwingFounda<on)thatwasmadeavailabletoothergroups,especiallynonprofitsanddancegroups.