Dance diagrams
I may not be a trained or skilled dancer, but I have a passion for movement, and a passion for creating interactive murals that invite people to enjoy playful movement in public while highlighting and celebrating the work of local dancers and culture bearers.
Over the past several years, dance diagrams and movement murals have become a cornerstone of my mural practice. These projects require me to wear my designer, muralist, and community organizer hats all at the same time – and they are some of my most meaningful community-based public art experiences.
I work closely with cities and community organizations to create networks of playful sidewalk murals that add color and liveliness to neighborhoods; invite residents and visitors to get their groove on and have fun outside; add new public art to under-appreciated surfaces; and to spotlight and promote the work of local dancers and choreographers. When I translate my collaborators' movements into 2D mural designs, I have twin priorities: accurately and authentically representing their dance traditions and practice; and creating highly effective visual designs that are simple enough to be inviting and accessible to the casual passerby. ​
If you're interested in bringing sidewalk dance steps to your community, drop me a line!
Let's Dance, Lowell! – 2024
A partnership with the City of Lowell’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Special Events to create Lowell’s first citywide public art project, “Let’s Dance, Lowell!” is a network of eight dance diagrams painted directly onto the sidewalk in locations around the City – one in each neighborhood.
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Each of the eight murals depicts a dance move selected and choreographed by Lowell community members. The eight locations and the eight dances were selected following a months-long community outreach process. I eagerly dove into neighborhood meetings, networked with community liaisons, and met with cultural groups, and used online communication channels, asking: where in your neighborhood do you think a mural should go? What dances do you love the best? What dances would you like to see represented? Who else should I talk to?
Developing and implementing this project has been a deeply meaningful process, enriched by the participation of so many Lowell community members and groups – from the choreographers, to those who generously gave their time and insight throughout the outreach process, to the many community and youth groups that I've been able to welcome onto painting sites.
Ultimately this series will feature: Legendary (from the LHS Step Team), Salsa on 1 (from Salsa in Lowell), Konpa (from the Women Stars of the International Institute of New England), Teen BLOCK's Dance 4 Peace (from Tim Sokhoeun of Teen BLOCK), Una Noche Nacio en Borinquen Bomba y Plena (from Acre Girls de Lowell), Samba Muidinho (from Lizandra Almeida), Cumbia (from Angela Alés) and a Khmer social dance (from Chummeng Soun of Angkor Dance Troupe).
This project is all about getting public art into Lowell’s neighborhoods, celebrating local music and dance, and making our sidewalks a little more groovy. So, let’s dance, Lowell! You can read more about each dance and choreographer at www.likelowellma.gov/letsdancelowell.
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Thanks to Lowell Telemedia Center for interviewing me about this project!
Photos courtesy the artist and Henry Marte. The good ones are Henry's.
Roslintrail, aka "Dance Your Way Downtown" – 2022-2023
Roslintrail was my first dance diagram series. I collaborated with choreographers Raquel Jacobson-Peregrino, Statix Legacy, and Olga Marchenko, and was supported by the Roslindale Village Main Streets and Roslintrail volunteer committee. RVMS sought an intervention for 8 sidewalk locations around Roslindale Village that would inspire visitors to enjoy Roslindale on foot and promote fun, safe pedestrianism. I was thrilled for the chance to work with local dancers to create "dance diagrams" from their repertoires, and paint these danceable diagrams on the sidewalk, so as to create a groovy, site-specific walking tour.
Each choreographer offered me dance moves that were both true to their training and artistic background – Mexican folklorico; hip-hop and street dance; ballet and classical – and at the same time simple enough that they could be rendered graphically, and be understandable for dancers of all skill levels. We also sought to have many of the dances be adaptive for seated dancers.
Halfway through the project, I collaborated with the Roslintrail Committee to put on a community art walk. In the course of a fun evening, we took a large group of community members on a walk between four of the completed sidewalk murals and murals-in-progress; tried out some of the dance moves; and even got an expert demonstration of the Jarabe Tapatío and Toro Mambo from choreographer Raquel and her family.
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There are many work-in-progress photos in my Instagram highlights and you can read more about the project and the choreographers via RVMS.
