Atiya Joe- 2/11 9:30-10am-WORKSHOP
Atiya Joe is a self-made 20-year-old Diné woman who is a professional dancer, choreographer, entrepreneur, and activist. She has traveled, performed, and curated choreography for Lakota Artist, Stella Standingbear and freestyled in a music video for Houston Artist, Talameshia. She is the founder and creative director of ATIYA Dance Academy based in Farmington, New Mexico, and teaches a variety of Hip-Hop dance classes dedicated to improving positive self-image and well-being.
This session guides and inspires individuals through Hip-Hop moves, fostering meaningful conversations on self-improvement, identity, and self-acceptance across past, present, and future selves.
Breana- 2/11 10-10:30am-WORKSHOP
repair / rejoice explores exercises
that support finding your way back into the body- this class is for my homies living w ptsd/ c-ptsd- my comrades trying to find their way back to their bodies after trauma- after violence-after grief-despair
my friends who have something to reclaim
pleasure to find
home to locate
let’s walk the path together
Khalah Mitchell- 2/11- 11-11:45am-WORKSHOP
Khalah is a freelance movement artist, choreographer, and performer originally from Las Vegas, NV where she trained under Peter Chu, Sonya Tayeh, Stacey Tookey and more. She attended Santa Fe University of Art and Design where she choreographed works presented at Outdoor Vision Festival, the Greer Garson Theater, St. Johns College, etc. She is enamored with the mind, body, and soul connection that is needed to move and groove the body in a way that is authentic to one’s soul. She cherishes the connectivity that movement practices cultivate.
This class is for anyone & everyone interested in releasing stagnant energy in the body through movement. To find the rhythm of your soul and be at home in it.
Rei Chou- 2/11- 6-7:30pm PANEL (*2/11 panel postponed*) + 2/13-10:30-11:30am WORKSHOP
Rei Chou is a healer, artist, and catalyst/advisor to visionary creatives and leaders globally. She has convened and led innovation projects for everyone from NASA to NOKIA, pioneering new approaches to user-based research, solution creation, and creative leadership. As founder of The Feast, she has enabled over 600 dinners around the world that inspire people to tackle solutions to issues they care about and find fulfillment in their lives. Today, she brings 4+ lineages of enlightenment-based energy work to catalyze shared visions for our world + work through liberatory movement and dance.
2/11 Dance Horizons: A Visionary Panel for the NM Dance Community is a conversation dedicated to the future leaders and participants of the NM dance community.
2/12 Immerse yourself in the richness of New Mexico's dance heritage with our panel discussion, Dance Historical Harmony. We will delve into a few aspects of the evolution of our NM dance community, exploring influential factors that have shaped it over the years.
2/13 Together we will learn how to release parts of the bodies, feel surrendered movement, and engage in ancient Tandava + awareness-based movement. We will also engage in an energy session where we share our movement and allow divine energy through our bodies as an offering to a shared prayer and intent for Peace in the World.
Sage Simpson- 2/11-6-7:30pm (postponed)- PANEL
Sage Simpson is a interdisciplinary artists whose focus is in Dance and lighting design, she works in theater as a techie and using these skills as a way to visualize her own choreography and performance. Sage is interested in creating more accessible spaces in the dance for the community that allows for all to feel welcome.
Dance Horizons: A Visionary Panel for the NM Dance Community is a conversation dedicated to the future leaders and participants of the NM dance community.
Rulan Tagen, 2/11-6-7:30pm (potsponed) PANEL
Rulan Tangen is a lifelong dance artist . A creatrix and dreamvisioner, her contemporary dance practice strives to serve as a functional ritual for ecology, to evoke transformation and healing As Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer of DANCING EARTH, she has passionately cultivated successive generations of local and global contemporary performing artists as intercultural creative ambassadors and conduits for social change She is recipient of 2018-19 Kennedy Center Citizen Artist award for Service, Justice, Freedom, Courage, and Gratitude - and is grateful for all that roots her, for the dreaming and doing of Dancing Earth : moving the world into renewal. www.dancingearth.org
Immerse yourself in the richness of New Mexico's dance heritage with our panel discussion, Dance Historical Harmony. We will delve into a few aspects of the evolution of our NM dance community, exploring influential factors that have shaped it over the years.
Myra Krien- 2/12am-9:30-12pm PANEL
Myra Krien is the founder and director of Pomegranate Studios, a dance school and performing arts organization dedicated to education and community outreach that started in Santa Fe in 1996. The 2019 recipient of the Santa Fe Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Arts, Krien is an award-winning dance artist, professional dance mentor, and international performer, choreographer, and instructor of MENAHT (Middle Eastern, North African, Hellenistic, and Turkish) dance forms.
Immerse yourself in the richness of New Mexico's dance heritage with our panel discussion, Dance Historical Harmony. We will delve into a few aspects of the evolution of our NM dance community, exploring influential factors that have shaped it over the years.
Mary Virginia, “Ginny”- 2/12-9:30am-12pm PANEL
In the early stages of her career, Mary Virginia ("Ginny") Wilmerding had a career in professional dance in New York City. Today, she holds the position of Research Professor at the University of New Mexico. Within the university, she contributes to both the Exercise Science and Dance Programs. Additionally, Ginny shares her knowledge at the Public Academy for Performing Arts, a charter school catering to grades 6-12. Dr. Ginny has a rich history of leadership, having been the Past President of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS). She also served as the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chair of the IADMS Annual Meeting Program Committee, showcasing her dedication to the field. Her commitment is further evidenced by her decade-long service on the IADMS Board of Directors from 2001 to 2011. Beyond her leadership roles, Dr. Wilmerding has made significant contributions to dance medicine and science. She has lent her expertise to the Editorial Boards of Medical Problems of Performing Artists and the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. Her original research has been published in various journals, reflecting her deep engagement with the academic side of dance. She has published two books with colleague Donna Krasnow, PhD: Motor Learning and Control for Dance:Principles and Practices for Performers and Teacher, and the IADMS organizational book Dancer Wellness. Currently, Ginny serves as the Executive Director for the New Mexico Ballet Company, bringing her extensive experience and expertise to the world of dance.
Immerse yourself in the richness of New Mexico's dance heritage with our panel discussion, Dance Historical Harmony. We will delve into a few aspects of the evolution of our NM dance community, exploring influential factors that have shaped it over the years.
Eva Encinas, 2/12-9:30am-12pm PANEL
Eva Encinias embodies a profound connection to the flamenco tradition. Her initiation into the art form occurred within her own family and, notably, in her mother's dance academy, presided by the esteemed bailaora Clarita (Clara García de Aranda). This academy, which still boasts an outstanding reputation in the United States, served as Eva's foundational learning ground.
Continuing the legacy of her mother, Eva became a dedicated teacher in her academy. In 1992, she expanded her commitment to flamenco education by establishing the Instituto Nacional de Flamenco, headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This institute houses its own Conservatory of Flamenco Art and stands as a prominent hub for the promotion of flamenco across the American continent. Additionally, Eva Encinias played a pivotal role in introducing flamenco into the curriculum at the University of New Mexico.
While her primary focus presently lies in the realm of teaching, it's worth noting that between 1970 and 1989, Eva toured extensively throughout the United States with her own company, Ritmo Flamenco. This period not only showcased her artistry but also contributed significantly to the widespread appreciation and understanding of flamenco across the nation.
Liberation Through Pole Arts 2/14 - 10:30 am - 12:00pm- WORKSHOP
Spiral Ascension: Liberation through Pole Arts it is a celebration of the rich history and transformative power that Pole Arts offer. Our panelists, comprising visionary Pole Arts business owners, accomplished artists, and a distinguished Ph.D. in Pole History, will guide participants through insightful discussions.
As we unravel the layers of Pole Arts, we will explore how this captivating form of expression serves as a catalyst for healing, self-love, and decolonization. Through engaging conversations, personal stories, and academic insights, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of Pole Arts.
Journey with us in creating a space where the enchanting spirals of Pole Arts intertwine with narratives of empowerment. 'Spiral Ascension: Liberation through Pole Arts' is an invitation to embrace the transformative and empowering essence of this art form, fostering a community that resonates with harmony, healing, and the celebration of individual liberation.
Eugene Pickett 2/11, 6-7:30 PANEL + VIIZON Takeover 2/12, 6-7:30pm
Eugene Pickett III, widely recognized as "TreyVision," hails originally from the Redland Foothills of California and presently resides in the occupied territories of Albuquerque, New Mexico. As an Afro-Native individual, he takes immense pride in his role as a devoted father to a wonderful daughter. With a diverse skill set encompassing dance, filmmaking, spoken word artistry, music, choreography, artist development coaching, training, and healing, Eugene envisions utilizing these artistic modalities to fuel positive change. His overarching goal is to create a future where subsequent generations inherit a world that surpasses the current state.
“At VIIIZON Academy, we pride ourselves on our students SUCCESS in the studio and in life. We show up in our community by creating a new culture of performing arts, standard of training and professional work. At VIIIZON Academy we focus on a wholistic approach of training, ensuring students are prepared mentally, emotionally, and physically to fulfill their unlimited potential. The goal is to build confidence, dedication, and elicit enthusiasm to ones chosen craft. The simple commitment to oneself! So be ready to BE YOU, SHOW UP and SHOW OUT!”
At the Risk of Drowning 2/15- 6-7:15pm -PERFORMANCE
At the Risk of Drowning is a journey to embracing softness, vulnerability, and queerness. Ramos takes this journey through retrospection of childhood memories, guidance from Taíno deity Yocahú, and physical exploration of effort and energy. The evening will involve voluntary audience participation before the beginning of the performance in a workshop that involves relating, movement, and the creation of a yarn "cemí".
Fernando Ramos is a dance artist from San Juan, Puerto Rico. His formal dance training started when he was 16. When he entered college, he immediately joined the university’s pre-professional dance company, MTSU Dance Theatre. While at Middle Tennessee State University he minored in dance and had the pleasure to learn from and work with Kim Nofsinger, Marsha Barsky, Jenna Kosowski, Cynthia Gutierrez, Patty Foster, Aaron McGloin, Madia Cooper and Jesse Zaritt. After returning to Puerto Rico in 2014, he joined contemporary ballet company CoDa 21 as a guest artist for multiple productions, most notably Septime Webre’s “Alice! (In Wonderland)”. He also danced works by Jesús Miranda, Denisse Eliza, Nacho Duato, Telmo Moreira, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
As a choreographer, he has been commissioned by Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, Ballets de San Juan, Instituto de Cultura de Puerto Rico, CoDa 21, Portland Ballet in Maine, and Ballet 22. He has also collaborated as a choreographer in multiple theatrical productions with director Miguel Rosa, such as: “Billy Elliot: The Musical”, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”, “Once on this Island”, “Speak Not!”, and “Little Women: The Musical”.
He is one of the founders of Claroscuro, a contemporary dance collective. His work has been performed by Claroscuro in international dance festivals such as SoloDuo Dance Festival in New York, EDANCO in the Dominican Republic and the Buffer Fringe Performing Arts Festival in Cyprus. His work has focused on community, migration, and the humanities.
In 2021, he created two professional training opportunities through the choreographic intensive ‘NEXO’ and the contemporary dance intensive ‘CONTEMPORA’. He’s also been part of the dance faculty at Sacred Heart University and is a collaborator for the contemporary dance company BocaTuya in New York and the Puerto Rican dance company CoDa 21. Most recently, he was appointed Co-Chair of the Dance Department at New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Stephanie Alia-2/13 11:30am-12pm TAROT
Stephanie Alia is a native New Mexican who is also a San Diego Comic-Con exhibitor, a reader, and an experimental filmmaker. She is the creator of the international selling the Viator Somniorum and the Gothmancy: Divination & Darkness Deck. She loves to use all three decks she created to do in-depth tarot readings.
Join in a community Tarot Reading!
An Evening of Bharatanatyam 2/16 6-7:15pm
Sneha Chakradhar will be presenting an evening of Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form that originated in the Hindu temples of Southern India. This form is believed to have roots in 2000 years of history and serves as an intriguing way to study continuity and change over centuries in the Indian civilization. The dance traditions of India are an amalgamation of a variety of knowledge systems. They combine movement, melody, rhythm, philosophy, mythology, ritual, theatre, poetry, literature, spirituality, yoga, biomechanics, art, sculpture and architecture. Bharatanatyam continues to be a revered and evolving tradition, captivating audiences worldwide.
Sneha will present a Varnam, which is the focal point of the traditional Bharatanatyam repertoire. The Varnam in Bharatanatyam stands as a testament to the beauty and intricacy of this classical dance form. It is an elaborate piece that showcases the dancer’s prowess in both technical skill and storytelling. The dancer not only exhibits mastery over complex footwork and stylized body movements but also conveys a profound emotional narrative through facial expressions, hand gestures and postures. This dualistic aspect adds depth and complexity to the Varnam, making it a captivating and challenging piece for performers. Due to its vibrant choreography, emotional depth, and technical demands, the Varnam is also a completely immersive experience for the audience. The Varnam Sneha will be performing is dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is set to Ragam Behag and Talam Aadi, a cycle of 8 beats.
Sneha Chakradhar is a prominent artist of Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form of India. With over three decades of dedicated practice, she has honed her skills, merging her passion for Bharatanatyam with her profound engagement with music, poetry, and the social sciences.
Born and raised in New Delhi, Sneha's journey has been shaped by influential mentors, including the legendary Gurus, K.N. Dakshinamoorthy and Geeta Chandran. Hailing from a family of musicians and litterateurs, Sneha has been fortunate to receive invaluable guidance and unwavering support as she forges her path in the invigorating world of the arts.
Sneha's performances are characterized by their assertiveness, reflecting her mastery of both the rhythmic and interpretative aspects of the classical form. Her stage presence has garnered admiration from critics and audiences alike. A thinking artist, Sneha's choreographic creations embody a fusion of visual, performative, and literary traditions from both the northern and southern regions of India.
As the senior dancer of the Natya Vriksha Dance Company in New Delhi, Sneha has traveled extensively, presenting diverse productions addressing critical social issues, such as equity and diversity, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, female feticide, environmental degradation, and women's empowerment. Notably, in January 2015, Sneha had the privilege of performing for the former US President, Barack Obama, during a cultural evening hosted by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at the Presidential House in New Delhi.
Sneha has also been a cultural ambassador representing India on global stages. She has showcased her talents through solo recitals and group presentations at prestigious cultural venues worldwide, including the Nehru Centre in London, Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan in Sydney, Lincoln Centre in New York, National Centre for Performing Arts in Mumbai, Thai Cultural Centre in Bangkok, and the Mahatma Gandhi Institute in Mauritius. Recognized for her contributions, Sneha has received accolades from premier Indian dance and music institutes, such as the 'Dandayudhapani Award 2001,' 'Natya Ratna,' 'Chitra Kala Sangam Award,' 'Madhav Jyoti Samman,' 'Allahabad Museum Young Talent Award,' and 'Bharat Icon Award 2019.'
Beyond her artistic pursuits, Sneha is an enthusiastic academic. In 2015, she earned her Ph.D. in Sociology, focusing her research on Bharatanatyam as her case study. She holds a Master's degree in Sociology, a Master's degree in Theatre, and a Diploma in Development Communication. Sneha's passion for academia led her to serve as an assistant professor at the Department of Sociology at Janki Devi Memorial College, Delhi University, from 2010 to 2013. She also worked as a consultant, designing the arts curriculum for Shiv Nadar School in Delhi between 2015 and 2020. Currently, Sneha is an assistant professor at the Department of Arts and Human Sciences at Northern New Mexico College in Espanola.
She is also the founder of "Namah Fe," a festival held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which celebrates the arts, cinema, and culture of India.
Fate’s Artist- 2/13 6-7:30pm- PERFORMANCE
The human experience is riddled with mystery, mysteries which go beyond our understanding, yet somehow they synthesize understanding between us. Going beyond the cloud of death, the mystery of fate is further beyond human comprehension. Fate forces us to battle our own egos, creating an infinite war between self-reliance and self-surrender where there is no victory, only uncertainty. 'Fate's Artist' conceptualized by Dominic Fraire will be a dance-emphasized performance featuring Athena Dunleavy paired with specially arranged music by Angel Guanajuato that will engage with a sculptural stage created by Morgan Coleman which highlights southwestern adobe architecture.