La Peña Cultural Center

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Beginners Salsa, Bachata & Merengue Dance Class Series (6/3-6/24)

This is a 4-week series designed for beginner-intermediate students to learn and enjoy three popular Latin dance styles: Salsa, Bachata and Merengue!

Explore the possibilities of your body and how to communicate with others through dance, rhythm and flavor! Partners are not necessary!

This class is taught by Venezuelan dance instructor Juliana Mendonca. Juliana’s teaching style is not a traditional ballroom style latin dance class. She first teaches her students to connect to their body and to connect to the rhythms before getting to the steps and turns. This foundation will help you loosen up your hips, knees, shoulders and arms to allow each student to get their own authentic feel for each genre and its unique rhythm.

SERIES SCHEDULE (4 weeks) 06/03/19 – 06/24/19

Week 1: Monday, June 3 6:30pm-8pm
Week 2: Monday, June 10 6:30pm-8pm
Week 3: Monday, June 17 6:30pm-8pm
Week 4: Monday, June 24 6:30pm-8pm

ENROLLMENT DETAILS

Series Tuition: $80 for entire series (4 classes)

Drop-ins available for $25 per class (cash or check only)

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Juliana Mendonca is a dance performer, choreographer and teacher. She graduated with a degree in dance from University Institute of Caracas, Venezuela in 2005, she also served as an instructor at the Performing Arts Department of the University of the Andes in Mérida, Venezuela (2012-2015). Juliana co-founded Raíz de Agua, a music and dance company. Juliana currently lives in Oakland, California with her husband and daughter, working as a dancer, choreographer and teacher.

QUESTIONS? Contact the instructor: juliana.mendonca.espinoza@gmail.com

Intermediate Salsa, Bachata & Merengue Dance Class Series (6/3-6/24)

Due to popular demand of our beginners series, we are adding a Salsa, Bachata and Merengue Dance Class series for INTERMEDIATE students!

This is a 4-week series designed for students that already know their basic rhythm and steps, to go beyond the basic rhythms and steps. Please DO NOT sign up for this class if you have not take the beginners series yet, or do not have a grasp of your basic steps.

Explore the possibilities of your body and how to communicate with others through dance, rhythm and flavor! Partners are not necessary!

This class is taught by Venezuelan dance instructor Juliana Mendonca. Juliana’s teaching style is not a traditional ballroom style latin dance class. She first teaches her students to connect to their body and to connect to the rhythms before getting to the steps and turns. This foundation will help you loosen up your hips, knees, shoulders and arms to allow each student to get their own authentic feel for each genre and its unique rhythm.

SERIES SCHEDULE (4 weeks) 06/03/19 – 06/24/19

Week 1: Monday, June 3 8:15pm-9:15pm
Week 2: Monday, June 10 8:15pm-9:15pm
Week 3: Monday, June 17 8:15pm-9:15pm
Week 4: Monday, June 24 8:15pm-9:15pm

All classes will be held in the community room.

ENROLLMENT DETAILS

Series Tuition: $80 for entire series (4 classes)

Drop-ins available for $25 per class (cash or check only)

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Juliana Mendonca is a dance performer, choreographer and teacher. She graduated with a degree in dance from University Institute of Caracas, Venezuela in 2005, she also served as an instructor at the Performing Arts Department of the University of the Andes in Mérida, Venezuela (2012-2015). Juliana co-founded Raíz de Agua, a music and dance company. Juliana currently lives in Oakland, California with her husband and daughter, working as a dancer, choreographer and teacher.

QUESTIONS? Contact the instructor: juliana.mendonca.espinoza@gmail.com

* PLEASE NOTE: THIS CLASS REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF 8 STUDENTS ENROLLED.

MOVED ON 8/27 – La Peña Community Chorus

This class will not occur at La Peña on 8/27/19.

La Peña Community Chorus

Founded in 1978 by Chilean refugees and community supporters, La Peña Community Chorus has been performing Latin American New Song—Nueva Canción—for over 35 years. Accompanying themselves on guitars, flutes, drums, and a large assortment of Latin American instruments, the Chorus has sung for schools, churches, homeless shelters, retirement homes, drug rehab centers, benefits for farm workers, and peace demonstrations and rallies.

A wealth of talented composers and arrangers have provided original repertoire over the years. Two former directors penned cantatas based on the poetry of Chilean Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda and founder and current directors, Lichi Fuentes and Jan Thyer arrange and conduct new pieces in much of the largely Spanish and English social justice-focused repertoire.

Since 1995, when the Chorus was the first U.S. Chorus to participate in an International Choral Festival in Santiago de Cuba, the Chorus has also traveled to Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, and Argentina always returning with stories, songs, and images that are largely missing from mainstream news broadcasts. Lasting personal and cultural connections with people in the host countries are relived and passed on as the chorus shares with each new audience the music learned and the stories collected.

The chorus is a close-knit group of caring people whose long-term commitment to the organization bespeaks consistency and a sense of family unique in today’s difficult times.

For more information about the Chorus and to find out how to join, please visit the La Peña Community Chorus  website at: www.lapenachorus.org

Empowering Womxn of Color Open Mic All Stars: Spring 2019

DOORS OPEN AT 6:30PM / PERFORMANCES AT 7PM

Donation based entry: $5-10 Sliding Scale Suggested Donation. No one turned away for lack of funds!
All proceeds will go towards covering the costs of hosting this series.

La Peña Cultural Center and UC Berkeley Womxn of Color Initiative present: THE EMPOWERING WOMXN OF COLOR OPEN MIC SPRING 2019 SERIES!

Our March 10th Open Mic is a special All Star event, showcasing our featured artists from 2018, and leading up to the 34th Annual Empowering Womxn of Color Conference!

Come support local Bay Area talent!