We are only one month into 2021 and BodyStories has already been busy presenting virtual works, teaching Zoom classes, and preparing for another year of exciting events!
Performances:
Early in the month we shared excerpts from our works Healing Currently Downloading (a dance film in progress), Inwood Erases Hate with Love (an outdoor community engagement performance event developed from reeling → healing), and rose walk green ice (a proscenium production with audience engagement) at this year’s APAP Conference with Pentacle. This event was entirely virtual and it was very interesting to see how each artist adapted their work to fit this new type of performance platform. Dance on film and video creates an entirely new perspective for audiences, and the emphasis on small details and framing made this an intimate event despite the distance in addition to a lively chat in the comments section!
BodyStories: Teresa Fellion Dance also participated in this January’s 7MPR Fourth Midnight Virtual Performance! On Jan 23rd we premiered march, a special project with composer Muriel Louveau that combines music, poetry, and movement, featuring dancers Mickayla Clune and Alexa Mamoulides. The thoughts expressed in this piece come from challenges faced in the pandemic of how to cope and belong to a world. Layered video editing was used to create an ethereal world that is comforting and a bit haunting while isolating, and expresses the possibility to find connection across distance especially during this current time of quarantine. This work was specially developed from composition work that was begun with Mickayla and Alexa as students during our 2020 Virtual Summer Intensive. We were pleased with the audience response and we were inspired by the works shown by the other presenting artists. The dance community is so strong!
Classes:
January was also an exciting month for BodyStories because we successfully held our first Virtual Winter Intensive! We are so thankful for everyone who participated in the BodyStories’ first ever Virtual Dance Experience Winter Intensive. We are grateful for the commitment and enthusiasm of growing through movement each dancer brought to classes throughout the week. The week culminated with the creation of a dance film put together using phrase work from technique class as well as choreography from the composition class. We are very excited to be releasing this dance film in the coming weeks! It is so important to us that we continue to connect and grow our BodyStories community through dance and education during the pandemic.
Our weekly pre-professional and professional virtual classes begin February 1 and conclude May 28, 2021. This Spring series will provide us the opportunity to brush up on our foundations, while challenging our minds and bodies to approach movement from a unique and sometimes unfamiliar lens. Dancers will explore and rediscover joy in their movement in a comprehensive class transitioning from a yoga-flow like warm up, into modern and contemporary technique, and ending in extensive phrase work. Classes will also help build composition and improvisation skills by partnering movement, music, and text, as well as investigate the relationship between dance and social justice. The class schedule is as follows
Technique:
Wednesdays 6-7:30pm EST
Thursdays 12:30-2pm EST
Composition & Improvisation:
Fridays 1:30-3:30pm EST
(Bi-weekly)
Additional times available for both classes! Please inquire.
Weekly youth virtual dance classes will also begin February 1st and end May 28th. Our youth classes include movement from BodyStories’ dance curriculum, incorporating different styles and techniques such as contemporary, modern, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, choreography, improvisation, tap, Central and West African, salsa, swing, and more. We have classes designed for all junior dance levels from beginner through pre-professional. Age ranges include 3-5, 6-9, 10-13, and 14-17 years old.
6-9 Year Olds:
Thursdays 5:30-6:30 pm EST
with additional times available!
10-13 Year Olds:
Fridays 3:30-5:00pm EST
with additional times available!
We have classes for all levels of youth dancers ages 3-5, 6-9, 10-13, and 14-17. We have classes for all genders, and also offer boys only classes!
Students may sign up for the entire weekly series, one month, or a single drop-in class! If you sign up for a month or the whole series, then participants are eligible to receive 20% off the total cost. Please do not hesitate to reach out for any financial assistance or scholarship needed. We are completely open to all participants where they are financially during this time.
FOR MORE INFO CONTACT: education@bodystoriesfellion.org
February Events:
BodyStories is excited to announce an in-person performance opportunity in NYC with Arts On Site as part of their upcoming ARTS ALIVE series. We will be premiering a duet with dancers Serena Chang & Ashley Zimmerman as part of our Healing Currently Downloading process. Tickets are sold online only prior to the event, no tickets are sold at the door, so stay tuned for ticketing information.
Dates: Feb 26th & 27th
Times: 6:30pm & 8:30pm
Location: 12 St Marks Place in the East Village of Manhattan
This performance series has been created to adhere to current COVID-19 restrictions. Each performance is located in a large open studio with proper ventilation with a maximum of 16 guests per performance to allow for social distancing.
January Reflection:
Amidst the normal busyness of the New Year, January was also a monumental month for women. On January 26th our country swore in Kamala Harris, our 1st female and BIPOC Vice President! Kamala is an inspiration and role model for young girls everywhere and is a living symbol of the power of perseverance in the face of adversity. It was very exciting to witness this important part of history! Inauguration Day was a long time coming, but we can all start to breath again now that our leadership will take care of us all and work to serve our country for the better. Happy tears!
It is also important to note Martin Luther King Day, which was observed on January 18th. This holiday held a particular weight this year as it is in the midst of the recent call for social justice reform, the further rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, and police brutality protests. MLK Day is a reminder that it is our responsibility to better ourselves by taking social action, recognizing bias, and holding each other accountable especially when it is uncomfortable. Let’s raise up the voices of BIPOC and strive to make our society a safe and prosperous palace for all.
A huge thank you to everyone who supported us this month! We are so grateful. I hope everyone continues to stay healthy and safe both mentally and physically. These last few months have been hard but we are all in this together. We are excited to share what we have in store for you in 2021!