$20

Come dance and unlock the mind, body and spirit connection in this African American dance form, created by icon Katherine Dunham, dance pioneer/anthropologist/social activist. Informed by the great traditional dances of the African Diaspora (West African, Haitian, Cuban, Brazilian, African American modern dance and more) Dunham Technique creates well-muscled, dynamic dancers with supple spines and well-articulated torsos. This class begins with deep, meditative breathing to center and synchronize the Mind/Body/Spirit connection and a Center Floor Standing or Seated-Floor warm-up.  Moving across the floor, students will explore the intersection of Dunham technique and high-spirited, folkloric-inspired dances from the African Diaspora, including (Haiti, Cuba, Brasil, W. Africa, etc ) In the this mixed-level class, students are encouraged to work at their own level But everyone will get a joyous challenge.

Penny Godboldo trained at the Alvin Ailey School in NYC. She incorporates her larger philosophical view that dance is life — a methodology developed through research in dance history – into her pedagogy as a teacher. Her work is informed by travel to Haiti, Cuba, Benin, West Africa, Brazil, Japan, China, Italy and most recently Israel and her role as chair of Marygrove College Dance Department for two decades. She began her studies in Dunham technique in Detroit at age 14 with Clifford Fears, mentored by Madame Lavinia Williams in NYC and Haiti. She continued her mentorship with Katherine Dunham for 21 years as her demonstrator in St. Louis, Denver, Detroit, and Port au Prince, Haiti and performed in Dunham repertory: “Shango,” “Adagio” and “Americana.”   Godboldo trained with Dunham Masters: Talley Beatty, Lucille Ellis, Vanoye Aikens, Pearl Reynolds, Tommy Gomez and certified teachers Theo Jamison, Keith Williams and Ruby Streate.