Dance diagrams
Between 2021 and 2024, I created danceable, community-co-created ground murals – what I call "dance diagrams" – for four communities in Massachusetts. These projects and series have been some of my most meaningful community-based public art experiences. The objectives of these interactive public artworks are to invite and encourage playful movement in public; highlight, support and celebrate the work of local dancers and culture bearers; while adding color and liveliness to under-appreciated, familiar surfaces.
These projects require close coordination with cities and community organizations. Genuine community engagement is essential for meaningfully involving residents and local culture-bearers in the planning process; spotlighting and promoting the work of local dancers and choreographers; choosing optimal artwork sites; and for involving local volunteers and youth artists in the painting process.
When planning a dance diagram mural, I work closely with my choreography partners so that the mural will be an accurate, authentic representation of their dance tradition or practice; while resulting in a mural design that is simple enough to feel inviting and accessible to any passerby, including inexperienced dancers, children and elders.
If you're interested in bringing sidewalk dance steps to your community, drop me a line!
This is essentially my community art manifesto – thanks to Lowell Telemedia Center for providing a platform for it! In this 20-minute interview, I discuss my process for my 8-mural series Let’s Dance, Lowell! and share about why I’m so passionate about co-creating culturally-based interactive art in public spaces. LTC producer Wednesday and I shared this conversation in the summer of 2024.
Let's Dance, Lowell! – 2024
"Let's Dance, Lowell!" was the City's first citywide public art project. I worked with the City of Lowell’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Special Events to create a series of eight dance diagrams painted directly onto the sidewalk around the City, one for each neighborhood.
Each of the murals depicts a dance move choreographed by Lowell community members. The eight murals were developed through a months-long community outreach process. I attended neighborhood meetings, networked with community liaisons, met with cultural groups, and used online communication channels, asking Lowellians: where in your neighborhood do you think a mural should go? What dances do you love the best? What dances should be represented? Who else should I talk to?
Developing and implementing this project was deeply enriched by the participation of so many Lowell community members and groups – from those who weighed in on location and choreographer selection, to the choreographers, to the many community and youth groups that I welcomed onto painting sites.
This series featured: LEGENDARY (LHS Step Team), Salsa on 1 (Salsa in Lowell), Konpa (Women Stars troupe of the International Institute of New England), Teen BLOCK's Dance 4 Peace (Tim Sokhoeun of Teen BLOCK), Una Noche Nacio en Borinquen Bomba y Plena (Acre Girls de Lowell), Samba Muidinho (Lizandra Almeida), Cumbia (Angela Alés), and ROM VONG (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. You can read more about each dance and choreographer at www.likelowellma.gov/letsdancelowell.
Working Tidal – 2024
I was commissioned by Cambridge Arts to collaborate with local dancer Marissa Molinar on a site-specific danceable surface inspired by the movements and rhythms of the Charles River. This ornately decorated, portable diagram, printed on a vinyl banner, remains in the Cambridge Arts collection as an artwork and activity for festival-goers.
Let's Dance, Brookline! – 2024
I partnered with the Town of Brookline and Brookline Art Makes Community (BAMC) to create two new "dance diagram" sidewalk murals in Coolidge Corner and Brookline Village. Caitlyn Kwan, a local researcher who volunteers as a ballet teacher at the Brookline Senior Center, worked with me on A Mat that Seats Many, a beautiful ballet routine painted near Coolidge Corner. Sutikshna Veeravalli, a Brookline Public Schools teacher and lifelong student of the Bharatanatyam tradition, worked with me on Adavu: The Building Blocks of Movement, which was painted in the heart of Brookline Village.
We celebrated the two new murals with two art walks and demonstration event with the choreographers. Thank you so much to the Town of Brookline, BAMC, Caitlyn and Sutikshna for the collaboration on this meaningful project. And thanks to Mandile Mpofu for the wonderful write-up in Brookline News. For more information, please visit brooklinema.gov/letsdancebrookline.
Roslintrail, aka "Dance Your Way Downtown" – 2021-2022
When Roslindale Village Main Streets sought an intervention to promote fun, safe pedestrianism around their main business district, I developed my first "dance diagrams" series. I collaborated with dancers Raquel Jacobson-Peregrino, Statix Legacy, and Olga Marchenko created on eight murals that made a playful, groovy walking tour around the Village.
Together, this series represents Mexican folklorico from Raquel and her group Tierra del Sol; hip-hop and street dance from Statix; and Russian and ballet from Olga. Together we worked to develop adaptive versions of the dances for seated dancers.
Halfway through the project, I hosted a community art walk with the Roslintrail Committee. We took community members to four of the completed sidewalk murals, tried out some of the dance moves, and got an expert demonstration of the Jarabe Tapatío and Toro Mambo from choreographer Raquel and her family.
You can read more about the project and the choreographers via RVMS.
