Dana McBroom - Manna
Evangelist Grace
The work of Dana McBroom-Manno in education and performing arts encompasses the worlds of theatre, dance, music, fine arts and electronic media. As a senior member of Adelphi University’s Performing Arts and African American Studies departments, she developed the curriculum of and taught courses in History of Black Performing Arts in America, The Black Drama Workshop and Ethnic Dance. Her work with Adelphi’s La Union Latino and the African Peoples Organization, resulted in her appointment as Coordinator of Talent and Library Liaison for Adelphi University’s Center for African American Studies Program. As a theatre entrepreneur, she created the 42nd Street Repertory Theatre, which produced works by classic and contemporary playwrights as well as a midnight jazz series. As the theatre’s artistic director, and as instructor and company member of the Katherine Dunham School, Professor Manno’s contributions helped form the prototype for today’s Theatre Row on Manhattan’s 42nd Street. Her work as a songwriter, director and choreographer at the world renowned La Mama Theatre led to her nomination for two ADELCO awards. She has also composed, choreographed and acted with the famed Negro Ensemble Company. She has been recognized by ASCAP, WBLS and in New York as a composer of the declared “dance classic”, Pull Up To The Bumper; as performed by cultural icon, Grace Jones. Ms. McBroom-Manno’s film credits include choreographic and acting credits with directors Gordon Parks Sr. and Bob Fosse. Dana McBroom Manno was selected as Performing Arts Coordinator for the United States at the Second World Black and African Festival of Art and Culture (FESTAC), in Lagos, Nigeria. She has worked with the Bronx Council for the Arts, the New York State Council for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. recommending talent as well as writing reviews of the performing and visual arts. Her formative dance experience with the Katherine Dunham Dance Company prepared her for a coveted position as a member of New York's Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company. Dana has used her experience as a Master Teacher of the Katherine Dunham Technique to help promote Caribbean culture around the world. Sponsored by the Japanese government and the Japanese/African-American Society, Dana McBroom-Manno toured Japan as part of an 18 member professional women’s delegation. During the trip, Professor Manno was invited to lecture on History and teach dance classes at Chiba University. She was invited to participated in the One World Living Arts Festival in Auckland, New Zealand. To honor Dr. MLK, Dana has performed as a dancer and vocalist at New York’s Apollo Theatre. Dana McBroom-Manno is Co-Artistic Director of the PAKA Foundation. PAKA has contributed to the Blueprint for Dance of NYC’s DOE. The PAKA Foundation has produced both dance and theatre events at the Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium at the United Nations, Jacob’s Pillow, NYC Summer Stage and the International Diversity Dance and Music Festival at Fashion Institute of Technology. PAKA and McBroom-Manno has been awarded a Citation of Honor by the NY City Council for her contribution to the promotion of Caribbean Culture. The PAKA Foundation is registered in the U.S., Kenya and Montserrat BWI. In addition to her many years at Adelphi, Professor Manno has also taught classes at Pratt Institute, Hofstra University, Yale University, Sarah Lawrence, and the Dance Theatre of Harlem School (dance history, mime, Dunham), the New School University (African dance, drums and religion), the Harkness Dance Center at the 92nd Street YMHA. Professor Manno is currently a faculty member at SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology (Afro Caribbean dance, Ballet and Contemporary Urban Dance) and the Ballet Hispanico (Dunham Technique).