A Night of Movement and Meaning
In a world of fragmentation, isolation, and automation, dance has a special power to bring people together in mutual appreciation of their shared humanity. Music, movement, and creative expression lie at the root of all human cultures and are essential to individual flourishing.
On September 10, people of various ages and backgrounds came together for a free opportunity to share, to experiment, and to create together at the Ritual and Revolution Free Community Workshop hosted by Full Circle Dance Company. Held at the company's home at the Morton Street Dance Center in Baltimore, the workshop featured live music, dancing, creative choreography exercises, and a mini performance by Full Circle dancers.
Full Circle Artistic Director Donna L. Jacobs first led the group in a high-energy warmup class grounded in modern and West African dance traditions, accompanied by drummer Carl Allen. Young teens, elders, and professional dancers moved side by side with sweaty brows and smiling faces. They then learned bits of choreography from Full Circle's repertoire--brief gestures drawn from works inspired by rituals and by revolutionary ideas.
After dancing together, the group filled the space with words, sharing insights about their experiences related to both ritual and revolution. Dividing into groups of eight, they created new choreography, which each group performed in turn for the others.
Full Circle Dance Company members performed an excerpt from the work We Stand for Those Who Stood by choreographer Travis Gatling, which explores the history and importance of the right to protest.
The workshop concluded with the awarding of two door prizes, books celebrating the lives and contributions of Black dance pioneers Arthur Mitchell and Alvin Ailey.
"The positive spirit and just plain joy in this workshop was wonderful," said Full Circle Associate Artistic Director Liz Pelton. "I think we were all nourished and inspired by the generosity and eagerness of our workshop guests."
Participant Melanie Bells said, "I've never done any kind of dance class before, and the kindness and openness of Full Circle, as well as the other attendees, made it a warm and memorable experience."
Comments