We're Baaaack!

On our way, at least. The next months will bring about a new event series, in partnership with Life, Rhythm Move Project. More to come on that soon.

In the meantime, we would love to hear from you: What do YOU want to see in an event series?

Thanks for sticking with us. This time off has been a good thing. We will be back bigger and better from here on out.

Make Noise!

Emily Arden
Director

Join Dance4Life USA!

Dance4Life USA 2008 Heart Connection Tour Job Description/Post

Dance4Life is a dynamic international initiative, which inspires, motivates, and unites young people. It gives youth around the world a powerful voice in the response to the growing global HIV and AIDS pandemic and the stigma and taboos that surround them. Half of all new HIV infections are among youth, 25 years of age and younger. Dance4Life informs, mobilizes, and unifies young people through dance, music, and peer education to become active catalysts and “Agents of Change” in the effort to stop the spread of HIV and AIDS.

Dance4Life USA is a program of Students Partnership Worldwide (SPW), an international, youth-led development agency that trains peer educators to work in rural communities in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Dance4Life USA is working in partnership with Metro TeenAIDS (MTA) and RedZebra U.S. to target 10 Washington, DC public schools and at least 5,000 students this fall to become active Agents of Change and empower them to address and prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS in their communities.

The Heart Connection Tour (HCT) is at the center of the Dance4Life schools program. The Tour engages peer volunteers to reach out to schools and give young people the knowledge necessary to protect themselves, as well as the motivation to inform their peers and take action in response to today’s global HIV pandemic. The team of dancers, musicians, and peer educators teach students the international Dance4Life drill, share their personal experiences with HIV and AIDS, and inspire students through an interactive and engaging 90-minute presentation.

Dance4Life USA is looking for volunteer dancers, drummers, musicians, peer educators, and/or experienced youth leaders willing to join us in creating the 2008 Pilot Heart Connection Tour program, based in Washington, DC. HCT members should be from the DC area, or willing to provide their own transportation and accommodations and should be between the ages of 16-30. Team members receive a $50 per day stipend and must be available for the full five-day training (October 13-17^th, 2008) and for at least one week of the Tour (October 20-24^th and/or 27^th-30^th, 2008). HCT members should be outgoing, motivated, responsible, and interested in empowering and working interactively with young people.

All applications can be emailed, faxed, or mailed to:

Email: supportdance4life@spw-usa.org

Fax: 202.408.1429 attn: Emily Arden

Mail: 1413 K St NW 5^th Floor Washington, DC 20005 attn: Emily Arden

All applications must be received by Friday August 22, 2008.

All applicants will be contacted via email or phone by Monday September 1, 2008.

Please click here for more information and to download the application form. All questions should be sent to supportdance4life@spw-usa.org.

Dance4Life USA is seeking an intern!

INTERNSHIP

The Dance4Life USA Associate will support the Dance4Life Coordinator in implementing the program’s fundraising and communication plans. This internship will be a solid resume-builder that provides in-depth exposure to non-profit fundraising and programming for social justice, international health and development, and an understanding of non-profit management in general. Skills developed may include communication, marketing, event organizing and materials development.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The main role of the Dance4Life USA Associate will be to assist the Dance4Life USA Coordinator with fundraising and program management on a day-to-day basis. The following list provides examples of roles and responsibilities associated with the position, although duties will also reflect the interests and experience of the intern, and the needs of the program.

- Maintenance of all online platforms
- Correspondence and maintenance of support Dance4Life database including:
- Collect and document all recruitment applications received, help with recruitment process
- Assist in creating and editing additional written materials as needed
- Assist with events, including but not limited to, gathering materials, attending events, disseminating information for upcoming events

QUALIFICATIONS:
• Education and Experience
o The applicant should hold or be studying for an under- graduate degree and poses exceptional writing abilities and interpersonal skills. Graduate students will be considered.
o All applicants should have a demonstrated interest in local and international health & development issues.
o Fundraising and materials development, and international volunteer experiences, a plus.
• Communication and Organization
o Strong communication skills, with particularly strong writing abilities.
o Solid interpersonal skills and ability to interact professionally with diverse constituencies.
o Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
o Ability to manage multiple tasks concurrently and prioritize efficiently.
o Demonstrated willingness to take initiative and work independently when needed.
• Other
o Proficient in MS Office software, with experience of MS Access
This internship is for 20 - 30 hours per week. While hours are flexible, preference will be given to applicants who can commit to a regular schedule.
This is an unpaid internship, however, a stipend will be provided for transportation and lunch.
To Apply:
Interested students should submit a cover letter, resume, 1 page non-academic writing sample, and the contact details for two references to info@spw-usa.org. Please state Dance4Life USA Associate Application in the subject line.

Incomplete application submissions will NOT be considered.

Unfortunately, SPW will only contact applicants who have been selected for interview.

Application closing date: 15th August 2008

DMV goes to Hollywood

Congratulations to recently featured Comp Noise artists and DC's own Boogie Bots Crew for their continued success on America's Best Dance Crew!!

Watch them do their thang Thursdays @ 10pm on MTV. And while you're at it, vote for them here.

Much love and props to the crew for all of their hard work and dedication. WE LOVE YOU!!!!

Artomatic 2008. A Must Visit for the Hip and In the Know DCers.

Artomatic 2008 is housed in a brand spakin' new office building with incredible views of the city. The space itself is quite incredible. The event taking place within its walls, dope.

Artomatic is a month-long multimedia arts event that draws together visual artists, musicians and performers and brings their work to the community. Housed on ten floors, with food and bars, a dance/theater stage, film room, two music stages, poetry lounge and tattoo parlor, this event has something for everyone.

I am especially proud of the dance stage (section of the backdrop pictured above) as I am co-chairing, along with Cheles Rhynes of Mason/Rhynes Productions, the first ever dance stage at an Artomatic event. We have programs going on all month long so check em!

May 9-June 15
1200 First St NE
Capital Plaza I - corner of First & M streets NE - NY Ave Metro
Wed-Thu: 5pm-10pm; Fri-Sat: noon-2am; Sun: noon-10pm; closed Mon-Tue
Free admission; donations welcome

Move-Ments Artist: Emily Arden

Dancer, Organizer, Creative Spirit: Emily Arden is the founder and director of Complementary Noise. What began as a wish, a hope, a thought to use her varied talents to begin to promote urban artists (including herself) in the DC area turned into a reality with assistance from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. After being awarded a Hip Hop Community Arts Initiative Grant in the summer of 2007, Emily made the decision to bring Comp Noise to fruition. Nine months later... Emily is so proud to be bringing Move-Ments to Washington, DC. The collection of artists and talent is extraordinary. It is so exciting to see her work coming together in such exciting and creative ways.
Through her work as a performer, artist, and leader, Emily continues to share the positive impacts that the performing arts can have on empowering youth and communities. She looks forward to sharing Move-Ments with you!

Move-Ments Artist: Tianna Cohen-Paul.

Tianna Cohen-Paul

Move-Ments Artist: Ayodamola Okunseinde.

As a creative director and visual artist working in the multimedia field, ayo has worked with notable artists like Donald Odita and Ike Ude. He has made significant contributions to the Washington D.C. arts scene with his such projects as "Smacktv: a contemporary arts show" and "Budapest Calling". Collaborating with local artists, ayo has helped to foster interdisciplinary arts projects including "Arabesque Rising", "New Music Compositions" and the "Fresh Produce Film Festival". Heavily influenced by mass media and popular culture, he weaves these elements into his works. His skill and experience places him at a junction that allows him to speak of the vibrancy and interconnectivity of the arts and contemporary society. Okunseinde owns and operates Dissident Display Studios and Gallery on H St NE. Ayodamola Okunseinde lives and works in Washington DC

Move-Ments Artist: Tim Slayton.

Tim Slayton is a local visual street artist who dabbles in many mediums, including but not limited to graffiti, wheat paste, digital art, silk screened canvas and clothing. Founder and primary artist for Truth Among Liars... , an art , clothing and design collective developed with the idea of informing the masses of the balance between opposites in all aspects of life particularly fact and fiction. Simple but gritty thought provoking images and edgy designs dominate the Truth Among Liars style.

Truth Among Liars... is everything!

Move-Ments Artist: DJ 2-Tone Jones.

Since touching down in the nation’s capitol in 2001 via Atlanta, GA, DJ 2-Tone Jones has slowly and steadily been carving out his own niche in the D.C. area hip-hop scene. A true fundamentals DJ, 2-Tone speaks with his hands as in the tradition of a Pete Rock or E-Swift, and through his bottomless crates has rocked parties from LA to NY on down to the A-Town and even out in Europe. But 2-Tone is not your one dimensional party and bullsh*t DJ. His list of current gigs and artists with whom he has spun with is as diverse as the musical genres within his crates (and crates) of records, which is a sonic collage of dusty groove Funk, Soul, Afro-Beat, Jazz, Roots Reggae/Dancehall, mainstream Rap/R&B, Go-Go (can’t forget that), Hip-Hop, Lounge/Deep House and 70’s & 80’s Rock.

On the performance side 2-Tone has spun with, and alongside, the likes of Biz Markie, Kool Herc, Melle Mel, Floetry, J Period, Goapele, Mista Sinista, Raheem DeVaughn, Mr. Lif, Ras Kass, Grand Wizard Theodore, Sugarhill Gang, Sy Smith, and even Dick Gregory just to name a few. He was also the DJ-in-residence for Shaman Work Recordings, an independent Hip-Hop music label whose roster included CL Smooth, Wale Oyejide, John Robinson, Scienz of Life, and others.

Currently 2-Tone can be found most nights of the week at a number of venues around the D.C. area and on the airwaves. On Monday nights from 11pm to midnight 2-Tone is the resident DJ, engineer, and co-host for a progressive hip-hop radio show, Ill Street Grooves, part of the Decipher hip-hop strip on DC’s own WPFW 89.3 FM/Pacifica Radio. Once a month at Mayorga Lounge in Columbia Heights, 2-Tone and crew host Artz$Craftz, an intimate arts exhibition where artists exhibit and create work while the music spins. Also, every Thursday night at the Historic Bohemian Caverns 2-Tone performs as a member of Sound of the City (SOTC).

As his notoriety grows, 2-Tone is not one to just sit back and watch. Along with a handful of D.C.’s most talented visual artists, Mr. Jones is a member of a cutting-edge art troupe/marketing group known as AM Radio: Artwork Mbilashaka. During the day he serves as Assistant Director of the Urban Arts Academy for Words.Beats.Life, Inc.; a hip-hop, non-profit organization that uses hip-hop culture as a means to transform individuals and their communities. Some of his responsibilities as Assistant Director include teaching kids how to DJ and play chess. So be on the listen-out for 2-Tone Jones thru a speaker near you.

Move-Ments Artist: Holly Bass.

Holly Bass is a writer, choreographer and performer. She has presented her solo work at respected regional theaters and performance spaces such as the Kennedy Center (DC), the Whitney Museum (NY) and the Experience Music Project (Seattle). Critics have praised her one-woman-show, Diary of a Baby Diva, as “mesmerizing” (Village Voice) and “indisputably funny” (Washington Post). Her poems have been published in Callaloo, nocturnes (re)view, Role Call (Third World Press, 2002) and The Ringing Ear and she has worked as a teaching artist through DC WritersCorps and other programs. She curated the NYC Hip Hop Theater Festival for three years and was the first journalist to put the term “hip hop theater” into print in a 1999 article for American Theatre. Her essay on women and hip hop theater appears in the contemporary feminist anthology The Fire This Time: Young Activists and the New Feminism. She has been awarded two Artist Fellowship grants from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. In addition to her solo work, she has performed with Gesel Mason Performance Projects, ClancyWorks Dance Company and was a member of Carla Perlo’s Carla & Co. Her dance-based short films have been screened at Ladyfest and other festivals. She studied modern dance (under Viola Farber) and creative writing at Sarah Lawrence College before earning a Master’s in Journalism from Columbia University.

Move-Ments Artist: Meggan Rees Eckert.

Meggan Rees is living, working and painting in D.C.
after graduating with a BFA from the George Washington
University. Inspired by the processes of creativity,
she observes the subtleties of form and relates them
as metaphors to human experiences. In "Move-ments,"
the dancer symbolizes freedom of expression contrasted
to the walls of limitations. The dancer's creativity
and voice are unconstrained by the limits of
language or the need of an instrument or canvas.
Painting the movements of the transient expression of
a dancer is meant to capture and reflect what we often
fail to notice - creativity in daily surroundings and
the positive essence of the ability to convey one's
voice.

Move-Ments Artist: DJ El Ninyo

Ramon Siewert AKA DJ EL NINYO- Originally from Portland OR- 28 years young, Graduated from AU with Bachellors degrees in International Studies and Latin American Studies. Currently working as a chef by day at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, and DJ by night. Favorite hobbies are cooking, eating, breakin', poppin', lockin', DJing, and playing with my 2 dogs! Also soon to be hitched to my lovely fiance and talented hair-stylist Jennie.

Move-Ments Artist: Aysha Upchurch.

Aysha Upchurch is a Washington, DC-based dancer, choreographer and poet. The Washington Post calls her poetry “smart” and her movement ranges from Hip Hop to tap, having studied with legends in both genres, from Buster Brown and Diane Walker to Rennie Harris and Mr. Wiggles. She has choreographed, taught and performed throughout the country in Philadelphia, New York, Texas and North Dakota, as well as internationally in the Caribbean and Eastern Europe. In the Washington, DC area, Aysha is in demand as a dancer, instructor and choreographer. She has been on faculty at Joy of Motion Dance Center since 2000 and has worked with CityDance Ensemble since 2003. Her work has been seen at Dance Place, the Carter Barron Amphitheatre, DARS Constitution Hall, Atlas Performing Arts Center, the Verizon Center and on promotional commercials for the Washington Nationals. She has choreographed for Georgetown Dance Company, DCypher Dance Company, Namyanka Dance Ministry and Joy of Motion’s Youth Dance Ensemble Senior Company. In 2007, she received the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage Local Dance Commissioning Project, and was nominated for a Metro DC Dance Award for Emerging Choreographer. Aysha is a St. Louis, MO native who motive to DC to attend American University where she earned a BA in International Studies and an MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution.

Move-Ments Artist: Steve Connell.

Steve Connell
As a poet, playwright, and actor, his work has continually garnered attention and praise. Poet: he is the 2002 Hollywood Champion, the 2003 LA Champion and the 2003 National Poetry Champion (team LA). His work has been featured on a wide variety of media outlets, including ABC World News, Good Morning America, MSNBC’s Hardball, HBO’s Def Poetry(twice), MTV’s World AIDS Festival, BET’s Lyric Café, Oprah Winfrey’s celebration of Maya Angelou’s 75th birthday and P-Diddy’s Annual White Party. Actor/playwright: His work in, “Downsizing”, won him the “Best Actor” award in the 48 Hour Film Festival and URB magazine declared him one of the “100 Faces To Watch.” His hit one man show, 40 Days, received rave reviews from the LA Weekly (Pick of the Week) and Backstage West (Critic’s Pick) and was declared Best Solo Performance of 2005 by Entertainment Today. His theatrical acting/writing highlights include: no easy choice, at the 12th Annual U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, CO; The Word Begins, (dir. Robert Egan), just completed its’ first national run in 2007 at the Signature Theater where it was hailed as “explosively funny”, and “…a stunning show on the cutting edge of modern theater.” Other favorite roles include: Tom (Glass Menagerie), Macbeth (Macbeth), and Danny (Danny and the Deep Blue Sea). Film/TV: appeared in independent films, Another Day in Paradise, Shanghai Kiss, and on television in Dirty Sexy Money and The List (both on ABC). His first leading role was in the film, “the Beat”, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. His second lead role is in Blues, which should be in theatres in 2008.

Move-Ments Artist: Alana Hill.

Self professed "jack of all trades", Alana Hill naturally took to photography when she enrolled in a photojournalism class at University of Maryland, University College less than a year ago. Although her main task was to complete the class with an "A", Alana received so much more. She has fallen head over heels with photography and has since been shooting more than she could have ever imagined. She has had the opportunity to photograph a wide range of subjects, including, youth and adult portraiture, concerts, theatrical productions, and several dance performances. However, out of everything she has photographed, her favorite is working with people that she loves. "Most people don't consider themselves gorgeous, so it's really difficult for people to appreciate a picture of themselves. However, I find a rewarding challenge in capturing more than outer beauty. I try to capture emotion and sincerity in shots, in addition to the splendor that we all see when we look at them. Most of the times I'm successful!"

Move-Ments Artist: DK aka Wayne Watts.

DK aka Wayne Watts is a national recording hip hop artist on the independent label, Evergreen Music (an associate member of NACA).

DK aka Wayne Watts honed his MC skills in his native city of Baltimore, Maryland and at the age of 15 astonished and entertained music executives and fellow hip hop/r&b artists while interning for the 2002 Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Awards and Conference in South Beach Miami, Florida.

Over the past four years, while completing requirements for a BA Degree in Communications, DK aka Wayne Watts has performed at various events in the Maryland & DC areas, appearing with
Slum Village, The Clipse, Cee-Lo, Raheem DeVaughn, Fertile Ground, Ty Tribbett. DK most recently opened for The All American Rejects at Byrd Stadium in College Park, Maryland. DK also has appeared as a panelist and performer at various hip hop symposiums.

The Spring and Fall of 2008 will find DK aka Wayne Watts embarking on a regional and national tour of festivals, colleges and clubs to promote his latest cd project.

Move-Ments Artist: Boogie Bots Crew.

Boogie Bots Crew:
A collaboration rooted in Culture Shock Washington D.C.'s own Freestyle and Commercial teams bring you a mix of improvisation and choreography. Boogie Bots Crew represents different styles, backgrounds, and concepts being able to move, create, and train as ONE. REPRESENTING THE NJ/MD/DC/VA areas Boogie Bots Crew is MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE.

Move-Ments Artist: Komplex.

"Where Langston Hughes meets Mos Def,”" he walks like a poet and talks like an MC.

Poet. Hip-Hop Artist. Host. Author. Actor. Educator. Professional.
He closes his eyes and the stage becomes GOD’s ear; every poem a secret,
every rhyme a confession. Beautifully torn between Hip-Hop and Spoken
Word he owns the title of a writer and over the years has engraved his
place as a master of the stage. Komplex aka K.o.M.-Mr. Keep On Moving.

Move-Ments Artist: Carla "Jupiter" Byrd.

Artist Carla “Jupiter” Byrd’s paintings are often described as her “Urban Haikus on Canvas”. The self taught fine artist comes from a long line of artists and started showing artistic capabilities by the early age of two. But, it wasn’t until the early 2000's that the universe began calling her back to what she always was. Following her natural path, this talented sister started making a name for herself as an artist. She is inspired by the rhythm of life and its eclectic mixes, music, memories, books, friendship, roots, learning, anything that moves her. “I see art in everything” she says.

Using a variety of mediums, her art is beautiful, bold, fun and optimistic, yet hip and clever giving it that urban edge. She speaks through her art, and each piece of art does indeed carry a story, a moment, a thought, an emotion, or just a bit of knowledge. She’s still, growing, and constantly honing her skills. She started signing all of her paintings with the name “Jupiter”, drawn from her zodiac sign. It represents luck abundance, and expansion, all the things she strives to reciprocate through her art.

She resides in Washington, DC.