Young Choreographer’s Club
A 4-week workshop series for dance artists ages 13-18
Young Choreographer’s Club
A 4-week workshop series for dance artists ages 13-18
a free spring break youth program for ages 13-18
Ever been curious about making a dance? If you love using movement to tell stories, this is the place for you! We’ll mix dance, writing, and oral history to explore story-telling and social connection. Get ready to dream big, take risks. Led by Akoiya Harris and a talented local team, YCC ends with a performance at Langston Hughes, where you can share your creations with family and friends. YCC is a collaboration between Velocity Dance Center and Moonyeka, building on the rich history of LIL BROWN GIRLS CLUB and Seattle Youth Dance Collective. Let’s create something amazing together!
Young Choreographer’s Club (YCC) is for anyone who has an interest in using movement as a method for storytelling. Together, we’ll discover what we can learn about ourselves and each other when activating our memories. During the week, we will explore different traditions and approaches to making dance. Students will be encouraged to dream, take risks, and support each other! The program culminates in a showing at Langston Hughes, where participants share their creations with friends and family.
*This program was made as a joint endeavor of Velocity Dance Center and Moonyeka and builds upon the legacy of two esteemed youth dance programs, LIL BROWN GIRLS CLUB and Seattle Youth Dance Collective.
The suggested age range for this program is 13-18, but we welcome anyone who identifies as a young choreographer.
Become a peer mentor
Apply to be a Peer Mentor for Young Choreographer’s Club (YCC)! Youth Mentors will attend the warm ups, workshops, and showings for YCC helping create a generative and safe environment to share information and take risks while learning about choreography. Great Youth Mentors have a kind demeanor, a love for dance, and a desire to share information.
Class info / Schedule
April 14th | 10am-3pm
Warm up and a workshop with Akoiya – Foundations
On this day we’ll begin by setting up workshop agreements. Together we’ll define what is dance/choreography and set personal and group goals for the week. We’ll then move into a movement warm up led by Akoiya. After, we’ll learn some foundational choreographic techniques and explore them.
April 15th | 10am-3pm
Warm up and a workshop with marco – Fundamentals of Oral History, Deep Listening, and Embodied Responses
This immersive course introduces participants to the rich, multifaceted field of oral history and its critical role in preserving community memory. It is designed for anyone interested in learning how to effectively gather, preserve, and interpret the stories that form the backbone of our collective pasts. Through a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, participants will explore the methodologies and ethical considerations essential to oral history collection and research.
Key components of the course include:
- Oral History Theory and Practice: An introduction to the principles and practices of oral history, including the development of interview techniques, question design, and the art of listening. Students will learn how to establish rapport with interviewees and create a space where meaningful dialogue can thrive.
- Deep Listening: A focus on the skill of deep listening, not just as a method for effective interviewing but as a way of engaging more profoundly with the stories shared. This section explores the nuances of verbal and non-verbal communication, encouraging students to become attuned to the subtleties of narrative, emotion, and memory.
- Embodied Responses to Archives: A unique aspect of the course that encourages students to engage with archives and historical materials in a bodily & movement responsive way. This includes exploring how personal and communal histories are felt and lived, and how these responses can be integrated into archival practice and interpretation.
- Ethical Considerations: Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to consider the ethical implications of their work, including issues of consent, privacy, and the responsibilities of the historian to their subjects and the wider community.
April 16th | 10am-3pm
Warm up and a workshop with Imani – Hyacinth: An exploration of tarot through movement & writing
Spring is a time of renewal, growth, and transformation. In this workshop, we’ll explore the themes of spring through the lens of the Tarot, weaving together creative writing and intentional movement. This workshop is a space to reconnect with your creative energy and gain new insights into your personal journey.
We’ll begin with a brief grounding exercise, connecting breath and body to the spirit of the season. Guided by the wisdom of the Major Arcana and spring-related cards like The Empress, The Queen of Swords, and The Ace of Cups, participants will dive into writing prompts that illuminate themes of renewal, emotional clarity, and abundance.
The writing session will be followed by movement explorations inspired by the Tarot. This hour will be used for exploration of choreography, building on what you established from the day before. By the end of class, you’ll leave with fresh writing, a rejuvenated sense of connection to your body, and practical tools to continue blending Tarot with your creative practices.
April 17th | 10am-3pm
Warm up and a workshop with Akoiya
Warm up will consist of line dances and rhythmic exercises. We’ll discuss how rhythm and repetition found in line dances can translate to choreography as memory work/cultural exchange. Students will then incorporate what they learned into their pieces. They will also solidify what they want to show.
April 18th | 3pm-6pm
Warm up Akoiya and Rehearsal with Faculty
We’ll begin with a warm up led by Akoiya combining all the warm ups from the previous week. Students will have a chance to go over what they are showing later in the day. They will also show their works to each other so that the showcase is not the first time they do their pieces in front of people. We’ll journal with closeout reflection questions, check in on our personal and group goals, and engage in discussion about what we learned.
April 18th | 6PM | FREE Public Showing
Students will perform their works for friends and family!
FACULTY BIOS
Akoiya Harris is a movement artist based in Seattle Washington. Her work uses a queer Black gaze to look at the ways art holds personal and communal histories. As a choreographer, she has shown work at the Seattle Art Museum, Wa Na Wari, On The Boards, Friends of the Waterfront, The Moore Theater, and more. Akoiya is a founding member of Black Collectivity, a group that explores memory and culture through embodied responses. She has also performed with Spectrum Dance Theater, Will Rawls, Zoe|Juniper, Third Rail Projects, SoloMagic, and Black Collectivity. She also has the pleasure of teaching at Pacific Northwest Ballet and Ailey Camp.
marco farroni leonardo (b. 1995) is a Dominican artist based in Seattle, Washington, who works in dance, performance, oral history, and other mixed media. They hold a BFA in Dance from The University of the Arts (2017). Their work engages with themes and ideas around home, the body as an archive, the diaspora, and memory. They have presented work in various venues in Seattle including Velocity Dance Center, Wa Na Wari, Base Arts Space, 10 Degrees Arts, Spectrum Dance Theater, The Aids Memorial Pathway, River, and 12th Ave Arts. marco is a member of Black Collectivity, and the second cohort of Wa Na Wari’s Seattle Black Spacial History Institute.
Imani Sims is an alchemist and author from Seattle, WA. Their passion for Afrofuturism and science fiction permeates every facet of their life. With a background spanning over three decades in performance, they’ve dedicated themselves to fostering spaces where imagination thrives.
Wonder is Imani’s specialty and drawing inspiration from the cosmos to integrate art, ritual, and the Black aesthetic into experiences tailored for QTBIPOC communities. Their shelves
Program Sponsor
The Young Choreographer’s Club is supported in part by the City of Seattle’s office of Arts and Culture.
