Today, I started the planing for this week class at the Albemarle Recreation. Each week, I do a newsletter, "Got dance news?" to set the tone of the class and communicate through writing to the parents. In this week newsletter, I ask the dancers: what kind of dancer are you? Being in this dance world, I know that you must know what kind of dancer you are. I am not talking about the style. I am talking about what makes them as a dancer move. As for me, dance is a way that I tell my testimony. It is what drives me to write a weekly newsletter, blog, facebook, create dance works, and just become free in dance.
My students are young dancers. Once they know the kind of dancer they are no one could tell them whom they are. Aha! I know you deeper thinkers know where I am going with this. I teach through experience.
Tomorrow is a big day, the students are having their first audition. I have two professional dancers setting works on them. Depending on how they do, I will be selecting a trio and soloist for the MufukaWorks "Invisible" Afro Russe Production out the students. This will give them a glimpse of the dance world.
Speaking of the production, it is going well. I final got the final cd for the music. I have changed the music a couple times but finally I got the music. Tomorrow, it will be a long day.
To my readers, What kind of dancer are you?
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Invisible
On November 16th, I will be choreographing a piece called "Invisible". I was inspired by a student whom shared her story with me on feeling alone in this world to invisibility. This student stated dance saved her life. I knew this story very well because dance did the same for me. So, the student chose the song and I choreographed it. This solo was such a hit that I decided to expand it into a MufukaWorks Afro Russe Dance Production.
With my new fall session of classes started in September, I thought that this will be the perfect time for their first performance. Might as well, I started them into a deeper way of thinking. The students are 8-12 years old and I have a few dancers from my professional adult performance company performing. The production is really about the students. These students have grown so much that it amazes me as dancers and young people.
So, I take their stories too and build on the choreography. It starts addressing the problem straight on. This problem is young people these days feeling invisible. It goes on telling their struggles about insecurities, relationships, and more. At the end, it has a message. That message is invisible will visible.
Come support us! Friday November 16 at 7pm. Only at Albemarle Recreation Center 5027 North Idlewild Rd Charlotte, NC 28212
With my new fall session of classes started in September, I thought that this will be the perfect time for their first performance. Might as well, I started them into a deeper way of thinking. The students are 8-12 years old and I have a few dancers from my professional adult performance company performing. The production is really about the students. These students have grown so much that it amazes me as dancers and young people.
So, I take their stories too and build on the choreography. It starts addressing the problem straight on. This problem is young people these days feeling invisible. It goes on telling their struggles about insecurities, relationships, and more. At the end, it has a message. That message is invisible will visible.
Come support us! Friday November 16 at 7pm. Only at Albemarle Recreation Center 5027 North Idlewild Rd Charlotte, NC 28212
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Alvin Ailey Dance Theater
This weekend, I could not be more than happy to be a dancer. About 15 years ago, I saw Ailey II in Beaufort, SC. I was only about 13 years old. It was by watching them that I decided to be dancer. I did just that I went to college and travelled all over to dance. Now, I have seen Alvin Ailey first company once again and they were amazing. They planted a seed in me a long time ago and I took that leap. To my dance students, follow your dreams always.
The details of my weekend was seeing the Alvin Ailey performance at the Blumenthal Performing Arts and taking a Master Class at the Harvey B. Gantt. It was only a reminder to me to keep doing what I am doing.
Great weekend!
The details of my weekend was seeing the Alvin Ailey performance at the Blumenthal Performing Arts and taking a Master Class at the Harvey B. Gantt. It was only a reminder to me to keep doing what I am doing.
Great weekend!
HOMEWORK DUE
MUFUKAWORKS AFRO RUSSE EVERYBODY DANCE CLASS.....
As posted last week, NO CLASS WILL BE TUESDAY MAY 22, 2012.
HOWEVER, HOMEWORK DUE VIA EMAIL MUFUKAWORKS@GMAIL.COM NO LATER 5PM
ONE PAGE REPORT ON JOSE LIMON
SEE NEXT TUESDAY!
As posted last week, NO CLASS WILL BE TUESDAY MAY 22, 2012.
HOWEVER, HOMEWORK DUE VIA EMAIL MUFUKAWORKS@GMAIL.COM NO LATER 5PM
ONE PAGE REPORT ON JOSE LIMON
SEE NEXT TUESDAY!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
next step
After the farewell dance performance, I was on a high. I felt the energy of the room when my dance company, MufukaWorks performed. We did it. It was the best night ever. We cried and all. By far, the best that I ever performed but most of all I saw the growth of my dancers. They were professionals. They were stars. It was their moment. It was by far way more than my expectations. It was God.
Here is some video footage:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=1930941548630&oid=266236560054841&comments
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1929705117720#!/video/video.php?v=1929609115320
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1929705117720#!/video/video.php?v=1929705117720
It was the farewell dance performance. It was a farewell to one chapter and a opening to a new chapter. For MufukaWorks Dance Company director Elsie Mufuka (me) was moving from the hometown Beaufort, SC (MufukaWorks home base) to Charlotte, NC. The distance was 4 hours away. The same distance that I traveled for a year for graduate school. I simply had to be honest to myself and realize that I could not do the commute anymore. It is my last year of graduate school and I am working on my thesis. The pressure of travel, work, company, and school. Something was going to give.
My students are my teachers and I am a example to them. I teach them the importance of education and they taught me a true reflection of myself. So I made a hard decision and I made a farewell to Beaufort, SC to continue to finish my schooling. All in all, my decision made after lots of prayer. It was the best decision.
MufukaWorks dancers will always be MufukaWorks
1) Three of the dancers went to college and the knowing that they could do anything. Anyone who knows MufukaWorks knows once you enter MufukaWorks only the strongest survive. With that said, they could handle anything now in life. (Who says Art does not develop the mind?).
2) Through all the MufukaWorks dance workshops with the at risk youth, one dancer decided to continue to do child development classes so she could become a teacher, own her day care, and become one the examples to the youth of today.
3) One is continuing dance education at the hottest dance technical school in the area
4) The one dancer whom was fighting all year to earn her spot into the professional dance world, did it full out. Now on board with Charleston, SC Ms. Queen. She will be flying all over the place doing what she does, Dance.
I started this company one year ago and the growth is just amazing. When I look back on this year, I say thank you God. Thank you for making my dream come true. Everyone is asking what is next for MufukaWorks Dance Company. My answer: lets wait on the Lord because my goodness if he did all of this in one year. Can you imagine what he has in store for MufukaWorks Dance Company next?
Always MufukaWorks
Here is some video footage:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=1930941548630&oid=266236560054841&comments
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1929705117720#!/video/video.php?v=1929609115320
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1929705117720#!/video/video.php?v=1929705117720
My students are my teachers and I am a example to them. I teach them the importance of education and they taught me a true reflection of myself. So I made a hard decision and I made a farewell to Beaufort, SC to continue to finish my schooling. All in all, my decision made after lots of prayer. It was the best decision.
MufukaWorks dancers will always be MufukaWorks
1) Three of the dancers went to college and the knowing that they could do anything. Anyone who knows MufukaWorks knows once you enter MufukaWorks only the strongest survive. With that said, they could handle anything now in life. (Who says Art does not develop the mind?).
2) Through all the MufukaWorks dance workshops with the at risk youth, one dancer decided to continue to do child development classes so she could become a teacher, own her day care, and become one the examples to the youth of today.
3) One is continuing dance education at the hottest dance technical school in the area
4) The one dancer whom was fighting all year to earn her spot into the professional dance world, did it full out. Now on board with Charleston, SC Ms. Queen. She will be flying all over the place doing what she does, Dance.
I started this company one year ago and the growth is just amazing. When I look back on this year, I say thank you God. Thank you for making my dream come true. Everyone is asking what is next for MufukaWorks Dance Company. My answer: lets wait on the Lord because my goodness if he did all of this in one year. Can you imagine what he has in store for MufukaWorks Dance Company next?
Always MufukaWorks
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
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