January 30, 2022

12:30 - 2:30 PM

Andy Art Center, 3000 Fenkell, Detroit

MASKS REQUIRED

Class Description: In an effort to illuminate the depth of Ethiopian culture and her influence globally, Ethio-Modern Dance integrates Dr. RAS’ embodied cultural experiences of Ethiopia and other cultures such as Western classical, contemporary/modern and urban dance. This masterclass will take a modern/contemporary dance approach towards an embodied understanding of Ethiopia’s traditional dances from the some of the various regions in the country. As in most African cultures music and dance are interrelated. This is also true for Ethiopia, and this masterclass will also explore the nuances of Ethiopian contemporary music and its relation to the cultural movements. The aim of this masterclass is to expose participants to an underrepresented cultural heritage of the African continent, while promoting engagement with Ethiopian and other marginalized cultures.  

About the Artist: Dr. RAS Mikey Courtney is an acclaimed cultural conduit using edutainment to spread universal understanding to global communities.Dr. RAS is co-founder and CEO of Fore I’m a Versatile Entertainer (F.I.V.E.) LLC. He holds a B.F.A. in Dance from UARTS Philadelphia, an MA in Ethnochoreology and a PhD in Arts Practice Research from the University of Limerick in Ireland. His research and doctoral thesis, entitled Bridging Horizons: Embodied Cultural Understanding through the Development and Presentation of Ethio-Modern Dance, explores ‘movement as cultural knowledge’ and artistic practice as methodology. Dr. RAS has collaborated with artists and companies from around the world, including Pilobolus, Raven-Symoné, Major Lazer, The Marley Family, Chronixx, AfroFlow, the African Union and more. He was recently won an Emmy award his choreographic direction of the viral music video, “One Nation – Detroit”. Dr. RAS is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance at Wayne State University and as a faculty advisor for the MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts at Goddard College. ‘Movement is life and I am a Lifist…’ www.rasmikeyc.com