Dance has long moved to its own rhythm in the background of the Cambridge and Boston area, but the “Fall into Dance” event, organized by the Boston Dance Alliance and the Dance Complex on Sep. 27, proved that it’s time to pay close attention to the diverse dance opportunities available to the Boston community.
The event radiated warmth and inclusivity, creating a welcoming environment filled with positive energy and enthusiastic audience members. “Fall Into Dance” didn’t just introduce the upcoming dance performances and events in the Boston area, but it also featured interactive dance lessons.
“‘Fall into Dance’ is a time to have your eyes opened and your body and heart moved because of what you already know about movement and your body, but then also what you don’t know — what you’re exposed to for the first time,” said Peter DiMuro, Executive Artistic Director of the Dance Complex.
Participants had the opportunity to learn upbeat and vibrant Bhangra from an expert instructor from the Dance Complex and Boston Bhangra, who made the experience fun and accessible for dancers of all levels. Another highlight of the event was Nejla Yatkin’s mesmerizing meditative snake dance performance, captivating the crowd with graceful yet hypnotic movements. “Fall into Dance” seamlessly blended performance and participation, a celebration of dance in the Boston area.
“It’s also been very intimate, so that we get to engage with each other. We don’t often get to do that when you’re on stage, and so we actually get to connect and meet each other on a whole personal level,” audience member Teresa Mazur said.
Located near Central station, The Dance Complex is a 34-year-old organization. The building,which was formerly used as a gym for aerobics and Zumba in the ’80s, was closed and boarded up. In the ’90s, the building was stormed by dancers who remained on the property until the city of Cambridge helped them regain the building. Through lots of trial and tribulation, the mortgage was turned over to the Dance Complex in 2005. Now, the Dance Complex is known as the United Nations of Dance, offering a diverse range of dance forms, such as Capoeira from Brazil, Flamenco from Spain, Middle Eastern belly dance, ballet, jazz, modern, and street dance.
“It’s going to be informational, sensational in terms of fun, a lot of hype, and inspirational,” said Aaron Meyers, the Executive Director of Boston Dance Alliance, about the upcoming 2024-2025 season and dance events in the Boston area.
Meyers and the Boston Dance Alliance are organizing a lively, interactive event called International Moves and Food. In addition, the Dance on Display series at Omni Boston Hotel will highlight modern, contemporary and swing dance. Boston Dance Alliance continues to play an essential role in aggregating dance information and providing infrastructure support in the Cambridge and Boston area.
Dimuro expressed excitement about the upcoming 2024-2025 season, which will feature an array of dance events and collaborations that showcase the city’s diverse and cultural landscape. He hopes the event will inspire new dance enthusiasts and enhance the local dance scene.
Upcoming performances highlighted at the “Fall Into Dance” event include performances by the Boston Ballet, a concert series of classical Indian dance, Janelle Gilchrist Dance Troupe’s “Enchanted Twilight” and the South Asian Nation’s Diwali Gala.
For those under 35 years old, the $35 Under 35 program, run by the Celebrity Series of Boston, offers affordable tickets to dance performances to encourage the younger generation to engage with the arts.
The “Fall Into Dance” event was a demonstration of how dance can transcend mere performance, offering a deeper and more visceral connection to the human experience. Through interactive lessons and diverse dance performances, the event brought dance back into conversation within the community. “Fall into Dance” highlighted the power of the arts to bridge gaps and introduce a new dimension to how we engage with dance in our everyday lives.
