Workshops
Briana offers a wide range or workshops suitable for all ages and levels. Scroll down to check out her list of workshops or contact us to book a specialized workshop for your event or program.
Stepping
This workshop immerses students in the rich and powerful culture, movement and intensity of Stepping, a highly energetic African-American form of body percussion. Steppers utilize their body as an instrument to create intricate rhythms and sounds with one’s’ hands, feet and voice. They are both musicians and dancers who perform and move with great strength and intensity that challenges the mind, body and spirit. Strong
emphasis will be placed on stepping technique, movement execution as a group and the cultural expression of stepping. Overall, the workshop will emphasize moving and creating music together, and the importance of the emergence of stepping within African American history and culture.
Contemporary Dance: Rhythm & Flow
This workshop merges the precision of body percussion with the fluidity of contemporary dance, creating a dynamic and expressive form of movement. Participants will build coordination, rhythm, and musicality while developing their ability to express emotion and tell stories through motion. By combining percussive rhythms with expansive, flowing movement, dancers will explore new ways of connecting with both their bodies and music, while cultivating a movement quality that is both fluid and grounded, emphasizing the relationship between flow and strength.
Voice & Rhythm
This workshop will explore individual and collective expression through rhythm by using our voices and body percussion. This dynamic workshop is designed for anyone interested in enhancing your musicality and creativity and discovering how to use their voice in rhythm, play, and song. We will dive into collective improvisation techniques, percussive sequences, and vocal activities that allow us to create and be the rhythms within and around us and we’ll explore
techniques from various traditions, including call-and-response, and vocal improvisation, to help you develop a strong sense of rhythm and timing.
Rhythm & Play
This interactive workshop is perfect for dancers, musicians, and rhythm enthusiasts of all levels, offering an opportunity to enhance your musicality and sense of rhythm through engaging activities. We will celebrate the rich tradition of rhythm games within the African American community and explore these cultural traditions and rhythm-based exercises that improve your timing, coordination, and musical phrasing using your body as an instrument while learning foundational percussive dance techniques, to create
your own rhythmic expressions.
Body Percussion
This workshop explores the art of creating
music using only your body! This workshop is open to participants of all skill levels and is perfect for anyone interested in rhythm and movement. You’ll learn how to produce a variety of sounds using your hands, feet, and entire body, transforming yourself into a human instrument. We’ll cover techniques such as clapping, stomping, snapping, and patting, as well as combining these elements to create dynamic rhythmic patterns. Through engaging exercises and group activities, you’ll develop your sense of timing, coordination, and musicality.