You are invited to join arts-based social networking group, Women of Culture on Thursday June 4th for a live, online open rehearsal and discussion with Smashworks Dance's Founder, Director and Choreographer Ashley McQueen, and some of her company members.

More than just a dance company, Smashworks dances to advocate for human rights issues and women’s empowerment through performing arts, educational programming, and community outreach. Their mission is to make dance accessible and inspire audiences to take action through both onstage and site-specific performances.

We will have the rare opportunity to observe - and participate in - an open rehearsal with the company, and McQueen will also guide us through viewings of some of the company's signature pieces. She and her company members will talk about their passion for using dance as a tool for smashing boundaries, borders and stereotypes, and why they are interested in promoting dance as a unifying and confidence-building practice for all.

This is a great session for anyone who would like to gain a better understanding of contemporary dance and the choreographic process, or who is interested in the social good aspect of dance and who would like to learn more about how to use art for advocacy.

As with all of our virtual connection sessions, the event is gender inclusive, and there will also be time to connect with the community and get to know the fellow attendees. This is NOT a dance class or workshop of any kind - it is about sitting back and learning more about the art of dance, from the professionals :)

The session is being offered with a minimum $5 requested donation, with limited comp tickets available to those who have been financially impacted by COVID-19. All registrants will receive the zoom call-in info on their receipt and a recording will be made available afterwards.

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More about Ashley McQueen:

McQueen is a New York City-based performer, choreographer, and teaching artist. She holds a BFA in Dance from Webster University and an MFA in Dance from Hollins University. Hailed as “a dancer with the grace of a ballerina, the groundedness of an Isadora acolyte, and the impetuous musicality of someone who dances because she must” (Oberon’s Grove), McQueen has worked with choreographers such as Shawn T. Bible, Maurya Kerr, Jennifer Medina, Christine Knoblauch-O'Neal, Jennifer Huffman-Olivas, Omar Olivas, James Robey, Uri Sands, Amanda Selwyn, Michael Uthoff and Paris Wilcox; and performed as a company member with Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre (present, NYC), ShawnBibleDanceCo (NYC), Common Thread Contemporary Dance (STL), and Arova Contemporary Ballet (AL).

More about Smashworks Dance:

Smashworks is a New York-based dance company founded and directed by choreographer Ashley McQueen. We dance to advocate for human rights issues and women’s empowerment through performing arts, educational programming, and community outreach. We make dance accessible and inspire audiences to take action through our performances both onstage and in site-specific environments. We view artistic expression as power—smashing stereotypes and promoting dance as a unifying and confidence-building practice for all.