George Faison facts for kids

George W. Faison, born on December 21, 1945, is a famous American dancer, choreographer (someone who creates dance routines), teacher, and theater producer. He won a Tony Award in 1975 and was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1991 for his amazing dance work. George Faison was a main dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. He also started his own dance group called the George Faison Universal Dance Experience. Today, he is a co-founder and artistic director of the Faison Firehouse Theater.

Early Life and Education

George Faison was born in Washington, D.C. on December 21, 1945. He went to Dunbar High School. As a student, he performed in a show called Show Boat with the American Light Opera Company. He also studied dance with the Jones-Haywood Capitol Ballet.

In 1964, George Faison started studying at Howard University. At first, he planned to become a dentist. But while at Howard, he worked with a director named Owen Dodson. He also saw a performance by the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. These experiences helped him decide to move to New York City and become a dancer. In New York, he took many dance classes to improve his skills.

George Faison's Career

George Faison danced with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1967 to 1969. In 1970, he performed in the original Broadway show Purlie. The next year, in 1971, he started his own dance group called the George Faison Universal Dance Experience. He began this group with only six hundred dollars. Famous dancers like Debbie Allen were part of his group.

Creating New Dance Works

During this time, George Faison created many important dance pieces. One of his most famous works was "Suite Otis" in 1971. This dance was set to the music of Otis Redding. It was performed by five couples and mixed different dance styles like ballet and modern dance.

Broadway and Beyond

George Faison first worked as a choreographer on Broadway in 1972. He choreographed the show Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope. He then choreographed other shows, including Via Galactica, Tilt, and the very popular The Wiz. For The Wiz, he worked with stars like Stephanie Mills.

Later in his career, he choreographed dances for many famous singers. These included Ashford and Simpson, Earth, Wind and Fire, Patti LaBelle, and Dionne Warwick. He choreographed more than twenty-four musicals. This included the Broadway show 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 1967, which had music by Leonard Bernstein.

He also choreographed a production of Porgy and Bess at Radio City Music Hall in 1983. In 1985, he choreographed Sing, Mahalia, Sing in Philadelphia. George Faison directed and choreographed "The Apollo - Just Like Magic" in 1981. This show brought back the exciting "golden age" of the Apollo Theater.

In 1989, he created and produced a TV special called Cosby Salutes Ailey. This show celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In 1991, he won an Emmy Award for his choreography in the HBO special The Josephine Baker Story. In 1997, George Faison directed and choreographed King, a musical performed at Bill Clinton’s inauguration.

Faison Firehouse Theater

In 1997, George Faison started a group called the American Performing Arts Collaborative (APAC). This group uses the arts to connect with and inspire young people. Two years later, he bought an old firehouse in New York City. Over the next ten years, he worked to fix it up.

The building was originally a fire station built in 1908. Now, it is the Faison Firehouse Theater. It has a large auditorium with 350 seats, a café, dance and rehearsal spaces, and a recording studio. The theater officially opened in the fall of 2007. The opening event included special guest Maya Angelou. It also featured professional dance and musical theater performances, as well as a performance by the young people from APAC.