News Release - Mayor Warren, Eastman School of Music Unveil Garth Fagan Dance 50th Anniversary Banner

City of Rochester

News Release

(Friday, June 25, 2021) - Mayor Lovely A. Warren today was joined by Garth Fagan, members of Garth Fagan Dance, the Eastman School of Music and Rochester Community TV to unveil a banner commemorating the 50th anniversary of Garth Fagan Dance. The banner is hung on the westward facing wall of the Miller Center building of the Eastman School of Music in the heart of the Eastman’s Gibbs St. campus.

“This banner serves as a beautiful focal point in the heart of our city that pays tribute to one of Rochester’s most dynamic and influential artists,” said Mayor Warren. “It’s a wonderful representation of the history and legacy of Garth Fagan Dance, which helped shape the arts and culture in our community over the past fifty years. Today, we are proud to show off that legacy with this banner.”

“We value the numerous collaborative partnerships we have shared over many years with Garth Fagan Dance” said Eastman School of Music’s Dean Jamal Rossi. “Eastman is thrilled to be part of the city’s celebration of this treasured organization and we congratulation Garth Fagan Dance on 50 remarkable years.”

“We are honored that the City of Rochester, the Eastman School of Music and RCTV recognize the importance of the 50th anniversary of the internationally acclaimed Garth Fagan Dance” said Bill Ferguson, Executive Director of Garth Fagan Dance. “This endeavor could not have been done without Mayor Lovely Warren and Carvin Eison, whose tireless efforts buoyed this project from its inception. This banner celebrates our ‘unfailingly original’ leader Garth Fagan, the Tony, Olivier & Helpmann Award winning choreographer of Disney’s The Lion King and Our Bessie. It also features quintessential Fagan Dancers Norwood Pennewell and Natalie Rogers-Cropper. This project signifies our collective commitment to the future of Garth Fagan Dance as one of Rochester’s major cultural institutions.”

“This banner represents not only the extraordinary contributions that Garth Fagan and Garth Fagan Dance have made to Rochester, but it also shows the value of public, artistic and educational collaboration” said Carvin Eison, General Manager of Rochester Community TV, who helped facilitate the project. “I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished.”

The 32 ft. by 12 ft. banner was designed by collaboration of Garth Fagan Dance and the Eastman School of Music’s graphic design team. The banner was installed this week and will hang on the Miller Center until November of 2021.


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