Life as a Modern Dancer | Christal N. Brown

photo credit: Kimara Dixon

"I believe the success of my career is based on the sheer action of saying Yes to God's continual instructions along a winding path of discovery. Because my first goal was to be a dance teacher, the performance world was totally foreign to me. Therefore, I never turned down any opportunity to dance regardless of the pay, the genre, or the venue. As long as my integrity was not compromised I committed myself to fully investing the talent God gave me to further my understanding of the field of dance. Saying 'yes' positioned me into a lot of great roles and more often into the company of mentors, friends, colleagues, and teachers, who led me full circle to my current professorship."

Read more about our Founding Artistic Director at dancingwords.typepad.com.

My Country Tis of Thee

Last week's Presidential debate left a lot to be desired. To start, my ovaries were completely ignored. Call those little organs self-centered, but they've been the center piece of this election season for the past 10 months, and when we finally get to a debate? Ignored.

On the bright side, the event did focus on the economy, healthcare and education - all extremely important issues. It's just too bad the President didn't bring his A game. Mitt Romney stood on stage with his perfectly quaft salt and pepper #JustForMen ad hair (word to twitter), and told lie after lie with the straightest face, a well executed argument and delivery. Meanwhile, the President struggled to be as clear, concise and confident as his opponent, even when spouting proven facts. If I were an uninformed undecided, based on that presentation alone, I would lean toward Mitt. My Country.

My country is in an interesting place. In this two party political system, one side has created a pretty political puppet - a talking head, while the other side is failing to present itself as consistent, persistent and confident in its choices.

My country is a place where those with power and privilege bank on the uneducated staying uneducated, and prey on people's fears and prejudices.

My country is a place where we can elect a president who runs on the platforms of hope, change, and "yes we can!" - but quickly forget that WE includes I, and change does not occur overnight.

Somewhere in Memory

Check out our Founding Artistic/Executive Director Christal Brown in her latest performance in the DANCENOW Festival at Joe's Pub. She dances to Cassandra Wilson.

INSPIRIT performs at BAAD! Friday, October 12

Christal Brown and INSPIRIT: The Evolution

Friday, October 12

8pm

Join INSPIRIT with new Artistic Director Alexandra Joye Warren as the company performs work from 2003 to the present, showcasing choreography by Christal Brown, Alexandra Joye Warren, Toni Renee Johnson and current company members. The evening will also include a sneak peek into one of Brown's newest collaborative endeavors "The Opulence of Integrity" performed by an all-male cast, as well as a performance via live feed by Christal Brown from Lusaka, Zambia.

Witness this amazing display of history as INSPIRIT prepares for their 10-year anniversary season in the spring of 2013!

$15 Student/Senior, $20 General Admission

PURCHASE TICKETS

Take 6 train to Hunts Points Avenue. Cross under Bruckner Expressway to 1st block (Garrison Avenue). Make right on Garrison and go 2 blocks to Barretto Street. Make left on Barretto Street to 841 Barretto in the middle of the block, right hand side, large warehouse, red door.

We look forward to seeing you there!

INSPIRIT recommends: DANCENOW Joe's Pub Festival

The 2012–13 Season marks DANCENOW’s tenth year of programming dance at Joe’s Pub. The season kicks off with the 2012 DANCENOW Joe’s Pub Festival featuring an exciting lineup of 40 choreographers/dance companies over five evenings from Wednesday September 5th through Saturday September 8th, including our new ENCORE evening on Saturday September 15, featuring the top ten choreographers whose work best meets the DANCENOW Challenge which asks festival artists to take our “less is more” mantra truly to heart and create a choreographic work of five minutes or less that makes aconcise artistic statement.

Each evening, the audience will vote for a Challenge winner who will receive a free weeklong creative residency at DANCENOW Silo on Kirkland Farm in Pennsylvania. One winner from the entire festival run, selected by DANCENOW producers and advisors, will receive a $1,000 creative development stipend, a free weeklong creative residency at Silo on Kirkland Farm, and a 20-hour space grant from the Gibney Dance Center.

Continuing its signature short-takes format, the DANCENOW Joe’s Pub Festival showcases a wide-range of work by emerging and established artists, offering audiences a look at the rich diversity of dance in New York City.

The festival serves as a testing ground for new ideas, providing artists with a unique opportunity to experiment with their craft and create work for New York City’s “best tiny stage.”  

Some artists we are looking forward to seeing are:

Wed, September 5

Marjani Forté 

Thurs, September 6

Simone Sobers Dance 

Fri, September 7 

Jamal Jackson Dance Company 

LOVE|FORTÉ A COLLECTIVE

Sat, September 8 

Christal Brown

Click here for more information and tickets.

Played by Words: Lupe Fiasco's Newest VIDEO

"Bitch Bad" is the latest from hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco. Don't let the title trip you up. Fiasco is making a point with his play on words - that we've all been played by words, and are all the more confused about who we are for it. In the words of Christal Brown, this video "speaks to the history and proliferation of minstrelsy, the social plight of young women, and the role that other artists like Lupe Fiasco can play in making change." As women artists who are in the business of social change, particularly with regard to developing girls into self-actualized women, "Bitch Bad" resonates.

What are your thoughts?

 

Alexandra Joye Warren | Artistic Director

Alexandra Joye Warren is the new Artistic Director of INSPIRIT, a dance company. She takes over the company after performing with INSPIRIT since 2006, while Christal Brown continues as the Founding Artistic/Executive Director. A native of the Washington, D.C. Metro area, Alexandra began her intense training as a dance major at Suitland High School for Visual and Performing Arts. She received her BA degree in Drama with a concentration in Dance/Pre-Medicine from Spelman College in 2003 and in 2006 received her Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Alexandra has been fortunate to work on projects with Urban Bush Women, Bill T. Jones, Paloma and Patricia McGregor and many other New York based dance and theatre artists. She is honored to lead this exceptional group of gifted performers and choreographers who consider themselves the next generation of innovators in the field of dance.

Company member Sydnie L. Mosley takes a moment to talk to Alex about the transition into her new role in the company since January 2012.

At a little more than 7 months into your new role, the company has accomplished a lot: auditioning and bringing in 4 new company members, creating and setting 4 new works, a successful kickstarter campaign, and a creative residency at Middlebury College. How are you feeling about the company's progress thus far? Are we on track with your vision?

I am so excited about the progress that the company has made in this time of transition. I think it speaks to the incredible foundation that Christal Brown has established for the company. This is evidence of a new era; if we can continue the legacy, everyone benefits. It's a shame to see dance companies that we've known and love crumble when the founder goes through a transition. I am so honored that Christal chose me as the one to pass the torch to. 

"I'm so honored that Christal chose me
as the one to pass the torch to."

I am bursting with ideas and I have realized that some of them may take time. In lieu of that, I feel like many of my goals for the company have been accomplished but I am not one easily satisfied. That pushes me to continue to think more creatively and continue to work harder to build upon the foundation that was laid out for us.

Can you tell us about a challenge and a triumph you've encountered thus far?

The biggest challenge so far, and triumph, was our Kickstarter campaign. It's a harrowing process! The fact is, that even if you are a dollar shy of your goal you get $0 at the end. Those last 24 hours of the campaign were intense but I am so grateful for all 51 people who backed our project and made it a success. Beyond the much needed funds we raised to go back into the rehearsal process, I think we made new friends and expanded our audience along the way which will help us in the long run.

What is a little known fact about you?

That's difficult! I think I'm pretty much an open book. Many people know that I'm also a DJ, trained at Scratch DJ Academy here in New York. There may be some folks that don't know how much I love singing. I once played the lead in The Little Mermaid when I was in Middle School! Now I mostly sing Soprano at Church.

What are you most looking forward to this fall?

Two things: Our show at BAAD on October 12th. It's going to be the first major debut of the new company and a big moment for all of us.  

Also, the birth of my first child. I can't wait to meet our baby girl! It's going to be an epic life changing experience, and I am really looking forward to it.

Mater Mea | At the park with Christal and Gabriel

“When I’m teaching, I feel alive,” Brown says. “I’m able to connect with the kids on a different level than most instructors are, and I think it’s really because that’s the gift God gave me.” It’s a gift that Brown says has shaped the way she looks at the world and her role in it. “I’ve always thought of myself as more than a dance teacher,” she shares. “I really equate a lot of life lessons to the art of dance with my students. I’ve always been a catalyst for them to go to a different level in their lives.”

Now Brown has a catalyst of her own in the form of her son Gabriel. “When I learned I was going to be a mom, I was grateful and humbled,” she shares.

Read more about our Founding Artistic Director at matermea.com.

Rainbows in Vermont

INSPIRIT is back in New York City after a week long creative residency at Middlebury College with Christal Brown. The company enjoyed five days of conditioning (yoga, pilates and Liquid Strength, oh my!) while learning repertory and working out ideas for a new evening length work.

We had the opportunity to enjoy the fresh open air looking at picturesque skies, weeping willows, and bunnies playing in the grass. What a blessing to dance all day, learn from one another, and fellowship as a company.

Here we go! Road trip to Vermont!

Back: Remi and Luisa, Front: Rebecca and Allegra

Beautiful mountains in upstate New York.

Gorgeous sunshine and clouds above the barn.

Happy dancers after a long day of rehearsal.
(L to R): Rebecca, Luisa, Allegra, Karina, Remi
[Sydnie taking the photo!]

Rainbow in Vermont, after the storm. 

Spacious dance studio & performance space
at Middlebury.

Taking a breather.
Christal, GJ, Alex, Sydnie, Karina, Rebecca

Bluegrass music at Lincoln Peak Vineyard, New Haven.

Gorgeous sunset over the pond at the vineyard.

Over zealous Giants fan with a shrine on the side
of the highway as we travel back home!

SHOW TOMORROW

Hello fellow bloggers and Inspirit followers!

Here's the details on our APAP show tomorrow, hope to see you there!

Sunday, January 9,2011 at
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School
120 West 46th (@6th avenue) street NY,NY 10036
(b,d,f,m train to 47-50 st)
Performance at 7:48pm

We will be doing Say it Loud, so if you missed it in September, don't miss it this time!

Also, the long awaited Liquid Strength dvd is almost here! Keep peeping our blog and facebook pages for the release date coming soon!!

In the spirit,

INSPIRIT

Greetings from the Woods!!

This mini update is coming to you from Silo, PA, where we are on our company retreat. We've been busy training and videotaping for the Liquid Strength instructional DVD. 

First off, We owe a huge thanks to Robin and DanceNOW for this amazing venue! A huge guest house, not to mention great studio spaces, and only a short drive to the grocery. We spend the mornings conditioning with yoga, pilates, plyometrics, and resistance training.  Nothing brings a company closer together than sweating it out...and getting six pack abs! We've also been busy filming the Liquid Strength instructional DVD, so for all of you who have been itching to get your hands on it, the wait is almost over: All the footage has been taken, so its on to the editors and sound coordinators, and then straight to you! 

A lot of great new things are in store for INSPIRIT: upcoming shows, teaching opportunities and new works being set on the company by outside choreographers! You will be hearing from us again as soon as we have more concrete information. 

Check out our Facebook pages and Website for updated info about upcoming shows and company members!!

This is Nancy, signing out! Keep checking the blog for new INSPIRIT information!!