Brea's Dance Lineage

By Brea

  • Charleston dance appears

  • Lindy Hop: popularized in Harlem's Savoy Ballroom

  • Katherine Dunham writes "Come Back to Arizona" when she was twelve years old.

  • Pearl Primus immigrates to the United States with her parents.

  • Martha Graham established her own dance company in New York City and developed her own innovative dance technique.

  • Josephine Baker did her famous "banana skirt" dance.

  • Katherine Dunham begins to study with Ludmilla Speranzeva.

  • Dunham attends the University of Chicago

  • Asadata Dafora performed Horton's Kykunkor.

  • Dunham forms one of the first Negro ballet companies in America.

  • Hemsley Winfield: Organized the Negro Art Theatre Dance Group in Harlem.

  • Alvin Ailey was born in Rogers, Texas.

  • The Lester Horton Dance Group was formed and it became the first racially integrated dance company in the country.

  • Dunham receives her Bachelor's degree in Philosophy. Her major field of study is recorded as social anthropology.

  • Dunham collaborates with Balanchine on dance choreography in the musical Cabin in the Sky.

  • Pearl Primus received her Bachelor's degree in biology and pre-medical science from Hunter College.

  • Pearl Primus received a scholarship from the National Youth Association's New Dance Group.

  • Pearl Primus also studied with Martha Graham and Asadata Dafora.

  • Primus formed her own dance company.

  • Dunham School of Dance and Theater opened in New York.

  • Horton’s Dance Theater was formed and it served as an academy and also the home of his company.

  • Jose Limon established his own dance company in New York.

  • Ailey started studying modern dance with Lester Horton.

  • Merce Cunningham Dance Company was formed.

  • Alvin Ailey makes his Broadway debut in House of Flowers

  • José Limón and Company was the first dance company to travel abroad on a cultural mission under the auspices of the United States State Department when they were sent to South America to perform.

  • Arthur Mitchell becomes the first black principal dancer at New York City Ballet.

  • Alvin Ailey founded his own company.

  • Primus received an M.A. in Education from New York University.

  • Ailey's Relevations debuted

  • Ailey takes his company on the road.

  • Judith Jamison's first performance with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

  • Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook founded Dance Theatre of Harlem

  • Trisha Brown Dance Company was founded

  • The Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO) was founded.

  • Alvin Ailey was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree from Princeton University, the United Nations Peace Medal and New York City’s highest cultural honor, and the Handel Medallion.

  • Ailey II was founded.

  • Primus received her PhD in Anthropology from New York University.

  • Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance company was formed.

  • Pina Bausch was awarded the New York Bessie Award for her work.

  • Jawole Willa Jo Zollar founded Urban Bush Women (UBW) as a performance ensemble dedicated to exploring the use of cultural expression as a catalyst for social change.

  • Alvin Ailey was honored by the Kennedy Center for his contributions to the arts.

  • Brea Sasser is born in Baltimore, MD.

  • Debbie Allen opened her dance academy in Los Angeles, California.

  • Brea Sasser began training under Mari Travis.

  • Brea Sasser begins to train at Flair Dance and Modeling Studio.

  • Brea begins to attend Sudbrook Magnet Middle School as a Dance Magnet student.

  • Brea Sasser begins studying with Maria Royals.

  • Brea Sasser begins attending George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology as a Dance prime student.

  • Brea Sasser began training with Stephanie Powell and Elizabeth Ahearn

  • Sasser begins training with Eric Rivera

  • Sasser begins studying with Autumn Proctor-Wadell.

  • Sasser begins studying with Judy Steel.

  • Sasser begins studying with Scott Putman.

  • Sasser studied with Melanie Richards.

  • Sasser studied with Martha Curtis.

  • Sasser begins studying with Dr. Elgie Gaynell Sherrod.

  • Brea Sasser performs at Mario Barrett's Annual Benefit Concert at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre.

  • Brea Sasser performs in the Arena Players Theatre Production of Smokey Joe's Cafe.

  • Brea Sasser graduates High School with her High School Diploma.

  • Brea Sasser begins attending Virginia Commonwealth University as a Dance and Choreography major.

  • Brea Sasser begins Courtney Harris.

  • Brea Sasser attends ACDA at Johnson C. Smith University.

  • Brea Sasser performs in the Maryland State Dance Festival.

  • Brea Sasser performs in George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology's Senior Dance Showcase.

  • Brea Sasser performs in "Tolerance", a dance choreographed by Morgahn Crawford.

  • Sasser receives VCU's Dance and Choreography Department's Emerging Leader Award.

  • Brea Sasser choreographed "In the Mix".

  • Brea Sasser attends ACDA at Meredith College.

  • Brea Sasser will graduate from VCU with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Choreography.