While in residence at Hi-ARTS, Curtis will continue the development of and addition of choreography to Homenaje a los Rumberos. Homenaje a los Rumberos is an original music composition that pays homage to the rich legacy of traditional Afro-Cuban Rumberos and serves as a heartfelt tribute to Rumbero's living and past.

In addition, Curtis will work with collaborators to create a multimedia performance work that will celebrate the masters who shaped Cuban Rumba’s rich history.

Jourdan Ash (she/her) is a New York creative who works via her online platform True To Us, to center Black and Brown womxn as the foundation of the streetwear and sneaker industry. Jourdan uses her creative practice to bridge the gap between consumers and brands while opening the doors for those seeking a variety of opportunities within the streetwear and sneaker industry.

The world premiere of Beyond Punishment: Stories of Justice and Healing, an original interview-based theater performance co-produced by the Justice Beyond Punishment Collaborative (JBPC) and Ping Chong and Company!

Centered around the research collected by Espii and her collaborators during her time as a SKY LAB Artist. adrift//adieu invites guests to step into the research and development process of her immersive sonic and augmented reality installation.

As the closing for our OPEN HOUSE, join us for an screening of CIDADE CINZA (GRAY CITY), curated by 2023 ONE WALL MOVEMENT Muralist N. Carlos J. Following the screening will be a Q&A session with N. Carlos J. and 2022 ONE WALL MOVEMENT Muralist Mattaya Fitts. ONE WALL MOVEMENT is a public art initiative that commissions muralists, graffiti artists, writers, and street artists to create a large-scale mural.

We will explore movement through the embodiment of realism, sound, connection, and joy. The time spent together will include individual improvisational play, communal play, modern-based forms to support mobility and expansion, and a movement combination that will integrate my foundational passions - musicality, texture, mechanics, isolation, pathways, and storytelling. As an educator and class leader, my hope is to also evoke senses of physical and somatic freedom by prioritizing clear direction, and positive reinforcement!

Join SKY LAB artist Claudia Luna Fuentes of theurbanX.org for an intimate walking tour in which participants will join the artist on a walk through the outdoor areas surrounding Hi-ARTS, and Hi-ARTS Gallery and Studio Spaces. She will share her process, and discuss her works and observations and welcome walkers to see traveling on foot as an act of resistance.

Focuses on using all parts of your body when freestyling using Levels, Spacing & Musicality of various styles of Dance.

Join SKY LAB artist Claudia Luna Fuentes of theurbanX.org for an intimate walking tour in which participants will join the artist on a walk through the outdoor areas surrounding Hi-ARTS, and Hi-ARTS Gallery and Studio Spaces. She will share her process, and discuss her works and observations and welcome walkers to see traveling on foot as an act of resistance.

Afro-Cuban Dance can be described as the plethora of dances that stem from the product of the transformation on Cuban soil of the dances of various African ethnic groups that arrived in Cuba through the tragedy of the transatlantic slave trade. The dances can be religious or secular but are always inextricably linked to music and song and are characterized by a deep connection to the ancestors. We will begin by warming up the body in preparation for an intense class. Then we will move across the floor building up movement phrases based on some of the many traditional Afro-Cuban Dance styles.

Choreo-CoLab is taking place as part of Fall 2023 OPEN HOUSE. Kicking off in September 2023, OPEN HOUSE will begin with a Block Party featuring a Live Acoustic Electric DJ set by CRITICAL BREAKS Alum Zane Rodulfo, followed by a Work in Process of BRICKS by Charlene Jean, OPEN HOUSE will feature local vendors and artists and serve as a community gathering and celebration. In the weeks that follow, we will engage our community with dance, music, and much more! All of this will take place from our home at El Barrio’s Artspace PS109 in East Harlem!

Brazilian Samba for Carnival
September 19, 2023, 6-8 pm

Teaching Artist: Régine Bellinger

Technically known as “Samba no Pé” or “Passista Style Samba”, Brazilian Samba for Carnival is not a class to miss! Instructor Régine Bellinger trained for five years in Rio de Janeiro under the direction of George Louzada and Alex Coutinho in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

We are kicking off our OPEN HOUSE with a BLOCK PARTY! Featuring a LIVE Acoustic Electric DJ set by CRITICAL BREAKS Alum Zane Rodulfo followed by a Work in Process of BRICKS by Charlene Jean, and will feature local vendors and artists and much more. Check out our full lineup below and register for all with one Day Pass!

We are kicking off our OPEN HOUSE with a BLOCK PARTY! Featuring local vendors, a live DJ, Work in Process performances, art and more! Check out our full lineup below and register for all with one Day Pass! Free and open to all!

Join us for the reveal and celebration of A Flower Grows in Harlem by ONE WALL MOVEMENT muralist N. Carlos J.

Calling residents of Harlem — young and old to join us for a fun-filled, family-friendly day of art making and portrait taking. Meet street artist and muralist N. Carlos J. and have your portrait taken! Maybe your photo will be used for the mural that Carlos will create this summer. Carlos will be on site and lead visitors through a creative painting lesson using one of his original mural designs.

CRITICAL BREAKS Artist Zane Rodulfo will share a Work in Process of zwil. Audiences will experience an immersive multimedia electronic media set utilizing electronic instruments, video, and movement. The [WIP] will be followed by a conversation with Zane and his collaborators.

Third Thursdays this fall, Works & Process and 92NY with community partner Hi-ARTS present “LayeRhythm (On The Move)” at the Guggenheim (9/15), The New York Library for the Performing Arts, Jerome Robbins Dance Division (10/20), Gibney Center (11/17), and Lincoln Center (12/15).

Learn more about the ONE WALL MOVEMENT, the current Open Call, and selection process. Joining will be our inaugural ONE WALL MOVEMENT Artist Mattaya Fitts. Mattaya will be sharing and talking about her experience with Hi-ARTS! RSVP encouraged.

LayeRhythm (On The Move) with The Hood Lockers, presented with Works & Process and 92NY with community partner Hi-ARTS

Embodying the continuum of concert and social dance, LayeRhythm led by Mai Lê Hô weaves a singular mix of freestyle dance, live music, and audience interaction, celebrating the vibrancy of street and club dance cultures. Spotlighting The Hood Lockers, the evening will feature choreographed work from the company alongside improvisations by musicians, dancers, and emcees, captivating young and old, theater and club goers.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Join us for a live Virtual Artist Discussion with Brian Quijada & Nygel D. Robinson, as they discuss their time as CRITICAL BREAKS residents and the development of MEXODUS.

Join us for a Live Reading of MEXODUS, with CRITICAL BREAKS duo Brian Quijada & Nygel D. Robinson.

An evening of film under the stars at Hi-ARTS will begin with a community discussion centered around themes of healing followed by a screening by the award-winning feature film, In Our Mothers’ Gardens. The critically acclaimed new documentary forefronts Black women from across the globe as they unlock stories of their mothers to redefine holistic lives rooted in radical self-care and healing.

An evening of film under the stars at Hi-ARTS will begin with a community discussion centered around themes of healing followed by a screening by the award-winning feature film, In Our Mothers’ Gardens. The critically acclaimed new documentary forefronts Black women from across the globe as they unlock stories of their mothers to redefine holistic lives rooted in radical self-care and healing.

Centered around communal gardening and discussion, Pitts will open workshops with meditation and then guide participation in discussion on individual and familial histories with the intent to equip participants with tools to foster intergenerational healing. Individual sessions with limited capacity and registration required.