Afro-Latin@ Summer Dance Intensive - Week 2

  • AfroLatin760x390.jpg

    Photo courtesy of The Dance Center of Columbia College
    Photo courtesy of The Dance Center of Columbia College

    Afro-Latin@ Summer Dance Intensive - Week 2

    Monday, July 14, 2014 to Friday, July 18, 2014 |
Event Type
Class
Event Description

WEEK 2   JULY 13-18, 2014

SYMPOSIUM: Roots and Routes: Afro-Latinidad in MotionSymposium

As an integral part of the Afro-Latin@ Summer Dance Intensive at Columbia College Chicago, the symposium gathers local and international scholars and artists to explore dance and music in the Afro-Latin@Diaspora.

MONDAY, JULY 14, 2014 | 9:00AM–5:00PM | Columbia College Chicago School of Media Arts, Room 105
Tuition: FREE and open to the public. Advanced registration is encouraged.

CLASSES

Classes in Afro-Latin@ Dance Styles 
Ninety-minute classes taught by special guest artists

JULY 15-18, 2014 | 9:00AM- 3:45PM
The Dance Center @ 1306 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago IL 60605
Tuition: $300 (Community Students); Included in Full Intensive Package (Credit-Seeking Students).
Community Students for Classes only packageRegister here

TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Samba | Taught by Dill Costa | 9:00AM-10:20AM  
Afro-Cuban | Taught by Victor Alexander | 12:30PM-2:00PM   
Capoeria | Taught by Joshua Granger | 2:15PM-3:45PM  

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2014

Bomba y Plena | Taught by AfriCaribe | 9:00AM-10:20AM   
Afro-Brazilian | Taught by Tosha Alston | 12:30PM-2:00PM   
Salsa | Taught by Blanca Aviles | 2:15PM-3:45PM  

THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014

Samba | Taught by Dill Costa | 9:00AM-10:20AM   
Afro-Cuban | Taught by Victor Alexander | 12:30PM-2:00PM   
Capoeria  | Taught by Joshua Granger | 2:15PM-3:45PM             

FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2014

Bomba y Plena | Taught by AfriCaribe | 9:00AM-10:20AM   
Afro-Brazilian | Taught by Tosha Alston | 12:30PM-2:00PM   
Salsa | Taught by Blanca Aviles | 2:15PM-3:45PM  

 

Evaristo “Tito” Rodriguez created AFRICARIBE in 2000 in an effort create an organization in Chicago that would have the unique intent of celebrating the African influence in Puerto Rico and other countries of the Caribbean. His vision came to fruition in the form of an umbrella organization that provides educational and cultural programming through four main programs. These are the academy through which professional dancers and musicians teach traditional drumming and dance of several Puerto Rican Bomba rythyms; the performance ensemble that prepares and presents various styles of folk music from Puerto Rico and the Caribbean through song, dance, drums and other percussive instruments; the production company which will be responsible for annual events including folklore conferences; and the education department that will provide workshops and lectures by members of the organization and other invited professionals. 

VICTOR ALEXANDER (Choreographer, Dancer and Teacher) is a native of Pinar del Rio, Cuba. He trained at 
the National Dance School in Havana and was a principal dancer for the National Contemporary Dance Company of Cuba for ten years. He has studied with distinguished teachers such as Donald McKayle, Chuck Davis and Jeffrey Bullock from the United States. Victor has toured and danced throughout Europe, the United States and the Caribbean and has participated in dance festivals such as the American Dance Festival at Duke University, the Holland Dance Festival in Amsterdam and the International Dance Festival in Germany. He was the first prize-winner of the Fourth National Union of Writers and Artists Contest in Cuba in 1992. Victor has danced with Hedwig Dances since 2002 and has also performed with Luna Negra Dance Theater; Concert Dance Inc (CDI); the Lyric Opera of Chicago and as a guest artist with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in 2008. He has also danced with the Houston Grand Opera and was nominated for an Emmy Award as a Dancer (2008) with the Ruth Page Foundation’s production of Billy Sunday. In 2009, Victor toured to China with CDI and taught at the Nanjing Normal University. In 2012, Victor was awarded an Illinois Arts Council Individual Artists Grant and became a Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist. He has assisted London Choreographer Litza Bizler and has become the Artistic Director of the Contemporary Program at State Street Dance Studio. This year, he was honored by DANCEMagazine as “25 to watch 2013,” and has become the Director of the Ruth Page School of Dance.

TOSHA “AYO” ALSTON, a quintessential Brooklynite, was raised in a family of highly skilled artists and musicians. At the age of five; she embarked upon an impassioned arts odyssey which has evolved into the dynamic theatrical style of dance, combined with acting, drumming and singing that has become her signature. Ayo recalls that it was when approaching adolescence she found her passion, joy and salvation in West African dance and Orisha culture. Since that time, her journey has been one of meteoric artistic exploration, technical development, and growth. It’s fitting that she has taken the name Ayo, the Yoruba word for Joy; something she was often called growing up. Ayo has both performed and studied with such dance luminaries as M’Bemba Bangoura (G’Bassikolo), Moustapha Bangoura (Le Bagatae), Mouminatou Camara (Les Ballet Africains), Diedre Dawkins (DishiBem), Baba Chuck Davis (AADE), the late Baba Olkuose Wiles (El Shabazz Djembe & Dance Orchestra), and Rosangela Silvestre (Silvestre Technique), to name a few. Under the Artistic Direction of Amaniyea Payne, Ayo grew into the role of Dance Captain for Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago and an emerging choreographer showcasing her first major drum/dance piece entitled, Ayo’s Dream, for two consecutive annual concert seasons. Ayo’s residual performance with Muntu has allowed her expression of love for humanity and creativity to flow throughout the city and around the world. In 2009, Ayo birthed the Ayodele Drum and Dance community; a teaching organization created for women to affirm their self-confidence and strength in our communities. Through travel, research and performance, Ayodele personalizes African music and dance in order to effectively infuse our children with cultural wealth. Ayo, following in the footsteps of dance giants like Katherine Dunham, Judith Jamison, Jawolle Willa Zollar and Debbie Allen, will figure prominently in the future health and vitality of choreography, education, and performance for generations of dancers to come.

BLANCA AVILES has had a passion for movement and dance for as long as she can remember. She grew up with natural desire to move. As a teen she was drawn to the art of Egyptian style Belly Dance. She trained and performed for several years. At age 16 she began dancing through Gallery 37 and gained a scholarship to Homer Bryant Multi-Cultural Pre Professional Program. There she intensively studied ballet, Horton style modern, hip-hop, jazz, Latin dance and flamenco. In 2003, she enrolled in Columbia College, Chicago, and pursued her BA in Dance, graduating in 2006. During her college years she performed in works by Choreographers; Lisa Gonzalez, Julia Rhoads (Lucky Plush) and Bebe Miller, as well as performing at the 2005 American College Dance Festival. In college Blanca began a six-year journey to intensively train in the Brazilian Martial Art Fight Dance: Capoeira. She traveled around the nation to study with the best Master teachers in both Capoeira and Samba. Her passion for Capoeira has greatly influenced her performance and teaching style. After college, Blanca grew as a choreographer putting on various shows throughout the city. Her self-produced work was shown at Links Hall: Breaking Ground. She directed A Latin Dance Production at Indiana University. Blanca also performed with Clinard Dance Theater in the contemporary flamenco work: Jondo Portraits. Her passion for Latin Dance led her perform with Latin dance companies: Latin Rhythms and Urban Vibe; traveling and performing in various cities including: Miami, Orlando, New York, Puerto Rico, Bermuda.

DILL COSTA Raised in Rio de Janeiro, (pronounced ‘Jill’) Dill is the one of the only experts in Samba and Afro-Brazilian dance and Brazilian performances. As a regular dancer in some of Brazil’s best known escolas de samba (samba ‘schools’), where hundreds of musicians and dancers come together for one of the greatest festivals on Earth. Dill is a performer in Chicago, and represents the authentic Carnaval music that is part of Brazil’s rich musical legacy. She has held many titles in samba schools including, ‘Queen of the Percussion Section’. Besides samba, Dill is an expert in Jazz dance (Brazilian style), Afro-Brazilian dance, Modern dance, and Brazilian Folk Dance (Frevo, maracatu, axe and coco). She has lived in Chicago for 13 years, and since 2005, has been teaching the Art of Brazilian Dance at the Old Town Folk Music School of Folk Music, the Evanston Escola de Samba, the Gingarte Capoeira Studio and the Group Axe Capoeira. Dill has also taken the art of Brazilian Dance to other spaces, such as: workshops at Northwestern University, Illinois Western University, Chaturanga Holistic Studio and many other Festivals of Latin culture, throughout the city of Chicago.

JOSHUA GRANGER (Professor Morrao), a native Chicagoan, began training in capoeira with Gingarte capoeira in 1994. Joshua began teaching capoeira in 1997 to the youth in his community on the south side of Chicago. In 2001, his classes expanded, reaching communities throughout the city of Chicago. In 2006, Joshua began traveling and performing capoeira, samba and traditional Afro-Brazilian dances, spreading the richness and culture of Capoeira. After living and studying in Brazil for six months, he founded The Chicago branch of the Cordao De Ouro Capoeira Training and Performance Group. Joshua received his Professor Level cord in 2009, and continues to spread the knowledge of capoeira to children and adults by teaching workshops and weekend classes.

 

WORKSHOP: Performance Workshop led by Blanca Aviles & Tosha Alston

JULY 15-18, 2014 | 4:00PM–6:00PM 
Credit-seeking students will have the opportunity to perform alongside other local Chicago companies in a formal showcase during the closing performance event on Friday, July 18, 2014.  Performance opportunity is not guaranteed for community students. Priority will be given to credit-seeking students.

The Dance Center, Room 300 @ 1306 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago IL 60605

Tuition$250 for Community Participants     
Included in Full Intensive Package (Credit-Seeking Students) 

>Register

> About Blanca Aviles

> About Tosha Alston

Dance Styles
Multi-disciplinary
Modern / Contemporary
Traditional/Indigenous Dance