Pro/Motion – week of March 4

Hello BDA Community,

Happy Women’s History Month!  For so many years, women have fostered the growth and development  of so many dancers here in Boston and beyond.

At Boston Dance Alliance (BDA) they include the organization’s previous Executive Directors Ruth Birnberg and Debra Cash along with numerous women volunteer leaders on BDA’s Board of Directors who have given their time, talent, and treasure to advancing BDA’s mission.

They also include the many women who have received BDA’s annual Dr. Michael Shannon Dance Champion and Unsung Hero Awards including but not limited: Dawn Kramer, Martha Armstrong Gray Judith Chaffee; Thelma Goldberg, Neena Gulati, Andrea Herbert Major, Jeanne Traxler, Myran Parker-Brass, Margot Parsons, Rozann Kraus, Jayne Murphy, Ann Brown Allen, Deborah Mason and Dianne Walker–and that’s just from the past 10 years.

So much more than just dance makers, women in our creative community are the leaders who are affecting societal changes that continue to expand possibilities and move history forward.  We celebrate you!

With gratitude,


Aaron Myers, Interim Executive Director

BDA Member Events This Week

Christina Johnson headshot and event information over it.

Join international guest artist and former Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre guest principal dancer Christina Johnson for masterclasses and a Meet & Greet event at JMBT Cambridge Studios! The open masterclass happens on Wednesday, March 6, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM. Registration: $12. Meet & Greet, in partnership with Harvard Book Store happens on Thursday, March 7, 6:30-7:30 PM. Meet Christina for a discussion on the importance of diversity in dance and book signing of Misty Copeland’s Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy, and Dance Theatre of Harlem: A History, A Movement, A Celebration.

Photo of Peter DiMuro in costume looking forward with hands raised gesturing forward. Event information displayed below.

FREE! – Peter DiMuro and some friends perform Gestures from Left of Center, in the Napoleon Room. Tuesday, March 12, 6:30-7:30 PM (seating starts at 5:30) and Sunday, March 17, 6:00-7:00 PM (seating starts at 5:00 PM) at Club Café, 209 Columbus Avenue, Boston. Reservations strongly recommended.

Other events in the community this week:
FREE! – Join the Harvard Office for the Arts Dance Program for a Jamaica’s Dancehall workshop with renowned choreographer and teacher Latonya Style. Explore the evolution of Dancehall through movement and be introduced to a broad range of vocabulary innovated from the Jamaican Dancehall scene throughout the last 50 years. For all bodies, all levels, and all abilities. No previous dance training or experience in Dancehall is required. All are welcome. Latonya will also be signing copies of her book Stylish Moves Guide and Activity BookWednesday, March 6, 6:30-8:00 PM at the Harvard Dance Center, Studio 1, 66 Garden St., Cambridge.

This year’s Dances at Noon performance, an annual Tufts tradition, features Tufts Alum (A72) Art Bridgman and Myrna Packer of Bridgman | Packer Dance performing their piece Under the Skin. Friday, March 8, 12 PM in Jackson Dance Lab.

Global Arts Live presents celebrated San Francisco–based company Alonzo King LINES Ballet. The company performs the Boston premiere of Deep River, a soulful new work created in collaboration with Grammy-winning vocalist Lisa Fischer and jazz pianist Jason Moran. Friday, March 8 & Saturday, March 9, 8 PM at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont St., Boston. Tickets: $50-$79.
FREE! – Super Arts Saturday, an afternoon of music, dance and activities for kids of all ages. In Tufts’ Distler Hall, enjoy a sing-along concert, art projects, theater games, K-Pop Dances, and an African Drumming workshop around the Granoff Music Center and Aidekman Arts Center. Saturday, March 9, 1-4 PM, at 20 Talbot Ave., Medfford.
Step into the 19th century ballroom at the Folk Arts Center‘s second annual Victorian Ball, hosted at the 1870 Town Hall, 12 Woodward Ave., Berlin, MA. Spare Parts musicians will delight attendees with waltzes, polkas, contra dances, and more. All are welcome. Email Katy at office@facone.org for more information. Saturday, March 9, 1-4 PM pre-ball workshops and 7-10 PM Victorian Ball. Tickets: $20-$30.
Experience the enchanting allure of Ireland like never before with Reagle Music Theatre’s The Magic Of Ireland: A St. Patrick’s Day Concert. The spellbinding performances will be sure to transport you to the heart of the Emerald Isle. This holiday concert will feature traditional Irish melodies, comedy, poetry, and more! The cast will also include The Harney Academy Irish step dancers showcasing the rich tradition of Irish dance with their precision and grace. Saturday, March 9, at 4 PM, and Sunday, March 10, at 2 PM. Tickets: $30-$74

Boston Pole Fitness presents Leather & Lace, a theatrical experience. Experience aerial dance performances on Sunday, March 10, 5 PM at the Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St. Arlington. Tickets: $25-$55.

Global Arts Live presents Flamenco Festival bringing dancers Alfonso LosaManuel LiñánEl Yiyo and Paula Comitre to the Berklee Performance Center,136 Massachusetts Ave., Boston. On Saturday, March 9, 8:00 PM, Losa performs Espacio Creativo and on Sunday March 10, 7:30 PM, the Gala Flamenca brings all four dancers together on stage. Tickets: $44-89

In Swan Lake, Tchaikovsky took up the legend of the immaculate bird to create some of the most beautiful music ever written for ballet. See it performed by the Paris Opera Ballet on Sunday, March 10, 10 AM at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. Tickets: $22-$25.

Registration is open for Gaga classes at Vivid Oblivion288 Norfolk St. Cambridge, on the following Tuesdays, 6-7 PM: March 12 & 26, April 9 & 23. Ana Harmon is also seeking 1 volunteer per class to help with check-in. If you’re interested, email anagogegaga@gmail.com. Registration: $20.Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance will be performed on Tuesday, March 12 and Wednesday, March 13, 7 PM at The Hanover Theatre & Conservatory for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester. Tickets: $53.40-$99.

Creative Capital Awards banner in gradient blue to green from top to bottom with submission dates and eligible art forms listed.

Join a live, virtual information session on Wednesday, March 6, 1 PM to learn more about the Creative Capital Award. During this one hour Zoom information session, you will get an overview of the application process and answers to audience questions. Live captioning (CART services) and ASL interpretation will be provided. The session will be recorded and made available on  the Creative Capital website.

Call for artwork poster with event information on the left and photo of hands with rings on the right.

Apply to be a part of “Where Do We Come From and Where Do We Go?” Boston University MET College Arts Administration and the Goethe-Institut Boston partner to invite artists based in MA, RI, ME or NH working in all disciplines (including dance) to explore the deeply personal terrain of heritage, delving into the emotions it stirs—the acts of love rendered through tradition, the ache of longing for a homeland left behind, and the communal bonds of culture and care. Artists are encouraged to draw inspiration from their own experiences, cultural backgrounds, and artistic mediums to create works that speak to the universal truths of the human condition. To apply send samples of your work/proposals to BostonUniversityCuratorial@gmail.com by Tuesday, March 19. Please include:
▪ A document with your name, contact information (email and phone), city/state, and
brief biographical and artist statements (Word doc)
▪ Up to three links to videos. Indicate a three-to-four-minute excerpt. Attach a corresponding document with additional information. (Note: the Goethe-Institut does not have a theater, but we may have access to a piano, projector, and sound system. Include details about technical and space
requirements.)

Photo of presentation of previous Expand Massachusetts Stories grantee.

Expand Massachusetts Stories now includes three grant options:

  • Climate Change Track
  • Advancing Equity Track
  • Open Track

Learn more about each track and submit an application by April 5 or May 31 depending on your track.