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Articles, essays and biographies written by Nyamekye Smith, "The Circle."

Charm La’Donna Is Choreographing Her Life—and Conjuring an Empire

Dance Magazine

Dancer. Creative director. Rapper. Songwriter. Choreographer. Empire-building businesswoman. Charm La’Donna is all of those things, and she’s defined commercial dance from behind the scenes for years.

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MEET THOM WHITE, THE CREATIVE GENIUS BEHIND THE STUNNING "BBYGRL" VISUAL

Dance Spirit Magazine

You may have caught a glimpse of the mesmerizing movement on your Explore page, or you might've peeped the repost with over 1M views right on Chloe x Halle's Instagram page. But if you haven't watched it yet, you need to. The viral "bbygrl" video, highlighting 20 Black dancers of all shapes, complexions, and sizes came from the mind (and heart) of choreographer and visual artist, Thom White. He conceptualized, choreographed, cast, directed, and edited this mind-blowing creative project—all while in lockdown—leaving viewers feeling beautiful, healed, and empowered (and bringing many to tears!).

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THE UNBREAKABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN BLACK WOMEN, DANCE, AND MENTAL HEALTH

SHAPE Magazine

Taking a deeper look at the heavy mental load that Black women often carry, as well as the magic that they’ve managed to create throughout history — through the power of dance.

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HOW THIS DANCE TEACHER SURVIVED GETTING HIT BY A TRUCK AND MADE IT BACK TO TEACHING

Dance Teacher Magazine

Three broken ribs, two broken ankles and one broken wrist. These are the last things a dancer wants to hear, let alone experience. On September 28, 2019, dancehall and soca choreographer and teacher Betty Rox found herself facing this reality when she was struck by a car while out for a walk in Los Angeles, California. She awakened in the arms of a caring stranger, unable to move. But despite her initial disorientation and multiple injuries, her optimistic mindset led her down a path to a speedy recovery.

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Jamal Josef's Children’s Book Encourages Boys of Color to Embrace Dance

Dance Spirit Magazine

Many young men face some sort of pushback when they decide they want to become a dancer. This rings true disproportionately more for Black boys—and was particularly true for dancer, choreographer, and creative director Jamal Josef, who’s worked with artists like Raphael Saadiq and Jordin Sparks, and is one of the masterminds behind Beyonce’s iconic […]

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TANISHQ JOSHI IS STOMPING ON SOUTH ASIAN STEREOTYPES BY FUSING HIP-HOP CHOREO WITH BOLLYWOOD MUSIC

Dance Spirit Magazine

For Tanishq Joshi (aka Taneesky), becoming a dancer was as unexpected as your music cutting off mid-performance. An unfortunate injury in his hometown of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India, led to the more fortunate discovery of a new passion and a flourishing career.Joshi broke down how his unique approach to choreography is helping him diminish stereotypes, open doors for South Asian dancers, and inspire the dance community at large.

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How Donovan Gibbs Went From Living in A Dance Studio to Owning A Thriving Dance Business

Dance Teacher Magazine

Dance has taken Donovan Gibbs all over the world. He’s danced with big names like Janet Jackson, Becky G, J Balvin and Rihanna, choreographed halftime shows for college bowl games in his hometown of El Paso, Texas, and taught at conventions and studios across Los Angeles.

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THE BENEFITS OF INCORPORATING MEDITATION INTO DANCE EDUCATION

Dance Teacher Magazine

Meditation is a tool that trains attention and awareness, improving mental clarity and ultimately helping dancers (and teachers!) get out of their heads and into the moment. But doing meditation right goes way beyond the typical sitting and chanting.Though an “om” every now and then doesn’t hurt, there are numerous other ways to tap into a meditative state, dance itself being one of them.

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How Dance Studio Owners Can Be More Eco-Friendly

Dance Teacher Magazine

As busy dance teachers and studio owners, it’s easy to overlook just how much our daily habits affect the environment. But choices like the leotards we ask students to wear, the products we use, and even the way we light our studios can make a difference. So Dance Teacher looked to two dance educators—who also […]

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