Dance with Diandra Jones at the BVI Dance School

Dance with Diandra Jones at the BVI Dance School Classes with Diandra Jones, resident teaching artist for BVI Dance School. With a B.A. in Education, an M.A. Thomas.

Diandra Jones began her dance career as a world-ranked competitive Irish Step dancer, toured North America and Europe with Chicago’s Trinity Irish Dance Company for five years under the artistic direction of Emmy-award winning Mark Howard, performed on Broadway, television, and in Hollywood film; then trained for seven years under various cultural dance masters from around the world at Chicago's Old Town of Folk Music, the largest collective folk institute in the USA, where she was also an instructor. in Interdisciplinary Arts, and a certified Yoga and Pilates instructor, Diandra has taught children and adults at universities, performance arts institutes; public, private and international schools; community centres and refugee centres throughout the USA, Europe, Argentina, Ghana, and the Virgin Islands. A resident of Ghana, West Africa for three years, Diandra studied and performed West African dance with Sankofa Center of African Dance and Culture and piloted the first African-based program for the international non-profit arts organisation "The Giving Planet." She has founded dance programs at Chicago International Charter School and the VI Montessori International Academy on St. Now an instructor for the BVI Dance School, Cedar School, Sensus and Killi Killi, Diandra feels blessed to be welcomed into the BVI's flourishing Arts community.

One more for St. Paddy’s Day! I’ve danced for many different audiences in many different places, but this was by far the...
17/03/2023

One more for St. Paddy’s Day! I’ve danced for many different audiences in many different places, but this was by far the most rewarding—entertaining a group of bewildered Ghanaian school children. 🇬🇭🇮🇪☘️

As my babies sleep, I’m carrying out my annual role as an International Baccalaureate Dance examiner, marking essays fro...
14/03/2023

As my babies sleep, I’m carrying out my annual role as an International Baccalaureate Dance examiner, marking essays from around the world that compare two cultural dance forms. Each year I am disturbed by papers that devalue cultural dance forms by describing a dance as “lacking technique,” “easy to do,” or “anybody can do this dance.”

Or “ballet is the foundation for all dance.”

I am more disturbed when they devalue dance forms that emanate from historically disempowered cultures, and cultures of color.

I am even MORE disturbed when I have to justify (to my white cohorts) WHY these comments are offensive, and rooted in racism and white supremacy.

I published an essay several years ago about this very topic. I presented the paper at the International Dance Conference in Barbados (thank you Neri Torres for welcoming me and hosting this important event).

I will never forget the applause I received when I read the line:

“Have you ever seen a ballerina dance African?

Although many dancers trained in classical Western dance styles—like ballet—will argue that dance styles like African lack technique, any African Dance teacher will attest that ballerinas have the HARDEST time with African dance. While they can copy the footwork and arm movements, the fluidity and SOUL of the movement elude them—so often without their notice.”

I am not devaluing ballet or knocking ballerinas. My ballet friends know I love and respect them. I respect ALL dance forms, and am outraged when I find dancers—and dance teachers—who don’t.

Yes, racism and white supremacy exist in the dance world. And it’s our job as educators to ROOT
IT
OUT.

25/02/2022

Asking my dance-teacher friends: How do you teach gender-specific dances in a gender-neutral, inclusive way?

Examples: Irish Ceili, Salsa, West African cultural dances.

I have students who identify as neither "he" nor "she," and I want to be respectful of them, while also honoring and teaching the historical, cultural roots of the dance form.

Thanks!

18/12/2020

Only one day left to enjoy this special offer.

13/11/2020

Those moved by the video on social media shared firsthand accounts of how music “transcends” illness.

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