The Dance of Theatre of Harlem (DTH) was founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and the late Karel Shook in response to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. Mithcell and Shook envisioned DTH that would promote cultural understanding through dance and education.

The Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble will perform at the Jeanne B. McCoy Center for the Arts, 100 W. Dublin Granville-Road in the Columbus suburb of New Albany, on Tuesday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m.

The Dance of Theatre of Harlem (DTH) was founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and the late Karel Shook in response to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. Mithcell and Shook envisioned DTH that would promote cultural understanding through dance and education.

The Ensemble is DTH’s second company of 15 African-American and other racially diverse artists. The Ensemble is a repertoire comprised of classical, neo-classical and contemporary ballet and encompasses modern dance and Afro-Caribbean techniques.

DTH has broken down racial barriers around the world, performing in countries where people of African descent have not appeared onstage.

In 1992, at the invitation of Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress, DTH broke America’s 30-year cultural ban to South Africa, resulting in a six-week tour with performances and extensive outreach. In 2000, DTH performed to sold-out houses in China and conducted outreach and educational activities in Mandarin Chinese.

In 2008, DTH celebrated its 15^th season at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The 20-week class series was led by Robert Garland, resident choreographer and a member of the DTH faculty, and has served more than 90 students ages 8 to 18 that live in the Washington, D.C.

DTH also runs a school that provides dance training to promising students in the company’s own neighborhood in West Harlem and from around the world, including Argentina, Korea, Canada, England, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Brazil, St. Lucia, Germany, Jamaica, Russia, Ghana, Greece and Japan. The Dance Theatre of Harlem School serves more than 25,000 students and their families each year through its school and education and outreach programs and provides over half its students with scholarship and/or tuition aid.

The DTH Ensemble’s Oct. 18 performance at the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts is presented in collaboration with the King Arts Complex. For tickets and more information, call (614) 245-4701 or visit Mccoycenter.org.