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.