KCFAA kicks off Paseo Dance Residencies with Latra Wilson

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UPDATE: Due to weather related travel issues, the Modern Dance Master Class featuring Latra Wilson has been rescheduled for Monday, December 3rd.  Additional details can be found here.

Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey is excited to conduct three two-week residencies throughout the 2018/2019 school year.  In partnership with Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) and the Missouri Arts Council, this is the eighth year of providing youth with the opportunity to learn from experienced teaching artists.  Latra Wilson is this year’s first of three teaching artists to teach and choreograph for students in the dance department.  Her program focuses on Jazz dance technique.

The Paseo residency, with support from KCPS and the Missouri Arts Council, is designed to bring professional performing-teaching artists to Paseo Academy.  Artists coming to our programs have a passion for and commitment to urban high school populations. They serve as role models for students by helping them realize their potential and inspiring them to achieve their goals.

Choreographers will choose a Kansas City muse of inspiration such as cultural/historic institutions, landmarks, artists, or works of art for choreography. Students learn vocabulary, elements of movement/choreography while gaining local context. The students will perform the new choreographic work at Paseo Academy’s Kaleidoscope performances on April 25 and 26.

For more information on the Paseo residencies and how to get involved, contact Tyrone Aiken, Chief Artistic Officer.

 

About Latra Wilson:

Wilson began her dance training at The Dance Factory under the tutelage of Pamela Erwin and Thersa Bryce-Cotes. She went on to study at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where she graduated with a BFA in Dance. Ms. Wilson has had the distinct pleasure to train as a scholarship recipient at The Center Dance, Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, and Tisch Dance Summer Festival. Ms. Wilson has worked and performed with Taylor 2, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company, Earl Mosely Diversity in Dance, Iluminate Artist of Lights, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’s production of “The Kiss” & world premiere of “Champion”, Owen/Cox Dance and Broadway Dance Lab Cycle 2. As a teaching artist Ms. Wilson is currently working with KCFAA, Youth Arts Academy and Alvin Ailey Arts in Education. In addition, Ms. Wilson just signed with McDonald Selznick Associates, also participating in various productions with The Box, Queen of The Night Late Night and Company Stefanie Batten Bland in NYC.

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KCFAA Celebrates #GivingTuesday By Launching #KCFAAGiveForYouth

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Giving Tuesday

 

This #GivingTuesday, Kansas City Friends of Alving Ailey (KCFAA) will celebrate giving by raising awareness on and pledging to raise funds for its youth programs like AileyCamp.

“We all know that #GivingTuesday connects diverse groups of individuals, communities and organizations around the world for one common purpose – to celebrate and encourage giving,” said KCFAA Chief Executive Officer Harlan Brownlee. “We joined the movement because it’s a perfect fit for KCFAA – an organization giving back to its community by helping youth develop positive life skills.”

KCFAA encourages individuals and organization throughout Kansas City and across the country to join the global giving event, by supporting its youth programs. Through interactive school programs, workshops, dance classes, and its summer intensive – AileyCamp, KCFAA is dedicated to empowering youth, teaching them to strengthen their idea of who they are and who they can become.

Join the cause on November 27 and share with friends and family.  Thank you for helping us to make dance accessible to everyone!  Visit www.kcfaa.org/giving-tuesday for more information.

Share with your friends and family socially using #KCFAAGiveForYouth

#GivingTuesday harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partners to transform how people think about, talk about, and participate in the giving season. It inspires people to take collective action to improve their communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they believe in, and help create a better world.

“GivingTuesday demonstrates how every act of generosity counts,” Brownlee said.  “And every donation amount greatly benefits a grassroots organization like ours.”

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The Mission of KCFAA

To make dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance, and modeling interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships.

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