Springfield College Dancers Against Racism Spring 2021 Series
Dancers Against Racism Spring 2021 Series
This spring, the Springfield College Dance program invites the community to join in virtual events led by guest artists using dance as a platform and lens to explore culture and identity. Classes will consist of both movement and discussion.
All classes and discussions will be accessible via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://springfield.zoom.us/j/92843649534
Meeting ID: 928 4364 9534
On February 22, Patrice Gaitors of Ayodele Drum & Dance kicked off the spring edition of the Dancers Against Racism Series.
In 2007, seven African dancers came together to learn the art of the drum to enhance and improve their dancing. The sisters were led by Tosha “Ayo” Alston and the seed of Ayodele Drum & Dance was planted. Ayodele, a Yoruba word meaning “Joy in the home,” is now a diverse sister-circle of performing artists committed to studying and performing drum and dance as a healing element.
The group has grown from that circle of seven to more than 20 Queens, including Gaitors, who use African drum and dance to educate and motivate young women and children.
Afro-Haitian dance with Jean Appolon
Monday, March 29
5:30-7 p.m. EDT
Jean Appolon is director and co-founder of Jean Appolon Expressions (JAE), which celebrates and advances Haitian folkloric dance through their contemporary cultural community that produces professional performances, educational opportunities, and dance training for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.
He seeks to create a diverse community inclusive of all cultures, races, and backgrounds, and to use dance and community to transcend barriers. The company dancers bring years of experience in education, and frequently perform in community spaces, major venues, and at schools and colleges. Members have shared the stage with celebrities, including Danny Glover, Henry Louis Gates, and Edwidge Danticat.
Appolon is a choreographer and teacher based in Boston and Haiti. He trained and performed with the Viviane Gauthier Dance Company, the Folkloric Ballet of Haiti, Alvin Ailey, and the Joffrey American Ballet School. Appolon teaches at Boston Ballet and The Dance Complex.
Afro-Brazilian dance with Randi Henry (intermediate)
Monday, April 5
6-7:30 p.m. EDT
Randi Henry is an instructor, dancer, and managing partner for SambaViva Brazilian Dance and Music Ensemble in Boston. She teaches samba and Afro-Brazilian dance in the greater Boston area, and has been teaching dancers, students, and Brazilian cultural enthusiasts for more than 16 years. Henry discovered her passion for samba and Afro-Brazilian dance while studying at Tufts University, and then continued to expand her repertoire through her involvement with the Brazilian Cultural Center of New England and travel throughout Brazil. She has participated in parades with Rio de Janeiro samba schools, including for the carnival procession and performance at the Brazilian Samba Congress.
Henry has trained with local Brazilian artists in the Boston area and has traveled to Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Bahia), New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, Arizona, San Francisco, and Paris over the years for ongoing training and mentoring. To convey the joy of samba to others, she performs professionally in the SambaViva Dance Troupe based in Cambridge, Mass. She also teaches classes at the Dance Complex and the Jose Mateo Ballet School in Cambridge. She is American with a Brazilian heart, according to her friends and fellow dancers, and expresses her love of Brazilian culture through dance.
Contemporary Dance with Telly Fowler (intermediate)
Tuesday, April 20
2:40-4:10 p.m. EDT
Telly Jaswan Fowler began his dance training at the age of 16 on scholarship with the Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater under Randy Duncan's direction. Upon graduating from Curie Metropolitan High School of the Performing and Creative Arts, Fowler received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance performance from The Ohio State University and his Master of Fine Arts in dance performance and choreography from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Fowler was a principle with the renowned Ronald K. Brown Evidence, A Dance Company. While there, he also took on the role as rehearsal director and assistant to choreographer in setting such works as the critically acclaimed "Grace" and "Serving Nia" for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and "No More Exotica" for the Philadelphia Dance Company. He also has worked with some of the most distinguished choreographers of our time, including Camille A. Brown, Earl Mosely, Kevin Vega Geoff, Gary Abbot, Donald Mckayle, and Irene Hultman. He teaches an array of dance classes and sets his choreography at universities and communities near and far. Fowler is currently pursuing a master's in public administration at Metropolitan College of New York.
Dancehall with Alysia Douglas
Friday, April 23
1:30-3 p.m. EDT
Growing up in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Douglas has always had a profound love of the arts. She first explored this love of dance extensively, and is multi-faceted in many styles, such as tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, hip-hop, dancehall, and more. Dedicated to her love for dance, she continued her education at The College at Brockport, State University of New York. Upon completing her degree, she moved to New York City where she trained and studied commercial dance at Broadway Dance Center through its Professional Training Semester. This opportunity led her to further expand her skills and work with many industry choreographers, including Ryan Huffington, Dana Foglia, Luam, and Jae Blaze.
By cultivating such a deeper understanding of the arts, Douglas knew it was time to expand her skills and follow her dreams and move to Los Angeles, where she currently resides. She has been blessed with the opportunity to have been featured on Farfetch Christmas campaign, Keno x H&M fashion show, and the Vogue edition on Millennium Dance Complex, which was focused on women in the commercial industry. She also subs at Millennium Dance Complex teaching under her mentor, Jae Blaze. Douglas is a passionate and driven individual who loves what she does. Her mission is to share her findings with those who wish to grow and enjoy movements of the body.
