Ballet Barre For All Bodies
Partnership with Duke Arts Create & DuWell
About the Workshop
Ballet Barre For All Bodies re-imagines the dance class as a radically inclusive and supportive environment for a diverse range of movers. In the workshop, we will center the joy of dancing as we explore the traditional principles of ballet technique in a fun and affirming environment. Participants will have the opportunity to stretch, bend, balance, twirl, and soar while discovering the inner and outer strength and grace that ballet cultivates.
A variety of modifications will be offered to adapt class combinations for a wide range of abilities. Movers of all levels, backgrounds, and identities are welcome and encouraged to join. Participants should wear comfortable clothes, bare feet, socks or flat dance shoes.
DISCLAIMER: This program involves physical exertion and movement through and across space, so before beginning ensure you have adequate clear, safe space free of obstacles to move and are wearing appropriate footwear for the floor surface. If more than one person will be participating, ensure adequate space to avoid contact with other participants. It is your responsibility to use personal judgment concerning the degree of your participation in the activities, and to determine that you are in proper physical condition to participate in such activities.
About the Instructor
As a dancer, entrepreneur, and community activator, Alyah Baker leads a multifaceted life that exists at the intersection of art, activism, and social justice. In 2003 she received a B.A. in sociology with a dance minor from Duke University. After graduation, she relocated to the Bay Area where she performed with Oakland Ballet, Dance Through Time, and ABD Productions, among others. Additionally, she has worked as a freelance performer and teacher, taking her educational series Ballet for Black and Brown Bodies to studios throughout Northern California.
Last August, Alyah returned to Duke as part of the inaugural MFA in dance cohort. While at Duke she plans to develop alternative pedagogical approaches to ballet technique that honors the embodied knowledge of “othered bodies,” specifically those of BIPOC, queer, and gender-fluid folks. Her research will explore paths to move the form away from the social constructs of race, gender, and sexual orientation.
About the Location
This workshop will meet online via Zoom. See link at top of page.
More Mindfulness Workshops
DukeCreate, a workshops series for the Duke community, is collaborating with Student Wellness to offer more opportunities to support well-being through creativity.