Ballet Hispánico continues Partnership with Penn State with Virtual Latin Social Dance Class

Ballet Hispánico, the nation’s renowned Latinx dance organization recognized as one of America’s Cultural Treasures, continues its Community Arts Partnerships (CAP) with a free virtual Latin Social Dance Class in partnership with Penn State, on Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 7:30pm ET. Held over Zoom, the class will be an extension of the Ballet Hispánico 50th Legacy Experience. It will be taught by former principal dancer and BHdos rehearsal director, Rodney Hamilton. The class will be a journey through different dance forms that had influenced Ballet Hispánico’s choreographic work, such as Mambo and Dunham technique and it will have some movements inspired on Ballet Hispánico’s repertory. No experience is necessary and it is open to the community. Visit https://cpa.psu.edu/events/ballet-hispanico-dance-class for details.

This class continues Ballet Hispánico’s Community Arts Partnerships that engage and enrich communities by providing educational programs that celebrate the authenticity of Latinx heritage, culture, and traditions. The virtual education initiatives reach hundreds of thousands of students, their families, and fans nationwide, from California to North Carolina to the Company’s NYC home base. Contributions from the members of the Penn State Center for the Performing Arts and a grant from the University Park Student Fee Board help make the program free of charge. The program is part of the center’s “Up Close and Virtual” 2020–21 season. Geisinger and Northwest provide support for virtual presentations by the Center for the Performing Arts. For more information about forthcoming “Up Close and Virtual” season events, visit www.cpa.psu.edu/events. Find the Center for the Performing Arts on Facebook at facebook.com/PSCPA, on Twitter at twitter.com/psupresents and on Instagram at instagram.com/psupresents.

Rodney Hamilton began his training in his native St. Louis at several schools including Carr Lane V.P.A., the Center of Contemporary Arts, and Alexandra School of Ballet. He also studied with Ms. Katherine Dunham and joined the chorus at the MUNY where he performed for seven years. After arriving in New York City, he graduated with a BFA in Dance from the Juilliard School and joined Ballet Hispánico where he was a principal dancer and assistant rehearsal director for 10 years. During this time, he performed works by José Limon, Paul Taylor, Hans van Manen, Robert Battle, Ohad Naharin, David Parsons, William Whitener, Ann Reinking, Ramón Oller, Sergio Trujillo, Trinette Singleton, Agnes DeMille, Talley Beatty, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Vicente Nebrada, and numerous other well-known choreographers. Mr. Hamilton was part of the national touring cast of Hello Dolly with Carol Channing and worked with the Broadway cast of Tarzan during its workshop process. In 2012, Mr. Hamilton became the Resident Choreographer for the Saint Petersburg City Theater in Florida where he choreographed Hello Dolly, Footloose, and Memphis. Mr. Hamilton holds an MFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He has taught ballet, modern, and Dunham technique all over the world. Mr. Hamilton is Ballet Hispánico’s faculty member at the School of Dance and BHdos Rehearsal Director.

About Community Arts Partnerships
Community Arts Partnerships (CAP) engage and enrich communities by providing educational programs that celebrate the authenticity of Latinx heritage, culture, and traditions. Ballet Hispánico has developed new, engaging virtual programs to share the vibrancy of dance and Latinx culture with communities spanning all locations, age-groups, and abilities. This is an opportunity to keep our communities connected and create platforms nationwide for Black and Brown artists to be celebrated. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of our mission, and these programs create access points to these principles through transformative artistic experiences. During this time of social distancing, we have expanded our creativity to connect with the community on a new level. Social distancing does not have to mean emotional distancing. We have more information on our virtual programming here or visit our website ballethispanico.org.

About Ballet Hispánico
Ballet Hispánico is the nation’s renowned Latino dance organization and one of America’s Cultural Treasures. Ballet Hispánico brings communities together to celebrate and explore Latino cultures through innovative dance performances, transformative dance training, and enduring community engagement experiences. Founded in 1970 by National Medal of Arts recipient, Tina Ramírez, the organization emerged during the post-civil rights movement on New York’s Upper West Side, providing a safe haven for primarily Black and Brown Latinx youth seeking artistic sanctuary during New York City’s plight in the 1970s. The need for place, both culturally and artistically, led families to find Ballet Hispánico. The focus on dance as a means to develop working artists, combined with the training, authenticity of voice, and power of representation, fueled the organization’s roots and trajectory. With its strong emphasis on dance, achievement, and public presence, the organization has flourished in its three main programs: its Company, School of Dance, and Community Arts Partnerships. The organization serves as a platform for historically omitted and overlooked artists providing them with increased capacity, voice, and affirmation. Over the past five decades, by leading with Latinx culture at the forefront of performance, education, and advocacy, Ballet Hispánico’s mission is a catalyst of change and possibility for communities throughout our nation.