Ailey Extension Announces Special Virtual Workshops Plus New Kids & Teens Online Session

Ailey Extension is dancing into Spring with fresh new weekend workshops that introduce adults, children, and teens to new dance techniques. On Saturday, March 20, adult students are invited to mark the first day of Spring in three unique workshops: Absolute Beginner Ballet focusing on fundamental vocabulary, a Horton masterclass teaching the technique seen in many of Alvin Ailey's classic works, and an Afro-Cuban dance experience complete with live music. Seasonal festivities continue a week later with a cheerful Masala Bhangra workshop celebrating the Hindu Spring "festival of colors". Young dancers ages 5-17 are welcome to join in the dance during the Kids & Teens Online Spring session (March 1 - May 2) which features age-appropriate classes - such as a new Junior Broadway Jazz for tweens and Teen Contemporary - that allow students to build confidence as they work on their dance skills. Each of these new virtual workshops and classes are open to students of all levels, offering experienced and beginner dancers around the world the chance to learn from elite instructors.

Ailey fans are encouraged to join former Company member Amos Machanic on March 20 at 5pm ET for a 90-minute Horton Masterclass. This workshop will teach students the technique which serves as the foundation of much of the choreography performed by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, including movements which stretch and strengthen different areas of the body, such as flat backs, primitive squats, lateral stretches, release swings, leg swings, deep lunges, and T position.

La Mora's monthly Afro-Cuban Live workshop returns on March 20 at 2pm ET, helping students explore various forms of Afro-Cuban dance in a warm and welcoming environment. Filmed with live music accompaniment in the beautiful Ailey Studios, this workshop embraces an accessible path to understanding dance through the quality of movement and cultural context. While practicing different movements representing the Orishas (deities from West African traditions brought to Cuba), La Mora discusses the form's history and its importance to each movement. Dancers who are unable to make the live workshop can instead opt for the Afro-Cuban On-Demand version that will be made available from March 21 through March 27.

Anna Lederfeind invites students to learn fundamental ballet technique and vocabulary during a two-part Absolute Beginner Ballet workshop. Both two-hour workshops allow students to work on the basics - including proper body alignment, footwork coordination, and musicality while dancing easy-to-follow combinations. Starting at 12pm ET on March 20, the first session will introduce participants to arm movements and center footwork, followed by a second class on March 27 which will build on these skills with a focus on coordination of arm movements with center footwork.

On March 27 at 3pm ET Sarina Jain will bring the Indian Spring "festival of colors" - to Ailey Extension with a Masala Bhangra Holi Celebration. In this 75-minute dance cardio workshop, Sarina will take students through a fun and authentic musical journey, fusing the glitz and glam of India's Bollywood films with traditional north-Indian Bhangra folk dance for a high energy fitness experience. Class will include an easy-to-follow routine that can be modified to fit the comfort level of each student, making it an accessible dance fitness exercise for all students.

Starting March 24, dancers can spend Wednesdays at 5:30pm ET practicing Afro-Cuban Modern - a dynamic dance style that fuses North American techniques (Graham, Limon, Taylor), ballet, and Afro-Cuban dances and rhythms - with Noibis Licea. In each class students will experience a rarely seen form of modern dance which provides a new avenue for self-expression. Noibis will introduce unique movements, routines, and rhythms which require dancers to think more intently about space, time, and musicality.

Even dancers as young as five years old can learn basic skills and try out new techniques during the Kids & Teens Online Spring session which runs from March 1 - May 2. This season's eight-week series introduces two new classes to its robust lineup - a Teen Contemporary class led by former Ailey star Linda Celeste Sims and a Junior Broadway Jazz class with Lainie Munro for pre-teens. Children ages 10-12 can also choose from weekly ballet and Horton classes while children ages 5-9 will be offered age-appropriate ballet classes. Hip-hop classes are available for each age group. All Kids & Teens Online classes are open to students of all experience levels and allow them to develop coordination and individuality in a non-competitive environment with their peers. Students can sign up for the full session or drop-in to one of the classes.

In addition to these new classes and workshops Ailey Extension also offers more than 30 weekly classes for adults in a variety of different styles including hip-hop, ballet, Horton, West African, samba, contemporary, BellydanceBURN, Broadway Jazz and more. To keep dancing with Ailey without having to leave your home, please visit alvinailey.org/extension to find further information, including how to register for Ailey Extension's classes and workshops.

VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS & NEW WEEKLY CLASSES FOR ADULTS

ABSOLUTE BEGINNER BALLET WORKSHOP with ANNA LEDERFEIND

Learn the fundamentals of the ballet technique in a welcoming and supportive environment with ballet expert Anna Lederfeind. This workshop is designed for students to learn the basics of ballet terminology and class etiquette through detailed explanations and practice. Students will gain an understanding of correct body alignment, footwork coordination, and musicality while dancing easy-to-follow combinations. Additional benefits include improving balance, toning the body, increasing flexibility, and developing core strength. Session I: Saturday, March 20 at 12pm ET; Session II: Saturday, March 27 at 12pm ET

AFRO-CUBAN WORKSHOP with La Mora

This workshop is intended to create a movement environment that explores the various forms of Afro-Cuban dance tradition. While practicing different movements representing the Orishas (deities from the African traditions brought to Cuba), La Mora will discuss the form's history and its importance to each movement. Based on each dancer's skill, knowledge, and experience, La Mora allows participants to embrace an accessible path to understanding dance through the quality of movement, and cultural context. Saturday, March 20 at 2pm ET or On-Demand March 21-27

HORTON MASTERCLASS with AMOS MACHANIC

Learn Horton technique, the technical foundation of choreography performed by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, with former Company member Amos Machanic. The workshop will consist of studies to stretch and strengthen different areas of the body, including flat backs, primitive squats, lateral stretches, release swings, leg swings, deep lunches, and T positions. Open to students of all levels. Saturday, March 20 at 3pm ET

MASALA BHANGRA HOLI CELEBRATION with SARINA JAIN

Join Sarina for the Indian celebration of Holi, festival of colors, as she takes you through a fun and authentic Bollywood musical journey! Fused with a little bit of glitz and glam, this workshop will make you feel like you're on set of your own Bollywood movie. Derived from two Indian words, "Masala," which means spicy in Hindi, and "Bhangra," which is a traditional folk dance from the northern state of Punjab, India, this fitness program modernizes the high-energy folk dance by blending traditional Bhangra dance steps with the exhilaration of Bollywood (Hindi film) moves. It's easy to follow and can be modified to the comfort level of the student, making it accessible to all fitness levels. Saturday, March 27 at 3pm ET

AFRO-CUBAN MODERN with NOIBIS LICEA

Cuban modern dance is a dynamic fusion of North American dance techniques (Graham, Limon, Taylor), ballet and Afro-Cuban dances and rhythms. The class consists of a warm-up with a concentration on breathing and undulation exercises, along with across-the-floor and open dance combinations. The unique movement, routines, and rhythms introduced in class will require dancers to think more intently about space, time, and musicality. The purpose of this class is to introduce dancers to a new, rarely seen form of modern dance and provide them with a new avenue for self-expression. Wednesdays at 5:30pm ET starting March 24

VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS FOR KIDS & TEENS

KIDS & TEENS ONLINE

Kids & Teens Online is open to children of all genders and experience levels. Each class takes into consideration the abilities of the age group to create an environment that fosters learning skills and boosts confidence while being taught by the city's top instructors. Spring 2021 session runs from March 1 - May 2 (no class on April 3 and 4)

INTRO TO BALLET (Ages 5-6) Sundays, 10:00-10:45am ET

Therese Wendler will introduce students to the ballet vocabulary while progressing at the barre, developing coordination through combinations.

INTRO TO HIP-HOP (Ages 5-7) Sundays, 9:00-9:45am ET

TweetBoogie will lead your kids through the fundamentals of hip-hop, developing coordination and musicality while building on basic body isolations, precision, and performance quality.

BALLET FOR KIDS (Ages 7-9) Sundays, 11:00-11:45am ET

Therese Wendler will further students' ballet vocabulary while progressing at the barre, developing coordination through combinations.

HIP HOP 4 KIDS (Ages 8-9) Sundays 10:00-10:45am ET

Keith Alexander will lead kids through the fundamentals of hip-hop, developing coordination and musicality while building on basic body isolations, precision, and performance quality.

JUNIOR BALLET (Ages 10-12) Saturdays, 12:00-1:00pm ET

Linda Celeste Sims will progress students at the barre, develop coordination through combinations, develop flexibility, and grow their ballet vocabulary.

EXTENDED JUNIOR BALLET (Ages 10-12) Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30-5:30pm ET

Dawn Hillen shares the inspiring beauty and technique of ballet with your young people. In every class, the students will experience a series of stretches, ballet positions, and dance movements that will encourage their flexibility, balance, strength, coordination, musicality, and joy of performing to music.

JUNIOR BROADWAY JAZZ (Ages 10-13) Thursdays, 3:30-4:30pm ET

Lainie Munro will teach dancers the technique and vocabulary used in theater dance, as well as the history of the song and the musical. From the warm-up to the combination, every song is from a Broadway musical. This fun and energetic online class is ideal for aspiring young performers who love Broadway and want to learn about musical theater dance.

JUNIOR HIP-HOP (Ages 10-12) Sundays, 11:00-11:45am ET and Tuesdays, 3pm ET

Keith Alexander will lead your kids through the fundamentals of hip-hop, developing coordination and musicality while building on basic body isolations, precision, and performance quality.

JUNIOR HORTON TECHNIQUE (Ages 10-12) Saturdays, 1:30-2:30pm ET

Karen Arceneaux will teach the fundamentals of the Horton technique using dance exercises to expand on flexibility, strength and musicality. Dancers are introduced to a class format that focuses on posture, placement, and coordination.

TEEN CONTEMPORARY (Ages 13-17) Sundays, 12:00-1:00pm ET

Linda Celeste Sims will help students find the freedom in the use of movement while developing technique and building a strong foundation. A fusion of modern, ballet, and jazz' this unique style explores a wide range of expressive movements and syncopated rhythms. Each class involves learning original choreography while focusing on theatrical elements and mastering musicality.

TEEN HIP-HOP (Ages 13-17) Sundays, 1:00-2:00pm ET

Keith Alexander will build on your kids' understanding of the fundamentals of hip-hop, coordination, and musicality while moving through basic body isolations, precision, and performance quality.

Weekly classes and special workshops from Ailey Extension take place virtually on Zoom

Photo credit: Kyle Froman