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Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture
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Bronx, NY

Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture and CUNY Dance Initiative present: MAWU Dance, Nov. 4

by Michelle Tabnick
October 26, 2016
Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture
450 Grand Concourse at 149 Street
Directions to Hostos Community College: #2,4,5, Bx1, Bx19 to Grand Concourse/149St.
Bronx, NY 10451
(718) 518-4455
As part of the CUNY Dance Initiative, the Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture presents the premiere of MAWU Dance’s “Journey into House” for the Company’s performance on Friday, November 4, 2016 at 7:30pm in the Repertory Theater of Hostos Community College, located at 450 Grand Concourse in the Bronx. The performance will be followed by a brief Q&A, and then an after concert party, featuring the sounds of DJ Sabine Blaizin, in the Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling (718) 518-4455 or online at www.hostoscenter.org. Students and Under 18 is free. Box Office window hours are Mon. – Fri., 1 PM to 4 PM, and two hours prior to performance. Hostos Community College can be reached by the IRT 2, 4, 5, and busses Bx1, Bx2, Bx19 to East 149th Street and the Grand Concourse.

Founded in 2007, MAWU is an all-female crew and dance company born out of New York's underground house scene, whose mission is to embody strong, positive images of women in the urban dance community, and to create fierce and creative works that will both educate and inspire new audiences. As part of the CUNY Dance Initiative, MAWU will premiere a new work, Journey into House, dedicated to Marjory Smarth, the late, legendary New York underground house dancer on her 47th birthday.

An iconic figure in the New York underground house scene, Smarth was a pioneer in dance, and she touched many lives around the world while spreading her message of love: “Live True, Dance Free.” Born in Haiti and raised in New York, Smarth was influenced by the movements from her birthplace and those from the NYC streets and clubs. Aside from performing and choreographing, she taught numerous House Dance classes all over the world, inspiring thousands of dancers. As a mentor and friend to MAWU and a driving force in New York’s dance community, Journey into House is a celebration of her life and a reflection of her legacy.

More than a group of house dancers, MAWU's strength lies in the diversity of its members, all of whom represent different backgrounds, ethnicities and dance genres including house, hip hop, modern, ballet, African, Afro-Brazilian, and jazz. The group has presented original work at Alvin Ailey Dance Center, Dixon Place, Jamaica Performing Arts Center, SummerStage, and Red Hook Fest, and performance credits include Buddha Stretch’s Step Ya Game Up, Mop Top's Anniversary Reunion, Ladies of Hip Hop, BAAD!Ass Women and the Boogie Down Dance Series at the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, and Hip Hop Generation Next in partnership with Dancing in the Streets. The ladies of MAWU perform, judge competitions, host sessions, and teach workshops all around the world and continue to take this scene by storm one dance floor at a time.

The ladies of MAWU are Chriz, Ephrat, Jimbo, Linda, Rhodesia, Secada, Tara, and Tine. For more information, visit them at www.mawudance.com.

Quotes on MAWU Dance

“I saw MAWU perform a couple of years ago and was completely drawn in by their radiance, soulfulness, and the impression that they were genuinely having a good time together.”
– Siobhan Burke, Dance Magazine

About the CUNY Dance Initiative

The CUNY Dance Initiative (CDI) is a residency program that opens the doors of CUNY campuses to New York City choreographers and dance companies. Developed in response to the shortage of affordable rehearsal space in New York City, CDI aims to support local artists, enhance college students’ cultural life and education, and build new audiences for dance at CUNY performing arts centers. In 2016, 12 CUNY colleges in all five boroughs are hosting 23 artists, from emerging choreographers to established dance companies. In addition to providing space for artists to create work, the residencies include master classes and open rehearsals specifically for students, plus showings and performances for the public. CDI is supported by The Mertz Gilmore Foundation, New York Community Trust, Howard Gilman Foundation, the Jerome Robbins Foundation, and the Harkness Foundation for Dance. CDI is spearheaded and administered by The Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College. www.cuny.edu/danceinitiative

About the Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture

The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture consists of a museum-grade art gallery, a 367-seat Repertory Theater, and a 900-seat Main Theater, presenting artists of national and international renown. It is easily accessible from Manhattan, Queens and New Jersey and is a mere 15 minutes by subway from midtown Manhattan. www.hostoscenter.org

About Hostos Community College

Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change, transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. Hostos serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, and a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique "student success coach" program, which partners students with individualized guidance, is emblematic of the premier emphasis on student support and services. Hostos Community College is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university serving more than 480,000 students at 24 colleges. www.hostos.cuny.edu

What: MAWU Dance
When: Friday, November 4, 7:30 PM
Where: Repertory Theater Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture, 450 Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York 10451
Cost: $10 (free for students and Under 18)
Phone: 718-518-4455
Website: www.hostoscenter.org

Subway/Bus: IRT Trains 2, 4, 5 and Buses BX1, BX2, BX19 to 149th Street and Grand
Concourse.
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