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Homer Hans Bryant talks about Hiplet. 'Hiplet - When Ballet Meets Hip-Hop' - video report from Voice of America.

Homer Hans Bryant

Homer Hans Bryant (Born 29 March 1950) is an African-American classically-trained dancer, artistic director, choreographer, instructor and founder of the Chicago Multi-cultural Dance Center, and creator of the dance style Hiplet.

Early life

Bryant was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands and became involved in dance in middle school, studying at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance School. Homer then came to the attention of dancer and choreographer Arthur Mitchell, founder of the Dance Theatre of Harlem the first African American classical dance company in the United States. Arthur extended an invitation to Bryant to come to New York and study with the company, which he accepted.

Career

In 1972, Homer began his professional career when he won an audition to replace a member of the company. He continued to dance and tour professionally with the Dance Theater of Harlem and took a hiatus in 1978 to perform in the Broadway musical Timbuktu! alongside Eartha Kitt. He also appeared in the film version of the musical The Wiz along with Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Homer then worked with Donald McKayle’s dance company and while on tour came to Chicago and danced briefly with Maria Tallchief's Chicago City Ballet.

In 1981, Bryant returned to New York to oversee the Dance Theater of Harlem’s pre-professional workshop ensemble. Four years later, Bryant moved to Chicago to start his own dance company and school, Bryant Ballet. In 1993, Bryant began working with Cirque de Soleil, a relationship that continued for three of Cirque de Soleil’s most popular productions, Mystère, Alegria, and Quidam. Bryant also served as ballet master for the Joel Hall Dancers and Dance Chicago.

In 1994 Homer started going to the Chicago Public Schools teaching 'rap ballet' which would ultimately become Hiplet (which was later trademarked in 2007). In 1997, in recognition of the school’s influence, Mayor Richard M. Daley issued a proclamation officially renaming Bryant’s school the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center. The next year, Bryant served as lead artist for the city of Chicago’s Gallery 37 .

In 2009, Homer was featured in a short documentary Raising The Barre; The Homer Hans Bryant Story which was showcased in a private screening at the Gene Siskel Theater on October 21, 2009. Homer describes how dance is a discipline for everyone and that he is ultimately creating better human beings. The documentary states that he trained Ayisha McMillan, the first black girl to dance as Clara in North Carolina Theatre production of The Nutcracker. Ayisha shares that Homer bought her toe shoes when her family could not afford them.

The Hiplet ballerinas were showcased on Americas Got Talent in 2021. The exposure of the audition on the popular show brought the new dance form further notoriety.

Homer has received the Chicago Cultural Alliance’s Lifetime Achievement Award and coined the term edutainment.

Personal Life

Homer married fellow dancer Rhonda Sampson, and member of Dance Theater of Harlem in 1978. The couple had a child, Alexandria Victoria in 1981 who was born with cerebral palsy. While doctors predicted she would only live five years, she lived to be 28 years old. Alexandria Victoria accompanied Homer to his dance classes and would move her fingers along with the music. Homer would tell his students there was a dancer inside her.