ARTIST LAB | Rhythm, Roots, and Remembrance
with Cheri Stokes
Saturday, August 23
11am — 2pm | Mark Morris Dance Center, Brooklyn, NY
Admission: $20
Come move, create, and tell your story.
This interactive and engaging workshop explores the integration of research, embodied storytelling, and improvisation as tools to deepen choreographic practice. Participants will examine how historical place and cultural memory inform movement creation, with a specific focus on 1980s and 1990s Hip-Hop. Using the aesthetics, energy, and socio-political context of these eras, the workshop invites dancers to root their creative process in both personal and collective histories.
By the end of this workshop, participants will:
Engage with choreographic tools rooted in personal and community history.
Utilize methods such as auto-ethnographic writing, site-based inquiry, and music analysis to inform movement creation.
Investigate the cultural and historical impact of 80s and 90s Hip-Hop on embodied storytelling.
Develop short movement studies derived from archival and improvisational prompts.
Cultivate a deeper understanding of their artistic lineage and choreographic voice.
Please wear comfortable clothing to move in, 90s theme attire is suggested! Don’t forget to bring water!
Cheri L. Stokes is a 2024 Hi-ARTS CRITICAL BREAKS Artist Alumn. While in residence, she concentrated on the development of Around the Way Gurl: The Block Party.
“Using auto-ethnography to inspire movement and text, this work will examine the ways in which the duality of femininity and masculinity, intergenerational movement aesthetics, innate movement patterns, generational and community values, and Hip-Hop culture have all influenced my identity and the women from my community during that era.”
About Artist Lab
Hi-ARTS ARTIST LAB is a workshop series designed to equip our community with skills and knowledge that support their creative growth and career development. Whether you are an emerging artist, an aspiring professional, or simply exploring new artistic practices, there is an ARTIST LAB for you. Led by working artists and industry professionals, each session offers a practical and hands-on learning experience.
In addition to refining creative techniques, ARTIST LAB offers guidance on essential career-building skills such as marketing, pitching, and navigating the arts industry. Each session is crafted to help artists sustain and expand their practice while fostering connections within the Hi-ARTS community.
Whether you’re looking to deepen your craft, gain new perspectives, or strengthen the business side of your artistry, the ARTIST LAB Series is here to support your journey.
Health & Safety | We are cultivating both wellness and mindfulness. We encourage those who feel more comfortable masking to do so. If you are exhibiting any type of symptoms of illness, we ask that you please stay home.
