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Dance pioneer Judith Jamison dies at 81

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Dance pioneer Judith Jamison dies at 81


Judith Jamison, dance star and former artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, died Saturday. She was 81. “We remember and are grateful for her artistry, humanity and incredible light, which inspired us all,” read a statement from the company posted on social media.

As a dancer, Jamison was best known for “Cry.” First premiering in 1971, the dance is a 17-minute solo choreographed by Alvin Ailey, dedicated to “all Black women everywhere – especially our mothers.” In an interview with NPR in 2008, Jamison said the piece continues to resonate with people because it told a specific, singular story that anyone could understand. “It had nothing to do with how high I was raising my legs or how many pirouettes I was doing or any of that. It had to do with inner self and it had to do with vulnerability and being able to share that vulnerability and for you to recognize it as something human.”

Jamison was born in 1943 in Philadelphia. Her 1993 memoir Dancing Spirit detailed a childhood full of culture – museums, zoos, operas and theaters. When she was 6, she started attending the Judimar School of Dance. In 1965, she joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and became one of the most recognizable talents in dance. She left to start her own company briefly but returned, eventually succeeding Ailey as the company’s artistic director.

Under Jamison, the company flourished. In 2005, the company opened the Joan Weill Center for Dance – a physical space and permanent home to the Ailey company. Jamison told NPR that she never thought something like that would be possible. “We were just out there trying to keep the flame alive.”

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Since her death, friends, family and fans have posted tributes to Jamison. Former first lady Michelle Obama posted on X, “Today, Judith’s spirit will live on in all the dancers she’s inspired, in all the pieces she’s perfected, in all the audiences she has moved and uplifted.”

In 2011, Jamison stepped down as the company’s artistic director. She told NPR ahead of leaving that she was confident in the company’s future. “I am fearlessly reaching into the future,” she said.

Copyright 2024 NPR





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Maine

We Are the Watershed call for art

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We Are the Watershed call for art


A collective of environmental, arts and Indigenous-led organizations is collaborating to produce We Are the Watershed, a two-day event aimed at reconnecting humans with nature and revitalizing the health of waterways, estuaries, and the bay in Peskotomuhkatikuk (traditional Passamaquoddy territory). Events, including theatrical performances, music, culinary experiences and an exhibition of submitted artwork, will be held on May 1 and 2 at Eastport Arts Center (EAC). A publication of written and visual works will also be released with proceeds to support conservation efforts and spreading awareness of their impacts.

Submissions sought:
Written and visual works are currently sought from artists and creatives on both sides of the border across Peskotomuhkatikuk for the publication, which will be sold by donation at the May event. Proceeds from the sale will be dedicated to related community-building efforts, public engagement, and continued restoration efforts. The deadline for digital submission for the publication is April 1.

Physical works can be dropped off at EAC Sunday, April 26 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to be a part of the exhibition, which will run May 1 through 15. Artists under 18 will receive 100% of the proceeds if they opt to put their pieces up for sale during the exhibit, which will run May 1 through May 15. Artists over 18 will receive 70% of the proceeds with the remainder going toward promoting awareness of and supporting conservation efforts for the Passamaquoddy Bay.


The Eastport Arts Center

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Every week through Apr 01, 2026.
Friday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Event Supported By

Eastport Arts Center

(207) 853-4650

info@eastportartscenter.org

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Maine

NEWS CENTER Maine

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NEWS CENTER Maine
Through in-depth storytelling, through direct contact on digital on social platforms, through long-standing community service programs like Coats & Toys for Kids, Project Heat and Buddy to Buddy, NEWS CENTER Maine is dedicated to keeping Mainers connected. We can’t do it alone, though. Only by listening and interacting with YOU can we continue to connect ALL Mainers.



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Suspect arrested in murder of Robert Fuller, Jr., Maine attorney and philanthropist

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Suspect arrested in murder of Robert Fuller, Jr., Maine attorney and philanthropist


Police in Maryland have charged a suspect with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 87-year-old Robert Fuller Jr., a former Maine attorney and philanthropist, inside his senior living apartment in Gaithersburg on Valentine’s Day.

Authorities said the suspect is 22-year-old Maurquise Emilio James, a med tech at the facility where Fuller lived.

Montgomery County Department of Police.

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Police say 22-year-old Maurise Emilio James is charged with murder in the death of Robert Fuller, Jr.

At a press conference Wednesday, detectives said they reviewed surveillance video from the facility showing James near a door that’s alarm was deactivated. A video clip released of the suspect walking in the courtyard of the facility generated tips that helped to identify James.

Early February 24, Maryland State Police conducted a traffic stop of a sedan without tags. Police said the driver fired at the trooper. The officer was not seriously injured.

Investigators said evidence collected at the scene included at least one 9mm shell casing that indicated the same gun was used in both the shooting of Fuller and the incident involving the trooper.

No motive has been given.

Fuller practiced law in Maine for more than 35 years and supported many institutions in the Augusta area.

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