“Acadiana Dance Month: Share a Dance Memory”

“Acadiana Dance Month: Share a Dance Memory”

“Acadiana Dance Month: Share a Dance Memory” Acadiana Dance Month has well been under-way, and as we bask in the 2nd-half glow of this happy month, we would like to share with you a few of the people who have contributed their thoughts, ideas, and reflections about dance with us and the community. Let’s begin with Ana Leger, a massage therapist, yogi, and Basin Arts family member (her full list of credentials is listed below…she’s such a renaissance woman!). We received the most delightful and thoughtful letter from Ana that described her favorite dance memories. It was so inspiring that...

The History of PARADE!!

The History of PARADE!!

Basin Dance Collective and Acadiana Symphony Orchestra present PARADE (pronounced PUH-ROD… it’s French!) An original dance theater work, at the Heymann Performing Arts Center on March 16, 2017, 7 pm. The contemporary dance is a reinterpretation of a historical work that is over 100 years old. In 1917, Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes premiered Parade in Paris with music by Erik Satie, scenery and costumes by Pablo Picasso, choreography by Léonide Massine, and book by Jean Cocteau. The collaboration began in the midst of World War I as many were challenging the rigid, tradition bound aesthetic of the bourgeois society. In Cocteau’s words,...

A Plea for Intimacy Through Cajun and Zydeco Dancing

A Plea for Intimacy Through Cajun and Zydeco Dancing

Enjoy this guest blog post from Caroline Helm. Caroline will be leading a Zydeco Dancing Crash Course at Basin Arts on Saturday February 24th, 10:30-12:30pm. More details here. by Caroline Helm “Wow, Caroline, you sure do care a lot about dancing!” You are darn right I do! Cajun dancing saved my Dad from a life of alcoholism. Dancing gave my Dad and I a relationship. Dancing introduced me to the qualities that makes this area different from everywhere else — music and culture. Learning to dance at young age shaped who I am today. I do care about it and...

Introducing Basin Dance Collective

Introducing Basin Dance Collective

From Basin Arts Director, Clare Cook… Times are changing! Clare Cook Dance Theater is taking a bow to make way for Basin Dance Collective! In 2010, I began Clare Cook Dance Theater as a vehicle to create and produce original, collaborative dance theater productions in NYC. Through CCDT, I had the most fortunate and thrilling opportunities to present work at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, DanceNOW Festival at Joe’s Pub, NYU, Triskelion Arts, Spoke the Hub and so many other places with the most generous and talented dancers and collaborators. Many of these projects spanned the geographic boundaries of...

NACHMO Dancers Everywhere!

Our #nachmolafayette superhero interviewed this week was Sarah Kate Roblow, a sophomore in dance at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Sarah’s been generating some buzz since moving here from Shreveport not only because of her beautiful technique, but because of her unadulterated passion and dedication to dance. Seriously! This girl has NOT SKIPPED A BEAT, NOT SKIPPED A DAY with these NACHMO prompts! *Jaw drops…basically to the floor* I imagine Sarah’s motto during this month has been something along the lines of, “When life gives you lemons, you still dance, duh!” Someone might think that because she’s doing the...

Jazz Factory…it’s all in the making!

Are you bored with the same ole’ things to do for a night out in Lafayette? On February 1st, join Basin Arts in support of the United Way of Acadiana for a one-of-a-kind, JAZZ FACTORY. Think Jazz Club meets Dance Performance meets Art Party! Expect live a live jazz music concert by UL Lafayette’s Combo One Jazz Ensemble, dance improv performances by Basin Dance Collective, live painting by Dirk Guidry and many more creative surprises all inspired by the idea of “making”. Guests will be entertained as well as invited to create throughout the night in many hands on ways! Head...

Meet More NACHMO Dancers!

Paige Barnett here again, in my pursuit of finding individuals who would be super into something like NACHMO, I decided to text Basin Dance Collective peer, Nicole Curtis. Nicole just got her BFA in dance from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. She is hip. She is “with-it” and knows all of the current dance students. So, when she texted back a number for a certain Paige Vergo, something went off in my brain. “Paige Vergo…Oh yeah, I’ve danced with her before! She was so good, I wonder what ever happened to her?” Well, let me tell you what happened to her....

Meet the NACHMO Dancers!

(My name is Paige Barnett, I’m a Basin Arts Collective company dancer, and today’s message is brought to you by yours truly.) I remember the day well…we had just finished a modern dance class and retreated to that iconic, big blue couch where conversations about dance, life, and how to make dance our lives usually takes place. Without thinking much of it, I start on one of my tangents about how Lafayette’s dance community has so much potential and how I  really want to branch out my professional dance career by planning events for all of these beautiful dancers! I’m...

Visual Arts Classes

Beginner Drawing Class with Dirk Guidry Monday’s 6:00-8:00pm 4-week Session: January 8th – 29th, 2018 $100 SIGN UP HERE Join Dirk Guidry for Beginner Drawing Class! You’ll learn the Basic Elements and Principles of Art through drawing exercises aimed to provide a great foundation to art making of all disciplines. You don’t need to know how to draw to take this class and it can also be a fun refresher course for those that have stepped away from their sketchbook for a little while. All you need to bring is a 9×12 sketchbook. All other supplies are included.    Beginner...

NACHMO Lafayette

TO ALL DANCERS, SHAKERS, CHOREOGRAPHERS, AND MOVEMENT ENTHUSIASTS IN OUR GREATER ACADIANA AREA: Basin Arts is reaching out to you to join us this January as we participate in the annual National Choreography Month…NACHMO But wait… What is NACHMO? National Choreography Month (NACHMO) is an annual challenge each January that spurs dancers, choreographers, and movement enthusiasts to choreograph by providing a month-long deadline and a community of peers. We are beginning registration for our local NACHMO events in Lafayette, La through Basin Arts. Please take a few minutes to SIGN UP HERE so we can keep in touch and share more...