The first African American Principal dancer of American Ballet Theater, received a Tony award nomination for his role in the original cast of “Fosse” on Broadway, as Principal character Tony in Twyla Tharp Broadway production ” Movin Out” , making his Broadway singing debut in the Burt Bacharach/Hal David -Ann Reinking/Scott Ellis Broadway production ” The Look Of Love” and a standouhttps://mcdonaldselzni.wpengine.com/wp-admin/post-new.phpt in recent Tony award winning Broadway production “After Midnight”. He recently graced the January 2016 cover of Dance Teacher Magazine.
With his technical virtuosity and statuesque expressive demeanor he has been hailed by the NY Times as among the great dancers of his time. Lara Hartley poetically described him on the Ballet Magazine website as “Moving Sculpture, a body that is art, passing through time and space with power and grace – all parts connected, never stopping but heart stopping in beauty. Richardson has been a principal member and an invited guest with some of the most prestigious companies domestically and internationally such as The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Frankfurt Ballet, The Bolshoi Theater, The Royal Swedish Opera Ballet, Mariinsky Theater, Teatro a La Scala, The Washington Ballet and The San Francisco Ballet and more. Performing on the most important stages in the world such as The Metropolitan Opera , The Kennedy Center, The State ( (Koch) theater, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Teatro al la Scala , Paris Opera, The Bolshoi Theater, Mariinsky Theater St. Petersburg, Teatro Massimo and Kremlin stage in Moscow Russia and others.
Richardson has appeared in many stage productions from City Center Encores to being the recipient of numerous awards for excellence in dance such as The Dance Magazine Award , Capezio Award , Ailey Apex award , LA Ovation award, Bessie award , The Young Arts Alumni Award , a 1986 Young Arts Finalist & Presidential Scholar of the Arts. Richardson was invited to Israel to dance with Israeli dance icon Ido Tadmor, pianist Daniel Gortler and vocalist Adi Cohen for the 61st. Presidential conference in Jerusalem ,Israel. He has also appeared as Celebrity guest performer and choreographer on hit T.V. Shows , Films , Videos & Stage productions , The American Music Awards, The Oscars , Italy’s “AMICI” , America, Australia & Israel’s “So You Think You Can Dance ” for six seasons , principal performer in Debbie Allen’s musical Soul Posessed , Julie Taymor’s , Opera Grendel as Beowulf ,Teatro al la Scala production of Moise e PharonÈ with Roberto Bolle & conductor Maestro Riccardo Muti featured performer with Michael Jackson, Prince , Madonna , Elton John ,Aretha Franklin & many others in commercials and films such as the Oscar winning smash hit “Chicago ” Julie Taymor’s “Across The Universe”, Patrick Swayze/LisaNiemi “One Last Dance” , Charles Randolph Wright(Director MOTOWN) “Preaching to the Choir” and can be seen In the new independent film “Fall To Rise”.
Richardson was a featured performer and invited guest of the late Larry Rosen ” on the PBS special Jazz and the Philharmonic with a noted impromptu improv with vocal master Mr. Bobby Mcferrin including Chick Corea, Dave Grusin, Mark O’Connor ,Terrence Blanchard , Baritone Eric Owens , Shelly Berg & many other notable musicians . He also recently choreographed & was Co- creative director on the Sybille Szaggers Redford production of “Way Of The Rain Of The Rain ” including Mr. Robert Redford at the Sundance Film Festival with notable musicians Will Calhoun , Chuck Palmer & Dave Eggar
Richardson continues to give back as a Master teacher with the Allstars project NY , YoungArts Miami , United Way , on Dance Conventions -The Pulse , NYCDA , ASH and many others, he is involved in many Master workshops Internationally and domestically and is continually helping to foster the next generation of artists with his internationally acclaimed dance company Complexions Contemporary Ballet now celebrating it’s 22nd year” with Master Choreographer Dwight Rhoden .
His video collaboration with the Trumpet master Grammy Award winner Terrance Blanchard “Magnetic” shot by Nitin Vadukul was viewed with critical praise. Richardson has also served as Co-creative director and choreographer with Award Winning Luxury lifestyle designer David Monn for the Park Avenue Armory Gala presentation titled “Masquerade” an overwhelming success as was working on Grammy winner Jill Scott new video ” Back Together” featuring dancers from his company Complexions and being an assistant as part of the creative movement team under direction Mr.Stephen Galloway (collective Shift) for Fashion Icon Tom Ford and legendary Bassist Nile Rodgers video projects.
Mr. Richardson is currently Guest Artist in residence at the new Glorya Kaufman School of International Dance at USC in Los Angeles from a personal invite from Ms. Kaufman in addition he is back in the studio recording new music for his soon to be released LP.
