Remembrance Through Dance Workshop

The first Remembrance Through Dance Workshop will be held Saturday December 6th 2008 tentatively from 9am-7pm. This workshop includes a wide range of dance forms including contemporary ballet, modern, hip hop, and belly dance. Check out the bios of the talented variety of instructors below!

Click here to download the RTD Workshop Registration Form!! Email completed forms to cmatlock@vt.edu

DENA RIZZO, RENOWNED HIP HOP DANCER AND CHOREOGRAPHER HAS BECOME ONE OF AMERICA'S SUPREME NAMES IN THE DANCE WORLD. DENA HAS WORKED WITH MTV,VH-1 AND HAS 5 HIP HOP INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS. SHE IS BASED OUT OF NEW YORK CITY BUT TRAVELS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TEACHING AND EDUCATING STUDENTS IN HIP HOP AND BREAKDANCING. SHE IS ON THE FACULTY OF SHOWSTOPPERS, DANCE MAKERS, DESTINATION BROADWAY AND HAS WORKEDWITH DARRIN HENSON'S DANCE GROOVE TOUR JUST TO NAME A FEW. SHE WAS A FEATURED DANCER IN THE MOVIE BLACK KNIGHT WITH MARTIN LAWRENCE. HER WORK CAN BE SEEN IN MUSIC VIDEOS, COMMERCIALS, THEATRE PRODUCTIONS AND WAS FEATURED IN DANCE SPIRIT MAGAZINE.DENA JUST FINISHED HER 5TH INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO "ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE". SHE IS ALSO THE CREATOR AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF "THE ONE URBAN DANCE EXPERIENCE". SHE IS VERY PROUD TO SAY HER STUDENT JESSICA KING IS ON THIS SEASON OF "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE" DENA'S GOAL IS TO EDUCATE STUDENTS IN THE TRUE ARTFORM AND CULTURE OF HIP HOP. HER HIGH ENERGY CLASS WILL FUSE TOGETHER HIP HOP, BREAKDANCING AS WELL AS THE TECHNIQUE OF A STYLE SHE HAS CREATED THAT IS TRULY HER OWN. VISIT WWW.DANCERIZZO.COM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DENA AND UPDATES ON MASTER CLASSES.

Joy Rayman is a Tribal Fusion belly dancer from the Charlottesville area and one of the founding members of Fire in the Belly Dance Company. Originally from Baltimore Md., Joy has been studying the art of belly dance in its many forms for 20 years. At the age of 22, as a member of the Society for Creative Anachronisms, she began learning a folkloric style of belly dance from her first teacher, Sussie Curtis. She also learned how to play dumbek (a mid-eastern style drum) from master drummer Billy Woods. In 1989, Joy began studying cabaret style belly dance with Bedia, a well know dancer from northern Va. In 1991, while living in Spain, she helped the troupe 'Dancers of the Alcazar' with her friend and fellow dancer LuSynda Pool.  After returning to the states, Joy became member of The Maryland Company of Middle Eastern Dancers under the direction of Pat Miller. In 1994 she moved to Hickory NC and became the director of 'The Chandani Dancers' an American tribal style belly dance troupe.    In 1999, Joy moved to central Va. at began teaching classes in Nelson County as well as the Dance Theater of Lynchburg. This is when she met fellow dancer Susan Nicholson and along with Joia Wood the three of them formed Fire in the Belly, Charlottesvilles first tribal belly dance troupe. Over the years, Fire in the Belly has evolved into what is now a fusion/experimental style of tribal belly dance. They have performed at many events including Charlottesvilles Wunderkamer, Shentai, and recently at the Carnival of Five Fires in Richmond. There are currently six dancers in the Company. For more information, go to www.myspace.com/fireinthebellydance  Joy has performed and toured the Northeast with local band 'Accordion Death Squad'. She continues to teach in and around Charlottesville and encourages her students to perform as well. She recently received her certification in level 1 from Suhaila Salimpour and is currently taking classes in American cabaret style belly dance from Alexandra Snyder.

Dylan G-Bowley grew up in Marion, NY where he began dancing at Sandy Strominine School of Dance. He furthered his training at summer programs that included New York State Summer School for the Arts, Joffery Ballet, Jacob’s Pillow Ballet Program, National Ballet School of Canada, and Spring Board Danse Project. After graduating from high school Dylan was accepted into The Juilliard School, where he spent four years working with wonderful choreographers such as Janis Brenner, Alan Hineline, Elliot Feld, Doug Varone, and Robert Battle. Upon graduating with a BFA in Dance from Juilliard, Dylan joined The Trey McIntyre Project where he is currently dancing.

Kyle Shukis is currently on faculty at Radford University where he teaches Advanced Contemporary Jazz, Dance Appreciation, History and Philosophy of Dance, and is the resident lighting designer. He received his dance education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and then moved to New York where he toured nationally and internationally with Randy James Dance Works, as well as dancing as a pick up dancer for several other choreographers and companies. He has taught countless master classes up and down the east coast at universities and performing arts high schools including Rutgers University, Trinity College, Muhlenburg College, James Madison University, Philadelphia School for the Performing Arts and at the American College Dance Festival for the past two years.