LIVING ARTS BLOG
Harnessing Personal Power through Dance
On Saturday November 16, seven of the nine Youth Dance Ensemble dancers joined their mentor/instructors Miryam Johnson and Penny Godboldo, along with Living Arts’ Director of Programs, Erika Villarreal Bunce and Dance Program Director, Marianne Cox over Lebanese food and conversation.
Living Arts’ dancers and instructors met to discuss and reflect on their Sofrito of Cultures summer intensive.
On Saturday November 16, seven of the nine Youth Dance Ensemble dancers joined their mentor/instructors Miryam Johnson and Penny Godboldo, along with Living Arts’ Director of Programs, Erika Villarreal Bunce and Dance Program Director, Marianne Cox over Lebanese food and conversation. Also in attendance was Jennifer Collins the mother of Bailee Williams, one of the dancers. The gathering was the first time the group had met since their August 8th performance at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
The inter-generational conversation, led by Villarreal Bunce, was an opportunity for the young women to really debrief and dig into what they learned and how they felt during the intensive.
On learning Dunham technique alongside her own students, Miryam Johnson said she was “…in the moment, in the music, in my body connected to the people around me” as opposed to being in her head, focusing on self-criticism. She added, “It was important for me to be a student next to you; for you to see me not getting it also.” Master choreographer and intensive lead, Penny Godboldo said “Dance is a language...it’s called a company because it’s community working together.”
Over the course of the three weeks, the dancers, instructors, and drummers met for five hours a day, five days a week. Initially desiring a 10-week session, Godboldo had to readjust expectations from her students. “I knew what young people in this community were capable of, but I wasn’t sure if [you] were up for it. I was so pleased with the way [you] young women stepped up and did the work!”
Reflecting on the journal entries they wrote during the intensive, the young dancers recalled the feelings brought on by dancing. Learning the history and cultural relevance of the drum and movement in Afro-Latin dance was critical to understanding their own role in the dance. “I felt that the intensive really made me feel like a leader. It really tested my boundaries,” shared Bailee Williams, 13. Many of the dancers agreed that their boundaries, both physical and mental, were tested during their training. Learning how to breathe proved to be one of the most valuable tools, centering themselves before rehearsals began and carrying them throughout the hours of movement. “Wwhen I came here to dance I was happy and more confident.” Brianna Hernandez, 12. Mariajose Galarza, 13 added, “After the intensive I really felt like I could do anything! It was really long and hard but really good.”
Though still a while off from their careers, many of the dancers are considering entering into professional dance. A chance to represent both Detroit and the Southwest community where they live, the dancers want to show the world that Detroit is still in the game. “No one expects big dancers to come out of Detroit because it’s just a small city. No one expects someone like Miss Penny or Dunham to come out of Detroit. Everybody just thinks that it was famous during the Motor City era and has been left behind like it was nothing. But there really is something special in this community...dance just connects us,” said 14-year-old Nina Contreras.
Ms. Collins exclaimed, “You all are powerful! Knowing what you all accomplished this summer you all can do anything!” A sentiment echoed by all the mentors in the room.
Youth Dance Ensemble Dance Intensive
In preparation for the new season, Living Arts Youth Dance Ensemble (YDE) hosts an annual dance intensive and company auditions. For one week, dancers attend daily classes with Out-of-School Arts Teaching Artists and special guests where they focus on learning new dance techniques and choreography. Following the completion of all classes, dancers are invited to audition for a spot in the Youth Dance Ensemble.
Street dance intensive led by Teaching Artist Daijiro Tsushima.
In preparation for the new season, Living Arts Youth Dance Ensemble (YDE) hosts an annual dance intensive and company auditions. For one week, dancers attend daily classes with Out-of-School Arts Teaching Artists and special guests where they focus on learning new dance techniques and choreography. Following the completion of all classes, dancers are invited to audition for a spot in the Youth Dance Ensemble. This year, we are introducing Youth Dance Ensemble 2 as a sister company to YDE. YDE2 is intended to provide a platform for younger students who are interested in deepening their training as a dancer and artist.
The goal of these companies is to give space and energy to seriously invested students who may want to pursue a career in dance after high school. Along with building a solid foundation through weekly technique classes, company members engage and explore concepts normally introduced in post-secondary dance education. At the intensive, dancers are encouraged to investigate personal experiences and ideas through improvisation, choreography and performance. Additionally they formed relationships with one another through a shared experience.
Street jazz intensive with guest Teaching Artist Justin Alesna
Each year the intensive provides a well-rounded program that encompasses a variety of dance styles including ballet, hip hop, modern, jazz and improvisation. In class, students gained insight into the history and background of the specific form in order to deepen their understanding and appreciation for dance. They built confidence by accepting new challenges and taking risks in a nurturing and fun environment. Ultimately, this intensive provides a pathway for invested students to audition to become a member of the dance ensembles.
Committed dancers from the OSA program are encouraged and invited to attend this annual dance intensive along with previous company members. We are looking forward to a new year filled with performances, community events, workshops and other activities that will highlight the talents of our young artists. Classes begin the first week in October and we’re excited to start the season with new and familiar faces!
Living Arts Dancers to Perform Sofrito of Cultures with Penny Godboldo at the Wright Museum
Living Arts’ Youth Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Master Teacher and Dance Artist Penny Godboldo and Living Arts’ Teaching Artist Miryam Johnson, with musical accompaniment by Chinelo "Chi" Amen-Ra and Ozvaldo "Ozzie" Rivera, will present a free community performance graciously hosted by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History on August 8, 2019 from 6:00pm - 9:00pm.
Young Southwest Detroit dancers explore Afro-Latinx identity through dance and music
Living Arts’ Youth Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Master Teacher and Dance Artist Penny Godboldo and Living Arts’ Teaching Artist Miryam Johnson, with musical accompaniment by Chinelo "Chi" Amen-Ra and Ozvaldo "Ozzie" Rivera, will present a free community performance graciously hosted by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History on August 8, 2019 from 6:00pm - 9:00pm.
Sofrito of Cultures is the culmination of a two-week dance intensive, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. Through the intensive, participants train in the Dunham Technique of dance, which blends European ballet, modern, jazz, and classical African movement.
“Katherine Dunham founded this technique as a means of anthropological study asking ‘What is the function of the way people move? Why do we move differently than Europeans? What history is tied in the ways we move, sing, play an instrument’,” says Godboldo. “Rather than feeling inadequate, there is a body of movement ingrained in culture to define yourself and feel empowered.” Johnson, who has taught with Living Arts for the past three years, was attracted to the project as her work revolves around the concept of the body as an archive of movement. “We’re looking at the ways we move naturally and what these bodies carry into dance; in contrast to the upright form of European traditions of dance.”
Johnson’s role as protege to Godboldo as well as instructor to the students is part of the mentorship process. “We are also looking at the intercultural (black and Latinx) and intergenerational traditions of movement,” says Erika Villarreal Bunce, director of programs at Living Arts. Godboldo adds “there is a history of oral tradition in African and Caribbean culture. This project holds that tradition in the construct of music and movement, it is an accurate account of history — as opposed to the written tradition that has become skewed through the eyes of others.”
The project began with a master dance class in the summer of 2017 through the Teatro Chico program. Since then, the students and families of Living Arts have requested more culturally relevant programming that reflects their own history. “Living Arts’ commitment to respecting partnerships and youth drives our programming. When it comes to our artistic production, we take direction from our youth to create art that reflects their experience,” says Villarreal Bunce.
For tickets to the performance, visit: bit.ly/SofritoPerformance.
Living Arts Launches Sofrito of Cultures with Penny Godboldo
This summer, Living Arts will launch a two-week dance intensive, Sofrito of Cultures. Lead by Master Teacher and Dance Artist Penny Godboldo and Living Arts’ Teaching Artist Miriyam Johnson, 12 participants will engage in five hours of daily training from July 22-August 2 in the Dunham Technique of dance, which blends European ballet, modern, jazz, and classical African movement.
Young dancers explore Afro-Latinx identity through dance and music
This summer, Living Arts will launch a two-week dance intensive, Sofrito of Cultures. Lead by Master Teacher and Dance Artist Penny Godboldo and Living Arts’ Teaching Artist Miriyam Johnson, 12 participants will engage in five hours of daily training from July 22-August 2 in the Dunham Technique of dance, which blends European ballet, modern, jazz, and classical African movement.
“Katherine Dunham founded this technique as a means of anthropological study asking ‘What is the function of the way people move? Why do we move differently than Europeans? What history is tied in the ways we move, sing, play an instrument’,” says Godboldo. “Rather than feeling inadequate, there is a body of movement ingrained in culture to define yourself and feel empowered.” Johnson, who has taught with Living Arts for the past three years, was attracted to the project as her work revolves around the concept of the body as an archive of movement. “We’re looking at the ways we move naturally and what these bodies carry into dance; in contrast to the upright form of European traditions of dance.”
Johnson’s role as protege to Godboldo as well as instructor to the students is part of the mentorship process. “We are also looking at the intercultural (black and Latinx) and intergenerational traditions of movement,” says Erika Villarreal Bunce, director of programs at Living Arts. Godboldo adds “there is a history of oral tradition in African and Caribbean culture. This project holds that tradition in the construct of music and movement, it is an accurate account of history — as opposed to the written tradition that has become skewed through the eyes of others.”
The project, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, began with a master dance class in the summer of 2017 through the Teatro Chico program. Since then, the students and families of Living Arts have requested more culturally relevant programming that reflects their own history. “Living Arts’ commitment to respecting partnerships and youth drives our programming. When it comes to our artistic production, we take direction from our youth to create art that reflects their experience,” says Villarreal Bunce. The culmination of the intensive will be a community performance graciously hosted by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History on August 8, 2019 6:00pm - 8:00pm.
Stay tuned for more information about the upcoming public performance!
Closing Out the Season: 20th Annual Student Showcase
On a moderate Sunday afternoon, families, friends, and supporters gathered at Cass Technical High School for the Living Arts 20th Annual Student Showcase. The program opened with Program Manager, Zack Bissell, who welcomed the audience and thanked the event’s supporters.
A culmination of the 2018-2019 season of programming through the Out-of-School Arts (OSA) program, Showcase featured a mix of dance, visual arts, video animation, and music composition. The program featured a special guest performance by Ballet Folkórico de Detroit and an intermission performance by Mariachi Femeníl de Detroit.
On a moderate Sunday afternoon, families, friends, and supporters gathered at Cass Technical High School for the Living Arts 20th Annual Student Showcase. The program opened with Program Manager, Zack Bissell, who welcomed the audience and thanked the event’s supporters.
A culmination of the 2018-2019 season of programming through the Out-of-School Arts (OSA) program, Showcase featured a mix of dance, visual arts, video animation, and music composition. The program featured a special guest performance by Ballet Folkórico de Detroit and an intermission performance by Mariachi Femeníl de Detroit.
In total, there were 26 performances featuring over 100 dancers in jazz, tap, modern, ballet, hip hop, house, ballet folkórico, tumbling, and karate. Just outside the theater was an art exhibition featuring sculpture, painting, and other 2D and 3D artwork by students. Students rage from ages 0-18 in the OSA program, so Sunday’s roster included work from toddlers through young adults.
With the guidance of professional artists, musicians, dancers, and choreographers, it is no wonder the caliber of talent featured at Showcase!
Closing remarks by Dance Program Director, Marianne Brass included a special thanks to Living Arts’ Co-founder Christine Allen-Carson as well as special recognition to graduating seniors Carolina Anaya, Diamond Davis, Alexis Harris, Andrea Hinojosa, Jeimy Lopez, and Xalma Palomino. A final acknowledgement given to all the teaching artists, parents and caregivers, families, and supporters closed out the evening.
Congratulations to all participants in the 2018-2019 season!
Before You Take the Stage: A Chat with Living Arts' Senior Artists
In the 45 minutes window between school and rehearsal, I met with 5 young women at the FREC-Mercado. In preparation for their upcoming 20th Annual Student Showcase, we sat down to talk about their history with Living Arts, and the role the organization has played in their lives.
In the 45 minutes window between school and rehearsal, I met with 5 young women at the FREC-Mercado. In preparation for their upcoming 20th Annual Student Showcase, we sat down to talk about their history with Living Arts, and the role the organization has played in their lives.
“I came to Living Arts when I was 5 or 6,” stated 18-year-old Xalma Palomino. “The studio was right around my house, so my mom just signed my sister and I up for a ballet class once a week”. 18-year-old dancers Carolina Anaya and Andrea Hinojosa also began in ballet. “Xalma introduced me to dance because we’ve been friends for many, many years. My mom signed me up and I took every class they took,” says Anaya. Alexis Harris, 18, began dancing when she was 3 years old, and was introduced to Living Arts by her grandmother at 8 years old. Alexis in turn introduced Tanykia “Diamond” Davis to Living Arts when the girls were in the 8th grade.
On Sunday, June 9th, Xalma and Carolina, along with fellow senior dancers Alexis and Andrea, will be performing in their last Showcase. The recital will be held at Cass Technical HS, where most of the young woman attend. The performance will be bittersweet for the girls as they are also graduating from high school and moving on to different things in life. “It’s sad because we’re leaving now. We became like a family, we all grew up with each other like sisters,” stated Xalma. Andrea added, “We really became close to each other and not seeing them every day is going to be weird.” What started as a fun activity as children has become a passion for these young artists.
Dedicating so many years to their craft, has not come easy. “We’ve had to choose between school activities and rehearsals or performances at times. I even missed my mom’s graduation,” said Alexis. But the sacrifice is worth it. When Diamond and I spoke on the phone, she talked about the feeling of creating. “Every time I get in the studio to dance or I’m making art at the SPOT, it’s a chance to be the best dancer or artist I can be. It helps my mind expand and open up.”
There’s a consensus among all the young women that their craft has given them a sense of freedom. Jeimy Lopez, 18 ,shared, “Making art, especially painting, gives me an outlet for stress. I can channel that I have into making something beautiful.” Jeimy began as a dancer as well, but realized she didn’t have the same love of dance as visual art. She’s passionate about the open-studio model of the SPOT and has previously presented on the approach at conferences. She continued, “For teenagers who are just trying to see what art has to offer for them, it’s better to have a research-based approach in the studio, where the mentor is there to guide along the way. It helped me to discover art as an outlet.”
Through the arts, each of the young women have found an identity that is all their own. “I’m more outspoken now and not afraid to express what I want,” said Carolina. “So many kids feel like they’re going to be judged for what they do or say, and I feel like through dance, I’ve gained so much confidence.” Each expressed they’ve faced criticism for not being “enough” (whether their art was something that didn’t speak to others or their bodies didn’t scream ‘dancer’), but they all site persistence and the support of their fellow artists as their motivation to do what they do.
When asked what advice they wished they’d heard more of as children, and what advice they wanted to give to young artists, they shared encouraging words to keep making art. Diamond summed it up best when she said “You can do whatever you set your mind to as long as you keep at it. Anything you do can be a form of art. When you move your body, it’s a form of art, when you’re drawing, painting, it’s art, whatever it is, it will tell a story to someone. It might take some time, but don’t give up. It will get you somewhere in life.”
Click here for more information about Living Arts’ OSA program. And for tickets to the 20th Annual Student Showcase, click here.
Dance Me a Story: Developing Early Literacy Skills through Movement and Creative Dance
On Saturday, February 2nd, the Living Arts Youth Dance Ensemble was invited to participate as honored guests at the Detroit Dhamaal 2019 Bollywood Fusion Competition.
Held at the historic Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Detroit, the competition featured Bollywood dance troupes from colleges across the nation. Board member Matthew Nahan spoke about the Living Arts programs and the value of teaching artists in the community. Nahan also introduced the Youth Dance Ensemble performance.
Photos: Erika Villarreal BunceAt the age of 9, Lorna Park started her work with young children. Ms. Park is proudly still in early childhood care as an educator at House of Joy Child Care in Detroit. Using her body artfully is important to Ms. Park "Nurturing a love of learning is a priority to me. The arts help us to get where we need to be mentally, physically, and spiritually to receive experiences. Movement helps us to follow the child".
In partnership with Help Me Grow Michigan, Living Arts hosted two professional development workshops for early childhood educators at the Detroit PAL on Friday, February 15th and Saturday, February 16th. Seventy educators, including Ms. Park, attended the workshops over the course of both days. The workshops, lead by Master Teaching Artist Kimberli Boyd, provided educators with methods to incorporate movement and dance in their work around early literacy.
Using chants, songs, stories, and props, Boyd demonstrated developmentally appropriate strategies to support literacy skills in the early childhood classroom. Beyond literacy, these strategies support social and emotional growth, as well as whole body awareness and fine and gross motor skill function.
Young children are able to gain understanding of the world around them by learning how they move through the world. “I believe that the Arts are powerful enough to cause transformation, and that dance is empowering enough to move hearts, minds, and bodies — and to revolutionize learning,” said Ms. Boyd. Participants of the workshop received certification for their time.
Dhamaal 2019 Honors Youth Dance Ensemble
On Saturday, February 2nd, the Living Arts Youth Dance Ensemble was invited to participate as honored guests at the Detroit Dhamaal 2019 Bollywood Fusion Competition.
Held at the historic Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Detroit, the competition featured Bollywood dance troupes from colleges across the nation. Board member Matthew Nahan spoke about the Living Arts programs and the value of teaching artists in the community. Nahan also introduced the Youth Dance Ensemble performance.
Photos: Zack Bissell, Tara Toumaala
Video: Tara ToumaalaOn Saturday, February 2nd, the Living Arts Youth Dance Ensemble was invited to participate as honored guests at the Detroit Dhamaal 2019 Bollywood Fusion Competition.
Held at the historic Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Detroit, the competition featured Bollywood dance troupes from colleges across the nation. Board member Matthew Nahan spoke about the Living Arts programs and the value of teaching artists in the community. Nahan also introduced the Youth Dance Ensemble performance.
"Dhamaal was in an old building, and it's a place where famous dancers have performed," remarked twelve year old, Jasmin Aleman. "I like how we were the honored guests and got to go perform.” Music Hall has featured esteemed performers including Fred Astaire, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and more.
The piece performed by the YDE was collaboratively choreographed by Dance Program Director Marianne Brass, teaching artist Rachel Herbert, and the young dancers. “We began working on the piece in the summer of 2018 and it was premiered in August at the Detroit City Festival. We asked the dancers to explore themes that relate to their current experiences and how their decisions play a role in the shaping of their identities,” stated Brass. After investigating these concepts, the dancers developed individual solos that were choreographed into the group work.
“I consider this dance a piece of living art because it’s continuously evolving as we dig deeper each week in rehearsal. Through guided discussion, reflection, and movement exploration, dancers are continuing to evolve this work of art in collaboration with their mentors.”
"It was a great experience; I was really happy to be there. I'd like to go there again,” said Aleman.
The Youth Dance Ensemble will be performing this collaborative work, along with other dances from their repertoire at our 20th Showcase in June 2019.
Detroit Dhamaal generously donated a portion of the proceeds from the evening to Living Arts. We are so thankful for their continued support and partnership.