By Macada Brandl
Executive Director
Dance New Jersey
Dance is alive and well in New Jersey. We Jerseyans should be proud of our vibrant, exciting, and diverse dance community and its artistic achievements. Anyone who has not had the opportunity to experience the work of the creative choreographers, dedicated dance educators, and passionate performers throughout the state will have the chance to witness their talents in events connected with Jersey Moves! Festival of Dance. Waltz to a workshop or prance to a performance!
Presented by New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, Jersey Moves! combines performances by eleven of the state’s prominent dance companies with workshops by four leading dance educators. The performances include a wide variety of dance genres, from classical ballet to West African dance, modern to Spanish flamenco, tap to Indian Bharata Natyam. For a taste from this smorgasbord of the New Jersey dance world, don’t miss the performances on Saturday, March 24 and Sunday, March 25.
Along with these highlighted performances, New Jersey Performing Arts has produced and continues to offer ancillary events occurring throughout the state. Last May, NJPAC audience members were excited to find themselves in the middle of the dance action, as a flash mob engulfed the lobby to announce the festival.
Workshops by celebrated dance educators are being taught throughout the state:
- Samuel Pott, artistic director of Nimbus Dance Works from Jersey City, led dance students through a modern Graham technique class at Stockton College on February 8.
- Keith Thompson, dancer with Liz Lerman Dance Exchange and faculty member at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, offers a modern/jazz class to NJPAC arts education students on February 23.
- Joshua Bisset, artistic director of Shua Group from Jersey City, presents a workshop on the creative process on March 5, at Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
- Mark Roxey, artistic director of the renowned Roxey Ballet (which performed as part of the inauguration festivities for President Obama) from Lambertville, will present a ballet class at Montclair State University on March 8.
These are but a few of the talented artists/educators motivating and inspiring students and performers right here in New Jersey. Our state is home to a growing network of talented dance artists. The Jersey Moves! festival embraces our state’s dance community and its artistic promise.
More on the performances next time!
Macada Brandl is the Executive Director of Dance New Jersey, the premier organization serving dance companies, dancers and choreographers in New Jersey. She is a regular contributor to the Dodge blog.
Image courtesy Roxey Ballet