The Santa Monica College (SMC) Dance Department continues its Masters of Dance series of master classes and learning workshops with live virtual workshops presented by Jenise Anthony, Emily Wanserski, and Mike Esperanza. The series returns March 30 and offers a unique opportunity to experience artists from around the globe through a virtual platform.
The Masters of Dance events are free, and the public is invited to attend. The workshops will be presented online using the Zoom platform. Participants must pre-register before the workshops. Registration links are available at smc.edu/dance. To attend a workshop, Zoom software must be installed on the participant’s computer. A free download is available at zoom.com.
The Spring 2022 Masters of Dance lineup is:
• March 30 at 12:30 p.m.: Jenise Anthony: “Modern Afro-Caribbean.” Trinidadian native Jenise Akilah Anthony will lead a Modern Afro-Caribbean movement class that fuses Dunham modern technique with West African and Caribbean folk dances. Anthony is an international dance educator, choreographer, and performing artist well-known for her African Diaspora dance work. An Assistant Professor at SUNY Brockport, she serves as Artistic Director of the Sankofa African Dance and Drum Ensemble. She is also founder of The Echoes of Africa Dance Collective, an international ensemble that reflects the heartbeat and energy of African culture through performance. Sponsored by the SMC Associates and SMC Dance Department.
• April 18 at 3 p.m.: Emily Wanserski: “What’s Next? Careers in Dance.” Emily Wanserski will talk about resources and action items that can help prepare for real-world success in careers in dance. With over 10 years of experience in LA’s creative economy, she has worked with cultural nonprofits, for-profit entertainment entities, higher education institutions, and multiple public agencies, and collaborated with the Annenberg Foundation, Arts Bridging the Gap, Barak Ballet, City of Los Angeles Dept. of Cultural Affairs, City of West Hollywood, Heidi Duckler Dance, Jim Henson Company, and LA Contemporary Dance Company. Sponsored by the SMC Associates and SMC Dance Department.
• May 10 at 12:30 p.m.: Mike Esperanza: “Contemporary.” Mike Esperanza will lead a workshop that explores movement construction and its connection to musical phrasing as participants learn to become present in space and capture the essence of human mobility. A teacher and choreographer residing in New York City, Esperanza is a dance maker and choreographer who has presented his work at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, McCallum Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and the Australian Circus Festival. Sponsored by the SMC Associates and SMC Dance Department.
The Masters of Dance series is sponsored by the SMC Associates (smc.edu/associates), a private organization that funds speakers and special programs on the Santa Monica College campus. Additional support for the series is provided by the SMC Dance Department.
More information is available at smc.edu/dance or by calling 310-434-4100 or 310-434-3467. All presentations subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Submitted by Grace Smith