Salsa

What to Expect: This class can be taken standing up or sitting down, but JanpiStar, the instructor, is a wheelchair user and so movements are more focused on the upper body. Janpi will provide you with movement options and adaptations that you can use to adapt to your body and abilities on that day. Salsa is high energy and expect loud music and even louder dance moves! 

 

Agenda: Class will start with a warm-up and introduction of some salsa moves that will be used throughout the class. The class will be taught Zumba style, where Janpi will play multiple different songs and create short movement combinations to each song. 

 

You have the option of using your head, arms, torso, neck, shoulders, elbows, and can even learn how to turn in your wheelchair. Shaking and shimmying is also included in Salsa, so get ready to wiggle your body in whatever way you like. You will learn lots of moves at the beginning of the class and then start to freestyle with these moves in the latter half of the class. 

 

Adjectives: 

High energy, exciting, free-flowing, joyful, rhythmic, fast class pace. 

 

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Urban Jazz

What is Urban Jazz? Urban Jazz Dance is a convergence of artistic forces where raw energy, rooted in freedom, is expressed through the athletic body and uncontrollable passionate dance. 

Class will start with a warm-up and will transition into learning choreography. 

 

What to Expect: This class can be taken standing up or sitting down. Mr. Antoine Hunter, the instructor, usually switches between a seated and standing position during the class. This class blends Jazz, Afro-urban dance, and sometimes even ballet! There will be an ASL interpreter in the class who will be translating from ASL to English.

 

Agenda: Class starts with a warm up and movements are generally done at a slow tempo. Expect movements to extend your upper body outwards, reaching out from the center of your body. There will also be portions of the class where attendees are “set free” to move in their own way and to their own internal beat. 

 

Throughout the class, Antoine Hunter will encourage you to find your own voice while doing the choreography. He likes to remind us that he is there to just guide you through different movements, energies and give you ideas for how to express them. However, the class is focused on your self-expression and creativity, so if you are looking for an explorative, meditative and rhythmic experience, this class is for you. 

 

Expect to learn some ASL, connect with yourself and with others through creative movement. 

 

Adjectives: 

Groovy, feel-good, easy going, slow class pace. 

 

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Wheelchair Hip Hop

What to Expect: Wheelchair Hip Hop is best for wheelchair users! Auti Angel teaches from her wheelchair. Movements are upper body focused, but also include some neat turns and tricks that can only be done from a wheelchair! 

 

Agenda: Class will start with introductions & a warm-up and stretch. If you would like to not participate in the introductions, that is also okay, we would still love to see you there! Expect to leave the class with choreography or new concepts and techniques in wheelchair hip-hop.

 

In each class, Auti will teach a 1-2 minute combo. This is a technical class, so come prepared to learn specific moves and work on your execution of them. Auti will also give you corrections throughout the class so that you can strengthen your technique. This class is rewarding and requires a lot of focus. 

 

Auti also starts every class by asking attendees what their disability or diagnosis is. She does this to ensure that her teaching and choreography will meet every person’s needs and to create a sense of community in class. If the idea of this makes you uncomfortable, no worries. Participation & introduction is optional and you can share as much as you feel comfortable with.

 

Adjectives: 

Mid-fast paced class, challenging, informative, bring your attitude! 

 

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Contemporary Brazilian

What is Contemporary Brazilian Dance Class? This dance class is not our usual Brazilian dance class; it is a meditative, explorative and musical movement experience that uses Contemporary & Brazilian dance techniques, music and concepts. 

 

What to expect: This class can be taken standing or seated. Our instructor Stephanie Bastos, teaches both in seated and standing positions. Expect meditation, warm-up, skill-build and playfulness through improvisation and choreography rooted in Contemporary & Brazilian dance techniques and African polyrhythms. 

 

Agenda: The class will start and end with a meditation. At the beginning of the class Stephanie will use the brain dance, which is a technique and concept created by a dancer and scientist that composes eight developmental movement patterns human beings are programmed to move through from 0-12 months that wire the central nervous system. The class will then transition to learning and creating choreography.

 

You might be expected to participate in this class, introduce yourself, your name and even get to contribute to the choreography! 

 

This class is all about finding your inner choreographic muse. Stephanie believes in meeting their students where they are at and will focus on creating a fun and collaborative experience by bringing dance technique, choreography and musicality into her class. The dance class aims to bring your focus internally and support your body so that you can move forward in your day with a fresh mind, spirit and energy. 

 

In this class, expect to explore new shapes of the body and new pathways of moving. The creative challenge may push your mental boundaries, but your body will feel good! Usually, the class creates a movement phrase together and participates in shared improvisation. This class definitely focuses on teaching participants how to use their bodies to express themselves! 

 

Adjectives: 

Meditative, rhythmic, exploratory, playful artistry, mid class pace

 

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Diaspora Dance

What is Diaspora Dance? Diaspora Dance, is a Caribbean Vibes meets Afro Pop non-stop dance party experience! This class features poppin' music and contemporary dance styles from across the African Urban Diaspora including Afrobeats , Soca, and Reggaeton! And with Alicia's signature less moves more grooves effortless choreography, Diaspora Dance is an inclusive space to dance, be inspired, and SLAY! 

 

What to Expect: Alicia Langlais, our Dance Dragon expert, mostly teaches 

from a standing position. And as always, seated and standing participants are both welcome.

This class is very high energy and exuberant! 

 

Agenda: Class will start with a warm-up and stretch. This will be followed by Zumba style instruction, where participants learn short combos to several different songs throughout the class. Class includes a lot of movement of both upper body and lower body. Get ready to whine!

 

You are encouraged to bring your own groovy swag to Diaspora Dance and own it!

 

Adjectives: 

Fast class pace, enthusiastic, exciting, feel good, and confident, free-form 

 

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Seated Flamenco

What to Expect: This class is intended to be taken from a seated position. Clara will be teaching while seated in a chair. Clara Rodriquez’s class focuses exclusively on moving the upper body, with lots of wrist rotation and finger dexterity. Your arms and shoulders will probably be a little tired after class! 

 

Agenda: Class will start with a warm-up & introduction of flamenco dance, culture, music and terminology. By the end of the class you will have learned a short choreography and practiced flamenco technique.

 

Finger & Fist Movements: There will be a lot of finger movement in this clap, where you’ll separate out your fingers to do what is called a floreo (hand and wrist motion) and create body percussion such as clapping and snapping. However, fists are also popular in Flamenco dance and are welcome alternatives to finger motions. Fists are a great variation to a lot of the snapping or clapping movements. Both finger motions and fists will be demonstrated and encouraged in the class. 

 

Body Percussion: Expect hand clapping and body percussion exercises (where hands or fists or part of your arm pats another part of your body to create rhythm). We also do “cante” in Flamenco, meaning we vocalize to complement the music and our movements. This is of course optional! 

 

Adjectives: 

Rhythmic, elegance, poise, moving slow and then moving fast, confident. Fast class pace? 

 

Flamenco Terminology for the class:

palmas - handclaps

compás - rhythm

jaleos - words/shouts of encouragement.  Examples of jaleos: ole, ale, toma, ay, eso es, arsa

cante - song or singing

baile - dance or dancing

por fiesta - party style dancing

Andalucia - Southern Spain

floreo - hand and wrist movements

braceo - arm movements

 

Chair Tap

What is Chair Tap? Chair tap is traditional Broadway style tap dance modified to be done in a seated position such as in a chair.  We do tap steps with our feet and our hands. 

 

What to Expect: This class is best for folks who are in a seated position! Mindy teaches from a chair and uses her legs to tap. You can also take this class if you can’t use your legs because Mindy provides upper body instructions as well. 

 

Agenda: The class will start with a warm-up and then transition to learning specific moves and practicing them at different speeds to various music.The class will end with a cool down and stretch. 

 

Chair Tap is rooted in technique - you will learn a lot of tap steps and get chances to practice them. She will break down our tap steps to the basics of stepping, marching, and foot placement as well as how to “tap” with your hands. Mindy will be using a wide variety of music from the 1940s to today. 

 

Mindy teaches these classes with playfulness and lightheartedness. She uses lots of repetition and rhythmic beats of music to instill the steps. She teaches hoping that her students leave the class feeling better (physically and mentally) than when they first arrived. Her focus is to help students feel accomplished after class. Whether it be a mastery of a step or more flexible ankles, we always achieve something. 

 

Adjectives: 

Musical/rhythmic, informative, skill-building, mid-slow class pace. 

 

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Contemporary Ballet

What to Expect: This class can be taken standing or seated, but our instructor, Samantha Figgins, prefers to sit in a chair for her class. This class focuses on body alignment, stretching, and feeling length in your body! 

 

Agenda: Class will start with a warm-up. Expect to be introduced to some ballet terms, positions and movements, which will then be modified with a more contemporary touch.The class will then transition its focus on learning choreography, using mostly the upper body; arms, shoulders & torso. However, you can choose to move whatever part of your body feels more comfortable. 

 

These classes are an opportunity for dancers to explore ballet to carve out space in the body and create a home there for self-expression and storytelling. Here, we will discover tools to help strengthen the body for the support of our exploration of the spine, choreography and improv.

 

Class tempo is mid-speed: faster than Urban Jazz but slower than Salsa. 

 

Adjectives: 

Smooth, expressive, dynamic, reflective, musical and peaceful