Explore Arts & Culture: Dance

I first met Michael Jackson in Los Angeles in 1991. I was introduced by photographer Herb Ritts, Santa Fe resident, client, and friend, who was brought in to the Michael Jackson camp to try and re-invent Michael's image the way Ritts had re-invented his sister Janet Jackson's image. Herb took Janet Jackson from her Rhythm Nation uniform into a svelte, beautiful woman wearing jeans and a t-shirt in MTV's first ever B&W video. My part of this transformation of Michael was to help him feel comfortable in more casual attire and normal settings.

¡VIVA MEXICO!
Charreada Rodeo and Mexican Market

Enjoy musica, arte and mas at this celebration
of the culture, cuisine and crafts of our colorful neighbor!

Rancho De Las Golondrinas
A Living History Museum
July 18-19  10AM - 4PM

Carlos Mora, a Salsa Casino and Rueda instructor based in Santa Fe, organized the first Salsa Rueda Festival last summer in 2008. The fun continues this year with a much-expanded cast of instructors and dance forms. Mora's main goal, through his classes, performance groups and events, is to create community and have fun. This Festival will certainly continue the trend! Everyone will have the opportunity to expand their dance skills, enhance their appreciation of several dance forms, and meet new instructors as well as other dancers in the community. This year the Festival will bring some of the best instructors from places such as San Francisco, LA, Minneapolis (MN), Albuquerque, Las Vegas (NM), Taos and, of course beautiful Santa Fe. There will be workshops for everyone on footwork, styling (both for men and women), Samba, Salsa Rueda, Salsa LA, Salsa Suelta, Bachata, Tango, dance choreography, Cuban Guaguanco, Cuban Rumba and much more.

To accomplish her goal of becoming a professional dancer, 14-year old Malia Byrne takes advantage of every opportunity she gets to learn more about different movement styles. A freshman at Santa Fe High School who studies at Charisma Dance Studio, Byrne has taken summer dance workshops with Ballet Hawaii and the Kansas City Ballet. This summer, she hopes her destination will be San Francisco.

“I’m sending a video of my dancing to Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet School,” she said. “I’m applying for a dance scholarship.”

Byrne already knows some of the teachers at the San Francisco dance company and school because she takes part in the New Mexico Discovery Project, a...

When June rolls around, it’s time for the Super Bowl of dance for Moving People Dance Santa Fe. The Fourth Annual Santa Fe Dance Festival, which opens at the Lensic Performing Arts Center tonight, showcases diverse choreographic visions of local and national dance companies that come together to present the hottest new trends in movement.

“This work is unlike anything I’ve ever choreographed before,” Bill T. Jones said by phone about his evening-long dance, “A Quarreling Pair,” which will be featured at the Lensic on Saturday night. “It’s set in the world of a vaudeville show.”

Ten dancers from the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company will travel from Har...