The University of Nevada, Reno School of the Arts is hosting Lula Washington Dance Theatre Company at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 2, at the University of Nevada, Reno's Nightingale Concert Hall.

The Lula Washington company is a Los Angeles-based repertoire dance ensemble that has built an international reputation for the earthiness, vitality, energy and humanism of its repertory - most of it choreographed by founder/artistic director Lula Washington.  

Stylistically, she fuses African and Afro-Haitian dance. She also incorporates the dance styles of gospel church, classical ballet, modern, street, theatrical, hip-hop, while drawing from various ideas and issues. The company is composed of athletic dancers, many from the inner city in Los Angeles and trained by Washington herself. These dancers bring a charisma and interpretative power to every dance.  

Washington's works have been praised by critics for their strong political and social commentary, as well as their avant-garde composition and their roots in African-American culture. The company tours internationally and has been received with acclaim and admiration.  

She has garnered numerous awards and honors, and, her works have been commissioned by major foundations and dance-presenting institutions, including the National Endowment for the Arts, the James Irvine Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and AT&T. Lula Washington founded the company in 1980 with her husband, Erwin Washington, to provide a creative outlet for minority dance artists in the inner city. The company has danced in more than 150 cities in the United States, as well as abroad in Germany, Spain, Kosovo, Mexico, Canada, China and Russia.  

As a leading dance educator, Washington and her company will work closely with University music and dance students giving several workshops and masterclasses. Free and open to the public, there is a "dancers collaborating with musicians" session. This class will be held at noon, Tuesday, Oct. 31, in Nightingale Concert Hall.  

For more information about this event, contact the University of Nevada, Reno School of the Arts at 775-784-4278.  

The Performing Arts Series is put on by the School of the Arts. The University's School of the Arts embraces its role as a vibrant center for arts and culture in northern Nevada. Its degree programs provide a strong foundation in a range of artistic disciplines, enabling students to contribute as artists, educators and scholars at the local level and beyond. The School also supports and encourages research, innovation and the artistic endeavors of its faculty. Finally, the school encourages broad campus and community participation in the arts through its numerous performances, lectures, shows, core courses and outreach activities that explore diverse cultures and encourage lifelong learning.  

The University of Nevada, Reno Performing Arts Series receives financial support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; the Nevada Arts Council, a state agency; the City of Reno; the University of Nevada, Reno; the University of Nevada, Reno Graduate Student Association; and The Associated Students of the University of Nevada, Reno. Hotel rooms are provided by Eldorado Resorts and marketing support by CLM Design.