From its grass-roots beginnings in 1970, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance has grown into a well-respected and civically minded cultural arts institution. It includes a professional dance ensemble, a year-round school, and several outreach programs for at-risk youth. Members of CPRD’s professional ensemble act as both dancers and educators. They perform a repertory rooted in African-American culture and Black dance traditions and they bring educational programs into schools and community organizations in Denver. The company has been featured in several documentaries about cultural exchange and their 1999 collaboration with Denver Center Theater Company on A Dream on Monkey Mountain was honored with a Tony Award.