The Joyce Theater Foundation (Linda Shelton, Executive Director) is pleased to welcome Danni Gee as the organization’s new Director of Programming, effective September 12, 2022. A former principal dancer with the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater who started her career with Philadanco — The Philadelphia Dance Company, Ms. Gee brings over 30 years of experience in the arts to The Joyce, including over a dozen seasons as Dance Curator for City Park’s Foundation’s SummerStage. Her work has afforded her the opportunity to work closely with emerging artists and world premiere pieces, as well as companies familiar to audiences at The Joyce, including Martha Graham Dance Company, Parsons Dance, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Limón Dance Company. 

“Danni brings an incredibly well-rounded, worldly perspective to this ever-demanding position,” Linda Shelton said. “Her lifelong commitment to dance, in combination with her experience in music, family programming, and arts education, is a perfect springboard for her to continue The Joyce’s decades-long commitment to presenting the best of American and international dance to New York audiences. We look forward to welcoming Danni and the talented companies she attracts to our storied Chelsea home.” 

Danni Gee said today, “As a dancer, it was a profoundly fulfilling journey performing with such legendary companies as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and with some of the world’s best music artists. Since becoming a presenter, I have thrived on bringing the arts to a wide array of communities. And now, it is an incredible full-circle moment returning to the renowned Joyce Theater as its Director of Programming, having danced on that stage in 1990 with Philadanco – even appearing on the marquee poster for that engagement. This is the cherry on top of a tremendously delicious cake. I am excited about and look forward to working with Linda Shelton and the entire Joyce family as we look to share our love of dance with as many people as we can.” 

Danni Gee has over 37 years of experience in the arts industry. She began her career as a dancer in her hometown when, at the age of 16, she joined Philadanco – The Philadelphia Dance Company, led by Joan Myers Brown, quickly becoming one of its featured dancers, performing leading roles in works by Elisa Monte, Louis Johnson, Talley Beatty, Milton Myers, and Gene Hill Sagan, to name a few. At the age of twenty-two, she was chosen by then-Artistic Director, Judith Jamison, to join the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In her six years with the company, Danni originated roles in works by Dwight Rhoden, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Billy Wilson, Brenda Way, and Ulysses Dove, among others, and danced many principal roles within the company’s repertoire including the tour de force solo, Cry. Upon leaving the company prematurely due to injury in 1997, Danni focused her talents and passion for performing on music. As a vocalist, she performed with Kathy Sledge, of Sister Sledge, Gloria Gaynor, and Cher, as well with her own indie rock band, Suga Bush. Danni returned to dance in 2006 when she became the Dance Curator for City Parks Foundation / SummerStage, one of New York’s largest, free outdoor festivals. During her time with the festival, she commissioned works from Parsons Dance, Dance Brazil, Kibbutz Contemporary Company, Martha Graham Dance Company, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Camille A. Brown & Dancers, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and provided performance opportunities for countless emerging choreographers and teaching artists. In 2017, she inaugurated the first Youth Matinee with a special Central Park performance for summer youth camp attendees from across the five-boroughs, featuring Rennie Harris Puremovement. She also presented the festival’s first of several film screenings featuring dance with A Ballerina’s Tale starring Misty Copeland. In 2020, despite having to create an entirely virtual season due to the Covid-19 pandemic shut down, Danni was still able to realize her vision of diverse curation, which included the recognition of Juneteenth, a first for the festival, and a day-long, country-wide celebration of National Dance Day, which culminated with an original film featuring performances by notable New York dance artists. Aside from her dance events, Danni also presented several special theatrical programs for the festival, including the 40th Anniversary of the hit Broadway show, The Wiz, in collaboration with Tony Award-winning choreographer George Faison; a 20th anniversary celebration of HBO’s popular “Def Poetry Jam”; and “Notes of a Native Song” featuring Stew and the Negro Problem. For summer 2022, Danni celebrated her 15th season with the SummerStage festival with a lineup that highlighted BIPOC women leaders in dance. In April of 2020, Danni also became the host of the weekly DIY Instagram series, “dannIGeeLive.” She created the program in response to the Covid-19 pandemic to support her artistic community livestreaming engaging and informative conversations with artists and educators from across disciplines and genres. 

The Joyce Theater Foundation (“The Joyce,” Executive Director, Linda Shelton), a non-profit organization, has proudly served the dance community for almost four decades. Under the direction of founders Cora Cahan and Eliot Feld, Ballet Tech Foundation acquired and renovated the Elgin Theater in Chelsea. Opening as The Joyce Theater in 1982, it was named in honor of Joyce Mertz, beloved daughter of LuEsther T. Mertz. It was LuEsther’s clear, undaunted vision and abundant generosity that made it imaginable and ultimately possible to build the theater. Ownership was secured by The Joyce in 2015. The theater is one of the only theaters built by dancers for dance and has provided an intimate and elegant home for over 400 U.S.-based and international companies. The Joyce has also expanded its reach beyond its Chelsea home through off-site presentations at venues ranging in scope from Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater to Brooklyn’s Invisible Dog Art Center, and to outdoor programming in spaces such as Hudson River Park. To further support the creation of new work, The Joyce maintains longstanding commissioning and residency programs. Local students and teachers (K–12th grade) benefit from its school program, and family and adult audiences get closer to dance with access to artists. The Joyce’s annual season of about 48 weeks of dance now includes over 340 performances – both digital and in-person – for audiences in excess of 150,000.