Course description
Vamos a bailar! A warm invitation to connect with our body, deepen our artistry, and move together. This course rigorously explores the social and communal Latin diaspora of movement, migration, and music from Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, and the United States. The course utilizes a combination of English, Spanish, and Spanglish. Together we investigate and deepen our use of horizontal and vertical weight, isolations, polycentric movements, and hip whining techniques. We explore different approaches to learning complex choreography, understanding diverse movement pathways, and anatomy for dancers. Together we weave a survey of the history, art, and literature from the Latinx experience to broaden our understanding of Latinx identity politics. This course aims to facilitate Latinx movement with radical tenderness to embrace deeper states of power, awareness, and energetic alignment during movement rituals for heightened connectivity and restorative power. Key questions include: what does Latinx mean, and where did the identity term come from? Where do Latin dance styles come from? How does Latin dance inform contemporary dance today? Is there a movement conversation between Latin dance and African dance? How does Latin music's role inspire Latin dance forms, preserve African rhythms, and influence popular music today?
