a&e features
Queer Alvin Ailey dancers ready triumphant Kennedy Center return
Three LGBT performers on why dance is their artistic medium
The world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the Kennedy Center Feb. 4-9 for its annual winter engagement. Led by Artistic Director Robert Battle, this year’s program will include regional premieres of three works, two entirely new productions and two company premieres.
Tickets start at $49. Full details on time, dates and more is online at kennedy-center.org.
We asked three of the company’s LGBT dancers to share their training, favorites, goals and more.
NAME: Ghrai DeVore-Stokes
HOMETOWN: Washington, D.C.
AGE: 30
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Married
IDENTIFY AS: I don’t subscribe to labels but if forced, I would say either queer or pansexual.
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Brooklyn
HOW LONG WITH ALVIN AILEY: 10 years
WHAT DREW YOU TO THE COMPANY: Mr Ailey died on the day I was born so I always felt a connection to him. Also I was inspired by the work that the company has done to celebrate and illuminate the African diaspora and the lives and legacies of people of color in America.
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR DANCE BACKGROUND: I have studied and trained extensively in ballet (Vaganova) and modern (Horton and Graham). I have also studied jazz and some tap.
HOW LONG DANCING PROFESSIONALLY? 14 years
FAVORITE CURRENT PIECE TO PERFORM: A mix between Jamar Roberts’ “Ode” and Aszure Barton’s “Busk.”
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU DANCED AT THE KENNEDY CENTER PREVIOUSLY? This year will be my 10th. My first was 10 years ago in my first year with the company.
THOUGHTS ON THE VENUE/AUDIENCE: The Kennedy Center stage is one of the most beautiful stages and theaters I have performed in. I might be a bit biased because D.C. is my hometown, but in all honesty it’s beautiful to come to such a majestic stage as our first stop on our domestic tour usually. The audience also loves us. We always feel the energy from the audiences at Kennedy Center.
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION/DANCE: It’s really important to me that I tell a story every time I walk on the stage. I want to invoke a feeling in the audience. I want people to remember their humanity when I’m on the stage. I want people to be able to relate to me as well. I want the audience to have left the theater feeling something.
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL FITNESS PROGRAM: I got into the company when I was quite young and as the years have passed, it’s become necessary for me to start slower and build up to more strenuous activity. I like to start with some sort of floor work. Maybe a bit of rolling around, feeling my muscles and bones on the floor waking up the joints. Then perhaps a bit of stretching to release the tendons and ligaments. I like an all-inclusive class. That usually means something that incorporates all of the things I will be required to do during the rehearsal day. It’s very important that my back, my neck, my hips and my feet are thoroughly warmed up before I start trying to throw my body around. On the off time I like to do a bit of gym work. Resistance band, elliptical. I also just learned to swim and that’s good for stamina and breath monitoring.
OF ALL THE ARTISTIC MEDIUMS AVAILABLE, WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DANCE? I chose dance because it encompasses so much. You must have a working understanding of musicality. You must be a bit of an actor. Sometimes you must use your voice. All while finding the best angles and being cognizant of the people around you. You’re constantly using your brain and all of your body. It also important to know the aspects of the theater so that you help the crew run the show smoothly. Being a performing artist means you are always learning.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE DANCERS OF ALL TIME? I don’t really have a favorite dancer of all time. My astrological chart doesn’t really allow me to choose one person out of the many who move me. I like dancers who are virtuosic and push boundaries. I like to feel as if at any moment the dancer will fly off the stage and into the cosmos. I love to see someone dancing both with technical prowess and complete abandon.
WHAT LGBT THEMES ARE IN YOUR REPERTOIRE? The fact that the company is made up of dancers who are spanning the spectrum of sexuality means that whenever we walk on stage, we are living and showcasing the truth of our very existence. Take “Ode” for example. There is a cast of men and a cast of women and no matter how we identify, we must love and acknowledge the humanity of our fellow dancers. Our pieces don’t often center around LGBTQ themes but we bring it to the forefront simply because of who we are as people.
WHAT’S THE MOST ARDUOUS/TEDIUS PART OF THE DISCIPLINE/LIFESTYLE? Making sure our bodies are at 100 percent no matter what. More often than not these days it’s difficult for me to get out of bed. It might be hard because I need more sleep or it might be hard because my body is in pain but I have to figure out to get my body working efficiently in order to perform at the caliber that’s required. It’s also hard balancing the personal and the professional. My wife is a teaching and performing artist currently based in Dakar and trying to match our schedules is always tedious. Sometimes you just want to break down but in those moments I think we take comfort and strength from each other as a company so that we can support each other.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN 15 YEARS? I’d like to be fluent in at least five languages with three or four more tattoos. I would like to be living in either Japan or Europe and own either land or property somewhere. I’d like to be a model and or working on the silver screen. I’d also like to be a rehearsal director or be setting works for a company. I have a lot of different interests that span all walks of life. I want to be continuing to explore life in 15 years.
NAME: Chalvar Montiero
HOMETOWN: Montclair, N.J.
AGE: 31
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single
IDENTIFY AS: Gay
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: New York, N.Y.
HOW LONG WITH ALVIN AILEY: five years
WHAT DREW YOU TO THE COMPANY?: I was drawn to this company because they looked like me. I had never seen something like that before. On top of that, the control, personality and finesse of each artist are unmatched.
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR DANCE BACKGROUND: I started my formal training at Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts. I attended a few summer intensives at The Ailey School before going to Purchase College at SUNY (state university of New York) and getting my degree in dance. From there I freelanced and worked with great talents, spending most of my time with Kyle Abraham’s Abraham.In.Motion. I joined Ailey II the summer of 2014, and joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in the spring of 2015.
HOW LONG DANCING PROFESSIONALLY? 11 years.
FAVORITE CURRENT PIECE TO PERFORM: Judith Jamison’s “Divining”
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU DANCED AT THE KENNEDY CENTER PREVIOUSLY: four
THOUGHTS ON THE VENUE/AUDIENCE: This theater is one of my favorite venues of the entire domestic tour. The audience is so generous and tickets are always sold out. D.C. is one of my favorite cities to visit.
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION/DANCE: Dance is a natural way to communicate for all humans. I think we are naturally drawn to the arts because it’s the healthiest and most fulfilling way to convey any message. The more we invest in our modes of communication through the arts, the more we heal ourselves as a community/nation.
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL FITNESS PROGRAM: Outside of dance, the amount of time I spend cross training depends on the demand of the repertoire. I don’t do much cardio because I do that all day in rehearsal. Instead I focus on strength training in my shoulders, back and glutes, making sure those muscle groups are supported.
OF ALL THE ARTISTIC MEDIUMS AVAILABLE, WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DANCE? I didn’t choose dance. I’ve tried it all but nothing felt natural to me besides this form of expression.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE DANCERS OF ALL TIME: Matthew Rushing. Clifton Brown. Bahiyah Hiba, Linda Celeste Sims. Sylvie Guillem. Darcey Bussell. Desmond Richardson. (I can go on and on.)
WHAT LGBT THEMES ARE IN YOUR REPERTOIRE? I don’t see any specific themes of LGBTQ identity in the repertoire. Instead, it’s the responsibility of the artist to bring their truth to whatever they’re given and make sure their authenticity shines through, regardless of the subject matter
WHAT’S THE MOST ARDUOUS/TEDIUS PART OF THE DISCIPLINE/LIFESTYLE? The most tedious, but beneficial, thing is rehearsing. Making sure everyone is on the same page, with the same information is the part that takes the most time, but there’s nothing more rewarding than sharing a stage with your peers when everyone is comfortable and confident in what they know and who they are.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN 15 YEARS? In 15 years I see myself being in the other side of the room, cultivating and grooming dancers by way of being a rehearsal director/choreographer. It’s a dream of mine to give back to the next generation of performers, making sure that integrity, excellence and consistency are a few of the core values that are focused on.
NAME: Michael Jackson, Jr.
HOMETOWN: New Orleans, La.
AGE: 32
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single
IDENTIFY AS: Gay
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Bronx, New York
HOW LONG WITH ALVIN AILEY: This is my eighth season.
WHAT DREW YOU TO THE COMPANY: I had never seen black people, especially men, move and shown so beautifully elegant and commanding.
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR DANCE BACKGROUND: Started dancing at the prestigious Duke Ellington School Of the Arts. I first danced professionally with Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble company in 2005. Then going on to dance for Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Philadanco before joining Ailey in 2012.
HOW LONG DANCING PROFESSIONALLY? 14 years
FAVORITE CURRENT PIECE TO PERFORM: Jamar Roberts’ “Ode”
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU DANCED AT THE KENNEDY CENTER PREVIOUSLY: My first performance at the Kennedy Center was at the age of 17 back in high school where I attended a Dance Theatre of Harlem Residency led by the spectacular Lorraine Graves. I returned years later with Ailey in 2012 and have been back every year.
THOUGHTS ON THE VENUE/AUDIENCE: The Kennedy Center is beautiful all around. The theater is dripping in elegance and the audience is always lively and engaged. So many historical moments for African-American artists here so that makes it just all the more special.
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION/DANCE: I feel that dance is my language and medicine. I am a nervous person and performing most times challenges that. So when the lights and people are stripped away I know that dance on my body heals me.
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL FITNESS PROGRAM: Our work schedule is so intense so mostly the dancing is enough. But I truly enjoy the gym. I use it for muscle building and rehabilitation. I like getting to choose the intensity of my workout. Mostly based on the intensity of my dance schedule of the season.
OF ALL THE ARTISTIC MEDIUMS AVAILABLE, WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DANCE? It just felt very natural to me from day one. I say it choose me. I didn’t start dancing at a really young age like most. I was thrust into the dance world in high school and never looked back. I know it’s cliché but it was so just much fun!
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE DANCERS OF ALL TIME: Alvin Ailey and Arthur Mitchell
WHAT LGBT THEMES ARE IN YOUR REPERTOIRE? Jamar Roberts new work “Ode” is about the victims of gun violence. And a group that knows that subject extremely well is the LBGTQ community. It’s a work with an all-male cast as well as an all-female cast. Though it’s not necessarily token “gay,” I do find dancing with the other men in this work brings a sorrowful yet prideful feeling about my experience as a gay black man.
WHAT’S THE MOST ARDUOUS/TEDIUS PART OF THE DISCIPLINE/LIFESTYLE? The most difficult part for me is the fight for balance when it comes to work and play. Dance is my life and it not only requires a physical demand but emotional as well. I find myself still working on dropping all the emotions of work and focus of personal ones. And vise versa.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN 15 YEARS? That’s the question of 2020! I have been dancing for so long and only now am I starting to think about a true next step for me. It’s extremely scary but exciting. But it’s nice to know I can maintain my craft, do what I love, see the world and get compensated for it while I figure it out.
a&e features
Memorial for groundbreaking bisexual activist set for May 2
Loraine Hutchins remembered as a ‘force of nature’
The Montgomery County Pride Center will host a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Loraine Hutchins, Ph.D., on May 2. People are invited to attend the onsite memorial or a livestream event. The on-site event will begin at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet mixer before moving into a memorial service around the theme “Loraine a Force of Nature!” at 11 a.m., a panel talk at 12 p.m., break out sessions for artists, academics, and activists to build on her legacy at 1 p.m. and a closing reception at 2 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to register for the on-site memorial gathering or the livestreamed memorial. The goal of this event is also to collect stories and memories of Loraine. Attendees and others can share their stories at padlet.com.
An obituary for Hutchins was published in the Bladelast Nov. 24, where people can learn more about her activism in the bisexual community. A private service for friends and family was held in December but this memorial service is open to all.
Alongside her groundbreaking work organizing for U.S. bisexual rights and liberation including co-editing “Bi Any Other Name: BIsexual People Speak Out” (1991), she also integrated faith into her sexual education and advocacy work. Her 2001 doctoral dissertation, “Erotic Rites: A Cultural Analysis of Contemporary U.S. Sacred Sexuality Traditions and Trends,” offered a pointed queer and feminist analysis to sex-neutral and sex-positive spiritual traditions in the United States. Her thesis was also groundbreaking in exploring the intersections between sex workers and those in caregiving professionals, including spiritual ones.
In an oral history interview conducted by Michelle Mueller back in August 2023, Hutchins described herself as a “priestess without a congregation.” While she has occasionally had a sense of community and feels part of a group of loving people, she admitted that “I don’t feel like we have the shape or the purpose that we need.”
“I’ve often experienced being the Cassandra in the room, the Cassandra in the community. Somebody who’s kind of way out there ahead, thinking through the strategic action points that my community hasn’t gotten to yet, and getting a lot of resistance and hostile responses from people who are frightened by dissent and conflict and not ready for the changes we have to make to survive,” she said.
“For somebody who’s bisexual in an out political way and who’s been a spokesperson for the polyamory movement in an out political way, it’s very exposing. And it’s very important to me to be able to try to explain and help other people understand the connection between spirituality and sexuality,” she explained citing how even as a graduate student she was “exploring how to feel erotic and spiritual, and not feel them in conflict with each other in my own spiritual contemplative life and my own sensual body awareness of being alive in the world.”
“Every religion has a sense of sacred sexuality. It’s just they put a lot of boundaries and regulations on it, and if we have a spiritual practice that is totally affirming of women’s priesthood and of gay people, queer people’s ability to minister to everyone and to be ministered to be everyone, what does that do to the gender of God, or our understanding of how we practice our spirituality and our sexuality in community and privately?”
“There’s no easy answer,” she concludes, and she continued to grapple with these questions throughout her life, co-editing another seminal text, “Sexuality, Religion and the Sacred: Bisexual, Pansexual, and Polysexual Perspectives,” published in 2012. Her work blending spiritual and queer liberation remains groundbreaking to this day.
Rev. Eric Eldritch, a local community organizer and ordained Pagan minister with Circle Sanctuary who has worked for decades with the DC Center’s Center Faith to organize the Pride Interfaith Service, is eager to highlight this element of her legacy at the memorial service next month.
a&e features
Queery: Meet artist, performer John Levengood
Modern creative talks nightlife, coming out, and his personal queer heroes
John Levengood (he/him) describes himself as a modern creative with a wide‑ranging toolkit. He blends music, technology, civic duty, and a sharp sense of wit into a cohesive artistic identity. Known primarily as a recording artist and performer, he’s also a self‑taught music producer and software engineer who embodies a generation of creators who build their own lanes rather than wait for one to appear.
Levengood, 32, who is single and identifies as gay and queer, is best known as a recording artist who has performed at Pride festivals across the country, including the main stages of World Pride DC, Central Arkansas Pride, and Charlotte Pride.
“Locally in the DMV, I’m known for turning heads at nightlife venues with my eye-catching sense of style. When I go out, I don’t try to blend in. I hope I inspire people to be themselves and have the courage to stand out,” he says.
He’s also known for hosting karaoke at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va., on Thursday nights. “I like to create a space where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, building community, and showcasing their talents.”
He also creates social media content from my performances and do interviews at LGBTQ+ bars and theatres in the DMV. Follow the Arlington resident @johnlevengood.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
I have been fully out of the closet since 2019. My parents were the hardest people to tell because my family has always been my rock and at the time I couldn’t imagine a world without them. Their reactions were extremely positive and supportive so I had nothing to fear all along.
I remember sitting on the couch with my mom, dad, and sister in our hotel room in New Orleans during our winter vacation and being so nervous to tell them. After I finally mustered up the nerve and made the proclamation, I realized my dad had already fallen asleep on the couch. My mom promised to tell him when he woke up.
Who’s your LGBTQ hero?
My LGBTQ heroes are Harvey Milk for paving the way for gays in politics and Elton John for being a pioneer for the fabulous and authentic. My local heroes in the DMV are Howard Hicks, manager of Green Lantern, and Tony Rivenbark, manager of Freddie’s Beach Bar. Both of them are essential to creating spaces where I’ve felt welcome and safe since moving to the DMV.
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Trade tops the list for me because of the dance floor and outdoor space. It’s so nice to get a break from the music every once and a while to be able to have a conversation.
We live in challenging times. How do you cope?
I’m still figuring this out. What is working right now is writing music and spending time with family and friends. I’ve also been spending less time on social media going to the gym at least three times a week.
What streaming show are you binging?
After “Traitors” Season 4 ended, I was in a bit of a show hole, but “Stumble” has me in a laughing loop right now. The writing is so witty.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
At 18, I wish I would have known how liberating it is to come out of the closet. It would have been nice to know some winning lottery numbers as well.
What are your friends messaging about in your most recent group chat?
We are planning our next trip to New York City. If you can believe it, I visited NYC for the first time in 2025 for Pride and I’ve been back every quarter since. Growing up in the country, I was subconsciously primed to be scared of the city. But my mind has been blown. I can’t wait to go back.
Why Washington?
It’s the closest metropolitan area to my family, but not too close. I love the museums, the diversity, the history, and the proximity to the beach and mountains. It’s also nice to live in a city with public transportation.
Aging RFK Stadium has come down, but the RFK grounds are still getting lit up. Welcome back to the stage Project GLOW, D.C.’s homegrown electronic festival, on May 30-31. Back for its fifth year on these musically inclined acres, Project GLOW returns with an even more diverse lineup, and one that continues to celebrate LGBTQ antecedents, attendees, and acts.
Project GLOW 2026 headliners include house and techno star Mau P, progressive house legend Eric Prydz, hard-techno favorite Sara Landry, and bass acts Excision b2b Sullivan King, among the lineup of trance, bass, house, techno, dubstep, and others for the fifth anniversary year.
President & CEO Pete Kalamoutsos — born and raised in D.C. — founded Club GLOW in 1999. In 2020, GLOW entered into a partnership with global entertainment company Insomniac Events to produce live events like Project GLOW, which kicked off in 2022.
As in past years, Project GLOW not only makes space, but is intentionally inclusive of the LGBTQ community, one of its most dedicated fan bases. The festival’s LGBTQ-focused Secret Garden stage blooms again — a more intimate dance area that stands on the strength of DJs and musicians who draw from the LGBTQ community. D.C.’s LGBTQ nightlife mastermind Ed Bailey is the creative mind behind Secret Garden again. He joined Project GLOW in 2023.
“Kalamoustos says that “he’s proud of his partnership with Ed Bailey, along with Capital Pride and [nightlife producer] Jake Resnikow. It’s amazing to collaborate with Bailey at the Secret Garden stage, especially after the curated lineup we worked on at Pride last year.”
The Secret Garden will be a bit different from other stages: Eternal (“At the Eternal stage, time stands still. Lose yourself in the dance of past, present, and future, surrendering to the eternal rhythm of the universe”) and Pulse (“Feel the rhythm of the beat pulse through your veins as the heartbeat of the crowd synchronizes into one. Here, every moment vibrates with life as it guides you through a new dimension of euphoria”). The Secret Garden stage is in the round, surrounded by 16 shipping containers. The containers play canvas to muralists from around the world, who are coming in to paint them in a vibrant garden-style vibe. “We gave this stage some extra love with this layout,” K says, “ we finally cracked the code.”
K says that this will be the biggest lineup yet for the Secret Garden, featuring Nicole Moudaber b2b Chasewest, Riordan b2b Bullet Tooth, Ranger Trucco, Cassian, Eli & Fur, Cosmic Gate and Hayla. The stage is also the largest yet, featuring an expanded dance floor and 360-degree viewing.
Across all stages, K says that his goal for the fifth anniversary is “More art and fan interactive experience, more like a festival, strive to be like a Tomorrowland, as budget grows to add more experience.” Last year’s Project GLOW alone drew 40,000 attendees over two days.
K, however, was not satisfied with one festival this spring. GLOW recently announced a “pop-up” one-day event. Teaming up with Black Book Records, GLOW is set to throw a first-of-its-kind dance-music takeover of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., headlined by electronic music star Chris Lake. Set for April 18, this euphoric block party will feature bass and vibes blocks from the White House. Organizers expect as many as 10,000 fans to attend. Beyond music, there will be food, activations, and plenty of other activities taking place around 6th St and Pennsylvania Ave NW – a location familiar to many in the LGBTQ community, as this sits squarely inside the blocks of the Capital Pride party that takes place in DC every June.
Over the past two decades, Club GLOW has produced thousands of events, from club nights to large-scale festivals including Project GLOW, Moonrise Festival, and more. Club GLOW also operates Echostage.
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