Orishas in Motion: Afro-Cuban DanceMaster ClassIn-Person
Friday, Jan 17, 2025
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m
Park Avenue Armory
643 Park Ave
New York, NY 10065
Part palace, part industrial shed, Park Avenue Armory fills a critical void in the cultural ecology of New York, supporting unconventional works in the performing and visual arts that cannot be fully realized in a traditional proscenium theater, concert hall, or white wall gallery.
Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of Afro-Cuban dance in this dynamic, interactive class. We’ll journey into the heart of this tradition to West Africa, where the orishas—powerful deities of the Yoruba religion—connect humans to nature and spiritual realms. Through call-and-response activities, we’ll build community while learning about the cultural significance of the orishas in Cuban history, before delving into the dance, a practice of embodying the spirit of the orishas through expressive movements and rhythmic chants. We’ll harmonize our voices with our bodies, tapping into the transformative power of this sacred tradition. Other skills transferable to the classroom include the performance of character, the embodiment of myths and stories, and the incorporation of “traditional” dances into concert and popular dance styles.
DANCE, PERFORMING ARTS, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, HISTORY, SPIRITUALITY & RELIGION
Beatrice Capote
Beatrice Capote is a Cuban American dancer, choreographer, and educator known for creating Capotechnique, which blends Afro-Cuban dance with contemporary forms. She is entering her seventh season with Tony-nominated choreographer Camille A. Brown’s dance company, and is an associate professor of contemporary dance at Indiana University, Bloomington. She recently served as Yoruba consultant/choreographer for the off-Broadway production The Half God of Rainfall. Her solo works have been performed at the Battery Dance Festival, BAAD!Ass Women's Festival, and the Contemporary Dance series at Bryant Park. Capote has choreographed the Grammy Award–winner Yemandja! and performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center with Paquito D’Rivera, Wynton Marsalis, and Elio Villafranca. She is currently the Mellon Fellow Resident at NYU’s Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics.