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WHEREAS, Kyle Abraham was born August 14, 1977, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and,
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WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham began his love for dance at the Civic Light Opera Academy and Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School (CAPA) studying classical cello, piano, and the visual arts as well as dance; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from the State University of New York at Purchase (SUNY Purchase) as well as a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from the New York University (NYU) Tisch School of Arts; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham went on to perform with a number of companies including David Dorfman Dance, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, The Kevin Wynn Collective, Nathan Trice/Rituals, Dance Alloy, and Attack Theatre; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham founded his own company, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, in 2006 premiering its first major work, Fading Into Something Tangible, in Pittsburgh; and,
WHEREAS, in 2009, Mr. Abraham was featured in Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” list, describing him as “equal parts power and grace;” and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham was awarded the Bessie Award for Outstanding Performance in Dance for his work, The Radio Show, in 2010; and,
WHEREAS, in the same year Mr. Abraham received the Princess Grace Award for Choreography for extraordinary potential for innovation and impact on the future of dance; and,
WHEREAS, in 2012, Mr. Abraham received the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award for exceptional artistic vision; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham became a member of the prestigious MacArthur Fellows Program, also referred to as the “Genius” grant, class of 2013; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham was the 2012-2014 Resident Commissioned Artist at New York Live Arts where he created two new works, The Watershed and When the Wolves Came, for the Live Arts stage; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham was commissioned to create the works, Another Night and Untitled America, for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham received an honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Washington & Jefferson College in 2014 during W&J’s 215th Commencement Ceremony; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham’s work, The Runaway, for the New York City Ballet’s 2018 Fall Fashion Gala was recognized as a “Best Dance of 2018” by The New York Times; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham was recognized for significant contributions to the field of dance with the Princess Grace Statue Award in 2018, celebrating his progress since his time as an original recipient of the choreography award; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham has worked to create art that reflect his life experiences growing up in the City of Pittsburgh, as well as those related to mental health, cultural and ethnic heritage, police violence, urban decay, and much more, highlighting realities of Black America; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham became the first Black choreographer commissioned to choreograph for The Royal Ballet in The Royal Opera House; and,
WHEREAS, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham will be performing their newest work An Untitled Love this Saturday November 13, 2021, at the Byham Theater; the company’s first performance in Pittsburgh since 2017, presented by the Pittsburgh Dance Council as part of its 50th anniversary, and the Kelly Strayhorn Theater as part of its My People Festival; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Abraham continues to bring a variety of diverse personal backgrounds, various disciplines and musical genres to the forefront of his work, globally impacting the fields of dance and choreography.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby celebrate the continued and enduring artistic achievements and influence that Kyle Abraham has had both on Pittsburgh and the world.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare November 10th, 2021, to be “Kyle Abraham Day” in the City of Pittsburgh.