This past Saturday was national dance day and I hope you were able to get your groove on. It’s always such a great reminder to be thankful for all the dance that is around us and in us. Taking place on the third Saturday of September since 2010, this date was established to show support for dance as a valuable form of exercise and of artistic expression. With that in mind, I hope to see you this Friday, September 27, 6:30 PM at The Dance Complex for Fall Into Dance. The event is free and is open to all but registration is nearing capacity so RSVP today!
I also wanted to take the time to acknowledge the impact the Latin American community has in our dance ecosystem. Considering we are almost halfway through Hispanic/Latin Heritage Month, I’d like to highlight the work some of our Hispanic/Latin American members:
Dance Caliente
Carmen S. Rizzo
Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre
Leta Tavares
Sabrina Avilés
Simon Montalvo
Utopia Dance Company
Have a great week,
Carmen S. Rizzo, Operations and Membership Associate
Boston Dance Theater is thrilled to perform as the opener for TEDxNew England’s 2024 conference, Mind + Life. Wednesday, September 25, 2 PM, Groton Hill Music Center, 122 Old Ayer Road, Groton. Tickets: $99-$249
The 2024 Governor’s Awards in the Humanities celebrates individuals who have enhanced civic life in the Commonwealth. This year, they honor Martín Espada, Jackie Jenkins-Scott, Bob Rivers, and Cheryll Toney Holley for their remarkable contributions to the public humanities. Your ticket is your pass to an exciting evening that will include tours of the JFK Museum, a cocktail reception, dance performances by Bomba de Aquí and the Floor Lords, and more! Thursday, September 26, 6:30-8:30 PM at the JFK Library & Museum, Columbia Point, Boston. Tickets: $100-$50,000.
FREE! – Wendy Jehlen’s Anikaya presents Breath/less, a solo for two dancers. It is a conjuring of breath and togetherness. The work is situated in ritual of connection, the consecration of space and bodies together. Breath/less is a ritual of waiting, of suspended expectation, a holding pattern, a maintenance of hope in a time of extraordinary brutality. It is also a memorial. The public is invited to set and light over one hundred candles, guided by volunteers, in a moment of acknowledgement and collective grief. Thursday, September 26, 7 PM, Boston City Hall Plaza.
Fourth Dimension Tap Company performs at the Salem State Center for Creative and Performing Arts. Thursday, September 26, 7:30 PM at the Recital Hall, 71 Loring Avenue, Salem. Tickets: $0-15.
Set in a graveyard filled with the persistent cries of visitors in mourning and the poignant music of Isicathamiya singers (an a cappella singing style originating from the Zulus),Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Boléro vividly elicits emotions associated with the loss of life. Physically charged and visually striking, the work is choreographed by South African native and internationally-known choreographer Gregory Vuyani Maqoma. Cion draws inspiration from author Zakes Mda’s novel, Cion , and Ravel’s Boléro. It is, in Maqoma’s words, “a lament, a requiem required to awaken a part of us, the connection to the departed souls”. Thursday, September 26, 8 PM, at Williams College, 1000 Main Street, Williamstown. Tickets: $3-$10.
FREE! – The Minds With Purpose Festival, where we celebrate education, health and wellness, entrepreneurship and innovation, community advocacy, and cultural heritage in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month. This event is a rich tapestry of learning and festivity, offering insightful conferences, workshops, and resources tailored to each theme. Engage with thought leaders, discover new perspectives, and cultivate meaningful connections in an inclusive and vibrant atmosphere. Enjoy dynamic performances, indulge in diverse culinary delights, and immerse yourself in cultural celebrations that honor Hispanic heritage. Join us for an enriching experience that blends knowledge, creativity, and community spirit at the MWP Festival! Friday, September 27, 4 PM-12 AM, Saturday, September 28, 12-9 PM, Sunday, September 29, 12-9 PM, at Elks Lodge 652 Andover St , Lawrence.
America and Me is an original production created by Unyted Stylz company director, Ricardo Foster Jr. This show was inspired by the increasingly polarized political climate in our country and seeks to understand how one’s experiences influence their feelings towards America. The show explores the concept of the “American Dream”, which can be a blessing for some but unattainable for others. It is designed to be controversial; to make you think and feel. Friday, September 27, 7 PM, Saturday, September 28, 12 PM & 7 PM, at the Plaza Theatre, 539 Tremont Street, Boston. Tickets: $25.
FREE! – The summer event series in Nubian Square concludes with AfroBeat. AfroEats. Featuring dancing with Froca Fitness & a fashion show by House of Nahdra. DJ Ohh! will spin upbeat African Amapiano music & a chef demo featuring delicious African food that will captivate the taste buds of patrons and a variety of vendors of the African Diaspora will join in the celebration. Saturday, September 28, 4-8 PM, 2080 Washington Street, Boston.
FREE! – Ignite Festival provides some fiery entertainment in the form of fire throwers, roving entertainment, and performers representing cultures from near and far. To kick things off at 6 PM Samba Viva will fire things up with dance and samba. Also on deck is a Chinese dragon performance by Wah Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy, and Cofradia Cultural, a lavishly costumed Dominican dance troupe. And as always the Boston Circus Guild will round out the evening with their spectacular performance of fire throwing and twirling. There will al-so be light and art installations, roving dancers and circus artists, and a roving 10-foot-tall cat named Lima Bean. Saturday, September 28, 6-10 PM at 90 Union Square, Somerville.
FREE! – Wendy Jehlen offers a Waterfall Workshop, a global ritual taking place on iconic and overlooked staircases around the world. Twenty or more dancers cascade slowly together down a staircase. Waterfall is created in an intensive workshop in which dancers and other movers learn to move together as a body of water through a series of practices developed by Wendy Jehlen, AD of ANIKAYA Dance Theater. During the workshop you will learn ways of movnig together first on the floor and then on stairs. Wendy will guide participants through a series of exercises to prepare the body, the mind, and the group to create this performance together. The process will teach you to move not as individuals but as one body of water. Sunday, September 29, 2- 5 PM, at the Institute for Contemporary Art. Followed by Waterfall performance, 6 PM at the staircase from world trade center avenue to Seaport Boulevard.
Calling all classical Indian dancers! Zoo New England (Franklin Park Zoo) would like to add a dance element to their Boston Lights festival in honor of Diwali celebration taking place October 29 & 30 and November 1, 2 & 3. They are looking for any of the eight Indian Classical Dance forms (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathakali, Sattriya, Manipuri and Mohiniyattam). If interested, email Danishia Gomez, the Director of Events & Celebrations at Zoo New England (dgomez@zoonewengland.org) for more information.
FREE! – Join Dance/USA or an insightful conversation to explore the critical role the upcoming election plays in shaping the future of dance. In the 2024 Elections and the Dance Ecosystem webinar, they’ll delve into the key issues impacting the dance sector, the vital importance of casting your vote, and how dance organizations can serve as powerful catalysts for voter engagement. Speaker: Bertrand Evans-Taylor, Dance/USA Interim Director of Government Affairs. Thursday, September 26, 1:00-2:30 PM, on zoom.
The Idea Swap happening November 12, at the Mechanics Hall, Worcester, MA, is the annual event for New England-based nonprofit cultural organizations and touring artists to network and share ideas for touring projects. To support networking that is mutually beneficial for organizations and artists, capacity is limited. Participants are strongly encouraged to register early. Organizations may register up to three staff members. The Idea Swap is designed for staff who directly participate in artistic or community programming. Artistic ensembles may register up to two members.
Project Idea Submission Deadline: October 4, 2024.
Early Bird Registration Deadline: October 18, 2024.