Embody the Rhythm

As we collaborate to protect one another’s wellbeing, distancing has become the new jam.
Please join us OUTSIDE or LIVE ONLINE, for DRUM & DANCE CLASSES

UPDATE: On JUNE 2 – We Dance for Black Lives
Proceeds go to those fighting for justice for our Black relatives, via

Black Visions Collective & Minnesota Freedom Fund.

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We dance in support of our Black and Brown relatives, nationwide; we denounce the police murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbory, Tony Mcdade and so very many more in this country; in recognition of the disproportional toll Covid-19 is taking on our Black and Brown relatives; in recognition of our grief, and of the love we wish to send out to all grieving these losses and fearing for their lives, we offer this dance and more to come.  

As of June 2 all Dance classes are moving OUTSIDE for properly distanced dancing in Payson Park ~ weather dependent!

Each Dance class will continue Live ONLINE, rain or shine,
with the exception of the June 2 fundraiser.

Communally supported, sliding scale payments.
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If you already know the scoop, register by date at the blue registration links on the homepage.
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Until we can dance in studio together again, let’s all create some fabulously awkward dance moves to share as greetings when we’re out getting fresh air.

Spread love. Be love. 

JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

There is a Need for Healing.  
All people, all genders, all ages, ethnicities, creeds…
We all need the healing medicine of movement.
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We need spaces in which we become so present in the experience of our body’s movement that we forget our heartache, forget our struggles, and remember our Selves. Even for a moment. Even for an hour.
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We need community.
We need safe spaces in which we can collectively align in movement, share in rhythm, and breathe in the company of others … to shed the heaviness, despair, anger, fear,
even if for the moment …
So that the lightness of our being, suspended in air, in rhythm, in movement, can return us to the presence of our own spirit, can grow our resilience, grow our strength, rekindle our fire and most importantly, inspire the actions we take to change the systems that are not working for the good of all. 
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Let’s cultivate the healing energy we generate on the dance floor to go beyond ourselves and take outward into the world. Let’s find more ways to take action together to create the changes needed for all people to be safe, for all people to be free, for all people to thrive.

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As a small step toward collectively channelling the healing medicine of movement directly toward social change – $1 from each student in our Tuesday dance classes in 2019 will be donated to these important initiatives
here in Maine and in Guinea:

For Us By Us (a fund for POC, by POC) in Maine. Learn more here:
https://www.patreon.com/forusbyus/posts 
Black Girl in Maine (BGIM media) – education, awareness, participation: 
https://blackgirlinmaine.com/
Hamana Arts Center (school for traditional cultural arts) in Guinea, West Africa:
https://www.gofundme.com/hamana-arts-center-project
Youssouf Koumbassa’s School for traditional cultural arts in Guinea, West Africa.
(link coming) 

Check out the important work of each organization and consider donating directly, by visiting the links provided above.

Movement, Music & Community

While we are dancing through precarious and trying times,
we also have new beginnings to celebrate.
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Let’s continue to come together, build community, hold each other up and knit our neighborhoods together, celebrate one another and create space for the light to grow within each individual.
Let’s reach beyond preconceived boundaries and learn from one another.
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Come dance.

Tuesdays, Fridays and some Saturdays! (link here FMI)
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Nobody turned away for lack of funds. Barters and discounts available.
All bodies, all genders welcome.
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See you on the dance floor! Welcome 2019!

Do you have plans for staying warm and inspired, active and connected this winter? Come beat the winter blues with a community you can groove with!

Movement and music are languages that transcend words, helping to build intercultural understanding and connection.

Movement and music are medicines needed by all.

GIVING BACK TO THE PEOPLE OF GUINEA:

DECEMBER 4 – Right after dance class, POTLUCK PARTY & DONATIONS COLLECTION for Namory Keita’s annual winter trip.

Dance class 6-7:30pm, Potluck Party 7:45pm on,
Portland New Church, 302 Stevens Ave, Portland, ME

 What you can bring:

• A dish or beverage to share and extra paper plates/cups if you have ’em (silverware provided – let’s keep it compostable/recyclable)
• Donations of over-the-counter first aid supplies and children’s summer clothing to be delivered in the villages.
• Financial contributions for the Hamana Art Center – This is a school Namory is building in the beautiful Hamana region of Guinea. Here masters and students from around the world will come together to exchange, teach, perform and study the traditional arts of the region. Photos of the school building progress:
   

  

  

  

  Hamana Art Center, Under Construction

  
  

  

  

  

  
  

  You can also support this project online, at this link:
  Hamana Art Center

DRUM CLASSES with ANNEGRET BAIER

TUESDAY DANCE CLASS CONTINUES YEAR-ROUND AND IS GENDER-INCLUSIVE:

• DID YOU KNOW? To encourage gender diversity on the dance floor, 1st Tuesday of every month is just $5 for male-identified and gender-non-conforming dancers. Dance is good for all bodies.
  We start a new dance every 1st Tuesday.
• Our last Tuesday class of the year will be December 18, 2018. Winter weather cancellations are posted on the top of this page, and on our facebook page (see link below)
  
• Our Friday morning series continues through December 21st (open to drop in. See classes page)

GIVE THE GIFT OF DANCE:

• Purchase a 4-class or 8-class pass for someone you love (including yourself!) at this link:  Embody the Rhythm Store 

MORE DANCE CLASSES COMING SOON! 

• Stay tuned for dance offerings for children/families, and new adult classes, coming soon – Subscribe to this newsletter by entering your email in the box on upper right. 
  

  Click Here for Weekly Dance & Drum Class Details

Embody the Rhythm on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/EmbodyTheRhythm/
Embody the Rhythm on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/embodytherhythm/

A special thanks Kendra Smith of Mainer Media, for the video in this post. 

Come dance or drum with us!
Check HERE for weekly class info

Now more than ever we need to engage our communities with creative visions of cross-cultural collaboration, build opportunity for more intercultural exchange and togetherness, and create supportive and celebratory environments for the expression of traditions that come from afar. 

Join the ensembles of Many Waters (June 25) and New Moon (July 13) in celebrating cultures, building community, and raising up some positive energy for the healing that is much needed in the world:

NEW MOON ENSEMBLE

Presents:
Tides ~ Les Marées ~ 
A Celebratory Performance of West African Dance and Drumming

Thursday July 13th, 7:00-8:30pm
Mayo St. Arts, in Portland.

New Moon Ensemble’s performances offer intoxicating rhythms and energetic dances into the world as prayers for peace and well-being for all. Join us for this special evening!

Learn more about New Moon Ensemble
Reserve your spot. Purchase TICKETS
Share/Follow on Facebook

 

 

 

Photo by Tony Castro

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 MANY WATERS ENSEMBLE

Representing an exciting new intercultural arts exchange, our initial formation brings together devoted dance artists from 4 different countries of origin.

Like the streams and rivers of the Earth we all call home, when we flow together we create something bigger than ourselves. Many Waters creates inspirational fusions drawing from present day culture as well as deep cultural traditions brought together by the artists involved. 

Many Waters will be sharing our very first dance collaboration in the Theatre Ensemble of Color’s community arts showcase on Sunday June 25th, 12-2pm at Mayo St. Arts in Portland. We hope you’ll come see and support our work, and learn more about this exciting collaboration and exchange. Donations graciously accepted.

~ Meanwhile, come dance or drum with us ~
Check HERE for weekly class info
See you on the dance floor!

NOTICE: Drum Classes and workshops on Monday & Wednesday nights. Link here FMI. 

Have you heard? Our friend, local master Guinea drummer, Namory Keita is developing his dream project ~ The Hamana Arts Center ~ in Guinea, West Africa, and he needs our help to build it.

The Hamana Arts Center will be a school where masters and students from around the world come together to exchange, teach, perform and study the traditional arts of the Hamana region. 

Namory, breaking ground at the Hamana Arts Center.

For all of us who enjoy the study of West African arts, helping to fund this project is a wonderful way to show our gratitude and support.

Together we can help ensure that young artists in Guinea can continue to learn their traditions, and carry them on for generations to come. Click here to link to Namory’s GoFundMe account, and help the Hamana Arts Center get off the ground. Donate, spread the word, and help support a vibrant future for Guinea! 

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This Saturday, March 11th New Moon Ensemble will be performing in this righteous event:
Rise! Release! Dance! ~ A Dance & Poetry Showcase
benefiting the Maine Sex-Trafficking and Exploitation Network’s Survivor Support Fund. First Parish Church, 425 Congress St., Portland, ME – 7pm.
We hope to see you there!

Join us this month in weekly West African Inspired Dance & Drum Classes ~ Every Tuesday!
Click the link above, FMI | Find us on facebook
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AND… SAVE THE DATE: 
Dance & Drum Community Potluck ~ Friday April 14th, 2017
Come share some food, meet friends and build community outside of class time.

A movement for social change, and a syncopated step/jump/spin on the dance floor; intersectional movement building, and a communal arm raise to the heavens and back to Mother Earth. . . We need the medicine of movement.
We need each other.

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Move, rise, love, and lift up those who need it most.

This month we’ll be practicing the  rhythm/dance, Yoki/Guinea Faré.
Guinea Faré translates as “women dance”, from the Susu people of Guinea, West Africa. It is traditionally danced the day before weddings, accompanied by the balafon – a type of xylophone made of wood, with gourds resonating the sound.

In honor of my beloved teacher Youssouf Koumbassa, and the blessing he gave me to teach these dances, it is a joy to share my passion for Guinea dance and music with our community. Join me this month, and let’s dance for healing ~ May the good energy we generate on the dance floor resonate out for the good of all. 

SPECIAL NOTICE:
Time and Location change for one-class-only ~ Tuesday February 21st
We will bring our regular Tuesday class with live drumming to:
Equilibrium Studio in the Pepperell Mill, 40 Main St., Biddeford, ME
Class will be 6:15-7:30pm.
Regular dance passes and drop-in fees will apply.

Otherwise, classes continue as usual (Feb 14th, 28th and beyond) at the community space in Portland New Church, 302 Stevens Ave. 5:45-7:15pm.
Visit this LINK for more info

REQUEST & BARTER PROPOSAL:
Embody the Rhythm is seeking someone with experience to exchange tech and web based media support for dance classes. Please contact Marita if interested. 

See you on the dance floor!

*NOTICE: No Dance or Drum Class AUGUST 30th*
 – Find weekly drum & dance class info HERE –

Marita Kennedy-Castro & Namory Keita singing at Congress Square Park, July 15th, 2016. Photo by Sullivan Photography

Thanks to all who joined Namory and I, and New Moon Ensemble on July 15th!
It is essential that we create occasions for inter-cultural celebration, recognizing and celebrating the gift of sharing and learning from one another across cultures. It is my great pleasure to be able to collectively bring healing vibes to our community, through music and dance.

May we all use our creative fire, as Alana Fairchild so eloquently puts it,  
“to burn new ideas of love, healing and transcendent hope onto the world stage.” 

Marita Kennedy-Castro.  Photo by Tony Castro

WHATS NEW:
In a large nutshell, Embody the Rhythm is undergoing a renovation.

• Leading modern community rituals, baby blessing ceremonies and healing rituals with dance and drumming. Contact me if interested.
• Volunteer teaching dance and drumming at Longcreek Youth Detention Center, alongside inspiring leader Anne Esguerra (yoga therapy), and through the incredible program Maine Inside Out.
• Developing some of our collaborative classes for women at the Maine Correctional Center.
  
• Offering individualized private and small group movement lessons, to help folks get “unstuck”, work through inhibitions and find their freedom of movement. Contact me if interested.
  
• Developing a women’s empowerment retreat along with Anne at Horizon Line , and Clara at Prevention.Action.Change. Think, embodiment yoga therapy, self-love-based dance and movement, empowerment self defense… Stay tuned!
• Designing a very exciting new program to facilitate intercultural music and dance collaborations in local high schools, based on my college thesis project, Bakunda (We Love). This program is in seed form, and all supportive connections are welcome!
• Setting up a 5 day tour of teaching work for my biggest influence and beloved teacher in West African Dance, Youssouf Koumbassa, to bring him back to Maine (!!!) 

Youssouf Koumbassa performing in Portland, ME in May 2015.

Youssouf Koumbassa teaches dance in Guinea, Conakry, At Bagatai.

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