This 1977 photograph of the Mile High’s queen of dance, Cleo Parker Robinson, and her dance ensemble artistic co-director at the time, Schyleen Qualls, shows the two born-and-raised Denverites (and longtime friends) with a bounty of artwork they brought back from a festival in Nigeria. Cleo continues to bring the world to Denver — and bring Denver to the world — through her artistic vision as a dancer, choreographer, educator, storyteller, and fearless collaborator. Recently, her dance school in Five Points broke ground on a $20 million expansion, which will expand its current home in the historic Shorter AME Church into a beautiful campus with a new, accessible performance venue, dance studios, and more space for youth and community movement education.
This segment was written by City Cast Denver host (and Old Denver expert) Bree Davies.
