Jeraldyne Blunden established DCDC as a force of African American dance in the Dayton community and across the nation with a group of amazing and talented young women, but something was still missing. As the women were taking to the stage, impressing upon the community the beauty and power of black dance, there was a need of male dancers to elevate the company to the next level. Holding an open call in the community for men interested in dancing, Jeraldyne began the journey to cultivate a group of young men who would be more than a prop to hold up the women. The goal was to create a crop of men who would stand on the same technical and performance level as the women, bringing in more opportunities for choreographic expression. It all began with a class dedicated to introducing the benefits of dance to young male athletes and a dream that DCDC would perform on international stages.

Each of the men came to the company from different walks of life but ended up creating a strong basis for the male legacy to stand upon. From an aspiring actor to a friend of the dancers, the men were swept up into the DCDC family and fulfilled Jeraldyne Blunden's ambitions for the company. Challenging society's constraints, overcoming obstacles and committing to the dream this premiere group of men set history into motion for DCDC.  

Michael London, DCDC's first company manager, has interviewed several of the original men about their shared history. With his knowledge of the early days and personal relationships with the men, these intimate conversations open up the curtains on the history of DCDC. 

Interviews

Percy Vera was set on an acting path and taking classes at Sinclair College, when Jeraldyne put out the call for male dancers in the community. With a nudge from his professor, Percy soon found his love for dance, becoming an integral member of some of the iconic works in the DCDC rep. His love for the stage held strong until he had to move  on to tackle the great challenge of earning a living wage. However, the lessons he learned from Jeraldyne Blunden and the other mentors who passed through DCDC's doors never left him. 

Terry Mo

Calvin Young was introduced to DCDC by his father. With his encouragement, he began taking classes in Jeraldyne's School of the dance. His love of dance grew as teachers pushed him to the next level, the company. As one of the premier men, Calvin worked with choreographic legends such as Eleo Pomare, Donald McKayle, and Doug Varrone. In this interview, Calvin Young recounts those experiences and more. He leaves us with one thought, "If that's what you feel you want to do, or just curious about it... look into it."

Terry Morris decided to take a chance on an open call for men notice posted by the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. Having no prior experience dancing, he showed up to have fun. What Terry found was a door to the world of professional dance, training with some of the great teachers and choreographers of the time, and forging a path for the future male dancers. Take a listen into his unique journey. Another male brought into the world of dance by Jeraldyne Blunden's passion for bringing the dance company to the professional level.

L'Amour Ameer was dating one of the dancers in the company when he was first introduced to DCDC. Through this connection, he was the first person in mind when a choreographer needed a man for their work. What began as a mobile prop position, grew into a dance career as Jeraldyne Blunden took him under her wings and groomed him into the premier male dancer for DCDC. During his time as a dancer, L'Amour became a guide for the next group of men to come into the company before taking flight into the world as an international fashion designer. Enjoy this fourpart interview filled with laughs and behind the scenes conversations surrounding those early days of DCDC.