Joy looks good on you!

For a limited time (only until November 27!) JCWK Dance Lab swag with our current research logo is available.

I'm making small adjustments to our logo as we embark on a new campaign and adventure. You can still get some "We Are StarDust" gear by clicking here. 

Click here to get your Regeneration inspired merch! 

So... why swag and why now? 

As JCWK Dance Lab is growing - in our artistry and in our outreach, I recognize that branding is important. Visual elements - like clothing - build community and create a sense of belonging. So many people are personally supporting our work and mission on a weekly basis. I want to say "thank you" by creating a visual expression for us to physically support each other and be reminded of JCWK Dance Lab's mission of Creating Joy, Connection and Wellness through Kinesthetic stories when we're not together. 

Research takes time. So, instead of getting new gear every year, I'm adjusting the logo to represent our current research. Currently, I'm investigating "regeneration" which is a movement in the agricultural world and also in the business world. 

JersyInk is a local company - so in purchasing JCWK Dance Lab merch, you're multiplying your local support. 

The swag they have is SUPER SOFT! 

And Joy looks good on everyone! 

Thank you, Tyson-Schoener Elementary!

 

Thank you, Tyson- Schoener Elementary School for inviting us into your space and dancing with us! We experienced so much Joy Connecting with you through movement! 

November re(NEW)al

 "Autumn leaves shower, like gold, like rainbows as winds of change begin to blow." 

~ Dan Millman

Hi, Friend!

Happy November! 

The change of seasons is clearly evident where I am. The trees blaze with rainbows of orange, gold, red and brown. The morning grass glitters with frost and my breath visibly dance on the air as I exhale. 

What is changing where you are? What has shifted in your world?

For JCWK Dance Lab, September and October were months of pausing after a plethora of performances in 2023. In July, the company began developing monthly hashtags to keep us focused on our mission and engage in some social media fun. #JulyJoy and #AugustAdventure led us into #SelfCareSeptember and #OctoberObjectives. 

We're now in #NovemberRe(NEW)al. (November Renewal)

November reNEWal news! I'm thrilled to share that JCWK Dance Lab has been invited and accepted into the International Human Rights Arts Festival in NYC. The Festival is in December, has five areas of focus, and over 55 performances. We are sharing our latest research project, Regeneration, during the evening focused on Climate Change Action. 

Regeneration is an organic growth from our "We Are StarDust" campaign of the past three years. Like meteorites, we've moved from the stars into the earth and are exploring research initiated by the Rodale Institute. The Rodale Institute is an international leader in soil regeneration and organic farming practices (and is also located in my hometown of Berks County, PA).

I'm over the moon to be recognized for our work in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) and positive social change through IHRAF. I'm also honored that JCWK Dance Lab is aligned with the constellation of social and political stars that support the Festival. Some of them include Norman Lear, Barbara Streisand, and Senator Charles Schumer - learn more by clicking here. 

JCWK Dance Lab is taking this time in #NovemberRe(new)al to root down and grow up from the work of #SelfCareSeptember and #OctoberObjectives. In addition to the performance, we are expanding our outreach workshops for seniors, folks with movement challenges, and Pre-K-12. Click here to learn more about those! 

I'm excited! 

PADEO on the GRADE

I'm honored and thrilled to be able to share the Pennsylvania Dance Education Organization on October's episode of The Greater Reading Area Dance Exchange on BCTV.org! 

Dr. Miriam Giguere and Rosemary Battista joined me and JCWK Dance Lab artist Arielle Ridley to talk about PADEO and opportunities for dancers and dance educators in PA! 

The GRADE (Greater Reading Area Dance Exchange) is an outreach initiative by JCWK Dance Lab designed to bring awareness to dance opportunities for adults in Reading, PA and the surrounding communities. It embodies JCWK Dance Lab's "Connection" cornerstone. 

Check out the episode here: 

#SelfCareSeptember

Did you ever have a moment when you felt like you were just out of steam? 

You're frustrated. You're anxious. You need to move forward but you feel stuck? The world is spinning faster and you're just trying to hold on?

That was the end of August for me. 

And then September came. 

I designated September #SelfCareSeptember because I was stuck. 

Enter the grant report that demanded I document everything I had done in the past year. As frustrating as it can be, looking back offered me a moment of perspective to not only use #SelfCareSeptember as a necessary pause in a hurricane of movement, but also to halt the feeling/ desire/ need to constantly fight for forward motion.

#SelfCareSeptember was necessary because I as me, as JCWK Dance Lab, and as Artist in Residence at Alvernia University had done a lot in the past year. (I think I documented some of it here on Fieldnotes. Feel free to explore the past with me.)

I'm grateful to all of my dancers (those I've known and those I've met) for trusting me on this journey from September 2022 to August 2023. We've created so much. We've proved that we can #nevernotdanceagain. 

I led JCWK Dance Lab on a September of focusing on somatic training, alignment, strength and flexibility. We shared our different backgrounds and asked hard questions of each other. We individually and collectively unpacked the ways we experience (or don't) physical and mental Wellness. This work is/was necessary so that we can dance longer, dance stronger, and dance with a deeper awareness of our physical/ emotional/ psychological/ social bodies. 

How do you make self care happen? 

Here are some of our reflections, in short video form: 

 

 

 

 

Dancing for Wellness with Penn State Health

Shout out to our friends at Penn State Health for hosting Rec Fest!

Rec Fest is a day that brings together organizations that provide adaptative movement equipment and opportunities with folks who might need them. 

JCWK Dance Lab shared Dance for Wellness and Dance for Parkinson's Disease demos. 

What Joy! We had so much fun Connecting with new friends through dance and Wellness!

Learn more about Rec Fest: 

#AugustAdventure

 "When was the last time you did something for the first time?" ~John C. Maxwell

Hi, Friend!

Happy August! Summer is coming to a close, but #AugustAdventure is just starting!

To kick off our '23-'24 season, JCWK Dance Lab decided to create a monthly focus which we share on the socials with a hashtag. This is also a way to keep us anchored in our mission of Creating Joy, Connection, and Wellness through Kinesthetic stories. July was #JulyJoy. August is #AugustAdventure. Do you have ideas for other months? Let me know!

Tomorrow (Sunday, August 6), we're embodying the Connection and Kinesthetic stories cornerstones by adventuring to Philadelphia. JCWK Dance Lab is on tour and is co-presenting "Flowing Forms." I'm looking forward to connecting with old friends, meeting new acquaintances, and sharing our latest research. For our next projects, JCWK Dance Lab is investing the science of soil regeneration, biodiversity, and the interconnection between humans and nature. Pictured above is a performance of "Inter/Twined" in Reading Public Museum's Arboretum as part of the Reading Theater Project's In Nature's Studio 2023. 

The Broad Street Review previewed "Flowing Forms." Click here to read about the performance. 

Click here for more information and tickets. 

We have more adventures on the horizon this month, including the finale of our pilot modern dance class series, The Greater Reading Area Dance Exchange on BCTV.org, and regional wellness festivals. 

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What was #JulyJoy? 

Click here for a short video about the start of our hashtag challenge. 

July 23, I co-directed RTP's In Nature's Studio. JCWK Dance Lab partnered to present this special event. It was a great Joy to Connect with local actors, musicians, painters, and dancers through this platform. Click here to watch a short behind the scenes video. 

Barrio Alegria invited JCWK Dance Lab to participate in their annual Storytelling through Dance performance. Pictured is JCWK Dance Lab artist Cady Monasmith. The performance was on the steps of the Reading Public Library. Reading more about it here. 

I piloted a 5-week Modern Dance class series in partnership with Alvernia University to measure interest for ongoing classes. The outpouring of interest has been a huge part of my personal #JulyJoy. All of the classes have been full and other folks have written that the timing didn't work out, but are interested in future classes. Read more here. 

Dance artists Sarena Gable and Arielle Ridley joined me in leading Dance for Parkinson's classes around Berks County. Click here to watch a short video about Dance for Wellness. 

Long-time Philly artist, Charles Tyson and I re-Connected for PhiladelphiaDance.org's Dance Talk Radio. Listen to the podcast here. 

When you catch us at a Wellness Festival, we'll ask you to add to our "Joy Board". Watch this video to see how folks at the Encompass Summer Resource Fair Connect with Joy.