A Sweet Farewell To Geoffrey Holder

Geoffrey Holder was a giant among men and artists! He has departed to leave us with a wealth of human spirit, beauty, and inspiration. Maurice Hines Jr called me yesterday to tell me that he would soon be making his transition and we talked a long time about how we will never again see the likes of Mr. Holder, Alvin Ailey, my father, Gary DeLoatch, Lonnie McNeil, Lowell Smith, and so many others of their elk, ever again. When I did the memorial for my father at St. John The Divine, there was no other choice as to who would begin that very special tribute. The only choice was Geoffrey Holder and he was positively delicious as he spoke so lovingly of his comrade, my father, in dance & the arts. I was so incredibly lucky at fourteen to dance in one of my personal favorite ballets Dougla with The Dance Theatre of Harlem. These are the gods and goddesses that have paved our way; never to be forgotten and to be regarded with the utmost awe and respect because there is only one original. Mr. Holder was without question that and then some. The arts community has lost a creative angel and we will miss your physical presence, your enormous and beautiful hands, your booming voice, and the work. Always the work! Thank you for all the creating and all the giving. XX1621897_10204639047563346_6312465042577060877_n 10418363_10204639049563396_6223083994571854822_n 10345572_10204639050323415_7635644390731364839_n



One response to “A Sweet Farewell To Geoffrey Holder”

  1. Thank you very much for sharing these priceless gems with us Alexis! You clearly have talent in your soul and were surrounded by it from a very young age.

    What a TOWERING force of talent Geoffrey Holder was, and is. Being of Trinidadian descent as well, I’m proud to see Geoffrey Holder leave the strong creative impression that he has, and I’m tremendously inspired by his persistence, his grace and his wide range of expression.

    I STILL remember seeing Geoffrey Holder in “BOOMERANG,” those 7UP commercials and in “ANNIE” back when we were little kids – my sister was a “ANNIE” super fan 🙂

    In the world of Dance & Art (in all of its beautiful forms), there has been some exceptional magic manifested in the past that continues to cast a spell over the rest of us to keep it alive.

    – Jason

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