Modern Dance for Life, taught by Naomi Goldberg Haas at The Yard in Chilmark Monday, June 26-Friday, June 30, was created for the dancer coming back to the studio. Enjoy moving with full expression and purpose, the class integrates the thinking body with the emotional body. Barre work moves to standing center opening the spine with a combination of contemporary and traditional dance techniques. Emphases is on correct alignment, articulation and connected movement, and floor work informed by Pilates mat strengthening.
Finding Joy in Improv in Irish Dance with Catherine Marafino Brice happens Tuesday, June 27, 7:30-8:30 PM Annapolis based old-style Irish step dancing, sean-nós dancing, and American tap dancer Brice helps build improvisation skills that are musically and choreographically entertaining with a special summer workshop at First Church Cambridge.
The Jacob’s Pillow season has officially begun and Kyle Marshall Choreography takes to the Jacob’s Pillow outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage Wednesday, June 28 at 6 PM with Onyx, a work that digs into the origins of Rock and Roll, revealing the Black and Brown people whose sounds, performances and personalities created this revolutionary genre. New this year, one-night-only performances on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage will be ticketed on a “Choose What You Pay” model.
Mark Morris Dance Group returns to Jacob’s Pillow for a week’s run at the Ted Shawn Theater Thursday, June 29-Sunday, July 2 with he evening-length work The Look of Love, an homage to the music of Burt Bacharach that had its world premiere in 2022. The work features original choreography by Morris and new musical arrangements by Ethan Iverson, performed live by an ensemble of piano, trumpet, bass, and drums, with singer, actress, and Broadway star Marcy Harriell on lead vocals.
Led by directors Anthony Aiu and Kaina Quenga—lifelong practitioners of Hula and Ori Tahiti—the intergenerational group Te Ao Mana shares an appreciation of Mana, “the heart of Polynesia and the very genesis of everything in existence,” and to identify more deeply with nature and each other, “living in a place of constant creation and discovery of oneself and one’s connection to the natural world.” They come to Jacob’s Pillow’s Henry J. Leir Stage Thursday, June 29 at 6 PM.
The percussive dancers of SOLE Defined from Washington, D.C. use the body as an instrument creating sonic and kinetic embodied storytelling, promoting an understanding and appreciation for African-American percussive dance forms rooted in the African diaspora. On the Jacob’s Pillow Henry J. Leir Stage Friday, June 30 at 6 PM.
Ballet Papillon, a new dance company in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, presents it debut production “Unbroken,” addressing the universal theme of overcoming hardships creating beauty from the broken and surrendering to the freedom uniquely found through dance. Friday, June 30, 2 PM on Windhover Performing Art Center’s outdoor stage, 257R Granite St., Rockport, MA.
Nimble Arts invites adventurous movers to a Tree Dancing Workshop in Brattleboro Vermont Friday June 30-Sunday July 2 Join an aerialist & arborist team for a unique outdoor workshop to discover the freedom & joys of climbing trees with rope & harness and dancing where gravity feels suspended. This is an experiential workshop intended to offer curious movers – aerialist, climber, researcher, dancer, arborist, acrobat, explorer – an opportunity to ascend into a world of physical and personal discovery. We’ll teach you all the ropes you need to know, including physical and creative techniques while giving you space to explore at your own pace.
Join Boston Artist-in-Residence Ashton Lites for “It St(ARTS) in the Park” on Friday, June 30, 5-10 PM. Celebrate the launch of the first Boston Krump Digital Story Map Short Film Series. Boston Krump has had a major impact on the global dance community. In the film, 5 dancers from different generation of Boston Krump take you through the neighborhoods they grew up in and talk about what public open space means to them and their craft. Live music and DJs, dance workshops, performances, open sessions, short film screenings, food, and an afterglow party. Featuring: Midday Movement, Trend N Motion, House of Escada, Boston Krump, and Black Cotton Club Live Musicians/Open Mic. at Mary Hannon Park, Roxbury (613 Dudley St., Boston).
Enjoy an Argentinian evening with live music, authentic food and wine and the TANGO! featuring Boston Tango Orchestra, with Alex Roitman, bandoneon soloist and dancers Mary Oleskiewicz and Nate Evans. Friday, June 30, 7-10 PM, at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North Street, Plymouth, MA.
Stiggity’s The Foundation is Boston’s most innovative freestyle dance battle event and fundraiser. Join them as they transform a ferry to a Boat Party and enjoy a day of music, dance, beach, and sun on Spectacle Island. This is a free event but tickets are limited! This year features NWA SOUL, a popular local band that will play covers of songs that we traditionally dance to for parts of the battle. Saturday, July 1, 12:00-4:45 PM on the Spectacle Island Ferry.
Artfulness at the Windhover Center for the Performing Arts, promises a wide variety of modern, contemporary, ballet, and tap dance from talented artists around New England under the outdoor tent. Featured dance companies include Saving Grace Dance Ensemble, Ava and Friends, Ballet Papillon, Tammy Belanger Contemporary Dance, Douglas Davis Ballet, Forty Steps Dance, NSquared Dance Company, Onstage Dance Company, Maura Pollister, and Speaking in Taps. Bring a picnic! Saturday, July 1 at 2 PM.
Experience the rising generation of professional dancers engaged in The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Ballet Performance Ensemble performing repertory works on the Henry J. Leir Stage Saturday, July 1 at 6 PM.
Boston’s Samvād‘s School of Skills is offering a unique Dance Lab in collaboration with Monkeyhouse. Dance Lab with Joe Daly, a New York-based dance educator, is a hands-on exploratory session, equivalent to a ballet barre class for classical Indian dancers. Through working genre-technique, careful observation and analysis, the instructor will engage the dancers where they are in their movement habit in dance. This session will offer a practical, low-impact approach to mobility, balance, flexibility and breathing with the goal to develop stamina, improve alignment and prevent injury for a sustainable dance practice. Dancers from all classical Indian dance styles who are actively invested in their practice, and motivated to learn more about their body as their instrument, will highly benefit from this dance lab. Dancers motivated by specific physical issues or injuries are also welcome. Saturday, July 1, 3-5 PM at the Foundry, 101 Rogers St., Cambridge.
The deadline to sign up to perform at JP Porchfest is quickly approaching! Apply by Friday, June 30 for this festival on August 19! Music, dance, theater, and more is welcome.
MK Dance Center, located in Leominster, is hiring! They are seeking a hip hop instructor comfortable working with ages 5-adults (beginner-intermediate levels). Additional opportunities available if interested. Apply by emailing mkdancecenter@gmail.com.
Tess Saoirse’s Data Driven Dance is an opportunity for parents and caregivers to get genuine feedback on how their student is progressing in their dance practice. Tess, an ABA-based teacher for the Boston Public Schools and a lover of dance/dance instruction, will be teaching data-driven dance for students with disabilities on Thursdays 3-4 PM this summer at the Foundry in Cambridge.
Boston Dance Studios’ Youth Summer Workshop Series is open to dancers ages 10-14 seeking to train in a pre-professional setting and learn from current industry professionals. Regardless of level, this program is open to the young dancer seeking to explore movement through various styles, those aspiring for a career in the arts and anyone who enjoys discovering their voice through movement. Saturday, July 1- Saturday, July 29.
Join Stajez Summer Gems Dance Camp. This is a 5-week summer program designed and geared toward female students ages 7-14 who show great interest in dance and the performing arts, with both beginner and advanced programs offered. The program offers classes in Ballet, Modern, Tap, Hip-Hop, West African, Afro-Caribbean & Liturgical dance. Campers will perform at the end of the five weeks for family and friends. Each week, invited guest speakers come in to talk about the importance of education, respect, social skills, family & nutrition. Register now.
Spending time in the garden?
Protect those pollinators and enjoy this kitchy 1956 Bumble Boogie.
Enjoy!
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Debra Cash, Executive Director