Santa Monica College’s Global Motion World Dance Company presents an exciting program of choreography showcasing dance styles from around the world.
Final performances are today, May 17, at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in The Broad Stage at the SMC Performing Arts Center (Santa Monica Boulevard and 11th Street, Santa Monica).
The performance will feature traditional and contemporary dance styles, including West African, Belly Dance, Lyrical Jazz, Bachata, Italian Dance, Korean Dance, Mexican Folklórico, Indonesian, Hip Hop, Maori, Viennese Waltz, and Salsa.
Global Motion, founded by Judith Douglas, is under the artistic direction of Raquel Ramirez and Sri Susilowati.
Faculty choreographers are Laura Canellias, Keali’i Ceballos, Jessica Kondrath, Jennifer Jesswein, and Sri Susilowati.
Guest choreographers are Baghawan Ciptoning, Vladimir Kolesnikov, and Wilfried Souly.
Student choreographers are Mi Ja Kim, Deborah Kull, Lance Yijin Lao, Maritza Olmos, Ashley Ramirez, Karen Rodriguez, and Daniel Erazo Salgado.
Global Motion is a world dance performance company that expresses the concept of humanity in the form of global citizenship. The company is composed of SMC students who learn, rehearse, and perform world dance styles. Global Motion provides a platform for SMC students to experience and learn about other cultures through world dance while working with professional choreographers who are experts in the field of world dance.
Global Motion has toured extensively and performed at schools, festivals, and special events throughout California and Mexico for more than 30 years. The company has recently – for the second time – returned from performances in Beijing, China.
Raquel Ramirez is co-director of Global Motion and a dance professor at SMC. She is also the founder and director of a folklórico performance group, and is dedicated to supporting the traditions and cultures of Mexico.
Sri Susilowati, originally from Indonesia, is co-director of Global Motion and a member of the SMC dance faculty. She is a dancer, choreographer and storyteller, creating and performing traditional and contemporary works that focus on community, gender, and ethnicity.
Baghawan Ciptoning, a performer and choreographer of the traditional and contemporary from Solo, Indonesia, has trained extensively with revered figures from the Mangkunegaran and Kasunanan Palaces. He has a B.A. from the Indonesian Institute of The Arts Yogyakarta, graduated from Institute of The Arts Surakarta, and studied with Sardono W. Kusumo. Ciptoning has toured in India, the United States, Japan, Thailand, Finland, and Malaysia. He draws inspiration from Javanese court dance and martial arts, and his work explores an unusual repertoire of classicism and an inventive approach to faith and fantasy. In 2006 he was awarded the Best Dance on Screen for “Tamansari,” and Best Choreographer for his solo dance-drama ”Moon Bridge.” He has choreographed and performed at many universities and high schools, was Arts Coordinator for the Indonesian Festival, and works at the Consulate General of The Republic of Indonesia in Los Angeles.
Wilfried Souly is a choreographer, dancer, musician, and martial artist originally from Burkina Faso. He began his training in traditional and contemporary African dances at an early age. His work has been presented at Redcat Theater, Barnsdall Gallery, and Highways Performance Space. Souly is currently teaching at UCLA in the World Arts and Culture Dance department.
Tickets, which sell out quickly, range from $15 to $18. Parking is free.
For tickets, go to www.smc.edu/eventsinfo or call (310) 434-3005. For more information, see www.smc.edu/dance or call (310) 434-3467.
