Lula Washington Dance Theatre at NJPAC: A Black History Month Night in Newark

A Night of Dance With a Message

Black History Month programs can lean on celebration alone. The Lula Washington Dance Theatre show that Dance Mogul Magazine saw at NJPAC in 2015 did more than that. It mixed street, contemporary and classical movement, used projected images and a recorded sermon from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and asked the audience to sit with history’s cruelty as well as its courage.

For a publication with roots in Newark, that night meant something particular: a Black-owned Los Angeles company that grew out of a neighborhood studio, performing for a Newark audience in the city’s largest arts center. Below is our original review in full, the program as reported, every photo from our coverage, and the company’s story since.

The 2015 Review: Our Original Report

From the DMM Archive · March 1, 2015

Lula Washington Dance Theatre: Special Five Star Review @ NJPAC 2015
Dance Mogul Magazine Exclusive…

Dance Mogul Magazine on assignment: Special thanks to DMM Editor-In-Chief Flo Jenkins. On Thursday, February 26th, Dance Mogul Magazine witnessed the artistic brilliance of the Lula Washington Dance Theatre at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey. It was a pleasure and honor to experience the energy-filled performances that contained such thought-provoking storylines. A potpourri of dance styles nourished our souls. The young, hip energy of today was well represented with fine-tuned choreography that told colorful stories. Some of the dance music choreography allowed the performers to combine a variety of styles, from street to contemporary to classical. By the applause, the distinctive, substantive, artistic presentation obviously satisfied the dance-hungry-palates of an enthusiastic audience. These dancers were authentic storytellers taking us on their magnificent journey. Several performances/stories were told even better with the accompaniment of an outstanding drummer who helped heighten and enliven the artistry. Some of the more intense performances were brought to life with an in-focus machine, which enhanced abeyance and texture of the performances.

One highlight of the night was a piece that spoke specifically to the essence of Black History Month and the Civil Rights movement. The performance showcased a sole dancer, in black and white, who danced while the recorded voice of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke to critical matters of injustice and equal rights for all. The in-focus machine showed traumatic images of horrendous acts committed against “colored people” at the time. This piece was a shocking reminder of the many atrocities; it was a reminder also of the unheralded sacrifices that were made to initiate, to enforce, and to ensure equal rights for all. From beginning to end, the show displayed an overall sense of social responsibility and appreciation for the Arts. The dancing artists were in tune with that and were clearly conscious and present at the moment as they transitioned from each performance.

The Lula Washington Dance Theatre has built a reputation for Artistic Excellence. We at Dance Mogul Magazine can clearly see why.

Reproduced from Dance Mogul Magazine’s March 1, 2015 review, with the venue name corrected. “In-focus machine” refers to the projector used for images on the backdrop.

The Program That Night

NJPAC announced the date in December 2014: one performance, Thursday, February 26, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. in the Victoria Theater. Earlier that day, Rutgers University-Newark hosted the company for a free community class in modern dance at the Paul Robeson Campus Center, so Newark students could take class with the dancers before seeing them on stage.

NJ Arts critic Robert Johnson, who reviewed the same show, listed the works performed:

Johnson also noted the timing: the show came two days after the U.S. Justice Department said it would not bring civil rights charges in the killing of Trayvon Martin. Search for Humanism closed with dancers crying out “I can’t breathe!” In Newark that night, Black History Month and the news of the week met on the same stage. That context helps explain why our reviewer called the program a “shocking reminder” and why the audience responded as it did.

Photo Gallery: LWDT at NJPAC

Every photo from DMM’s original coverage is kept here at full size.

53 Photos · February 26, 2015

Lula Washington Dance Theatre at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark. From DMM’s 2015 coverage.

Who Is Lula Washington?

Lula Washington grew up in the Nickerson Gardens housing projects in Watts, the oldest of eight children in a family that, as the Kennedy Center puts it, grew up in poverty. A teacher took her to see the Alvin Ailey company at UCLA, and that performance set her course. She went on to study dance at UCLA herself.

In 1980, after graduating, she and her husband, Erwin Washington, founded the Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Theatre. It was later renamed the Lula Washington Dance Theatre. From the start the mission had two parts: a professional company whose work reflects African American history and culture, and a school in the inner city where young people could learn to dance and build careers. Many company dancers came up through that studio.

Her choreography blends modern, African, jazz, hip-hop and ballet, and much of it takes on social and humanitarian subjects. By its 35th year, which it marked in 2015, the same season as the NJPAC show, the company had danced in Russia, China, Brazil, Kosovo, Germany and across the United States. In 2018, Lula and Erwin Washington shared Dance/USA’s Champion Award for their leadership in Los Angeles dance.

These dancers were authentic storytellers taking us on their magnificent journey.

— Dance Mogul Magazine review, March 2015

Company Timeline

Lula Washington Dance Theatre Today

The company is still on Crenshaw Boulevard and still mixing new work with history. For its 45th anniversary in August 2025, LWDT performed at the Ford in Los Angeles. A photo essay published by the Ford listed the program: Lula Washington’s The Master Plan, Tamica Washington-Miller’s And We Can Fly, Donald McKayle’s Songs of the Disinherited, Talley Beatty’s Mourner’s Bench, and Martha Graham’s Deep Song and Satyric Festival Song.

The future is a family affair. Tamica Washington-Miller, Lula’s daughter, grew up inside the company. She danced the opening role in Search for Humanism at NJPAC in 2015, and the Ford describes her as the company’s named successor. The school and youth ensemble remain central to the company’s calendar, with seasonal programs for Black History Month, Juneteenth and Kwanzaa. For current shows, see the company’s official site at lulawashington.org.

What the Next Generation Should Learn

1. Your neighborhood can be your foundation. Lula Washington grew up in Watts and built her company in South Los Angeles. Many of its dancers trained in her own studio.

2. One performance can change a life. Seeing Ailey at UCLA started her path. Every show you dance may be someone else’s first.

3. Art can carry history. A piece like The Little Rock Nine & the Movement teaches what a textbook can’t. Learn the history behind the work you perform.

4. Build something that outlasts you. Forty-five years in, the company has a named successor in Tamica Washington-Miller. Plan for the next generation from day one.

5. Show up for the community, not just the stage. Before the NJPAC show, the company taught a free class for Newark students. Teaching is part of the work.

Why It Matters to DMM

Dance Mogul Magazine documents the lived stories of people who use dance to lift others, and Lula Washington’s story is one of them. It begins in public housing in Watts and leads to an institution that has trained young dancers on Crenshaw Boulevard for 45 years. Her company has been telling Black history through dance the whole time. For a magazine with roots in Newark’s dance community, seeing that work at NJPAC was a meeting of two communities that understand what the arts can do for young people.

Read more on DMM: Nasha Thomas, from Newark to the Ailey stage, Camille A. Brown, Desmond Richardson, and D(n)A Arts’ MADE TO MOVE intensive. For more legacy stories, visit The Legacy.

Lula Washington Dance Theatre: Frequently Asked Questions

When did Lula Washington Dance Theatre perform at NJPAC?

Lula Washington Dance Theatre performed at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's Victoria Theater in Newark on Thursday, February 26, 2015 at 7:30 p.m., for Black History Month.

What did Lula Washington Dance Theatre perform at NJPAC in 2015?

NJ Arts reported a program of Search for Humanism, The Little Rock Nine & the Movement, We Wore the Mask, Flyin' With the Wind, Reign by Rennie Harris, and Random Thoughts.

Who founded Lula Washington Dance Theatre?

Lula Washington and her husband, Erwin Washington, founded the company in Los Angeles in 1980 as the Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Theatre. It was later renamed Lula Washington Dance Theatre.

Where is Lula Washington Dance Theatre based?

The company and its school are based at 3773 Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Who will lead Lula Washington Dance Theatre in the future?

Tamica Washington-Miller, Lula Washington's daughter, grew up in the company and is described by the Ford as its named successor.

The Story Continues

Dance Mogul Magazine will keep following Lula Washington Dance Theatre and the next generation it is training. Bookmark this page and check back for updates.

Sources & Further Viewing

© 2026 Dance Mogul Magazine LLC · From the Archive, Updated · A Black-owned dance and empowerment publication since 2010