With Dani Criss

Donation $0 - 25
This interactive presentation uncovers the history of social dance in the African American experience and its significance, as it relates to communication, survival, and liberation of its people. We will discuss the root of this practice and the evolution of its movement vocabulary throughout the eras. Dances such as the Snakehips, the Charleston, the Big Apple, the Cabbage Patch, and more, will be engaged in our discussion.

Dani Criss is a multidisciplinary artist, artistic educator and community organizer hailing from Durham, North Carolina and is now based in Brooklyn, NY. She is passionate about the advancement of people of African descent and is driven by her roots and studies of the African Diaspora. Her use of the arts as an educational tool provides a foundational appreciation, acceptance, and historical context for African Diasporic cultures. Dani has trained and performed with numerous artists, companies and festivals including The American Dance Festival, The Honorable Baba Chuck Davis and the African American Dance Ensemble, Urban Bush Women’s Summer Leadership Institute, The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, Otesha Cultural Arts Ensemble, Asè Dance Theatre Collective, Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy and others. Choreographic works have been shared in various ensembles, theaters, schools, and festivals around the country. Check out www.danicriss.com for more information.