Join us on Sunday September 10 at Mass Motion in Brighton and enjoy a day of master classes with Adriana Suarez for ballet, John Ying for breaking (in ASL!), Haley Day for contemporary, and Lindsey Klein for jazz/musical theatre.
It’s an opportunity to sample generous teaching you can’t get anywhere else. Whether you plan to demonstrate your talents to the area choreographers observing, or just want to spend a day starting off the fall season in delightful dance community, you won’t want to miss it.
by emailing dcash@bostondancealliance.org
Congratulations to the team at Arrow Street Arts, Inc. who have announced that their renovation of the Harvard Square space previously known as ART’s Oberon is on track to open its danceable street-front studio in November, and theatre productions to open in the Black Box space for resident company Moonbox’s Sweeney Todd in October. The venue is expected to be fully operational this coming spring.
ASA has embarked on an interesting model with the Cambridge Community Foundation to subsidize the facility’s use by local artists and arts organizations. Initially, ASA, in collaboration with the Cambridge Community Foundation and Cambridge Arts, will invite artists and organizations across a range of artistic genres and program formats to use the studio space while ASA staff test multiple theatrical systems and room configurations. Stayed tuned for details on how to apply!
Congratulations to Victoria Awkward! The Theater Offensive (TTO) has named Victoria to its 22-month Queer (Re)public Emergent Artist Residency (QR EAR) Program. Originally piloted in July of 2021, the program is dedicated solely to queer and trans artists of color whose work demonstrates artistic vigor and inquisitive exploration of their personal queer aesthetics. We look forward to seeing her work alongside that of Annalise Guidry and Cheyenne Wyzzard-Jones during a Queer (Re)public Festival slated for June 2025.
Join the 2023 Mount Auburn Cemetery Artists-in-Residence Virtual Panel Discussion. Swati Biswas (dancer/choreographer), Resa Blatman (visual artist), Eliza Fichter (storyteller), Billy Hickey (documentary photographer), Carolyn Oliver (poet), Eden Rayz (musician/composer), and Debra Wise (storyteller) will be joined by Public Events Producer Julie-Anne Whitney to discuss their professional backgrounds, their connection to Mount Auburn, and their plans for their residency projects. The discussion will end with an audience Q&A. Monday, August 14 at 6 PM.
Ken Pierce is back at Northeast Arts to teach Baroque & Renaissance Workshops: Baroque for Ballet Dancers, Easy Renaissance Dances and Galliard Steps & Variations. A great way to learn about the roots of modern ballet and the ways in which historical court dances were used at the time. Tuesdays and Thursdays, August 16-31, 12:00-1:30 PM, Northeast Arts Studio, 85 Seaverns Ave, Jamaica Plain.
Mosaic Dance Inc is hosting another pop-up class! This contemporary class will be co-taught by Tracy Martocchio and Darkia Anderson. Tracy will be leading the warm-up, center work, and across the floor. Darkia will be teaching a fun combo. Email mosaicdanceinc@gmail.com to reserve your spot. Wednesday August 16, 8:30-10:00 PM at The Studio: A Dance Center For Adults in Brookline.
USArtists International offers a webinar for clarifications on eligibility for their grant program which supports in-person performances by American artists at engagements at international festivals and global presenting arts marketplaces outside of the United States. You’ll leave this webinar with a clear understanding of the program guidelines, timeline, and what is needed to be eligible for funding. Live captioning will be provided for this webinar. If you would like to request other accommodations or if you have any questions about the webinar, contact Andrew Alness Olson at andrew@midatlanticarts.org or call 410-539-6656 X 103. Wednesday, August 16, 1:30 PM.
Âs Nupumukômun (We Still Dance) created in close collaboration between Danza Orgánica and members of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe is presented Wednesday, August 16 at Jacob’s Pillow. Adhering to Indigenous storytelling, dance, song, and installation, Âs Nupumukômun explores what it means to be Native today. You can also experience the Martha Graham Dance Company, American College Dance Association, Artists of the Berkshires and The School at Jacob’s Pillow Tap Dance Performance Ensemble at the Pillow through Sunday, August 20.
Webs of Attention is a workshop to map neural pathways through a myriad of ways we connect with self, partner and the world. Together participants will weave through materials from Somatic Experiencing, Contact Improvisation and the Axis Syllabus. Focus will be on the nervous system and the concepts of regulation and co-regulation. Co-facilitated by Nuria Bowart and Daniel Bear Davis. Thursday, August 17-Sunday August 20 at the Field Center, VT.
Are you looking for a last-minute Gaga mini-adventure? A devoted Gaga mover named Neal Livingston (documentary filmmaker and artist) has invited Ana Harmon to lead a 3-day Gaga experience with his community in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, this Thursday, August 17-Saturday, August 19. There will be 5 classes over 3 days. Come do Gaga in an unusual and stunning landscape. If you’re interested, email blackriverneal@gmail.com.
Caleb Teicher and Nic Gareiss explore American tap dance, jazz, swing, lindy hop, Appalachian clogging, and Irish step dance in a new 60-minute duo collaboration, a festive dialogue of sound, movement, and corporeal rapport. Their full performance at The Yard in Chilmark is Saturday, August 19 7:00 PM & 8:30 PM. Also enjoy free pop-up performances sharing snippets for their work at farm stands around the Island on Thursday, August 17, 12 PM at Morning Glory Farm, Friday, August 18, 12 PM at MV Agricultural Society Fair (West Tisbury), and August 19 at a location to be announced.
Plus, Caleb Teicher teaches an intermediate level tap class that strengthens the connection between dancer and music, between movement quality and sonic expression. Bring your tap shoes. Saturday, August 19, 10:30 AM at The Yard.
Seyyide will be presenting a pop-up raqs sharqi performance (Middle Eastern dance, a.k.a. “belly dance”), accompanied by Paul Aoun on darbuka (darbuka/derbake/tabla = Arabic drum). This will take place at Whittemore Park, in the center of Arlington. Grab a spot at one of the benches and chairs, or bring your own chairs, and get ready for some great entertainment Thursday, August 17, 6-7 PM. Seyyide will also be presenting a pop-up accompanied by percussion master Charles Dermenjian at the Broadway plaza corner in Arlington center Sunday, August 20, 6-7 PM.
Raul Nieves from Dance Caliente is leading a Line Dance Workshop to raise funds and awareness for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, an organization dedicated to groundbreaking research, compassionate patient care, and finding a cure for cancer. Cha Cha for Charity will be an evening filled with energetic line dances, laughter, and a supportive community. Whether you’re an experienced dancer or a complete beginner, this workshop is for everyone. Thursday, August 17, 7:00-8:30 PM at the Medford Public Library, Bonsignore Hall, 111 High Street. If you have any questions about the workshop or making a donation, email Nieves02474@gmail.com
Jacob’s Pillow’s Community Day Friday, August 18, 3-6 PM is a free, kid-friendly, all-ages afternoon to celebrate the Berkshire community through dance. The day features performances, a Zumba class with Luana Dias David, dance-themed activities, a drum circle with Aimee Gelinas of Tamarack Hollow and Gaia Roots, face painting with The Happy Face Painter, story time with children’s author Karen Karlberg, crafts with Pittsfield’s TG’s Clubhouse, popcorn, cotton candy, and more. At 6 PM the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage celebrates Berkshire-region dance artists Qualia Dance Collective, Ian Spencer Bell, MVMT 860, and Sayer Mansfield.
The Boston Salsa Festival features workshops and performances by world class dancers and instructors, not to mention your favorite local salsa, bachata, and kizomba companies. Dance the night away to live music and Boston’s best DJs. The event is organized by two of Boston’s favorite salseros and DJs, Andres Giraldo and Hernan Choque. 40+ workshops from beginner to advanced levels, performance challenges, and special boot camps are held Friday, August 18, 3 PM-Monday, August 21, 3 AM, at The Westin Waltham Boston, 70 Third Avenue, Waltham.
Dance in the street at two more block parties this summer! Church Street in Harvard Square will be shut down so enjoy music by DJ Joey Finnz, grab some food and dance it out! Friday, August 18 and Friday, September 15, 7-10 PM.
The 13th edition of the African Festival of Boston takes place on Boston Common Saturday, August 19, 9 AM- Sunday, August 20, 7 PM celebrating the rich culture and diversity of the African continent and promises to be an unforgettable experience for all attendees. The African Festival of Boston presents a unique opportunity for emerging and established artists to showcase their work on a national platform, creating opportunities for collaboration with international artists, build new audiences, and share the culture and heritage of all people of African descent with the global community.
Join workshop facilitators Ann Biddle (Director, DEL at Jacob’s Pillow) and Felice Santorelli (DEL Facilitator) for DELving Mini-Workshop: Martha Graham. This interactive movement workshop exploring the work and legacy of modern dance icon and pioneer Martha Graham. The Martha Graham Dance Company is continuing the legacy of Graham and is globally recognized for showcasing masterworks from its nearly 100-year history and also re-envisioning new works through a contemporary lens. Open to all; no prior dance experience is required. Saturday, August 19, 10 AM-1 PM at Jacob’s Pillow.
Members of Boston Ballet will be at Open Streets where we experience the streets as public spaces available to everyone! This Saturday, August 19, the company will be in the Allston/Brighton area, on Brighton Avenue and Harvard Avenue, between Cambridge Street and Commonwealth Avenue. 10:00 AM-3:30 PM.
Join Continuum Dance Project led by Fernadina Chan and Adriane Brayton at the David Chestnut Jazz Festival. The Festival runs Saturday, August 19, 11:30 AM-6:00 PM at The Eustice Estate in Milton and Continuum’s performance will begin at 3 PM.
Join the Second Annual Beantown Get Down coordinated by Urbanity’s Lead Hip Hop Ramiro Vaughan “Purpose.” There will be free workshops for all ages, community conversations, and battles (with prize money!) for teens and adults. Take Flyte will DJ, and special guest judges for the battles will be Hypegirl, Caleaf, and MegaTron. All the dancing will take place on BDA’s portable floor! Come celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop! Saturday, August 19, 12-10 PM at Boston’s City Hall Plaza.
Bring your little one (ages 3-10) to the Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre’s Open House for free trial classes. Creative Dance (ages 3-4) will take place from 2:00-2:45 PM, Pre-Ballet (ages 5-6) 2:45-3:30 PM, and Ballet level I (Ages 7-10) from 2:30-3:30 PM. Saturday, August 19, 2-3:30 PM, 400 Harvard street, Cambridge.
Experience Boston Dance Studio’s first-ever Pre-Professional Program Performance: Silience, featuring works by guest choreographers Anthony Burrell and Jessenia Velazquez, as well as current BDS faculty members Alexis Beffer, Junior Cius, Hershey, Levi Marsman, Pat Planet, and Nick Silva. The performance will feature preprofessional dancers plus guest performances. Saturday, August 19, shows at 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St, Suite 2C, Cambridge, MA. Join the post-matinee and pre-evening social hour including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and light refreshments, beginning at 5:00 PM.
The Beacon in Marblehead presents the “Just Wear White Party”. The second annual Just Wear White Party will include live Latin music with The Grupo Chevere Band, passed apps and raw bar, DJ and of course dancing. Saturday, August 19, 5-11 PM, at 123 Pleasant Street, Marblehead, MA.
Enjoy Everett’s Bliss Body live and for free at an outdoor performance. Bliss Body collages dance, imagery and true stories, to explore and share experiences of bliss. The piece is a provocative and moving hour of dance and theater that includes quiet meditation and energetic dancing, that considers peace and struggle, that asks how we find bliss in today’s world. Saturday, August 19, 5 & 7 PM shows at Roger Williams National Memorial Park, 282 North Main Street, Providence, RI.
The universal language of rhythm is joined by spoken languages from around the world in this new show, “Mother Tongue,” from Ryan P. Casey and his Off Beat Tap Company. Prepare for a rich soundscape of fancy footwork and intricate melodies, featuring songs by female artists in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Czech and, Korean. From jazz standards to K-pop, the diverse soundtrack has something for everyone, and you’ll quickly be reminded why dance is joy – no matter what language you speak. Saturday, August 19, 8:00-9:30 PM, at The Dance Hall, 7 Walker Street, Kittery, ME.
Join Dance Therapy 508 for United We Dance, a fun day bringing the community together with culture through music and movement with a morning of free dance classes for all ages and abilities. Support local vendors and enjoy an afternoon of Dance performances. Sunday, August 20, 11 AM-4 PM at Brooks Park, Harwich, Cape Cod.
Join the Contact Improvisation (CI) class & jam with Patrick Crowley. This mixed level experience is open to beginners and advanced movers. Class will explore rolling falling and flying in CI with the safety of mats as the floor. The jam will be open space to play and practice. Sunday, August 20, 3-6 PM, class starts at 3 PM and the jam starts at 4:30 PM, at the Aikido of Northampton, 30 N Maple St, #14, Florence, MA.
The Center for Arts at the Armory will be hosting a community meeting to share their perspective on the City of Somerville’s “Armory Master Plan Process,” educate their audience about their nonprofit arts organization and provide opportunities for attendees to speak and ask questions. The meeting will be recorded and a petition delivered to City government. Join in person or on Zoom. The meeting will have closed captioning, and Spanish language interpretation is available. Tuesday, August 15 from 7-9 PM.
Newport Contemporary Ballet announced that it will hold open auditions for youth cast members for its 22nd annual production of A Newport Nutcracker at Rosecliff. The audition date is Saturday, September 9 at The Academy At Newport Contemporary Ballet, 3 Charles Street, Newport, RI. Children Ages 7-11 will be seen from 10 AM to 12 PM, and Youth, ages 12 and up will be seen from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM. Auditionees are asked to arrive 15 mins prior to their scheduled audition time.
Dance LAB Creative is looking for several artists for the second fall season. Dance LAB is a new Boston-based artistic collective that provides professional artists opportunities to rehearse and perform in a welcoming environment. They focus on creative exploration while valuing the humanity of dancers. They are setting new works in ballet and contemporary styles, and encourage artists with intermediate/advanced skills in either of these genres to apply. Performances include September 16 and 23, but they are always looking for dancers for projects so those interested need not be available on those specific dates. Email dancelabcreative@gmail.com with any questions.
The Dance/USA Task Force on Dancer Health has published another new informational paper: How to Talk About A Dance Injury. Find this paper and information about the Task Force on their website.
Assets for Artists is pleased to partner with Artists U, a national leader in artist support and development, to offer a free 6-month professional development series. Based on the principles and strategies of Artists U’s transformative book Making Your Life as an Artist, these in-person workshops and corresponding working groups are an opportunity to build clarity around your artistic practice and the resources that sustain it. Artists U’s approach is specific and practical: you’ll receive principles, tools, and prompts that artists use to make balanced, sustainable lives, and to create the art and impact that matters most to them. Apply by September 15.
Children’s Chorus auditions for Midwinter Revels production will be held on Friday, September 8 and Saturday, September 9 in Watertown. Revels seeks children ages 7-12 for singing and dancing roles. Children will be asked to prepare 2 songs (“Happy Birthday” and a song of choice) prior to the audition and will also learn how to sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” in a round with the other children in their audition slot, and play a theatre movement game with the artistic staff. Participants spend the fall learning music and dances that they perform in Sanders Theatre for an audience of over 10,000 viewers annually and make lifelong friends.
Register for “Radiant Thriving: Bold Writing for Boundless Artists” with Doctora Xingona Diana Alvarez happening Wednesdays, September 13 & 20, 2023 | 2-4 PM EST (via Zoom). This is a 2-part series and artists are asked to attend both sessions. As artists, we are called to draft artist bios and statements, project proposals, blurbs, email inquiries, grant applications, and more to build a thriving career. In this workshop, participants will practice developing a radiant, bold, unapologetic writing voice that centers their values and identities. A limited number of 1-on-1 consultations with the instructor will be available after the workshop. Priority access to Boston area artists with additional access to rural Rhode Island. This workshop will be recorded. If you’re unable to attend the live session, you can still register via Zoom and, if approved, you will receive a link to access the recording after the workshop.
What could be more appropriate for a sizzling summer day than a little tribute to Bob Fosse with Khori Petinaud ?
Best wishes,
__________
Debra Cash, Executive Director