Workshops/ Classes
Afro-Caribbean Dance
We will focus on body isolations, developing the necessary muscle strength and specificity to properly enact these physically demanding dances, poly-rhythmic movement, a feature of most African based dance forms, and connecting with the Earth, grounding our feet and bodies.
Our class will be informed by, and not limited to, exploring social and festival dance styles such as African and Brasilian samba, Bongo, Jamaican dancehall, jig, reel, solo salsa, and African nation dances including Yavalou, Manding, and Ibo.
Additionally, we will look at Haitian Voodoo and Cuban Santeria religious dances such as Shango, Yemaya, Obatallah, Ogun, among others and what these deities represent for the people who enact these dances, an important aspect of efficiently embodying these spirit and dance energies.
The African dance tradition has given rise to many forms of dance that are, on their own, vibrantly alive and evolving, feeding contemporary and modern dance and jazz in complex and deep ways.
It is important to know where dances and styles came from, as well as where they currently are, in order to have a personal and cultural idea about where and how to have these expressions go in the future.
Poppin' Basics
In this introductory class, students will learn the fundamental moves and movement in waving, gliding, tutting, boogaloo, poppin', strobing, puppet, etc. with the purpose of true understanding, expression and articulation of these essential components of hip hop choreography.
Hip hop basics
In this introductory level class we will learn basic breakin' footwork (6 step, three step, 12 step, ce ce's, etc.), top rockin', and funk style/ poppin' basics (waving, poppin', boogaloo, tutting), empowering students to understand the intricacies of modern hip hop choreography as well as think about and feel this vibrant dance form for themselves.
Floorwork/ Ground Moves
We will focus on basic American modern dance and European contemporary dance rolls and floorwork, hip hop/ poppin' knee rocks and spins, breakin' body rolls/ back spins and aikido/ parkour rolls. Safety, deliberate enactment and proper technique is the key to speed, accuracy and sustainable usage of these crowd pleasing and high energy maneuvers.
House Dance Basics
In this introductory class, we will cover, jacking, footwork, vogueing, and waacking. This brilliant dance form is both grounded and bouncey, highly musical, fleet of foot and profoundly sweat inducing.
Asian Aesthetics in Western Dance
Drawing on the centuries old traditions of tai chi, kung fu, ba gua and chi gung, we will expand on the student's concepts of levels in space, connectedness of movement, dynamics/ slow motion and isolated movement based in the turning of the hips. Hip hop dance has drawn heavily on Kung Fu movies for inspiration and in our constant searching for new modes of expression, these highly developed and culturally unique conceptions of time and space expressed in the human body offer us a rich store house of poses, qualities of movement and interaction with negative space.
New Perspectives on Turnout
In this beginner to advanced level class, we will focus on finding a real and sustainable working turnout for grounded and increased balance, knee and hip long-term health, confidence in movement and personal understanding of the student's current level and reachable goals for outward rotation. We may also explore turning in from a yoga and kung fu perspective to increase over-all hip socket freedom of movement.
Movement and Expression Expansion: Hip hop
In this all levels dance class, we will explore the primary hip hop dance modalities ( breakin', waving, poppin') with regards to their African origins and the energetic communication these urban dances convey. Hip hop is a personal expression of unique and individual bodies and feelings. That is, every body speaks differently. We will develop our own hip hop voice and story so that we may speak loudly and clearly the beauty and passion of our lives. We will cover between 6 and 10 individual styles and specific techniques in and of those styles. Styles include: waving, popping, top rocking (b-boying), gliding/ sliding, tutting, boogaloo, puppet, robotting. From this ground, we will find what suits you best and develop a unique and honest style based on what feels proper in your unique body.
Swing Stepping: Getting Bigger Dance
What happens when we keep take a repetitive motion and make it gradually crescendo into something else altogether? What does it feel like to let a circle in your body become a line that takes you through space? How can a line become a turn with no effort? We will explore releasing into movement and harnessing momentum in the natural swing in our bipedalism to discover feel good fun and visually/ energetically compelling motion. All levels welcome.
Rotational Flexibility
In this all levels stretching class, we will expand the range of motion in numerous joints and muscles, in various directions using Kundalini Yoga inspired spine rotation and breathing applied to the entire body, the techniques of Active Isolated Stretching ( AIS, Aaron Mattes' Method) and corporeal mime. We will stretch including but not limited to: our faces, fingers, toes, hip flexors, and hamstrings. You will sit and stand up straighter, have better circulation, look and feel younger/ more fun and be more communicative and articulate in your movement after this class.
Awareness Release Stretching
Using yoga, ballet and tai chi inspired stretching and deep acceptance, allowance and listening to our bodies and our current perceived limitations, we will use breath and a type of meditative quiet to move through emotional, psychic and physical holding patterns. We will focus on various levels or depths of muscular or joint resistance and through gentle, easy use of breath and conscious attention, let go of these limitations and move into a new realm of ease and bodily freedom.
Hip Hop Dynamics for Modern Dance
This class introduces rapid, single muscular contractions (popping) and stop motion movement effects (strobing, robotting, dime stopping, animation) within a modern dance structural aesthetic. We will use these techniques to develop increased dynamism in gestural arm motions and slight drops in the legs and torso (infinitesimal fall and recovery). Sustained movement, articulate and precisely musical vibratory use of limbs will be explored as an energetic and intensified way to specifically interact with sound, becoming, visually, a synaesthetic visual of the auditory. We will attempt to become the beat or the single resonant string. No grand battements or fifth position will be enacted.
New Perspectives on Turnout
In this intermediate/ beginner level class, we will focus on finding a real and sustainable working turnout for grounded and increased balance, knee and hip long-term health, confidence in movement and personal understanding of the student's current level and reachable goals for outward rotation. We may also explore turning in from a yoga and kung fu perspective to increase over-all hip socket freedom of movement.
Rhythm and Structure: Synergistic Hip hop Ballet
In this mid-level dance class, we will use the momentum and rhythmic strength of hip hop and African dance to make ballet based modern dance more grounded in musicality and accessible to a wider viewing audience. Similarly, we will use ballet technique to add sculptural structure and grace to the power and emotion of hip hop dance.
Afro-Caribbean Sacred Healing Dance Theatre
We will focus expressly on religious dances of Voodoo, Santeria and the African diaspora in the Caribbean in general. Deities covered will be: Shango, Danballah, Osein, Ogun, Oshun, Erzulie, Yemaya, Shagpana, Obatallah and Elegua as well as the funereal dance, Bongo.
We will discuss the archetypal energies that are conducted through these beings and embody/ express these inherent energies in ourselves in our bodies and psyches through dance and movement.
Mime and Hip hop: TheaTricks and Representation
With this all levels class, we will explore the whole body as a tool for expression and story-telling. Techniques such as mime walks, counter-weight and click will be explored within the context of hip hop aesthetics. Hip hop techniques such as waving, popping, robotting and gliding will be examined for their story-telling possibilities. This class is part dance, part mime and part theatre.
Non-workshop classes:
Instruction and facilitation from beginners to expert in: corporeal mime, hip hop funk styles (popping) and b-boy fundamentals, alternative modern dance, tai chi, private and group classes.
Additionally, massage/ body work, postural restoration stretch and strengthening sessions are available.
We will focus on body isolations, developing the necessary muscle strength and specificity to properly enact these physically demanding dances, poly-rhythmic movement, a feature of most African based dance forms, and connecting with the Earth, grounding our feet and bodies.
Our class will be informed by, and not limited to, exploring social and festival dance styles such as African and Brasilian samba, Bongo, Jamaican dancehall, jig, reel, solo salsa, and African nation dances including Yavalou, Manding, and Ibo.
Additionally, we will look at Haitian Voodoo and Cuban Santeria religious dances such as Shango, Yemaya, Obatallah, Ogun, among others and what these deities represent for the people who enact these dances, an important aspect of efficiently embodying these spirit and dance energies.
The African dance tradition has given rise to many forms of dance that are, on their own, vibrantly alive and evolving, feeding contemporary and modern dance and jazz in complex and deep ways.
It is important to know where dances and styles came from, as well as where they currently are, in order to have a personal and cultural idea about where and how to have these expressions go in the future.
Poppin' Basics
In this introductory class, students will learn the fundamental moves and movement in waving, gliding, tutting, boogaloo, poppin', strobing, puppet, etc. with the purpose of true understanding, expression and articulation of these essential components of hip hop choreography.
Hip hop basics
In this introductory level class we will learn basic breakin' footwork (6 step, three step, 12 step, ce ce's, etc.), top rockin', and funk style/ poppin' basics (waving, poppin', boogaloo, tutting), empowering students to understand the intricacies of modern hip hop choreography as well as think about and feel this vibrant dance form for themselves.
Floorwork/ Ground Moves
We will focus on basic American modern dance and European contemporary dance rolls and floorwork, hip hop/ poppin' knee rocks and spins, breakin' body rolls/ back spins and aikido/ parkour rolls. Safety, deliberate enactment and proper technique is the key to speed, accuracy and sustainable usage of these crowd pleasing and high energy maneuvers.
House Dance Basics
In this introductory class, we will cover, jacking, footwork, vogueing, and waacking. This brilliant dance form is both grounded and bouncey, highly musical, fleet of foot and profoundly sweat inducing.
Asian Aesthetics in Western Dance
Drawing on the centuries old traditions of tai chi, kung fu, ba gua and chi gung, we will expand on the student's concepts of levels in space, connectedness of movement, dynamics/ slow motion and isolated movement based in the turning of the hips. Hip hop dance has drawn heavily on Kung Fu movies for inspiration and in our constant searching for new modes of expression, these highly developed and culturally unique conceptions of time and space expressed in the human body offer us a rich store house of poses, qualities of movement and interaction with negative space.
New Perspectives on Turnout
In this beginner to advanced level class, we will focus on finding a real and sustainable working turnout for grounded and increased balance, knee and hip long-term health, confidence in movement and personal understanding of the student's current level and reachable goals for outward rotation. We may also explore turning in from a yoga and kung fu perspective to increase over-all hip socket freedom of movement.
Movement and Expression Expansion: Hip hop
In this all levels dance class, we will explore the primary hip hop dance modalities ( breakin', waving, poppin') with regards to their African origins and the energetic communication these urban dances convey. Hip hop is a personal expression of unique and individual bodies and feelings. That is, every body speaks differently. We will develop our own hip hop voice and story so that we may speak loudly and clearly the beauty and passion of our lives. We will cover between 6 and 10 individual styles and specific techniques in and of those styles. Styles include: waving, popping, top rocking (b-boying), gliding/ sliding, tutting, boogaloo, puppet, robotting. From this ground, we will find what suits you best and develop a unique and honest style based on what feels proper in your unique body.
Swing Stepping: Getting Bigger Dance
What happens when we keep take a repetitive motion and make it gradually crescendo into something else altogether? What does it feel like to let a circle in your body become a line that takes you through space? How can a line become a turn with no effort? We will explore releasing into movement and harnessing momentum in the natural swing in our bipedalism to discover feel good fun and visually/ energetically compelling motion. All levels welcome.
Rotational Flexibility
In this all levels stretching class, we will expand the range of motion in numerous joints and muscles, in various directions using Kundalini Yoga inspired spine rotation and breathing applied to the entire body, the techniques of Active Isolated Stretching ( AIS, Aaron Mattes' Method) and corporeal mime. We will stretch including but not limited to: our faces, fingers, toes, hip flexors, and hamstrings. You will sit and stand up straighter, have better circulation, look and feel younger/ more fun and be more communicative and articulate in your movement after this class.
Awareness Release Stretching
Using yoga, ballet and tai chi inspired stretching and deep acceptance, allowance and listening to our bodies and our current perceived limitations, we will use breath and a type of meditative quiet to move through emotional, psychic and physical holding patterns. We will focus on various levels or depths of muscular or joint resistance and through gentle, easy use of breath and conscious attention, let go of these limitations and move into a new realm of ease and bodily freedom.
Hip Hop Dynamics for Modern Dance
This class introduces rapid, single muscular contractions (popping) and stop motion movement effects (strobing, robotting, dime stopping, animation) within a modern dance structural aesthetic. We will use these techniques to develop increased dynamism in gestural arm motions and slight drops in the legs and torso (infinitesimal fall and recovery). Sustained movement, articulate and precisely musical vibratory use of limbs will be explored as an energetic and intensified way to specifically interact with sound, becoming, visually, a synaesthetic visual of the auditory. We will attempt to become the beat or the single resonant string. No grand battements or fifth position will be enacted.
New Perspectives on Turnout
In this intermediate/ beginner level class, we will focus on finding a real and sustainable working turnout for grounded and increased balance, knee and hip long-term health, confidence in movement and personal understanding of the student's current level and reachable goals for outward rotation. We may also explore turning in from a yoga and kung fu perspective to increase over-all hip socket freedom of movement.
Rhythm and Structure: Synergistic Hip hop Ballet
In this mid-level dance class, we will use the momentum and rhythmic strength of hip hop and African dance to make ballet based modern dance more grounded in musicality and accessible to a wider viewing audience. Similarly, we will use ballet technique to add sculptural structure and grace to the power and emotion of hip hop dance.
Afro-Caribbean Sacred Healing Dance Theatre
We will focus expressly on religious dances of Voodoo, Santeria and the African diaspora in the Caribbean in general. Deities covered will be: Shango, Danballah, Osein, Ogun, Oshun, Erzulie, Yemaya, Shagpana, Obatallah and Elegua as well as the funereal dance, Bongo.
We will discuss the archetypal energies that are conducted through these beings and embody/ express these inherent energies in ourselves in our bodies and psyches through dance and movement.
Mime and Hip hop: TheaTricks and Representation
With this all levels class, we will explore the whole body as a tool for expression and story-telling. Techniques such as mime walks, counter-weight and click will be explored within the context of hip hop aesthetics. Hip hop techniques such as waving, popping, robotting and gliding will be examined for their story-telling possibilities. This class is part dance, part mime and part theatre.
Non-workshop classes:
Instruction and facilitation from beginners to expert in: corporeal mime, hip hop funk styles (popping) and b-boy fundamentals, alternative modern dance, tai chi, private and group classes.
Additionally, massage/ body work, postural restoration stretch and strengthening sessions are available.