Celebrating MLK and the Year of the Rabbit!

National Endowment for the Arts' logo with letters in white over a black background.

Congratulations on recipients of the first round of 2023 National Endowment for the Arts Grants for Arts Project grantsJacob’s Pillow, Jean Appolon Expressions and our friends in Rhode Island, Island Moving Company.

Northeastern University received a grant to host an NEA Research Labs using participatory action research methods to evaluate whether and how community arts workshops in East Boston, Massachusetts, foster social cohesion and residents’ sense of belonging.

 

Mass Cultural Council logo in teal and orange

Dance education brings both discipline and joy to our students and BDA is delighted that this round of the Mass Cultural Council’s STARS residency program has such a broad representation of dance activities! We are also proud that a number of these artists participate in BDA’s fiscal sponsorship program.
Congratulations to

  • Amy Xotyeni, dancer and educator from Cape Town South Africa, who will work with students at Arlington Middle School in Lawrence to develop a program in dance, music and history on the Evolution of African Dance.
  • Anna Hendricks providing kindergarten and first grade students at Fisher Hill Elementary School in Orange and Hillcrest Elementary School in  Montague
  • Anthony Burrell teaching “Using Dance as a Super Power” (we love the title!)  for students to have an opportunity to use dance as a healing modality, by connecting the young scholars to music, social dance, and storytelling at the Match Charter Public School in Boston
  • Move with Missy  exploring hip hop with second and third graders at Clifford Elementary in Quincy to develop valuable social emotional skills and creative expression. Melissa Webster will also be working with students at the Gardner Pilot Academy in Boston
  • Kim Waterman whose North Adams project with Aimee Gelinas will bring fourth grade students to learn traditional West African & Caribbean drum, song and dance at Colegrove Park Elementary and at Hoosac Valley Elementary School in Adams
  • Hayley Petraitis choreographing a student-devised version of Willy Wonka at the George Keverian School in Everett
  • Jean Appolon Expressions bringing Haitian dance to Andover High School in Andover
  • MetaMovements artists teaching Latin dance to Charles Sumner School students and families in Boston
  • Northeast School of Ballet connecting TECCA High School Students in Walpole  with dance professionals to foster community and impart messages of inclusion, self-worth, and connection.
  • Tibisay Zea connecting students at Rafael Hernández K-8 School with dance and music of Latin America

There were a few projects announced that did not include the names of the dance instructors, so if you were granted a STARS residency and were left off this list, please get in touch with us! Sharing good news is one of our favorite things to do!

 

 

Three seated African drummers in brightly colored clothing

Benkadi Drum and Dance bring joyful energy to the MLK Jr. Celebrations at the JFK Library at Columbia Point in Boston in a family-friendly show January 16 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM  Free and reservations required.

 

Amy Smith smiles at the camera for a headshot.

Assets for Artists is hosting a zoom workshop on “Financial Strategies for Artists” with Amy Smith. Financial shame gets imposed on artists by our socioeconomic structures. In this workshop, Amy Smith cuts through shame and covers the financial building blocks necessary for surviving a career as a freelancer, including personal finance topics such as debt management in a time of crisis, emergency funds, private and governmental safety nets, tax issues, and how to negotiate with lenders. Wednesday, January 18, 2-4 PM.

 

LaTasha Barnes dances with one arm and foor raised in front of her accompanying musicians

Dancer, choreographer and educator, LaTasha Barnes brings together a collective of extraordinary dance artists and jazz musicians in The Jazz Continuum. Seven dancers and jazz musicians come together in lively and fun interplay as they explore the parallel flourishing of jazz music and Black American social dance styles through the decades. They perform as a part of the Celebrity Series Thursday-Saturday, January 19-20, 8 PM, at NED’s Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre, 255 St. Botolph Street, Boston.

 

Black and white photo of a dancer in a calm street's sidewalk taking an elegant step forward while reaching one arm up behind them and one arm long in front of them.

Abilities Dance Boston presents new commissioned work to further explore the ideas and imagery of New Formations‘ artworks through dance. Through contemporary photography, video, and painting, the exhibition, New Formations, features human bodies in powerful athletic performance, ecstatic expressions of dance and collective procession. Saturday, January 21, doors open at 5:30 PM, performance starts at 6 PM at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum (51 Sandy Pond Road, Lincoln, MA).

 

Cape Cod Ballroom Dancers Casual Dance poster with water wave as a header and a photo of a couple dancing ballroom together.

Join Cape Cod Ballroom Dancers in their Casual Dance including an hour-long lesson and open dancing. Email CCBDnotices@gmail.com to register. Saturday, January 21, doors open at 6:15 PM and lesson starts at 6:30 PM, followed by general dancing 7:30-10 PM at the Falmouth First Congregational Church, 68 Main St. Falmouth.

 

Dancers from Compagnie Hervé Koubi wear white flowy pants and flare legs in the air in handstands and in leaps.Global Arts Live presents its third Dance Fest with three consecutive Saturday nights  at 8 PM from January 21–February 4 at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont St., Boston. The Winter Dance Fest spans Hip-hop and contemporary dance.

This weekend is the hip-hop and contemporary-meets-sufi dance Compagnie Hervé Koubi on January 21.

Mark your calendars for Rennie HarrisPUREMOVEMENT on January 28, and Philadelphia’s BALLETX on February 4. See all 3 with a $120 Festival Pass!

 

Boston Dance Studios marathon schedule. Please see website for details.

Boston Dance Studios is having a Grand Opening in the 261 Friend Street space that was formerly Jeannette Neill’s studio and is hosting a marathon of classes on Saturday, January 21st and Sunday, January 22nd.   Dancers can find more information on Instagram @bostondancestudios and sign up for classes.

 

4 company dancers: one faces the back and hold on to a set drop, another 2 sit on a bench and the fourth stands on the bench leaning back.

Ali Kenner Brodsky presents moments at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, CT Saturday, January 21 7 to 8:30 PM.  This evening-length dance-theater work explores memory, loss and love, unfolds through subtle gestural movement and emotionally evocative music and features graphics by Cyrus Highsmith, live music by MorganEve Swain, costumes by Hertling & Alex Davis, set design by Keri King and performances by Ali Kenner Brodsky, Scott McPheeters, Jenna Pollack, Jessi Stegall & Ilya Vidrin.

 

"Lunar New Year" written in red tracing over a cream background with 3 red rabbits and a few clouds illustrated.

Join the New Art Center in Newton for their free Lunar New Year Community Cultural Day in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Society of Boston. Art educators will lead participants through different make-and-take activities. Hanna Lee, a traditional Korean dancer, performs at 12:15 PMKyungsun Kim, a gayagum player, performs at 1:30 PMSunday, January 22, 12-3 PM at the New Art Center61 Washington Park, Newton.

 

"JMAC" written in a rainbow like pattern and "Jean McDonogh Arts Center" written in grey underneath

 

The Jean McDonough Arts Center (JMAC) in Worcester is providing generous subsidies and other funding to help creatives present work at the JMAC – rent subsidy, project sponsorships and more, all made possible by the Barr Foundation. Info Session: Thursday, January 19, 6 PM. Deadline for first round applications: Tuesday, January 31 at midnight.

 

Three dancers in a dark space: one reaches arms out to their sides as another seems to move underneath one of the arms and the third person watches.

Join Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion® Institute 2022–2023: 1-Year Intensive!! This intimately curated experience includes:
* 3–5 online synchronous weekend learning modules
* Up to 2 in-person modules at Jacob’s Pillow
* 5 online synchronous clinics
* Creative assignments for ideation & self-reflection
* One-on-one mentoring with Institute Directors
* Peer-to-peer co-mentoring
* Opportunities for creative exchanges
Upon successful completion of the course, participants will have a/an:
☑️Certificate of completion
☑️Opportunity to apply for inclusion in the roster of esteemed JPCiM® Artists
Apply by Thursday, January 31.

 

Three young children stand in a colorful hallway talking to a person dressed up as the cartoon character Pikachu

Blooming Stars, a bilingual (English and Mandarin Chinese) early childhood education center in Brighton following the Montessori educational philosophy is looking for a dance teacher for young children 2 years – 5.5 years old to work 1-1.5 hours per week.   Please Send Your CV to: Info@blooming-stars.com

 

Apollinaire Theatre Company logo: a black circle around a dark red capital A that wears a brown hat.

Apollinaire Play Lab (Chelsea, MA) is seeking a dance instructor for the spring 2023 program. Responsibilities include curriculum development, communication with parents as needed, preparing students for their showcase, and more. Program runs Saturdays, March 4-May 6. $60 per class hour. Please send resumes to Alison McCarthy at hiring@apollinairetheatre.com.

 

Endicott College logo with a circle around their shield.

Endicott College in Beverly, MA is looking for instructor to teach Thursday classes for the spring semester which starts January 26Introduction to Dance is Thursday, 4:45-6:15 PM followed by Commercial Dance (with strong focus in street and hip hop)  6:15-8:00 PM  Choreography opportunities are available once per year for an additional stipend. There is flexibility with not having a terminal degree, and hire can be based on teaching/professional experience! Email nsaopedr@endicott.edu ASAP

 

Excerpts from Justin Peck’s Year of the Rabbit danced by the Joffrey Ballet in 2017.

 

On the day we honor Martin Luther King, Jr. with acts of service and commitment to inclusion, we are grateful to the activists in our midst who lead the way to building the world we all want to live in.

Happy Year of the Rabbit! The lunar new year is celebrated by many Asian cultures and their descendants across the globe beginning on Sunday January 22. The sign of Rabbit 兔 is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity, all things we can definitely hope for. More Lunar New Year activities will be listed in next week’s Pro/Motion newsletter.

Beginning to plan your spring performances? There are already some blackout dates for renting the BDA portable sprung wood floor, so get your requests in soon. We’re happy to provide you with a no-obligation quote.

Best wishes,

__________
Debra Cash, Executive Director