Drexel arts administration graduate student Roger Lee says he has seen Philadelphia, his hometown, at its “lowest of lows and highest of highs.”
So when he pursued his lifelong dream of launching his own dance company, Lee was conscious to create an organization that contributed in a positive way to the city.
“A major mission for me was to connect with Philadelphia,” Lee said. “I’ve lived here all my life, and right now, there’s so much violence going on in the city. I feel like Philadelphia needs some inspiration, and I think movement is a really easy way to connect people. It’s a unifying practice that can be used as a catalyst to inspire our community to come together.”
His vision—Roger Lee Dance Company—debuted this past weekend with performances on April 20 and 21, unveiling Lee’s thoughtfully curated team.
“A lot of times in dance, we ‘audition’ people, but I was looking to cast members that represented everyone,” Lee said, adding that it was important for him to have a multicultural, diverse cast. “We’re all in our 20s, and that was purposeful to show that young people can do some positives things in this city. They have done some negative things, and I want to take that back.”