Boston Dance Alliance (BDA) is the region’s largest service organization that supports dance artists, companies, students, studios, audiences and everyone who makes up our dance community. Our Pro/Motion newsletter keeps you informed about what’s going on in dance in Boston and throughout New England.
Show your support for Boston area dance by becoming a BDA member. Memberships start as low as $35!
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Carmen Rizzo
BDA Operations and Membership Associate
Congratulations to Victoria L. Awkward
(Director of Boston’s VLA DANCE)
and Ashton Lites
(Founder and President, StiggityStackz Worldwide Inc.)
for being awarded the Brother Thomas Fellowship from The Boston Foundation
Victoria L. Awkward is a multi-hyphenate creator, administrator, and educator, aiming to inspire people through her work to pause and reflect on their actions toward themselves, their community, and their environment.
Ashton “Stiggity Stackz” Lites is one of Boston’s most renowned freestyle dance specialists, with intensive training in cultural and concert dance forms, including Krump, Popping, Locking, Hip Hop, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Afro-Haitian, and more.
Join the Renaissance Dance Technique and Repertory Workshop, an exploration of late 16th-century Italian steps and dances, as described in Fabritio Caroso’s treatises of 1581 and 1600. Look at some of Caroso’s standard step sequences, at differences in his step descriptions from one treatise to the next, and at variant versions of the dances he describes. Mondays in October starting today, 12:30-2:00 PM at Northeast Arts, 85 Seaverns Ave., Jamaica Plain, MA.
BIODANZA: dance with your life is an experiential workshop offering an introduction to a powerful and gentle integrative system and international movement that promotes human development both personal and collective. Come for an hour of rejuvenating play and connection, and emerge feeling more yourself and more resourced, carrying tools for bringing presence and play to your life and having practiced them. No experience needed, just bring your curious heart, comfortable clothes for moving in, bare feet or indoor-only shoes, and a water bottle. This event is FREE. Registration is required. Monday, October 2, 6:00-7:30 PM at the Dance Complex.
Catch a screening of the award-winning 2020 documentary film Uprooted: The Journey of Jazz Dance introducing the history, lineage, and evolution of Jazz Dance. The screening will be immediately followed by a conversation led by Jeffrey L. Page, Lecturer on Theater, Dance & Media at Harvard with two artists featured in the film: Sekou McMiller, OFA Dance Program Visiting Artist, and Robin Gee, Associate Professor of Dance at University North Carolina Greensboro. Also on the panel is Anthony Burrell, Professor of Dance, Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Food will be provided! Tuesday, October 3, 6:00-8:30 PM at the Smith Campus Center, 10th Floor. *Accessibility: Film will be captioned. ASL interpreters provided for the conversation. Live CART captions provided via streaming link. The Smith Campus Center 10th floor is wheelchair accessible. If you anticipate needing any other type of access to participate, please contact Elizabeth Epsen at epsen@fas.harvard.edu.
“Cirque Us Stories” is a new, thoughtfully curated show that flips through the pages of our troupe’s favorite stories to bring you a touching, thrilling narrative about community and identity. The show features aerialists, jugglers, acrobats, contortionists, clowns, and more, all ready to fly off the shelf and straight to you. Tuesday, October 3 & Wednesday, October 4, 7:30-8:30 PM at the Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville. Tickets are $25.
Join a movement workshop led by Sekou McMiller: Afro Latin Jazz and Soul Experience. Take a rhythmical journey through the African American, Afro Latino and other African cultures looking at varying similarities, past intersections and exploring new and exciting fusions. This class will explore the fundamental elements and movement principles of Embodied Africanist Aesthetics while recognizing the varying similarities, past intersections, current and future fusions with other cultures. Sekou McMiller will discuss how African and African diaspora dance culture is being transmitted in higher education, conservatories, and concert/theater dance. Wednesday, October 4, 6:00-8:30 PM at the Harvard Dance Center, Studio 1.
Harvard Tango welcomes a star couple from Buenos Aires to Boston for the first time: Valen & Leo! Join their 4-day workshop and develop on your tango technique. Classes include rhythmic movements, circular movements, voleo and enrosques. Email tangoharvard@gmail.com to register and for more information. Wednesday, October 4-Saturday, October 7, at the heart of Harvard’s campus.
CineFest Latinx Boston presents Bailaora (Documentary, US/Venezuela) and other short films. Bailaora tells the story of Siudy Garrido and her groundbreaking work as a Flamenco artist. Thursday, October 5, 3-8 PM at the Civic Pavilion in City Hall Plaza. Co-sponsored by BDA.
Boston Ballet presents Fall Experience, a program with four ballets to awaken your senses and touch your soul. Boston Ballet is the first American company to perform Akram Khan’s “Vertical Road.” In the same evening, Hans van Manen’s “Trois Gnossiennes” makes its Boston Ballet premiere, Jorma Elo’s fan favorite “Bach Cello Suites” returns for the first time since 2018, and Boston Ballet artist My’Kal Stromile debuts his first mainstage work. Thursday, October 5- Sunday October 15, at the Citizens Bank Opera House.
Check out the Dancewear Pop-Up Boutique at Northeast Arts. Find your new favorite leotards, warm-ups, skirts & handmade dance shorts. Get pointe shoe consultations by certified fitter Kendra Frank and support Northeast Arts when you purchase “Do your own thing” T-shirts. Friday, October 6, 11:30 AM-2:00 PM & Saturday, October 7, 9:30-11:45 AM, 85 Seaverns Ave., Jamaica Plain, MA.
The Ndaje Festival will host a selection of artists from across the African Diaspora, living in the United States and abroad. Through these workshops, participants will experience dance styles from Senegal, Guinea, Mali, and Haiti. Featured artists include: Jean Appolon, Malang Bayo, Joh Camara, Pape Samb Cisse, Lawg Diop, Nko Fallou, Alioune Faye, Brigo Gueye, Youssouf Koumbassa, Ismael Kouyate, Awa Pikine, Dionkounda Ndiaye, Tapha Ndiaye, Pape Moussa Sonko, Issa Sow, Raymon Sylla, and more. Friday, October 6-Sunday, October 8, at the Dance Complex.
Join the Folk Arts Center of New England to celebrate its 2023 Oktoberfest International Dance and Music Weekend. This joyful Vermont reunion and beloved October tradition on Indigenous People’s Day weekend will include lots of dancing and music. Friday, October 6-Monday, October 9, at the Hulbert Center in Fairlee, Vermont.
We Move in Color (WMIC) is a musical revue that captures the African American narrative through music, poetry, dance, and visual art. It features the visual world of painter Paul Goodnight, and the award-winning photography of Lou Jones. The revue’s soundtrack is produced by GRAMMY Award winner Gen Rubin. It also features recording artist Anita Faye and the poetic voice of writer Robby Thomas. The narrative is brought to life by Emmy Award winner, choreographer and story designer Wyatt Jackson. Friday, October 6, 7:00-9:30 PM at the Strand Theatre, 543 Columbia Road, Boston.
The Dance Complex invites you to an informal toast to the coming season. The event includes special mini-dance lessons from some of their resident teaching artists, and the opportunity to take to the dance floor. A sparkling toast will be provided, with other beverages for purchase. Friday, October 6, 7:30-9:00 PM at the Dance Complex.
The Greenway Conservancy partners with choreographer and curator Peter DiMuro and four local dance companies for Momentum, a free outdoor dance series open to all and a moving tribute to Boston’s rich heritage. Enjoy the closing festival for a full day of contemporary dance, at four locations along The Greenway. On Saturday, October 7, 11 AM-3 PM, Continuum Dance Project performs Becoming Water at Auntie Kay & Uncle Frank Chin Park, followed by Vimoksha Dance Company at Rowe’s Wharf Plaza performing Salt Soaked. Jean Appolon Expressions takes over Armenian Heritage Park and performs Popouri and Public Displays of Motion closes the festival at Carolyn Lynch Garden with Passeggiata: A Stroll With Sinners and Saints.
Don’t miss Women, Gender, Caste and Colorism in Tagore’s Compositions. Sixteen artists gather on stage for a show with vocals, live music, dance and drama, directed by Kohal Das. Dance artists include: Anindita Banerjee, Dipanwita Bhattacharyya, Rituparna Biswas, Kohal Das, and Trisha Das. Saturday, October 7, 5 PM at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second Street, Cambridge.
Genre-defying artists join forces to tell the story of unpredictable romance & self-discovery in Heart of Brick, a theatrical dance and music production that ponders on the spirit & magic of Black queer nightlife. Saturday, October 7, 8 PM at the Hunter Center at Mass MOCA. Tickets $45-$72.
Join the next Playspace session to explore, improvise, and make connections with artists of all disciplines. Reserve your spot by emailing miragoksel@gmail.com. Sunday, October 8, 2-4 PM at Balance at Urbanity Dance, 111 West Concord Street, Boston.