“With wonderful presentations about the tradition and history of rhythm from different experiences, personal understandings, and cultures, I was able to unlock new ideas and grow my previous ideas of what embodying rhythm can mean.” - Sophie Daker
Embodying Rhythm: Dance Symposium Reflection by Malika Okot
Experiencing Time / Embodying Rhythm Symposium Reflection by J. Stephens
Environmental awakening: ETHOS IV connects community to the Earth
A canopy of pink blossoming trees showers petals on the audience as we sail down the path, pulled along by a current of wind and sound. Slow and easy, like swirling air, four figures float through the grove, reverently laying hands upon the bark and grass. They caress the breeze and mimic the shapes of the branches and trunks. Ayako Kato—kinetic philosopher, poet and choreographer—pauses to hang from one branch, arm hooked delicately and body unfolding toward the sky. The crowd is hushed. See Chicago Dance reviews Ayako Kato’s ETHOS IV: Degrowth/Cycle/Rebirth.
What happens when we take off our socks? The bittersweet power of introspection: a response by Aaliyah Christina
In January/February 2024, dance artist SJ Swilley held a production residency at the Dance Center of Columbia College supported by Chicago Dancemakers Forum. They invited collaborators Mawu Ama Ma'at Gora and Graciella Ye'Tsunami to help shape their work, Aaliyah Christina as an embedded writer, and Jovan Landry as the photographer to document some of the process. The resulting piece was part of the Chicago Artist Spotlight Festival in April 2024.
Discussion of LaTasha Barnes's The Jazz Continuum by Wyatt Sutter
Dance Theatre Etiquette and How It Shapes Our Experience as Viewers by Gabriela Marks
A Community Unveiled by Elaina Fletcher
“the Mo(ve)ment Performance Showcase as a whole, as it was a journey not just throughout different styles of dance, but an engagement unveiling the sundry ways of what a dance performance can look like and captivate those watching. And most notably, it unveiled a community in which I am avid in becoming a part of”
A Celebration of West African Rhythms and Movements: The Ayodele Drum & Dance Experience by Marisol Hernandez
“As a dancer myself, witnessing Ayodele Drum & Dance’s performance really reinforced the importance of understanding the cultural and historical context of the dances I perform. West African dance is more than just a series of steps; it's a means for preserving the traditions of a people, for conveying their stories and emotions.”
