HIP HOP Into The Holidays

Let your body rejoice with this talented array of young dancers as they move, celebrate  and lend their voices to those of the suffragettes who fought for  the women’s right to vote in America and to those that are continuing the fight for equality. Featuring performances by Giabella Rose Taylor, the Studio of Mt. Kisco, the Steffi Nossen School of Dance, and the Peekskill/Masters School Dance Troupe under Malika Hunt, these dancers offer a powerful interpretation of the current exhibition. Performance will take place within Isis Kenney’s Women Warriors installation. Isis Kenney will be available for discussion and insight. At 2 and 5 pm, there will be docent-led tours of the entire exhibition, Between I & Thou. Light refreshments will be served; afternoon ginger snaps and mulled cider to warm your souls and disperse the winter chills.

Tickets are $15 and $10 members and for Peekskill Residents with ID. Seating is limited; please RSVP by phone at (914) 788-0100 or by emailing info@hvcca.org.

“Women Warriors” honors the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in America, as well as the continuing fight for equal rights in the public sphere. A voting booth was created by artist Isis Kenney in conjunction with ArtsWestchester’s “Give Us The Vote” exhibition. Kenney has created five large panels depicting suffragettes like Susan B. Anthony and Sojourner Truth in their fight for equal rights, as well as depicting modern day feminist icons Bella Abzug, Sonia Sotomayor, Dolores Huerta, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Adelina Otero-Warren, Oprah Winfrey, and Shirley Chisholm as superheroes, resplendent in costumes inspired by Wonder Woman. The work of Cey Adams, celebrated muralist, designer, and artist will also be on display with his culture-laden American flags. Both Kenney and Adams utilize the visual language of Hip-Hop in their work to create bold, colloquial images that speak to the essence of what it is to be an American citizen and warrior.

Giabella Taylor, currently a freshman Drama major at The La Guardia school for the Arts, loves dancing, singing, acting, and the process of creating art in all its forms. Giabella Taylor (14) began dancing at the Lucy Moses School when she was 2.  She currently studies modern dance and composition with Ellen Robbins. Giabella is a student at PPAS (the Professional Performing Arts School) in midtown Manhattan and balances her dance skills with painting, songwriting, singing, acting, and piano studies. Giabella has been featured yearly as a soloist in the annual Family Matters Showcases at NYLA (since she was 6) and in December 2015 danced the lead role (Clara) in Dances Patrelle’s, The Yorkville Nutcracker, at the Danny Kaye Playhouse.

The Studio School of Dance, founded and directed by Vanessa Gutierrez,  works to develop lifelong dance skills in its students and to foster a love of dance that will last a lifetime. With more than 30 years of combined dance and teaching experience, The Studio has served to enrich and promote the well-being of its students through dedication to the art and a love of learning through teaching.

Steffi Nossen School of Dance was established by dance legend Steffi Nossen in 1937.  With roots in modern dance, the school offers a full range of dance techniques including jazz, ballet, tap and hip hop. The Steffi Nossen Dance Company is the school’s premiere ensemble for pre-professional dancers. Each year, two new works are commissioned and created for the Company by professional choreographers. The Company will be featured in the November Choreography Showcase, the March Community and Benefit Concerts and the May Children’s Shows.  Choreography for Steffi Nossen’s performances is by MATHEW JAMES, founder and artistic director of URBAN TRIBE.

Photograph by Ellen Crane Photography, courtesy of Steffi Nosson School of Dance.