Ballet Barre For All Bodies

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 Burnett-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.

Alyah graduated as part of the inaugural Duke MFA in dance cohort. While at Duke she developed alternative pedagogical approaches to ballet technique that honored the embodied knowledge of “othered bodies,” specifically those of BIPOC, queer, and gender-fluid folks. Her research explores paths to move the form away from the social constructs of race, gender, and sexual orientation.

About the Location

This workshop will meet in the Ark Dance Studio on East Campus: get directions.

Address: 14 Epworth Dorm Lane, Durham, NC 27708

Can I take a bus there?

Yes! The Ark Dance Studio is located on East Campus, off of bus route C1.