A team of dancers from New-York based Battery Dance had visited Hyderabad in January as part of a multi-city tour across India. Choreographer Jonathan Hollander, also the dance company’s president and artistic director spoke of the power of dance to herald a positive transformation.
Now, with Coronavirus pandemic affecting the globe, the company has launched Battery Dance TV, a new online TV channel ( https://batterydance.org/dancetv/) Says Jonathan, “Battery Dance TV allows us to continue connecting people across the world through dance at this time of social distancing and isolation,” He adds, “We and everyone we know at home and abroad are facing emotional, psychological, physical and financial challenges. For 45 years, we have explored the power of dance as an art form and a means for social impact and connection. We are not going to stop now when the need is so great.”
The online TV channel has attracted dancers in 68 countries, where Battery Dance has reached through its global ‘Dancing to Connect’ programmes.
Free live dance classes and programming to dance enthusiasts and affiliated artistes through a scheduled programme are on the anvil. The schedule includes: A morning warm up/stretching/conditioning exercises to start one’s day. While contemporary dance with afro, ballet and jazz fusion elements will be taught in the afternoon, dancers explore different ballroom styles in the evening classes; Also a daily 4pm short video by dancers performing in their living rooms.
Battery Dance also plans to tap into its international network to host Talks by artists every Sunday at 9 am (Eastern Time) with performers based in New York and from around the world, followed by Sunday classes on — Bharatanatyam dance from India, and African Fusion from Botswana.
Battery Dance also plans to expand its distance learning and programming by including online classes in lighting and production design, and classes in arts administration and cultural diplomacy. They also plan to add short performances by youth around the world who will create short dances based on a specific weekly theme suggested by the Company.
