New LEJA Dances, the company - History

Jaye Allison’s
New LEJA Dances, the company (Leon Evans Jaye A
llison) envisions a world filled with human potential and avenues for
people to achieve their goals. We develop dancers and dances of a
professional quality and create performance opportunities to the
community regardless of age, race, gender, and physical ability. By
providing excellent theater and focusing on community, we strive to be a
significant force in the evolution of tradition. We invite people to
realize the potential of the human spirit in the creative process as
well as evoking a connection with our audience. The works created by
New LEJA Dances demonstrate our commitment to excellence, evolving
tradition and spiritual connection.


Renamed in the fall of 1998, New LEJA Dances, the company's brings the
next generation of professional dancers to audiences in Philadelphia and
New Jersey. New LEJA Dances, the company was the featured dance
component in Festival Mozart’s (NJ) “the Bartered Bride”
Opera, in 1999 ‘I AM’, was launched as a work-in-progress
at the Community Education Center to sold out audiences. That response
hailed a promising resurgence for 2 consecutive years. New LEJA Dances
, the company was selected to share in an evening concert in the mega dance
event of “2000 Feet” produced by the Philadelphia
Dance Alliance and the University of the Arts. The 2001 season concluded
with a summer workshop program with Rod Rodgers Dance Company. The
following 2002 season included the DO DROP IN concert festival at the
Community Education Center where works, ‘The Gift’ and ‘Black Jazz 101
the suite’, premiered. The 2003 season combined New LEJA Dances
, the company dances with Dancefusion and Underground DanceWorks in
DEDICATION…Three in Tandem, Dance. It was a tribute concert to honor
those that have had lasting impressions on the careers of each of the
directors.


New LEJA Dances, the company has a history of receiving grants from:
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA), the Philadelphia Cultural Fund
and The 5 County Arts Fund. Jaye Allison’s New LEJA Dances,
the company is the culmination of 3 years of research, development and
organizational commitment under the name J. Ajalon Dances (JAD)
established in 1995. JAD lent the opportunity to create a fully
functional pick-up dance company that brought a fresh breath to
traditional dance. During that time, JAD organized small
self-productions; ‘BARE BONES’, a company-in-progress showcase that not
only featured the company dancers and the repertory, but also Allison’s
choreography for: the physically disabled, children of the Gwendolyn Bye
Dance Center’ s Children’s School of Performing Arts, and the tap
dancing of the older adults from the Center in the Park. JAD co-produced
‘Love Is…A Vibrant Celebration’, with Wild Child Productions at the Arts
Bank. JAD workshopped with the late Rod Rodgers of Rod Rodgers Dance
Company and the late Raymond Harris of Seraphim Dance Theater in New
York City. JAD delighted audiences at the Black Family Reunion’s
Heritage Festival, A Taste of the Westside, The Art Jam, National Tap
Dance Day and several small performances in older adult homes and other
venues until 1999 when JAD rebirthed as Jaye Allison’s New LEJA Dances,
the company.


Let the arts stimulate you! Watch New LEJA’s growth and continue to support
its efforts.