The Afro Continuum

If you have not yet experienced the magic that @katihernandez_cubandance brings to each class, then make sure you register and get involved with her Afro-Cuban | Oricha Dance Therapy class every Monday! Kati not only shares her experience with the movement, but also provides such vast knowledge into the music and culture of which it all comes from. JOIN US! Every Monday 6PM EST Register at: urbanartistry.org (link in bio) #katihernandez_cubandance #urbanartistryinc #urbanartistrydc #afrocuban #orichadancetherapy #orishas #orichas #theafrocontinuum #culturalexchangeinitiative #culturaldiplomacy

Urban Artistry Inc. by way of The Afro-Continuum would like to present a very special program: Dance & Dialogue is back w/ Lisa LaTouche !! As a proud Canadian & New Yorker, Lisa’s credits are world renowned. She was an original cast member in Broadway’s “Shuffle Along”, choreographed by Savion Glover and Directed by George C. Wolfe, where she received both the Fred Astaire Award and the Actor’s Equity Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus.... For more on Lisa LaTouche, and to register for her workshop, be sure to visit (link in bio). Saturday, April 17th Dialogue: 1PM-2:30PM EST Workshop: 3:30-4:30PM EST Live via Zoom! Free of charge! #urbanartistrydc #theafrocontinuum #culturalexchangeinitiative #culturaldiplomacy #danceanddialogue #lisalatouche #tapdance

In continuing our work and mission through @theafrocontinuum ; this Sunday, in association with @krump_studios (Abuja, Nigeria), we bring you: KOROSO w/ Victor Phullu @phulluvictor !!! VICTOR EREBIFA PHULLU popularly called “Sir Vic” is an African dance veteran, an award-winning dancer, dance teacher, dance judge, and a choreographer of high repute with over 25 years of experience. He is the director of NIGERIA DANCE HOUSE, a professional dance organization based in Lagos Nigeria. He served as Director of Special Duties in the Dance Guild of Nigeria (GOND) National. Victor has worked with notable celebrity musicians, directors, producers, and choreographers in Nigeria and abroad; choreographed over 50 major stage productions, and has worked with well over 1000 dancers in Nigeria. He is regarded as a living dictionary when it comes to African dance especially Nigerian dance. Make sure you head over to urbanartistry.org (link in bio) to register now for this FREE workshop! SUNDAY - MARCH 14TH Start time: 10:30AM PST (L.A.) 1:30PM EST (D.C. / N.Y.) 7:30PM WAT (Nigeria) FREE! #urbanartistryinc #urbanartistrydc #theafrocontinuum #krumpstudios #nigeriandance #victorphullu #culturaldiplomacy #culturepreservation

With open hearts, we at Urban Artistry, through the Afro-Continuum Cultural Exchange Initiative & Krump Studios (Lagos, Nigeria) are excited to introduce this incredible opportunity to learn from Lagos, Nigeria’s own: Seun Awobajo! @footarianseun Seun Awobajo is a community organizer, choreographer, art director, curator, cultural activist, indigenous dance researcher, theatre maker, festival producer & smooth percussionist ... He is the founder of one of the most renowned children’s theatre platforms in Nigeria - The Footprints of David Arts Academy, which caters to over 700 children. Seun is extremely driven and passionate about culture and his focus is to build community and prologate culture. He is also the creator of Bata Wajo Technique - a Bata drum dance technique course that breaks down Bata movement in modules for ease of learning. JOIN US: Saturday, February 28TH, 2021 1:30PM EST | 7:30PM WAT 30 MIN - Dialogue 1 HR - Movement Workshop ALL FREE! #urbanartistryinc #urbanartistrydc #krumpstudios #theafrocontinuum #seunawobajo #batawajotechnique #culturalexchangeinitiative #culturaldiplomacy

Urban Artistry Inc. The Afro Continuum Cultural Exchange Initiative would like to proudly like to present: Derick Grant: A Dance & Dialogue experience through the lens of Tap Dance! @dgrizzly73 Tap Dance is a living tradition, and Derick K. Grant has played a major role in preserving its history, shaping its present, and securing its future. Tap is a street dance form, a branch of the same tree as Hip Hop, House, Breaking, Popping, Locking, and Jazz, all with roots in Africa. Tap dancers are also musicians, and Tap has always had a close relationship with African American music. As a member of the original ensemble of Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk, Derick brought this connection to the Broadway stage, expressing the Hip Hop culture in which he grew up, as well as the ancestral traditions that live in Tap, in his rhythms and movement. Throughout his career as a performer and educator, Derick has been a tradition-bearer, a historian, and an innovator, and we invite you to learn about both his story and the story of Tap Dance in this online Dance & Dialogue session. Saturday, Dec. 12th via Zoom 4-5PM EST - Dialogue 5-5:30PM EST - Live Q&A 6:30-8PM EST - Master Class Be sure to visit: urbanartistry.org for more information & registration! #urbanartistryinc #urbanartistrydc #theafrocontinuum #culturalexchangeinitiative #derickgrant #tapdance #culturaldiplomacy #traditionbearers #culturalpreservationists

Grandest of Monday’s to you all! Be sure to head over and register for your weekly dose of Afro-Cuban Oricha Therapy w/ the wonderful @katihernandez_cubandance ! Classes have been saturated with abundance of knowledge in not only the dance, but the music and overall culture of the traditions. We encourage you to join us on this journey! Every Monday 6 PM EST Live on Zoom! Registration and more information on: urbanartistry.org/theafrocontinuum #afrocuban #orichatherapy #katihernandez_cubandance #urbanartistrydc #theafrocontinuum #traditionbearing #culturalpreservation #culturaldiplomacy

It is with incredible honor, we introduce to you, our Project Leads within The Afro Continuum directorate. PATRICIA RIVERA @dturpato : Afro-Latino Culture JEMIMA ANGULU @m.i.m.a_krumpstudios : Nigeria Patricia Elisa Rivera “Patty” is an Afro-Latina educator, social scientist, dancer who is passionate about the connections between art and activism. Her first contact with dance was during her youth in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Patty first joined Urban artistry in 2008 and since has trained in urban styles of dance in the U.S, Dominican Republic, and Brazil. A founding member, instructor, and choreographer of DC Casineros, she has been dancing, performing, and teaching Cuban popular dances and Afro Cuban for the past 10 years both nationally and internationally. _____ Jemima Talatu Angulu Aka Mima is a Dancer, Choreographer and Artistic Director and Founder of The Krump Dance Studios Abuja. She works as a Dance Consultant as well as producer focused on creating programs and building creative structures for organizations. As a choreographer, she infuses her Knowledge of Hip-hop and Other Contemporary dance styles to tell stories through her productions and has worked with Various Creative artists and Organizations such as Dike Chukwumerije, Davido, Clarence Peters, The American Embassy Nigeria, The French Institute Nigeria, The German Embassy. Her training Background includes Nigerian Cultural dances, Ballet, Jazz, Salsa, Hip-hop, and contemporary dance. Be sure to check their stories and work out in full, when you visit: urbanartistry.org/theafrocontinuum ! #theafrocontinuum #culturalexchangeinitiative #urbanartistrydc #urbanartistryinc #afrolatinoculture #nigerianculture #nigeria #traditionbearing #culturepreservation #culturaldiplomacy

Next up, we have the honor and pleasure of introducing another substantial artist, that will be teaching within The Afro Continuum directorate. ADRIAN VALDIVIA @adrianvaldivia2003 , coming to us from DC CASINEROS @dccasineros Director of DC Casineros, Adrian has been dancing and performing Son, Casino and other popular Cuban dances for 10 years. He has also been teaching classes infused with Afro-Cuban for the past four years. He won first place in the couple’s competition in Miami Rueda Congress of 2009. Adrian has travelled nationally and internationally to participate and to teach in the major Rueda de Casino and Afro-Cuban dance conferences. Foundations of Cuban Casino will introduce you to Casino - the newest way and style of Cuban Son. Popularly misreferred to as “Cuban Salsa”, the Cuban social dance developed in the mid-50’s. Students will develop a repertoire of Casino basic moves that in turn can be used to form complicated phrases. Throughout the semester, classes will incorporate discussions on the historical underpinnings of Casino, it’s relationship to other popular Cuban dance forms, the significance of Son clave vs Rumba clave and musicality. WEDNESDAYS (starting Wed. Nov 18th) 7PM EST For more information on Adrian, the class and how to register, visit: urbanartistry.org/theafrocontinuum #theafrocontinuum #culturalexchangeinitiative #urbanartistryinc #urbanartistrydc #dccasineros #casino #cubanson #traditionbearing #culturepreservation #culturaldiplomacy

We begin this journey by introducing you to a very special artist, that will be teaching within The Afro Continuum directorate. KATI HERNÁNDEZ! @katihernandez_cubandance From Cuba, Kati Hernández brings her explosive, joyous energy to the American stage and classroom. Her attention to detail and versatile reveal her mastery of dance and choreography, making her a highly sought after educator and performer, nationally and internationally. This class is intended to create a space and journey whereby students can develop and deepen their understanding and appreciation of Afro-Cuban dance tradition, specifically movement related to Orichas (dirties). The history, cultural context and connection between rhythm, drum and movement and they independent translation in the body, will be recurring topics discussed. Movements will be broken down and students will learn a form developed by Kati Hernández that fuses Afro-Cuban dance technique with healing modalities including voice, dramaturgical expression and chromotherapy to the symbolic colors of the Orichas and their attributes. MONDAYS (starting Mon. Nov 16th) 6PM EST For more information on Kati, the class and how to register, visit urbanartistry.org/theafrocontinuum ! #theafrocontinuum #culturalexchangeinitiative #urbanartistryinc #urbanartistrydc #traditionbearing #culturalpreservation #culturaldiplomacy #orichas #orishas #katihernandez #afrocuban #afrocubandance

The Afro Continuum Cultural Exchange Initiative is a diasporic family reunion that is grounded in holding space for ethnic specificity, amplifying living traditions, and embracing the connection and continuation of arts in multiple local and global communities. Despite centuries of efforts to break, erase, and devalue ancestral traditions throughout the African diaspora, this Urban Artistry, Inc. initiative connects a global network of organizations and artist-educators to decolonize and unlearn the myth of a monolithic Black Aesthetic. Through dialogue, workshops, panel discussions, and exchanges, tradition bearers insist that when linguistic, regional, ethnic, and communal specificities are shared, Black Excellence- the vastness of its complexity will continue ad infinitum. #theafrocontinuum #culturalexchangeinitiative #traditionbearing #culturepreservation