The Dance Complex Online Schedule 6/15 – 6/22
All available on Facebook Live (@DanceComplex) and Instagram Live (@thedancecomplex)
MONDAY 6/15
Coffee Hour with Kledia: featuring Janelle Gilchrist
11-12PM EST
Join The Dance Complex’s Communications Director Kledia Spiro as she interviews Dance Complex community members. Janelle Gilchrist currently works full time as a dance teacher for Boston Arts Academy and is also director and choreographer of Janelle Gilchrist Dance Troupe.
TUESDAY 6/16
DC Live: Bachata with Bryn Burke
3:30-4:30PM EST
This bachata class will focus on footwork and body movement for all levels, teaching you fun exercises and techniques you can continue to work on at home. We will warm-up and cool down with gentle movement and stretching.
WEDNESDAY 6/17
Fireside Chats with Peter: rerun featuring Junious Brickhouse and Aysha Upchurch
11-12PM EST
Joined by guests, The Dance Complex’s Executive Artistic Director Peter DiMuro, will be chatting all things dance in Boston and beyond. This week’s is a rerun of the past chat with Junious Brickhouse and Aysha Upchurch.
Junious “House” Brickhouse is an internationally established educator, choreographer and cultural preservationist with over 30 years of experience in Urban Dance Culture. A citizen folklorist, Junious also conducts independent research into those cultural traditions whose influence is reflected in urban dance culture. From ring shouts and acoustic county blues to Hip Hop, understanding the nature and meaning of these art forms and their influences, is what motivates this artist.
Aysha Upchurch is an entrepreneur, artist, educator, and consultant who creates, facilitates, and designs for radical change. She is a seed planter and soil agitator who weaves her passion into her commitment to critical arts pedagogy, youth advocacy, social justice, and transformative education. Upchurch received her Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), and as a visiting practitioner in education, she served as the inaugural artist-in-residence with the arts in education program, exploring the pedagogical implications of cross-disciplinary artistic collaboration, community dance cyphers, and hip hop pedagogy.
THURSDAY 6/18
DC Live: West Afro Dance Training with Papa Sy
3:30-4:30PM EST
West Afro Dance training was created by Papa Sy to help get you in shape through a combination of unique dance moves. Help increase flexibility, endurance, and cardiovascular, stamina all while giving you a burst of energy!
FRIDAY 6/19
DC Live: Gentle Morning Jive with Kara Fili
9:30-10AM EST
Join dancer, Kara Fili, as you wake up your body, mind and soul with stretching, strengthening and dancing — all from your chair! Music from the 1930’s – present day will keep us energized throughout our workout which draws from disciplines such as yoga, pilates, tap, jazz, West African, modern and ballet dance. No dance experience necessary. Movements will be demonstrated from a seated position but can be modified to be done while standing. Classes are 30 minutes.
FRIDAY 6/19
A Night with The Dance Complex: The Opulence of Integrity by Christal Brown
7PM EST
Inspired by the life and legend of Muhammad Ali, the performance incorporates elements of boxing, hip-hop, martial arts, and modern dance to an original sound score by Farai Malianga, and include artistic exploration with the Boston dance community.
The Opulence of Integrity is a four-movement, evening-length work inspired by Ali’s career as a boxer and social activist, and his life as a public martyr and as a mortal human being. Brown notes, “The work deploys an eclectic movement vernacular to illustrate the turmoil of a life infused by divinity, yet misinterpreted by humanity.” The performance also explores the inner struggle for identity as it pertains to men of color in the United States, with an intimate look at the trappings that continually inhibit freedom. Brown dedicates the work “to her father, brother, and uncle—who fought but did not win—and to her own son, whose battle has not yet begun. To be born branded by history, burdened by responsibility, and inspired towards greatness requires a committed heart and an opulence of integrity.”
SATURDAY 6/20
DC Live: SambaViva with Roberta
12-1PM EST
Samba no pé (literally, “samba in the foot”) represents the classic moves of Brazil. It is a solo dance that is commonly danced impromptu when samba music is played. The basic movement involves a straight body and a bending of one knee at a time. The feet move very slightly – only a few inches at a time.
The dance simply follows the beat of the music and can go from average pace to very fast. Men dance with the whole foot on the ground while women, often wearing heels, dance just on the balls of the foot. We will start with a warm up, stretch, move from basic to more challenging steps creating a sequence in a choreography. This class offers insightful discovery and challenges for all dancers. All levels welcome.
MONDAY 06/22
Coffee Hour with Kledia: featuring Soumya Rajaram
11AM-12PM EST
Join The Dance Complex’s Communications Director Kledia Spiro as she interviews Dance Complex community members. Soumya Rajaram is a Bharatanatyam dancer (classical dance from Southern India) who is a popular and active contributor in the Boston area. She is this year’s finalist for the Massachusetts Cultural Council Traditional Arts Fellowship and is a regular performer at The Dance Complex festivals.
