Join Ephrat Asherie Dance (EAD) and world-renowned artists and educators Brahms “Bravo” Lafortune, Michele Saunders, Sal Rentas, Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie, Manon Bal, Eriko Jimbo ,Teena Marie, Omari Oricci, Ms. Vee, Dorren “Moglii” Smith, Matthew “Megawatt” West and Ron “Stealth-1” Chunn Jr. for a one-of-a kind weekend summer intensive.
EAD will delve into the freestyle flow of street and club dance as well as the creative and collaborative process so integral to the work they create together as a company. From Breaking and Locking, 80s and 90s Party Dances, House and Vogue, you’ll have the opportunity to study with the best in the field over a 3-day period. The intensive will culminate in a dance party on the third day for all participants! Join 92NY’s Harkness Dance Center and Ephrat Asherie Dance and guests for this exciting summer intensive.
3-3:30 pm INTRO to EAD: (30-minute chat and overview of who we are and why we are so hype about this intensive)
3:30-4:45 pm Locking with Ms Vee
5-6:15 pm 80s and 90s Party Dances with Ms. Vee
5-6:15 pm***Open to dancers of ALL ages Breaking with Ron “Stealth-1” Chunn
6:30-7:45 pm House with Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie
8-9:15 pm Vogue with Omari Oricci
10-11:15 am Illuminate: A movement meditation through street dance with Teena Marie
11:30 am-12:45 pm Movement Abstractions: A workshop on finding inspiration everywhere with Matthew “Megawatt” West
1-2:15 pm Conducting the Music: A workshop on syncopation and innovation with Manon Bal
2:30-3:45 pm***Open to dancers of ALL ages Bravo Dancing: A freestyle approach to movement and finding your way with Brahms “Bravo” LaFortune
4-5 pm Lineage, Legacy and the Music: Panel discussion with club legends Brahms “Bravo” LaFortune, Sal Rentas and Michele Saunders.
Want to keeping the inspiration going? Not to be missed! Ladies of Hip Hop Festival Annual Showcase 7:30-10 pm Cooper Union 30 Cooper Sq., New York, NY 10003
10-11:15 am Making space: A workshop on partnering and listening with Eriko Jimbo
11:30 am-12:45 pm Club life conversations: leading and following on the dance floor with Dorren “Moglii” Smith
1-2:15 pm***Open to dancers of ALL ages Community class for dancers of ALL ages
2:30-3:30 pm***Open to dancers of ALL ages Party!
Ready for more? Run from the party to the LOHH Ladies Battle 2024!! Chelsea Factory 547 W 26th Street, New York, NY
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Brahms “Bravo” LaFortune is a NYC club dance legend, illustrious DJ and iconic party starter and has graced dance floors and turntables world over since 1977. If he's at a party, you want to be there. Bravo is known for his lightning-fast footwork style (what he names as freestyle jazz) and his flourishes of floor dives and spins. He is inspired by the older style of bebop (scat) dancing and everyday movements of people walking down the streets …
Brahms “Bravo” LaFortune is a NYC club dance legend, illustrious DJ and iconic party starter and has graced dance floors and turntables world over since 1977. If he's at a party, you want to be there. Bravo is known for his lightning-fast footwork style (what he names as freestyle jazz) and his flourishes of floor dives and spins. He is inspired by the older style of bebop (scat) dancing and everyday movements of people walking down the streets. A self-taught dancer, Bravo’s big inspirations include James Brown, the Nicholas Brothers, Eleanor Powell, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Sammy Davis Jr. and TV shows like Soul train and PBS/Dance in America. He is one of the six featured dancers in the seminal dance documentary Check Your Body at the Door created by Dr. Sally Sommer, a leading dance historian in the United States. Bravo continues to perform with critically acclaimed musician/songwriter/producer Strafe, and next year he will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Strafe’s number one hit “Set it Off,” rated top 200 dance songs of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine. Bravo is committed to teaching the next generation of dancers how to get free and teaches workshops all over the world. His classes are singular and life-affirming, lifting each student’s energy and self-confidence to the utmost heights.
Sal Rentas, a native of the Island of Manhattan, NYC, has been deeply influenced by the vibrant music and rhythm of his upbringing. His mother, hailing from the Dominican Republic, instilled in him a love for patterns and footwork on the fly, teaching him frequently with some of her fav songs that played on Spanish radio. This early exposure to dance was further enriched by his older brother, an exceptional musician, and his father from Puerto Rica …
Sal Rentas, a native of the Island of Manhattan, NYC, has been deeply influenced by the vibrant music and rhythm of his upbringing. His mother, hailing from the Dominican Republic, instilled in him a love for patterns and footwork on the fly, teaching him frequently with some of her fav songs that played on Spanish radio. This early exposure to dance was further enriched by his older brother, an exceptional musician, and his father from Puerto Rica, a businessman/singer who had a small record label. During his grammar school years, Sal’s passion for dance & skating began to overshadow his love for basketball. He immersed himself in the music and movements of iconic artists like James Brown and Michael Jackson. It was during this time that Sal had his first Hustle Dance lesson, by Mongo Santamaría’s niece, on the sidelines of his school’s basketball court. In high school, his dedication to music and dance grew as he collected music, DJ-ed, danced, skated and continued to refine his skills. Sal attended Hustle dance lessons at Fred Astaire Dance Studios, and in college, he had the incredible opportunity to study tap dance under the tutelage of Gene Kelly’s brother for two years. Fueling his passion, Sal sought out various dance styles, taking lessons from numerous dance schools across the city. As the years progressed, Sal became part of productions, shows and videos, realizing that he had become a true product of his environment—an environment teeming with dance legends, musical icons, and in NYC the birthplace of various dance genres. Sal considers himself profoundly blessed to have been immersed in such a vibrant dance music culture, from the origins of “The Hustle” to the present day. Available for one to one coaching on grooving with wheels or without!!
Born and raised in Paris, France, a trailblazing rebel from day one, Michele Saunders was always fascinated with American music—Elvis Presley, James Dean, rock ‘n roll, R&B, Motown—as well as the world of art, fashion, and film. While recuperating from a serious ski accident at 18, she decided to move to America. One year later, she started studying at Mount Holyoke College on a Fulbright Scholarship. When she moved to New York City, she also started representing some of the world’s most innovative fashion and art photographers, and illustrators …
Born and raised in Paris, France, a trailblazing rebel from day one, Michele Saunders was always fascinated with American music—Elvis Presley, James Dean, rock ‘n roll, R&B, Motown—as well as the world of art, fashion, and film. While recuperating from a serious ski accident at 18, she decided to move to America. One year later, she started studying at Mount Holyoke College on a Fulbright Scholarship. When she moved to New York City, she also started representing some of the world’s most innovative fashion and art photographers, and illustrators, including Steve Hiett, Art Kane, David Hamilton, Jacques Malignon, Uwe Ommer, Pater Sato and Dan Rinaldi, giving Saunders a first-row seat to cutting-edge creators in the fashion industry. She also worked for years in the music industry, styling photography shoots and musical performers, including Elton John, Diana Ross, Billy Idol, Luther Vandross, Pink and others. Her love of music led to the discovery of Paradise Garage, a dance club in New York City that influenced Ms. Saunders’ life profoundly, furthering her love of dancing and the world of dance music, connecting her to DJs such as David Morales, Louie Vega and Kenny Carpenter. Through the people she met there, she befriended Patricia Field, had her son Zachary (Ms. Field is his godmother). She has collaborated on stories with the art and fashion magazine, Document, including an interview with Frankie Knuckles (the godfather of house music) by Honey Dijon. She has also worked extensively in “street casting” – the art of spotting diverse and urban fashionistas who create their own unique styles. Now 76, Ms. Saunders’ stays current and works to connect artists and creative thinkers of all kinds, helping people find their dream homes, and continuing to produce events that shine the light on Catskill.
Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie is a NYC-based director, choreographer, performer and b-girl and a 2016 Bessie Award Winner for Innovative Achievement in Dance. Asherie has received numerous awards to support her work including Dance Magazine’s Inaugural Harkness Promise Award and two National Dance Project Awards. In 2019 she was the recipient of a NYFA Fellowship and was a Jerome Hill Artist Fellow from 2021-2023. As Artistic Director of Ephrat Asherie Dance (EAD), Asherie’s work has been presented on stages nationally and internationally …
Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie is a NYC-based director, choreographer, performer and b-girl and a 2016 Bessie Award Winner for Innovative Achievement in Dance. Asherie has received numerous awards to support her work including Dance Magazine’s Inaugural Harkness Promise Award and two National Dance Project Awards. In 2019 she was the recipient of a NYFA Fellowship and was a Jerome Hill Artist Fellow from 2021-2023. As Artistic Director of Ephrat Asherie Dance (EAD), Asherie’s work has been presented on stages nationally and internationally with commissions from companies including Malpaso, Philadanco! and Parsons Contemporary Dance and additional commissions from Vail Dance Festival, Fall for Dance, River to River Festival, Firatàtrrega, Works & Process at the Guggenheim and the Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences. Additional directorial work includes UNDERSCORED: On Screen at Lincoln Center, FLOORISH, Solo Chini: Un Dia en Nueva York and In the MOment: A Drawing Dance (New York Premiere at Dance on Camera Lincoln Center). Asherie is honored to have been mentored by Richard Santiago (aka Break Easy) and to have worked and collaborated with Michelle Dorrance, Doug Elkins, Rennie Harris, Bill Irwin, Gus Solomons jr, and Buddha Stretch, among others. Asherie earned her BA from Barnard College, Columbia University in Italian and her MFA from the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee where she researched the vernacular jazz dance roots of street and club dances. She is a co-founding member of the all-female house dance collective MAWU and is forever grateful to NYC’s underground dance community for inspiring her to pursue a life as an artist.
Manon Bal is a versatile professional dancer from Marseille, France. She has trained at the IFPRO Centre de International de Dance Rick Odums in Paris and at the prestigious Ailey School in New York City. As a choreographer, Manon is the co-founder of Mozaik Dance in collaboration with Janine Micheletti and Sun Kim …
Manon Bal is a versatile professional dancer from Marseille, France. She has trained at the IFPRO Centre de International de Dance Rick Odums in Paris and at the prestigious Ailey School in New York City. As a choreographer, Manon is the co-founder of Mozaik Dance in collaboration with Janine Micheletti and Sun Kim. The company has presented their work Sad Hope at Jacob’s Pillow, San Francisco Hip Hop Dance Fest, and as a part of the New Victory Dance Series. As a performer, Manon has danced with PMT Dance Company at Barclays Center for the Nets Halftime Show and worked for respected choreographers such as Ronald K Brown, Tweet Boogie, Jon Rua, and Miki Tuesday.
Ron “Stealth-1” Chunn is a Bboy and DJ originally from Columbus, Ohio. “Stealth” is a member of Get Down Gang from Pittsburgh and was a founding member of the Midwest’s Street Symphony Crew. As a Bboy, Stealth has battled and danced with crews in various places around the world, and opened for Hip Hop heavy-hitters such as Rakim, Pete Rock, Mobb Deep and Slum Village. Stealth was also a founding member of Bill (Crutchmaster) Shannon’s company ‘Touch Update’, and toured with the company to Philadelphia, PA, Washington D.C. and New York City …
Ron “Stealth-1” Chunn is a Bboy and DJ originally from Columbus, Ohio. “Stealth” is a member of Get Down Gang from Pittsburgh and was a founding member of the Midwest’s Street Symphony Crew. As a Bboy, Stealth has battled and danced with crews in various places around the world, and opened for Hip Hop heavy-hitters such as Rakim, Pete Rock, Mobb Deep and Slum Village. Stealth was also a founding member of Bill (Crutchmaster) Shannon’s company ‘Touch Update’, and toured with the company to Philadelphia, PA, Washington D.C. and New York City. As a Dj, Stealth has played music all around the US and Canada, selected for Bboy battles such as Get Rooted in Nashville and Battlezone in Pittsburgh, and currently holds residencies in multiple places in Pittsburgh, PA and Wheeling, WV. Stealth also djs for the Pittsburgh Emcee Cypher ‘Track Meet’, as well as laid down some scratching on songs for local emcees. Stealth holds two master’s degrees, including a Philosophy MA from Western Ontario University, and bachelor degrees in five other areas from Ohio Wesleyan University and the University of Pittsburgh. Stealth still serves as one half of the owners of the GDG HQ, which has served as a Hip Hop playground in the city of Pittsburgh where people come to train in dance and music, and generally soak up Hip Hop and Funk culture.
Teena Marie Custer is an artist and healer based in Pittsburgh, PA. Her solo choreographic work has been presented at Sadler’s Wells in London, and then toured around the U.S. She has created street dance theater works for over 35 university dance departments around the country, and after receiving an M.F.A. from Ohio State, was on faculty at Slippery Rock University and the American Dance Festival …
Teena Marie Custer is an artist and healer based in Pittsburgh, PA. Her solo choreographic work has been presented at Sadler’s Wells in London, and then toured around the U.S. She has created street dance theater works for over 35 university dance departments around the country, and after receiving an M.F.A. from Ohio State, was on faculty at Slippery Rock University and the American Dance Festival. She is a member of Venus Fly and Get Down Gang street dance crews, and has been with Ephrat Asherie Dance since 2012, while also touring with Bill “Crutchmaster” Shannon.
Valerie “Ms. Vee” Ho originally from Vancouver, Canada started making her mark in the NYC dance scene in 2003. Vee has proudly been in Ephrat Asherie Dance since 2012. In her career, she’s also had the pleasure of working with such distinguished choreographers as Buddha Stretch, Rennie Harris, Luam, Maria Torres, and Bradley Rapier …
Valerie “Ms. Vee” Ho originally from Vancouver, Canada started making her mark in the NYC dance scene in 2003. Vee has proudly been in Ephrat Asherie Dance since 2012. In her career, she’s also had the pleasure of working with such distinguished choreographers as Buddha Stretch, Rennie Harris, Luam, Maria Torres, and Bradley Rapier. Amongst her numerous TV, film, and stage credits, highlights include: ‘Hideaway’ Video by Kiesza, The Detour, VH1 Dear Mama TV special, Step Up 3D, Rennie Harris’ Legends of Hip Hop, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Sadler’s Wells Breaking Convention, Lincoln Center Out of Doors. Ms Vee is also a celebrated dance educator, and is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center, Pace University’s Commercial Dance BFA Program, and in 2017 became the first Hip Hop teacher at the world-renowned Juilliard School.
Eriko Jimbo is a Tokyo born NYC based performing artist. She is an experienced performer ranging in various styles such as contemporary, modern, hip hop, house, martial arts, aerial arts, sway pole and acting. Professionally, she has toured globally, appeared on national and international tv shows, featured in several music videos, films, interviews, and worked extensively with the world-renowned Pilobolus Dance Theater as a primary company member for 6 years …
Eriko Jimbo is a Tokyo born NYC based performing artist. She is an experienced performer ranging in various styles such as contemporary, modern, hip hop, house, martial arts, aerial arts, sway pole and acting. Professionally, she has toured globally, appeared on national and international tv shows, featured in several music videos, films, interviews, and worked extensively with the world-renowned Pilobolus Dance Theater as a primary company member for 6 years. Since then, she has continued to work with Pilobolus, while performing with several other companies/ productions such as the Forest of Arden, Ephrat Asherie Dance, Mawu, Fuerza Bruta's Wayra, Seeing You NYC, FLOW KAKOU, and was also an original cast member and dance captain of Fuerza Bruta WA!! in Tokyo. She recently joined Virgin Voyages as a Show Captain/Performer working with Gypsy Snider (Les 7 Doigts de la Main), Sam Pinkleton, and Ani Taj, and now currently works with their team to help install shows as an associate choreographer/director. Jimbo continues to expand her performance vocabulary with the Muse ABCirque productions as an aerialist as well as a sway pole artist and dancer.
Matthew West started dancing at the age of sixteen in Queens. Megawatt is an active part of NYC’s underground dance community and teaches youth classes throughout the five boroughs …
Matthew West started dancing at the age of sixteen in Queens. Megawatt is an active part of NYC’s underground dance community and teaches youth classes throughout the five boroughs. Megawatt is a regular guest artist with Dorrance Dance and can be seen in Baz Lurhman’s Netflix series The Get Down and battling with his crew, the Mellow Animals.
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