Tracing Roots: A Perspective on Indian Contemporary Dance

I came to the US from India in 2003 to attain my BA in Dance from San Jose State University.

Gaining Perspectives, Changing Perceptions: ARTICLE #1: How Politics and Power Shaped Dance in Pakistan

In a time where hatred and violence are a common occurrence abroad and in the U.S., I believe that artists play a critical role as cultural ambassadors and social change-makers. […]

Sharing History, Making History: Michelle Dorrance Has Her Sights on the Future of Tap

Whether jamming with a jazz band or teaching Late Night host Stephen Colbert a shim sham half break, Michelle Dorrance makes a personable and articulate ambassador for a new generation […]

RAWdance: Portal

RAWdance, in partnership with TJPA’s Salesforce Park, premieres Portal, a free, public, site-specific live performance, which transforms the elevated garden into a multi-media ecosystem. Envisioned by Co-Artistic Director of RAWdance […]

RAWdance: Portal

RAWdance, in partnership with TJPA’s Salesforce Park, premieres Portal, a free, public, site-specific live performance, which transforms the elevated garden into a multi-media ecosystem. Envisioned by Co-Artistic Director of RAWdance […]

SPEAK: Shifting the Paradigm

Many of us teaching artists have unwittingly become stuck in dangerous perceptual habits. While this is happening across all levels of education, I want to focus on the issues of college […]

RAWdance: Portal

RAWdance, in partnership with TJPA’s Salesforce Park, premieres Portal, a free, public, site-specific live performance, which transforms the elevated garden into a multi-media ecosystem. Envisioned by Co-Artistic Director of RAWdance […]

10 in 10 with Alyssa Mitchel

You are reading excerpts from Andréa Spearman’s recorded conversation with Alyssa Mitchel 10 in 10 theme music: Bright, upbeat pop music that you may hear in a teen-centered drama series. […]

Building Rainbow Logic: Arm in Arm with Remy Charlip

Have you ever heard the term ‘polymath’? Recently I took an informal poll of twelve close friends and asked if they could define it. Some couldn’t. Some thought it must be […]

Dancing Happens in Strip Malls Too

My first memories of learning dance were at the Strip Mall Dance Studio near my house in Lawrence, Kansas. The strip mall was creatively named “The Malls Shopping Center.” I don’t remember what the studio itself was called but I know exactly where it was—tucked in the corner of a row of single-story beige buildings that also housed Pet World (my favorite place on earth as a 4-year-old), an Ace Hardware (my second favorite place), and a Godfather’s Pizza.