Eric Hampton Dance records

Eric Hampton Dance (EHD) was founded in 1991 by Eric Hampton, revered ballet instructor and talented choreographer. The purpose of the company was to bring Hampton's unique vision of classically inspired contemporary movement to audiences throughout the Washington, D.C. area. EHD attracted distinguished dancers and earned both local and national praise. The company received funding from various arts foundations, including the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Maryland Youth Ballet, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, and the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation. Eric Hampton Dance also had annual benefits to raise money and support for the Whitman-Walker Clinic, a non-profit health center specializing in HIV/AIDS and LGBT health care for the D.C. area.

Eric Hampton (1947-2001) was a distinguished choreographer and dance instructor in the Washington, D.C. area. Hampton graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy and the Juilliard School of Dance. In 1969, he moved to Europe and joined the Netherlands Dance Theater and the Scapino Ballet. In 1978, Hampton returned to the U.S. where he joined the Washington Ballet as a soloist and resident choreographer. During this time, he also directed his own dance studio, Dance Downtown, until 1986. In 1981, Hampton became a faculty member and resident choreographer for the Maryland Youth Ballet. In 1991, Hampton founded his own company, Eric Hampton Dance. Harriet Moncure Fellows (née Williams), one of Hampton's fellow instructors at the Maryland Youth Ballet, became his artistic assistant at EHD. Tragically, Mr. Hampton was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) in 1997 and passed away in February 2001 at the age of 54. After his death, Hampton's works were left in the care of his close friend and colleague, Harriet Moncure Fellows. In 2012, Fellows helped establish the Eric Hampton Dance Foundation (EHDF) which licenses Hampton's choreographic work. Fellows holds the positions of President and Treasurer at EHDF. Elisa Clark, who received training from Eric Hampton and the Maryland Youth Ballet, is currently the Director of Repertory for the foundation.