DANNI GEE
Director of Programming, The Joyce Theater in New York
Danni Gee has over 40 years of experience in the Arts and Entertainment industry. She has performed as a principal dancer with both PHILADANCO! The Philadelphia Dance Company, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, where she performed memorable roles including the iconic solo, “CRY.” As a vocalist, she has appeared with renowned music artists such as Kathy Sledge, of Sister Sledge, Gloria Gaynor, and CHER, as well with her own NYC-based indie rock band, Suga Bush.
Danni returned to concert dance in 2006 when she accepted the position of Dance Curator for City Parks Foundation SummerStage, one of New York City’s largest, free outdoor festivals where she engaged such established companies as Parsons Dance, Dance Brazil, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Kibbutz Contemporary Company, Ballet Hispanico, Martha Graham Dance Company, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Camille A. Brown & Dancers, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, and Alvin Ailey.
Along with providing performance and commissioning opportunities for many emerging and established choreographers and companies over the years, she also successfully presented several special theatrical evenings including Notes of a Native Song featuring indie-rockers Stew and the Negro Problem; a 10th anniversary concert version of Fela! The Musical; the 20th anniversary of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam; and the 40th anniversary celebration of the hit Broadway show, The Wiz, with direction by Tony Award-winning choreographer, George Faison, and featuring appearances by original cast members including Phylicia Rashad, Andre De Shields, and Dee Dee Bridgewater, who also won a Tony in 1975 as the original “Glinda.”
Danni is also the creator of the online series, dannIGeeLive, which she began in April 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic to support her artistic community. The series, live streamed via Instagram from her living room, features conversations with artists and educators across disciplines and genres. Archived episodes of dannIGeeLive are available on demand at www.dannigeetv.com.
In September of 2022, Danni embarked on a new adventure as Director of Programming at The Joyce Theater in New York. Under the leadership of Executive Director, Linda Shelton, Danni will oversee 45-plus weeks of programming at the heralded venue and will strive to continue and uphold its mission to serve and support artists and the art of dance and choreography, and to promote the richness and variety of the art form in its fullest expression.
