Annually, the Tribute Luncheon honors individuals and groups who have helped shape and preserve Durham’s unique sense of place. This year it celebrates three Durham institutions and some of the individuals associated with them who have worked tirelessly and artfully to achieve greatness. Their organizations have become synonymous with Durham and they have made even richer the tapestry that comprises the fabric of Durham.
For 2011, the theme was "Great Rhythm. Great Blues." and showcased three of Durham's most enduring organizations: the African American Dance Ensemble, the American Dance Festival and the Bull Durham Blues Festival.
The African American Dance Ensemble expresses the rhythm of life and is more than a dance troupe. The ensemble is an agency of positive social change and reinforcement of the human values of peace, love and respect, as well as a world-renowned arts education organization.
The American Dance Festival has its hands on the pulse of modern American Dance. Relocating to Durham in 1978 from Connecticut, the festival floods Duke's campus each summer with about 500 dancers, choreographers, musicians, critics and scholars from around the globe.
Durham loves to sing the blues, but not the kind that speaks of bad luck, hard times and lost love. Showcasing an art form that is reflective of Durham’s rich musical heritage, the Piedmont or Carolina Blues style is upbeat, and just as likely to make listeners jump up and dance as shake their heads in reflection. For more than two decades, the Bull Durham Blues Festival has been held in Durham as a showcase of some of the finest contemporary blues artists today.
This event is produced annually and in the past has recognized the culinary arts, architecture, authors and civic organizations. To see some images from today's event, click here, here and here.
Great event - so much more meaningful than the customary annual meeting.
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