Asian American Dance Theatre
Founded in 1974 by Eleanor Yung, New York, NY
Color mockup for costumes from Passage, 1985/6
Choreography by Eleanor Yung, costume design by Kwok Yee Tai
Music: Korean Shamanism by Donald Sur
Mixed media, paper
Courtesy Robert Lee and Eleanor Yung

The Asian American Dance Theatre (AADT) was founded by Eleanor Yung and her brother, Danny N.T. Yung, in 1974. The AADT was an extension of the Asian American Dance Workshop within Basement Workshop. The AADT, which remained active until 1990, was known for its dance presentations that celebrated folk and classical dance from many cultures in Asia. The AADT also performed contemporary productions of Asian American dance alongside their folk productions. In her role as artistic director, E. Yung choreographed a number of original dances that toured the nation. Her pieces often received wide acclaim, which was significant at a time when minority groups received little support in the arts and misconceptions of Asian and Asian American dance were abound. In addition to performances that celebrated diverse cultural histories and current explorations into identity via dance, the AADT supported many Asian American choreographers and dancers. The AADT held classes and workshops for the community alongside their performances as examples of this support.

Passage was one original dance choreographed by E. Yung. The work served as a signature piece in the AADT’s repertoire. Passage was performed a number of times throughout the AADT’s tenure, including at the Riverside Theatre and the American Theater Laboratory, which featured costumes designed by Kwok Yee Tail. A rendering of the costumes is shown as part of this exhibition to reflect the integration of the visual arts and folk traditions into the AADT’s performances. Also featured in this gallery is a photograph documenting Midaire, a piece created for dancer SatoruShimazaki. Midare was accompanied by the song “Midaire” by Ton De Leeuw and performed with Zhou dynasty-inspired masks by Robert Lee.