DanceVersity currently has no scheduled classes for 2020.
Please see below for past offerings…
Winter 2019: Kamala Devam
Kamala Devam kicked off her annual Winter-Spring dance classes with DanceVersity on Sunday, February 10th with a FREE FAMILY WORKSHOP
This workshop will gave an introduction to the South Indian martial art Kalaripayattu and the South Indian classical dance form Bharatanatyam. The workshop was catered to all ages and explore the animal-inspired movements of kalari and the story-telling creativity of Bharatanatyam, with a brief performance by Kamala at the end.
Beginning level Bharatanatyam for Kids – 2019!
Kamala Devam grew up learning the classical South Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam right here in Berkeley with the pioneering dance couple Katherine and K.P. Kunhiraman. After establishing a dance successful career in the UK, she returned to teach a creative beginners’ level Bharatanatyam class for kids at DanceVersity.
Kids learned some basic steps from the Bharatanatyam repertoire, fostering full-body coordination with the use of gesture, footwork and eye movement. Creative themes explored through the lens of storytelling where students learned meaningful hand gestures and facial expressions, enabling them to create their own danced stories for sharing at the end of the workshop series. Kids were able to explore the imaginative world of this dance form with origins in the ancient temples of India!
Beginning level Kalaripayattu for Teens & Adults with Kamala Devam
Kamala Devam is teaching beginners’ adult/teenager classes in an exciting martial art form from the southern Indian state of Kerala called Kalaripayattu. Kalari for short, this martial art has been described as the mother of all others, incorporating the fighting actions of animals found in India and moving in graceful, circular motions between fantastic kicks and flying jumps. Inside Kamala’s fun but focused teaching style, participants will become stronger, more flexible and have a great time learning a new way of moving. No previous martial arts or dance experience is needed. Come, get sweaty and enjoy!
CHILDCARE NEEDS? – No problem! Let us keep your child(ren) company while you learn ancient South Indian Martial Arts – $10 childcare available at the studio!
DISCOUNTS: 15% off for registering more than one family member
Fall Dance After School Classes – Bollywood with Isabella Qureshi!
BOLLYWOOD, from Indian film dance, combines many forms of dance; Classical Indian, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Contemporary. The dances tell stories that range from a child’s favorite games to the greatest love stories. Bollywood dance is filled with characters, colorful costumes, and pure joy. It is a rhythmic and celebratory dance that mixes the physicality of hip hop/funk with the soul of the ancient tradition of India. In these classes learn the basic Eastern rhythms and upbeat, energetic movements that make up BOLLYWOOD dance. Isabella’s class can challenge and delight with drawing inspiration from her roots in Kathak (North Indian Classical) dance, and fusing it with her high knowledge and training in Western dance forms.
ISABELLA QURESHI was born and raised in an environment imbued with Indian music & dance, thanks to her father, world-renowned percussionist Zakir Hussain, and her mother, Kathak dancer/choreographer Antonia Minnecola. As a child, Isabella traveled to India and accompanied her mother to Kathak dance classes with late (and great), Sitara Devi. Isabella began her western dance training at age 4 at Dance Theatre 7 in Fairfax under Jody White, David Roxander, and Georgia Ortega. At Dance Theatre 7 Isabella studied ballet and Jazz extensively. Isabella went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts degree in dance with a concentration in visual media at Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. Upon graduating, she returned to Marin to teach jazz, contemporary, and ballet at Dance Theatre 7, RoCo Dance & Fitness, and Marin Ballet. Isabella came back to her Indian roots, mixing her Indian dance background with her western training in a high-energy, aerobic Bollywood class. She has been teaching Bollywood throughout the Bay Area and can’t wait to further share this tradition with the dancers of DanceVersity World Dance for Youth.
Spring 2018 Session “Dances of Tajikistan”
Central Asia – this once remote region of the world maintains a deep connection to dance in all its secular and spiritual forms. Natalie has studied dances from the Middle East for over 16 years and dances from Central Asia for over nine years. Her passion for dance began when she was 14 and has only gotten stronger as she continues to learn the many styles that make up this vast region of the world. She is lucky enough to have studied dance in her travels to Tajikistan, Turkey, and Oman. Her hope is to share the beauty in these regions of the world through dance.
To learn more about Natalie, follow her website!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2z3sISewbw