April 21-22 | 7:30pm | Moody Performance Hall

The DBDT: Encore! Rising Excellence’s performance draws on the heritage and memories of Japanese, Polish, and African American choreographers who produce works with powerful athleticism and delicate gestures. Choreographer Takehiro Ueyama created Heroes to honor the dedication and preservation of citizens who played a crucial role in Japan’s recovery after World War II. Katarzyna Skarpetowska, who grew up in Warsaw, Poland, choreographed Snow Playground, an abstract work that takes its inspiration from a peaceful image of swirling snow across a children’s playground. When Tyrone C. Walkerchoreographed Prototype, the African American had robots in mind to demonstrate the internal struggle of breaking loose from factory-made minds while searching for self-discovery to find your true self. Nycole Ray is restaging her 2007 dance Love Songs which depicts the exploratory journey to different paths of love entwined to the music of Roberta Flack and Sarah Vaughan.