Administrative History
In 2012, professor and choreographer Randy James founded the all-male dance company 10 Hairy Legs to expand virtuosic modern repertory, celebrate numerous aspects of identity, and challenge gender expectations. The company began with a core of five dancers, later expanding to seven. James served as artistic director and led the organization with a Board of Directors headed by Elizabeth (Betsy) Sobo as executive director. In eight years the company commissioned seventeen works and seven music scores. Commissioned choreographers included Yin Yue, Al Blackstone, Tiffany Mills, and Raja Feather Kelly, among others. The company's commissions and repertory are identified in the container list and can be retrieved from the Dissolution file unit of the Company Records. Dance education was an integral component of the company's mission. Members of 10 Hairy Legs offered dance education programs that benefited thousands of students of all ages along with intensive workshops in modern technique. The company toured the United States and performed abroad in South Africa and the Cayman Islands. The New Jersey State Council for the Arts awarded 10 Hairy Legs two Citations for Excellence. When states underwent mandatory lockdowns in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company stayed active by offering online workshops and master classes. It was officially dissolved on December 31, 2020, as a result of financial hardships caused by the pandemic. The company's assets were donated to Dance on the Lawn (New Jersey) to support future recipients of the New Jersey Emerging Commissioned Choreographer Award.