Boston Dance Alliance

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Boston Dance Alliance

BDA builds capacity for Boston dance by identifying and creating shared resources, information, and

BOSTON DANCE ALLIANCE builds capacity for dance by identifying and creating shared resources, information, and productive partnerships to help dance flourish across the Boston metropolitan area and New England region. We are an independent service organization representing dancers, choreographers, teachers, presenters, allied arts and cultural professionals, arts journalists and scholars, wellnes

s and health providers, and dance enthusiasts brought together across dance genres and geographies. BDA strives to increase cultural equity and access to dance for diverse communities, build dance audiences, and promote quality and sustainability.

08/20/2026

We’re celebrating the final week of International Moves and Food in partnership with the Esplanade Association!! 💃🏽👣 🌎 This free dance series has brought local teaching artists and culture bearers together to share dance traditions that connect us & reflect us right here in Boston and across the globe. To close out our summer series, we are honored to welcome ➡️ Jean Appolon of Jean Appolon Expressions Jean Appolon Expressions for a powerful and joyful introduction to Haitian Folkloric dance, with live drumming! 🪘🎶
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Jean Appolon Expressions’ Haitian Folkloric dance class offers a vital space for healing and community (lakou), inviting dancers to connect with their bodies and cultural roots. Participants will explore powerful movements from the styles of Kongo, Ibo, and Yanvalou. With a focus on breath, release, and expression, this joyful dance provides a grounded experience deeply connected to the vibrant spirit of Haiti. Come move, connect, and celebrate this final class of our 6-week series - all ages welcome and no experience is necessary to participate!
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🌎↔️🌆 Each week, International Moves & Food has brought a new teaching artist, supportive learning environment, and cultural context to guide us through a 1-hour class. Following the class, participants are invited to enjoy free food and beverages from local restaurants for a chance to connect socially!

- Monday, 6-7:30pm, August 24th
- Haitian Folkloric - JAE with Live drumming!
- Participants are encouraged to register before class!

Thank you for supporting dance in our city and to everyone who joined us this summer! Let’s make our final week a celebration of movement, community, and connection! Link in bio to register.

08/17/2026

We’re back for Week 5 of International Moves and Food in partnership with the Esplanade Association! This free dance series is led by local professional teaching artists and culture bearers who are sharing dance traditions that connect us & reflect us right here in Boston and across the globe. This week, we are honored to welcome Meta Movements, featuring Anara Frank & Javier Jeffer with the Latin rhythms of Bachata & Merengue. As we bring the Dominican Republic to the forefront, this class will cover foundational footwork, simple spins, and a connection to the music that drives the movement. No experience or partner is required. We hope you’ll come to move & connect during this 1-hour class, and stay for the small bites & social time after class!

Anara Frank, founder of Jamnastics Inc. and MetaMovements, discovered her love for Latin dance in Havana and has since trained and taught across the U.S., Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. With decades of experience, she’s known for empowering students through Latin dance, choreography, and community building, using movement as a tool for growth and resilience.

Javier Jeffer Cumbrera, a Havana-born dancer, choreographer, and musician, trained at Cuba’s National Art School and later joined the renowned Danza Contemporánea de Cuba as both a performer and its youngest teacher. He specializes in Afro-Cuban folkloric and contemporary forms, co-founded the Madreagua Folkloric Company, and now tours the U.S. as part of a special residency with MetaMovements.

Together, they bring a rich fusion of tradition, innovation, and cultural exchange to their classes. ❤️💃

Each week, International Moves & Food brings a new teaching artist, supportive learning environment, and cultural context to guide us through a 1-hour class. Following the class, participants are invited to enjoy free food and beverages from local restaurants for a chance to connect socially! Classes meet on Mondays, 6pm - 7:30pm, July 13 - August 17.

Remaining classes:
⭐️ 8/17: Bachata & Merengue with Anara Frank of Meta Movements
⭐️ 8/24: Haitian Folkloric with Jean Appolon and JAE Live drumming

🔗 Register for FREE at the link in our bio!

08/10/2026

We are beyond excited to welcome you to Week 4 of our International Moves and Food series in partnership with the Charles River Esplanade Esplanade Association! This free dance series continues with local teaching artist, choreographer, educator, and youth mentor; ⭐️Chanel Thompson ⭐️ aka Ms.5678. She brings dance traditions from the Caribbean that connect us & reflect us right here in Boston.
🇭🇹🇹🇹🇯🇲🇩🇴🇧🇧🇵🇷🇻🇬🇨🇮
Don’t miss this vibrant 1-hour, all-levels Dancehall & Soca fitness class! Through nostalgic dancehall, soca, Afro-Caribbean, and reggaeton-inspired movement, you’ll enjoy a high-energy workout while learning the unique rhythms, styles, and cultural roots behind the music and the movement.
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Caribbean Cardio with Ms. 5678
Monday, August 10 from 6:00PM - 7:30PM
Hatch Grove (between Hatch Shell & Playspace)
47 David G Mugar Way, Boston, MA 02108
➡️Registration link in bio!
💃🏻Stay til the end for free small bites & beverages courtesy of Charles River Esplanade 💙💚
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Chanel Thompson (aka Ms.5678) Chanel Ms.5678 is a choreographer, creative director, performer, educator, and founder of PerformanceBuild. She is a former choreographer for Harmonix Music Systems, contributing to Dance Central VR, FUSER, AUDICA, and Xbox Kinect titles, and has worked with artists including N.O.R.E., Marcela Cruz, MkX, Jyshoun, and Rhea Dummet. A dynamic performer and sought-after instructor, Chanel has appeared at venues including Madison Square Garden, SXSW, and Boston’s Paramount Theatre, while leading dance fitness and community programs with organizations such as BAMSFEST, Boston Dance Alliance, Berklee, Boston Public Health Commission, Camp Harborview, and many others throughout New England. Beyond the stage, Chanel is the creator of the Dancers Report podcast, co-host of SHIPS, and founder of the Self-Care MIXER, fostering community, creativity, and wellness for artists. Through PerformanceBuild, she continues to mentor performers and cultivate positive, high-energy spaces where movement, artistry, and self-expression thrive.

07/24/2026

We’re back for Week 3 of International Moves and Food in partnership with the Esplanade Association! This week, we are honored to welcome Darnell ‘Snoopy’ Brown, bringing Jamaica to the front with a signature class from his Mixtape Series, “Hip Hop Meets Dancehall”. Class will include 30-minutes of grooves, movement drills, and core movement theories like bounce, rock, levels, footwork, and music structure. The second half of class will explore key moves from Dancehall while highlighting confidence and connection.
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Darnell “Snoopy” Brown is a movement artist, choreographer, teaching artist, and creator of ORIGN, a movement practice rooted in authenticity, healing, and self-discovery. Rooted in his Jamaican heritage and shaped by Hip Hop culture, his work blends Hip Hop, Dancehall, Krump, and freestyle to explore identity, culture, and human connection. As a performer, educator, and community leader, Snoopy has taught, choreographed, and collaborated with schools, universities, studios, and arts organizations throughout New England. Through performance, education, and community engagement, he creates spaces where movement becomes a catalyst for storytelling, self-expression, and collective transformation, inspiring others to embrace their truest selves with courage and purpose. Snoopy ⬅️

🌍🌟 Each week, International Moves & Food brings a new teaching artist, supportive learning environment, and cultural context to guide us through a 1-hour class. Following the class, participants are invited to enjoy free food and beverages from local restaurants for a chance to connect socially! Classes meet on Mondays, 6pm - 7:30pm, July 13 - August 17.

🖇️ REGISTER AT LINK IN BIO!!

07/17/2026

Join BDA for Week 2 of International Moves & Food in partnership with the Charles River Esplanade Esplanade Association! This free dance series is led by local professional teaching artists and culture bearers who share dance traditions that connect us & reflect us right here in Boston and across the globe. 📣❤️ This week, we are honored to welcome one of Boston’s most impactful artists, Lumyr Desirier, to lead us through Afro-Cuban rhythms, exciting movement, and playful connection.
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Lumyr Derisier is a Boston based dancer who has been dancing for over a decade. With a love of dance, and a passion for people, Lumyr finds joy in the product and process of creating art. His passion is to see a dance community without walls in the city of Boston where a “we can ‘’ attitude thrives among all its participants. Lumyr trained in Salsa and Bachata under the direction of Anara Frank of Metamovements dance company, and Alma Latina Boston, respectively. He currently teaches bachata at Salsa Y Control Dance Company,and runs “From Boston With Love” dance organization, though perhaps he is most known for his big smile, hearty laugh and chiropractic hugs. Learn more & follow Lumyr here ➡️ Lumyr From Boston With Love
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💃🏽🌍 Each week, International Moves & Food brings a new teaching artist, supportive learning environment, and cultural context to guide us through a 1-hour class. Following the class, participants are invited to enjoy free food and beverages from local restaurants for a chance to connect socially! Classes meet on Mondays, 6pm - 7:30pm, July 13 - August 17.

🗓️Remaining classes include:
July 20 - Salsa with Lumyr
July 27 - Dancehall with Snoopy
August 3 - Haitian Folkloric with Jean Appolon
August 10 - Caribbean & Soca with Ms. 5678
August 17 - Bachata & Merengue with Anara Frank

📝Participants are encouraged to register before each class to receive timely updates in the event of a cancellation. Thank you for supporting dance in our city, and for making the choice to try something new with us this summer! We look forward to seeing you @ The Esplanade! - please share this with a friend!

07/09/2026

Join us for International Moves and Food, starting Monday July 13th in partnership with the Esplanade Association. This *free dance series* is led by local professional teaching artists and culture bearers who share dance traditions that connect us & reflect us right here in Boston and across the globe.

Up first we welcome JD Davis and co-teaching artist, Julie Brown for Lindy Hop - Monday July 13th, 6pm-7:30.
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JD Davis (They/Them) is an arts professional with specialization in dance, music and acting. Julie Brown (Any/All pronouns) is a professional Blues dancer/teacher (among other styles) who co-organizes Blues Union in Boston. Together they love to share The Lindy Hop amongst other Black American partner dance forms. The Lindy Hop is a Black American dance form developed during the Harlem Renaissance, in Harlem NYC which has since traveled across the world. Come learn this dance and how it connects to the larger African diaspora story.

🌟SUPPORT THE ARTISTS🌟
JD Davis
Julie Brown | Blues Dance
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Participants are encouraged to register before each class to receive timely updates in the event of a cancellation. We are thrilled to welcome an exploration of dance with classes in Haitian Folkloric, Latin dances, and more! All teacher/class announcements will be updated weekly.

tinyurl: https://shorturl.at/6qIdm
or follow link in bio 🔗

🌟Thank you for supporting dance in our city!
🌟We look forward to seeing you @ The Esplanade! 🌟Please share this with a friend!

07/01/2026

⚠️ Starting next week, BDA presents an opportunity to help dance artists invest in their career! The 6-week Capacity Building Series is a professional development cohort designed for dancers who want to strengthen the business side of their artistic practice.

Led by arts consultant McKersin Mckersin Consulting - this cohort-based experience will help dancers clarify their artistic vision, strengthen their professional materials, and develop practical strategies to navigate a sustainable career in dance.

Participants will leave with:
• A professional bio and artist statement
• An electronic press kit (EPK)
• Pricing and financial planning tools
• Tax and business knowledge for artists
• Marketing and audience engagement strategies
• A personalized 6-month career strategy

‼️Deadline extended to Monday 7/6! Space is limited to 8 participants and available to BDA Member artists.

🗓️ Register now at the link in our bio!

06/23/2026

BDA’s 2026 Annual Celebration is less than a week away and we’d like to give a warm welcome to our Guest Performers: KAIROS Dance Theater, Public Displays of Motion, and seasoned Vocalist & teaching artist, Leslie Woodies.

🎹 With live piano accompaniment by Brian Patton, and lighting support by Masary Studios, this event is set to impress. Please join us for a wonderful afternoon to celebrate the 2026 Dance Champions & this year’s Unsung Hero!

🎟️Tickets available on our website with price options starting at $50. Link in bio.

🗓️Sunday, June 28 from 2pm - 5pm
📍Boston Lyric Opera Community Studios (Boston)

06/08/2026

On Sunday June 28, BDA’s Annual Celebration takes place at Boston Lyric Opera’s newly renovated Community Studios — a stunning new arts hub in Fort Point designed for artists, collaboration, and community. Be among the first to experience this extraordinary space and join us to honor the 2026 “Dance Champions” Peter DiMuro and Laura Young, and “Unsung Hero” Lynda Rieman for their lasting impact on our dance community.

🥂Join colleagues, artists, supporters, and friends for an afternoon of connection, recognition, and celebration in one of the city’s most new & exciting venues!

🗓️ Sunday, June 28 from 2pm - 5pm
📍Boston Lyric Opera (Boston).
🎟️Tickets: $50 - $100
➡️ Registration & Ticket Link in Bio

06/02/2026

A busy weekend for BDA 🎉🎉

From tabling at the Artists Resource Fair at City Hall to attending the Assets for Artists’ celebration to a portable floor rental at the Hatch Shell, BDA staff is showing up in the community and kicking off another summer of dance!

Address

19 Clarendon Street
Boston, MA
02116

Telephone

+16174566295

Website

http://www.bostondancealliance.org/

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