Artwork by Ingrith Castañeda
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 - SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020
FRIDAY - RESTORE
SATURDAY - RELEASE
Jocelyn Isaac
Time: Saturday, 9:30- 10:00am
Book Reading: "Jocelyn Learns to Dance"
Description: "Jocelyn Learns to Dance" is a children's book that introduces the young reader to 5 dance styles through descriptive words and illustrations. This work received the 2020 Artist Fellowship Grant for Literary Arts/Dance from the Prince George's Arts and Humanities Council. "I wanted to highlight the fact that many dancers explore/enjoy studying and performing different genres of dance. I wrote this book because it is important for children of color to see themselves as protagonists. Diversity in dance (as it relates to ethnicity AND genre) is paramount to the preservation of the art form." -Jocelyn Isaac
Jocelyn E. Isaac (Actors' Equity Association) is a Lecturer at Howard University and holds a MFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Dance, where she studied with Doug Varone and Kazuko Hirabayashi. Ms. Isaac obtained her BFA in Dance and Marketing from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA where she trained with Milton Myers and Pat Thomas as a member of the 2nd company at PHILADANCO!, Danco2. Additional training includes: Ballet Theatre of Maryland, Mark Morris Dance Group, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Danza Contemporánea de Cuba. Jocelyn has had the opportunity to work with Hinton Battle, Abdel Salaam, and recording artist Tamia. Performance credits: The Chocolate Nutcracker at Lincoln Theatre, DC; All Shook Up, Annie, South Pacific, Peter Pan (Tiger Lily/Dance Captain) at Jenny Wiley Theatre, KY; The Christmas Spectacular at La Comedia Theatre, OH; FAME at Surflight Theatre, NJ and Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, MN; Chicago at Media Theatre, PA; Hairspray (Dynamite and Lil' Inez Understudy) aboard Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas; Guys and Dolls at Olney Theater Center, MD; The Wiz (Dance Captain) at Ford’s Theatre, DC. Choreographic credits: Kid Prince & Pablo and She A Gem at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, DC; DeRail the Underground Truth, at Atlas Performing Arts Center, DC; the 76ers Halftime Show; Hershey Park; Joe Turner's Come and Gone at SUNY Purchase College; Side Show the Musical at Montgomery College Summer Dinner Theatre; The 2018 International Association of Blacks in Dance Conference; UP! Dance Project (Producer/Choreographer) Jack Guidone Theatre, DC. Jocelyn's teaching experience includes: Steffi Nossen Dance Foundation, NY; the Ballet Tech School, NY; George Mason University, VA; and Joy of Motion Dance Center, DC.
PAYMENT INFO:
Cash App: $jocelynDances
Lori D'Orazio
Time: Saturday, 10:00-11:00am
Class: Ballet Barre & Warm Up
Description: Get ready for a day of dance with a warm-up at the barre, a little stretching, and some strengthening exercises.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Lori spends her life combining her passion for dance and politics. Lori began dancing ballet at age four and hasn't looked back - she trained in Vaganova ballet as a young adult and expanded her repertoire to include jazz, contemporary, heels, and other styles. Currently living in Washington DC, Lori is a professional dancer and entertainment captain at SAX Dinner Theater and Lounge. Lori continues to consistently train with Derek Brown, at Washington Ballet, and with a variety of teachers throughout the country. She currently teaches ballet and looks forward to expanding into other genres. Additionally, Lori is a national political director working on behalf of labor unions, advocating for workers and legislation to rebuild America's communities. She previously worked for a number of political campaigns and candidates, managing policy and get out the vote programs at a national and regional level. Lori has a Masters in Public Policy from The George Washington University and Bachelor’s degree in political science and dance from Muhlenberg College.
PAYMENT INFO:
Venmo: Lori-DOrazio
Carolina Hernández
"I #danceforward for my students.
I dance forward for their trust in me to impart history, culture, and vocabulary to enrich their lives. I dance forward for the smiles and love I get to see every week. And I am so grateful that they live life openly so they may take on new challenges. They propel me through this weird time we’re living in. And I have faith that they will help propel us to reclaim our joy."
See Stephanie's full story here.
Photo Credit: Sut Sae-Tia
Carolina Hernández
Time: Saturday, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Class: From East to West
Description: If you love culture and feel dance can be an amazing way to learn about the world, this class is for you! We are going to start in India with Bollywood, learning a little of its origin and the possibilities that this dance brings. Traveling now to the Middle East more specifically to Egypt, we are going to travel back in time. What was before “Bellydance”? We will dance one of the most popular dances from Cairo, Raks Baladi. Arriving to the west, we will finish our trip with the energetic Colombian Salsa. Did you know that Colombia has its own salsa style and has been astonishing audiences around the world? Let’s learn how this salsa style evolved and became as spectacular as it is nowadays.
Carolina Hernández is a dancer from Colombia, with almost fifteen years of experience in dance. She has performed in Turkey, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Ecuador. Also, she has danced in different festivals around the USA. She has experience in Middle Eastern dance, Bollywood, Turkish, Colombian folklore and Latin dances.
PAYMENT INFO:
Zelle: sguzman215@gmail.com
Angela Ingram
Time: Friday, 5:30-6:30pm
Class: Afro Cuban Modern - Birth-Death-Rebirth: The Winds of Change
Description: This class is dedicated to the Cycles of Life and the winds of change. We will dance to the deity of OYA. The Goddess whose violent storm brings death and destruction to that which so no longer serves justice, only to rebirth righteousness.
Angela Ingram, founder of HOCAS, began her dance career at the age of nine in ballet, jazz, tap, and Hawaiian. Her passion for dance and movement led her to study intensely with Alvin Ailey, Frank Hatchet and Fred Benjamin. Angela is particularly drawn toward traditional dance. She frequently travels to Brazil and Cuba to further her cultivation in Afro-Brazilian and Afro-Cuban folkloric dance, samba and rumba. The House of Culture and Soul Folklore Academy was founded and under the direction of Angela Ingram. The mission of HOCAS is to create magic in one's soul through the radical voice of Truth, Justice and Righteousness. This is facilitated through the anthropological study of Dance, Music and Theater. We are INSPIRED by all humans existing as fully actualized beings, expressing through song and dance.
PAYMENT INFO:
Venmo: Angela-Ingram-18
Michelle Ava
Time: Friday, 7:00-7:30pm
Class: TranscenDANCE
*Class followed by Retreat Welcoming & Social with Michelle Ava at 7:30*
Description: A guided restorative meditation
Michelle Ava was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY where she began dancing at the age of 5. She went on to pursue her love for dance and related arts at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. Here, she focused her studies on modern and improvisational dance and was a founding member of WDC’s Free Association improv Co. In 1975, she received a Master of the Arts in Dance Education from GWU. Her graduate thesis, entitled “The Effects of Transcendental Meditation on the Learning of Dance,” paved the way for what became her mission of bringing dance to the community for creativity, collaboration, and connectivity. With a vision of creating “dance for everyone,” she founded Joy of Motion Dance Center in 1976. In addition to teaching at a variety of places throughout the DC area, Michelle has presented many works over the years in venues across the United States including the inaugural Capital Fringe Festival and the International Improvisation Festival. She has also been featured as a guest artist with her work in transformational dance at venues including the Omega Institute in New York and the Maharishi International University in Iowa. Most recently, Michelle is the Founder and Artistic Director of AVA co LAB, a community performing arts collaborative. Other accolades include being the recipient of notable awards such as the Alan M. Kregsman Award (named for the only Nobel Peace Prize winner in dance writing), and the prestigious Pola Nirenska LifeTime Achievement Award which she received from the Washington Performing Arts at the Kennedy Centers REACH grand opening. As an innovative dance educator, performer, choreographer, bodywork therapist, and spiritual teacher with over four decades of experience, Michelle inspires people to recognize their potential through dance, yoga, and personal creative expression. She approaches movement as a healing art, a way to embrace possibilities through the fusion of mind, body, and spirit.
PAYMENT INFO:
PayPal: AVAdance1@aol.com
Tony Elder
Time: Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm
Class: Jazz FUNk
Description: Coming Soon!
Tony Elder, a native of Washington, DC, was introduced to the arts as a trumpeter and a gymnast at the age of eight. He studied both at the D.C. Youth Orchestra and at local gymnasiums until his early teens. As a shy child, this surprisingly led him to the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts, where he developed a fascination for music, movement and fitness, and the desire to nurture them. He has studied jazz, ballet, modern and hip hop with local instructors Bonnie Slawson, Tim Roberts and Douglas Yeuell, and has performed the works of choreographers Jacques D'Amboise, Frank Chaves, Robert Nunez, Gesel Mason, and Alvin Mayes. He has also danced with the Metropolitan Ballet Theater (Maryland), Motion Mania Dance Theater, D.A.R.E., CityDance Ensemble, Jam Crew under the direction of Vanessa Edwards, and Edgeworks Dance Theater under the direction of Helanius Wilkins. His teaching background has ranged in variety for almost two decades. Dance styles including jazz, hip hop and modern, as well as other movement based art forms, such as marching bands, drum corps and pom poms, allows him the ability to integrate his passion for dance with his knowledge of exercise physiology, to create a fun, and safe learning environment, which prevents injury, increases strength, flexibility, and overall physical and spiritual health. Tony is a firm believer that everything artistic initiates from the soul, and is a form of self expression. When integrated with the power of intelligence, a refined artist emerges.
Vincent Williams
Time: Saturday, 3:00-4:00pm
Class: Dream Girls Jazz
Description: Coming Soon!
Vincent Williams graduated from Bowie State University with a B.S. degree in Speech and Theatre and has travelled the world as a performing artist. He toured Europe in “Sing, Mahalia, Sing” with George Faison and concert tours with the Cheryl Porter Group, Joyce Yuille, the Mike Sponza Band, Enrico Crivallaro, Michele Bonivento and Wendy Lewis. With Andrew Cacho African Drummers & Dancers he was a dancer and drummer throughout the United States and Belize. He was also a guest artist with the Verona Ballet and International Ballroom Dance Europe in Italy.
Williams is a featured dancer in the PBS documentary “Duke Ellington: A Concert of Sacred Music” choreographed by Mercedes Ellington and Sony Music’s “X Factor.” He has performed with D.C. Contemporary Dance Theatre and the International Choreographers Association at the Kennedy Center. Vincent Williams headlines several bands and can be heard on recordings with the Mike Sponza Band, Organ Beat, Kakanic Blues 2.0 and Future Spring. A highly popular dance educator, Williams teaches locally at Jones Haywood Ballet School, ZD Dance, Wilson Elementary School and Joy of Motion dance studios.
PAYMENT INFO:
Venmo: Vincent-Williams-111
Maurice Johnson
Time: Saturday, 6:30-8:00pm
Class: All Levels Street Jazz
*This class will directly flow into a live performance to kick off social hour. Participation is optional.*
Description: Street jazz is a fusion of styles ranging from jazz to hip hop. The technique embodies cutting edge funk with the sharpness of jazz and commercial hip hop. This high energy style of movement can be seen performed by some of today's most popular artists such as: Beyoncé, Missy Elliot, Jennifer Lopez and many others. Students are challenged to push beyond their limits while having a good time in a healthy and positive environment! Mr. Johnson is excited to bring his street jazz class from the studio to the virtual world.
Mr. Johnson was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky. He graduated from the University of KY with a degree in Communications and Public Relations. He started his professional dance career as a feature dancer in the opening/closing US Olympic ceremonies (Atlanta). He completed a six month National tour with the two time Grammy award winning music group “Arrested Development”. Further credits include: Jennifer Lopez and Gloria Estefan (White House performance) as well as the production teams of Michael/Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul to name a few. Mr. Johnson’s choreography has been seen and performed by dancers around the world. His unique style of movement serves to motivate and inspire dancers of all levels!
PAYMENT INFO:
Venmo: @maurice_johnson
SUNDAY - RESOLVE
Quynn Johnson
Time: Sunday, 9:00-9:30am
Book Reading: "Lucky's Tap Dancing Feet"
Description: Lucky's Tap Dancing Feet is Quynn Johnson’s exciting story about a horse who wants to learn how to tap dance, but with four huge feet, Lucky is sure to face some challenges. Follow Lucky and her trusty sidekick Chip as they overcome obstacles and learn to tap.
Quynn Johnson, a graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C., and native of Flint, Michigan, is an award-winning performing, teaching artist and author. She has toured as the tap soloist in the Tony Award-winning production After Midnight (NCL) and performed both nationally and internationally. Highlights include featured 2020 recipient of the Kennedy Center Local Dance Commissioning Project, soloist in the Washington Ballet production of The Great Gatsby, Cirque du Soleil’s Mosaic production, the Festival Folclórico del Pacífico and in Buenaventura and Cali, Colombia and has toured Peru as part of the Festival Internacional de Cajón Peruano. Quynn is the co-creator of the D.C.-based percussive dance company SOLE Defined with Ryan Johnson. A National Credential Residency Teaching Artist with Young Audiences and a Wolf Trap TA, in 2014 and 2017, she won the Individual Artist Award for Dance Choreography (MSAC). As a teaching artist, Quynn has reached over 9,500 youth from pre-k through 12th grade with assemblies, residencies, and workshops. Her arts-integrated residencies bridge tap dance with literacy, math, Social-Emotional Learning. In 2011, Quynn became a self-published author with her children’s book, Lucky’s Tap Dancing Feet.
PAYMENT INFO:
Paypal username: Quynn Johnson
Sylvana Christopher
Time: Sunday, 9:30-10:30am
Class: Tempo - All Ages
Description: Dancing to house, jazz, western/northern African music.
Sylvana Christopher is a DC Dancer. A teacher of kids she helps all students find internal motivation to use dance to protest, make peace and turn up. She has rocked stages with DMV dance companies for 16 years.
PAYMENT INFO:
Venmo: Sylvana-Christopher
Lauren Borchard
Time: Sunday, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Class: Explore & Express Modern
Description: During this modern-based class, Lauren will invite participants to explore the bodies they inhabit, play with movement, and explore their expressive preferences. The class may incorporate elements of techniques grounded in modern dance, yoga, and improvisation, and dancers are encouraged to move in their authentic bodies. It will be accessible to the general public but most appropriate for adult or teen dancers of any dance background.
Lauren Borchard is a dancer, yogi, and public historian in the Washington, D.C., area. She has been teaching modern dance, jazz dance, and Intro to Dance classes since 2002 at area studios. She completed her 200-hour Yoga Alliance training at Tranquil Space in 2008 and an additional training with YogaWorks in 2020. She has danced with a variety of D.C.-area choreographers and several companies, including The Playground with Daniel Burkholder, and is currently a member of Glade Dance Collective.
PAYMENT INFO:
Paypal: paypal.me/LaurenBorchard
Tamara Henry
Time: Sunday, 1:00-2:00pm
Class: Open Rhythm Jam Session (Co-hosted with Stephanie Vadala)
Description: Let’s create rhythm with our feet! We’ll start by exploring beats, timing, and tempo and then transition to freedom of expression with a jam session. Tap shoes not required. All ages welcome.
PAYMENT INFO:
Paypal: Paypal.me/tlh1dance
Stephanie Vadala
Time: Sunday, 1:00-2:00pm
Class: Open Rhythm Jam Session (Co-hosted with Tamara Henry)
Description: Let’s create rhythm with our feet! We’ll start by exploring beats, timing, and tempo and then transition to freedom of expression with a jam session. Tap shoes not required. All ages welcome.
Stephanie is a native of Syracuse, NY where she trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and lyrical from the ages of 3 through 18. She also participated in community theatre in high school and college. She was introduced to modern dance at SUNY Oswego where she received her B.A. in Human Communications. After moving to the DC area in 2007, she jumped into the dance scene, adding hip hop to the styles of dance she trains and performs in.
Over the years, Stephanie has been a member of multiple DC area dance companies of varying styles including Tappenstance, Afta Shock DC, Next Reflex Dance Collective, ARA Tap, and as a guest dancer with Glade Dance Collective. Other performance credits include: dancing for the Utz National Chip Day Celebration, dancing on the National Mall for Earth Day and the 100th Anniversary of the Cherry Blossom Festival, multiple DC Tap Fest All-Star Concerts, and National Tap Dance Day. Her most favorite performances were on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in a tap dance tribute to Fred Astaire, and dancing in the documentary titled, “James Brown: The Man, The Music, The Message” which aired on NBC.
Stephanie currently teaches multiple dance styles all over the DC area, and directs a youth tap company. When she is not dancing, you'll see her behind the lens of a camera. She is honored to have attended Jacob’s Pillow in August 2019 for the Art of Dance Photography intensive to further her skills as a photographer. Her hope is to keep growing as a student and educator of dance and one day spread the love of dance throughout the U.S.
PAYMENT INFO:
Paypal: paypal.me/stephanievadala
Tanya Nuchols
Time: Sunday, 2:00-3:00pm
Class: Traditional Filipino Dances
Description: This introductory sampler will cover three dances of the Philippines. Tinikling (bamboo dance) is an upbeat dance from the Visayan region, traditionally using two sliding bamboo poles that the dancers hop in and out of, resembling the movements of a Tikling bird. Pandango Sa Ilaw (Fandango of Light) is a Spanish-Filipino folk dance from the Mindoro region, that uses small candles balanced on the dancer's head and hands. (participants can use unlit candles or small paper cups). Malong Malong (Muslim skirt dance) is a solemn, graceful dance demonstrating the many uses of the traditional garment worn in the Mindanao region. (participants can use a large towel or folded sheet).
Tanya Owens Nuchols is a dance fitness instructor, teaching Zumba and Barre in the DC area for over a decade. Her passion for dance motivates her and others to stay active, making fitness a fun priority to the community. Childhood dance training includes ballet, modern, jazz at the Arlington Center for Dance; traditional dances of the Philippines with PACAS (Philippine American Cultural Arts Society); as well as school dance/cheerleading teams. Later in life, she explored belly dance, flamenco, Afro-Brazilian, African-Caribbean and countless other traditional/contemporary styles from around the world. Tanya enjoys tailoring dance workouts to every age and fitness level, engaging the dance community to celebrate the joy of motion.
PAYMENT INFO:
PayPal: dancefitwithtanya@gmail.com
Dr. Janelle S. Peifer, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Time: Sunday, 3:00pm-4:00pm
Class: Mindfulness and the Creative Flow
Description: This interactive workshop will examine mental wellness as it connects to creativity and movement. All participants will identify domains of mental health most that dancers sometimes struggle to maintain. Those who join will leave with concrete, tailored strategies to attend to your mental health as a dancer and a human being more broadly.
Dr. Janelle S. Peifer is a licensed clinical psychologist, professor, and entrepreneur committed to working alongside a vast diversity of clients as they navigate their lives. In her clinical work, she focuses on providing therapy to people who have experienced trauma, young adults navigating their emerging identities, and couples and families processing life transitions. As an assistant professor of psychology at Agnes Scott College, her two branches of research explore a postpartum clinical mental health intervention for new parents and a longitudinal project examining college student development. (www.peiferpsychology.com)
PAYMENT INFO:
PayPal: paypal.me/peiferpsych
Alana Hill
Time: Sunday, 5:00-6:00pm
Class: Throwback Hip Hop (All Levels)
Description: Join Instructor, Alana Hill, for a fun, high energy class featuring throwbacks from the 80, 90s, and beyond. Dancers will be introduced to old school technique before learning a short combination. This class is appropriate for all ages but is geared towards adults.
Arts Educator/Administrator and Director/Founder of Elements Urban Arts Collective, LLC. Elements Urban Arts Collective (EUAC), home to pre-professional youth dance program Elements Dance Company, is one of few programs in the area focusing solely on Hip Hop and Urban Art. Elements Urban Arts Collective is a fun and encouraging community that celebrates the rich culture of Hip Hop and Urban Art while providing quality instruction to all ages and levels. At EUAC, we focus on community and cultivate a place our students can proudly call ‘their dance home.’ Individualized education, building relationships with parents, and investing in more than just dance steps is our goal. Smart, kind, responsible and talented dance artists are our desired outcome. www.elementsuac.com.
PAYMENT INFO:
Venmo: @Alan-a-Hill-6
Jozanne Summerville
Moderator
Note from the Moderator:
"With the energy of 30 artists, we bring you a weekend to RESTORE, RELEASE and RESOLVE! Each dance educator brings unique energy to blend together and create a mood for the Inner Spaces Dance Festival 2020. It is with great pleasure and joy we come together to dance and heal through movement."
Bio:
Cost and financial analyst by day, Jozanne loves to move her body and dance it out whenever she can. Jozanne has danced for over 25 years, and now enjoys being an adult student, performer, supporter, youth dance educator and proud dance aunt. This is her way of giving back to instructors that have given so much to her.
Rachael Coad
Closing Ceremony
My parents used dance classes as motivation to get me potty trained and now I dance to survive potty training and caring for my young daughters. It’s a true story. Nothing like moving in this body and sharing that love of movement with others, from tiny tots to adults. I’ve been blessed to train with some of the greatest teachers and it’s a dream come true to think I could bring a similar gift of information, inspiration and guidance to my students.
PAYMENT INFO:
Venmo: @Rachael-Coad
Ingrith Castañeda
Festival Artwork
Hi, I am Ingrith Castañeda, Graphic Communicator and publicist from Medellin (Colombia). I have a deep love for art and culture. I have been my whole life in contact with artistic expressions and thanks to this I have done many things related to art. (I graduated from high school as fine arts technician, I have been practicing theater since I am six years old and I come from an artistic family of dancers and artisans) I got interested on communication when I realized how important for human beings is to be able to communicate, because it comes from oral tradition until now that we can do it in other ways like with graphic design. This encouraged me to enroll in my major as Graphic Communicator and Publicist loving my profession each day more.
About the artwork: All human beings are a star’s constellation shining in the middle of darkness and we have our Inner Space in which our heart dwells. The heart... is that life motor where dreams are born, the motor that motivates us to change, it drives us to act, to move, to transform, the motor that allows us to connect with others... It is the same motor that makes us dance.