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Dances of the African Diaspora I (160-0-21)

Topic

Afro-Contemporary

Meeting Info

Wirtz Center Ballroom: Tues, Thurs 4:00PM - 5:20PM

Overview of class

This class will focus on training in Afro-contemporary dance practice and will be led by Artistic Director and choreographer of Colombia's Sankofa Danzafro contemporary dance company as part of his Kaplan Artist-in-Residence fellowship. Afro-contemporary dance was born in the Mudra School in Senegal in 1975, at the request of President Leopold Sedar Senghor, and was directed by Germaine Acogny and Maurice Béjart. Afro-contemporary dance practice strengthens the dancer, helps to increase the development of psychomotor, proprioceptive, creative, and cognitive capacities. The class will practice qualities such as: the undulation of the spine, various forms of footwork, jumps and polyrhythmic work, musicality, bodily isolations, and groundedness.

If you have experience in contemporary, hip hop, funk/street jazz, Black and Latinx social dance (salsa, dancehall, house, rumba) this class is for you.