Cyphers in Cyberspace: Reimagining Cultural Arts and Dance Education in a Post-COVID World

As I reflect on this year of virtual dance learning, one thing has become strikingly clear: not only are many of our young students tragically estranged from their cultural and artistic heritage, but this estrangement negatively affects their social, emotional, and intellectual development.

Black Ballerinas in Picture Books: Rupturing the Color Line in American Children’s Literature

As a Black girlhood studies scholar, I pay close attention to picture books that portray Black girls. More specifically, I intersect dance studies and children’s literary studies in order to explore the representation of Black ballerinas in autobiographical and biographical children’s picture books.

An Old Friend in a New Light: Reflections on Collaboration in Bharatanatyam

With roots in temple ritual and salons passed from generation to generation through the hereditary dance and music community of Tamil Nadu, in post-colonial India, the practice began to attract students and performers from various backgrounds around the world as a performing art.

Transcending Racism in the Dance World

I love teaching Hip Hop, but I resent the assumption that it’s the only dance form I can teach because I’m Black.

The Manifesto of the Collective

After months of colliding with each other, our very own Niara Hardister took the initiative to assemble the most inclusive, supportive, and talented group of folks I know.

In Conversation

Community – a word that has gone beyond definition this past year. Especially in the Bay Area. The conversations that have been sparked are those of investigation, those of breaking down barriers, and those of not returning “back to normal.”

Recent CA$H Dance Awardees

Spring 2024: Artists Be Movement Collective Becca Dean Belinda He & Karla Quintero Chafin Seymour Diana Lara Jacob Dominguez Jess Bozzo Labonee Mohanta Laksha Dantran Shruti Abhishek Organizations Bay Area […]

Find Time and Space with Residency Programs

Inspiration pours from your graceful fingertips and toes. If only you had time and space to explore the depths of your imagination freely, validating what you already know to be […]

SPEAK: Invaluable Lessons

Photo by Keith Sutter My first week as Artistic Director of Sacramento Ballet, I learned we had lost our warehouse space and would need to deeply consolidate our sets and […]

Welcome

“Wherever you are in the world, if you are a dancer who wants to write about dance or you know a dancer who does, please message me. I have an opportunity for you/them.”

I tweeted this request on July 10, when hot (flash) mom summer seemed to be on. But the hope, calm, and excitement were short-lived.