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uma people: susan ragland

8/5/2021

uma people:
Susan Ragland

Profile by Lily Kind

Susan Raglan has been coming to UMA since September of 2018. She’s been painting for thirty years. When I ask her about the connection between dancing and painting, she tells me “Whatever my figures are doing, I want them to look like they’re dancing --” she takes a moment to consider what she’s said “or vibing. They are vibing.” Susan describes her process as intuitive; she sees the idea for a painting before her brush touches the page. When she describes her paintings to me, rather than explaining what she’s made and why, she is describing what she sees. Ragland draws a distinction between herself and the figures in her paintings, “I wear my hair tight-tight-tight but nobody in my painting wears their hair tight, it's all free flowing.” Ragland paints with gouache and acrylic in order to achieve bright, opaque colors that cover big ground. She paints figures, usually in small groups, who are actively doing something social together: playing, dancing, caring for each other. Her figures are often dressed in whimsical patterns and interlocking neon colors. “The hair and the hands contain the energy” she tells me. “In life, I’m uptight, but when I’m painting or dancing, I feel free.”

When I ask about her relationship to selling her art, she doesn’t offer gallery names or price ranges. Rather, she points out that she has prints and household items for sale as low as seven dollars. She tells me her prints are bought mostly by women, “Just women, a lot of women look at the prints and think: Oh, I have kids, but the originals, I have sold a lot to men also” And the originals, which sell quickly, are bought by “people with an interest in collecting.” When prodded, Ragland has told me that most of her work is in private collections up and down both coasts. Ragland is a prolific painter, and the fact that she doesn’t have a lot of stock sitting around points to how in demand her work is. “I've been doing it since I was thirty, so about thirty years,” Ragland explains. “There are a couple of paintings I choose to keep. But I’ve sold almost everything I’ve painted.”

Ragland is largely self-taught and identifies as an ‘urban folk artist.’ In a 2019 article, she cites both William H. Johnson and Jacob Lawrence as influences; artists whose work she saw in museums, and whose treatment of figures encouraged her to represent bodies and movement using her own design sensibilities. There’s a similar interest in representing real life moments of American life in black and brown communities. However, Ragland’s attention to textile and fabric resembles how Amy Sherald (who painted Michelle Obama’s official portrait) paints fabric and fashions, celebrating how black women especially develop personal style and aesthetic. Like Sherald, Ragland focuses on bringing a pattern to life, rather than the shading of every wrinkle and fold. Her celebration of hair as a cathartic, expressive, life giving force is in the same tradition of the late Tamara Natalie Madden’s lushly colorful portraits of black women with Afro-futuristic, patterned and geometric hair dos.

Ragland has been in Philly for fifteen years but was DC born and bred. “Black and latinx that was my world,” she tells me, of growing up in segregated DC. She also tells me that she was often the first to dance at a party, and there were plenty of funky parties to dance at. When I ask about music from her youth, she seems to comb through files in her mind before she starts singing “Set if Off.” She tells me a story about her first formal dance class; it was something that resembled ballet taught by a hunched over old lady at their local church. “I like dancing, I’ve always liked dancing, I always wanted to dance.” She tells me about getting in with a group of girls in her high school, many of whom became professional dancers, doing “late 80’s jazzy type stuff...They liked me because I could pick up steps but didn't have the technique of someone who had trained for years.” She tells me about the sessions before middle school classes when her and her friends would just mess around dancing to music by Kool and the Gang. Ragland explains how her first Locking class with Dru transported her back to this time:

“It was one of the first classes; he started a warm up, and in his warm up he was doing these dances that I did when I was eleven or twelve years old. I know the whole class was imitating him, but I was transformed back to my childhood. It was a magical moment. How does this man 20 years my junior -- how is he able to take me back?”

After that, she rarely missed a class, coming to lock at UMA every Sunday. With a note of seriousness she says, “I came back every time.” Locking is back at UMA, this time taught by Ricky, also a member of The Hood Lockers, from the same crew as Dru. “I will tell you this. I miss Dru. I am fascinated by Dru, when Dru comes in I could just watch him!” Ragland misses Dru, but she’s stoked to have Ricky teaching. “Ricky is drawing me in, ” she says. Ragland has been at every class since Locking re-started. Ragland is also a regular in Laurel Card’s morning classes. I ask her what keeps her coming back to UMA classes, “Because they are fun! They’re challenging. They’re authentic.” I push her to define that authenticity, as she feels it at UMA.

“I think teachers here are committed to their art form. That’s not like a person who is trying to get paid for an aerobics class. And that authenticity speaks to a respect for study and a respect for culture. I think that respect bleeds into the people it attracts to the studio. And the people who come to the studio are moved by a similar spirit.”

Through Thick and thin

artwork by Susan Ragland

Afro Hiit with sophiann mahalia

7/28/2021

Starting August 1st, join Sophiann Mahalia for Afro HIIT- a new class at UMA, Sundays from 2:00-3:00. Afro HIIT is a dance infused workout class, combining high intensity exercises with African influenced dance movement. The goal? Move and strengthen your body while having fun and learning about African culture. She comments on Afro HIIT’s origins “I wanted people to have fun working out. I know over quarantine that was a struggle for me- I didn’t want to work out. But once I created it, I was like- this is a fun way to keep your body going without even realizing you’re working out!”

Sophiann describes this class as a perfect entryway for those looking to start learning African dance forms, she comments: “I wanted a class that had African in it but wasn't strictly an African dance class. I know sometimes when people hear straight African dance they can get nervous or think they can’t do it. I want to be in an area that everyone is comfortable with.” Sophiann began studying African dance forms at the age of 9 and has been deeply immersed in the styles and culture since then. She brings a love and care for African dance to her Afro HIIT class. She says you can expect to “get more into African Culture. I do a lot of whining, but I also give new movements that you might not have seen before and I give students the names of the movement and let them know that it comes from Umfundalai or somewhere else. So you're working out but you're also gaining knowledge and cultural experience from the class.” She hopes that students will be able to take what they learn in Afro HIIT and “transfer over to more African infused dance classes and dance hall classes.”

Sophiann hopes that people leave the class wanting more and surprised that the hour went by so fast.

You can sign up for class through our schedule page! $15 drop ins. Free for members.

updated mask policy- 7/26/21

7/25/2021

Updated Mask Policy

Due to rising cases of COVID as the Delta variant spreads, the city of Philadelphia is now recommending that everyone wears a mask indoors in places where you do not know that everyone is vaccinated. See more information here. In order to stay in line with the city's recommendations and protect our communities we have edited our mask policy:

-People who are vaccinated and wish to take class without a mask must show proof of vaccination every time they take class (this is different than the previous policy that allowed only showing proof of vaccination once). A picture is fine!

-People who are unvaccinated must wear their mask at all times while in the building. Teachers will be reinforcing this expectation in class and if people are unable to keep their mask on they will be asked to leave.

-We strongly encourage everyone, even those who are vaccinated, to wear a mask while indoors. However, if you still prefer to not wear a mask and can provide proof of vaccination this will be allowed.

We know this isn't necessarily the direction we were all hoping this would go. But acting fast and staying vigilant against the spread of COVID is still a top priority. Help us keep the vulnerable people in our communities safe!

We appreciate your attention to this matter.

Uma People: Jacintha and MArie

7/23/2021

Jacintha an d marie's choreography Debut!

Jacintha Kruc and Marie Manski both began their formal dance training at UMA in 2019, taking Laurel’s classes in the studio. They have taken almost all of her different style offerings, from Solo Salsa to partnering classes and Latin House. Jacintha comments on the beginning of her dance journey: “I always wanted to dance and loved watching people dance but didn’t get to try it formally until I was in my 20s when I moved to Philly. I danced at a local gym and then came to UMA in 2019 through my friendship with Vince. I love the way dancing allows me to express myself and use my body to pull out different energies.”

The friends continued taking classes throughout the pandemic- online at home, and then, when they felt comfortable enough, at parks throughout the city. They would meet up at a designated outdoor location, set up the class by creating a wifi hotspot and stream the class via a laptop. Marie commented: “We’ve danced at a few different parks, playgrounds, parking lots, tennis courts. As long as it’s flat and has wifi!” They did this in the rain, snow and shine (they even showed me a park with a covered area they would sometimes take class under when it was raining).

Throughout this time, the two friends have been more than just your typical class goers. Laurel reflects: “Through COVID we were a team, not only did they dance with me- they helped me co-host my virtual classes, and gave me feedback on virtual classes. They would edit and upload my videos. I seriously don’t know what I would have done without them this past year. They are not just my students- we are sisters/family, dancing and spreading the love of Latin dance.”

When I pitched the idea for this project to them, I imagined they would just film a session of them taking a class at a park that I could pull some fun clips from and share with y’all. Instead, they took the request and ran with it, choreographing an almost 2 minute long dance featuring each of the styles they have taken with Laurel: Salsa, Bachata, Reggaeton, and they even have some socially-distanced Partnering. I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY with the rhythmically-complex choreography they came up with as well as the confidence they performed it with in front of random park- goers and passerby!

Check out the video and get to know a little more about Jacintha and Marie below!

Kayla: Tell me about yourselves! What do you do for work/ fun?

Marie: I work at the University of Pennsylvania as a Graduate Program Coordinator for the Department of Anthropology. I get to work alongside brilliant activists who are paving the way to a new future. They truly inspire me! For fun, I like to cook, bake, and make ice cream. My creative outlet is formulating new recipes and creating themed meals.

Jacintha: ...and I love eating the food Manski makes so that makes us a great team!
I am a Jane of all trades and have many jobs,but for the past nine years have worked in historic preservation and conservation. I am currently restoring all the hand-carved woodwork in the governor’s office in the PA State Capital. I like to do anything that involves problem solving and using my hands and body for work. I enjoy painting murals and making art installations and seriously... eating anything Manski makes (especially her ice cream!)

Kayla: What’s something that you think is unique about Laurel’s classes that you might not find at a different dance studio?

Jacintha: Laurel really focuses on inclusivity and personal growth. Everyone enters the class with various skill levels and experiences, despite that, each individual dancer can still feel challenged. Laurel and all of the UMA teachers bring various physical languages to experiment with while sharing the histories of those forms and how they influence each other. Her classes encourage me to be more confident, access my femine side, and socialize through dance. Her laughter and light hearted nature also brings something to look forward to with each class. She is a wonder woman for sure!

Marie: I think the thing that is most unique about Laurel’s classes is her. She herself has a diverse dance background and story that encompasses hip hop, ballroom dance, and salsa. Because of this experience, she is able to articulate style and range of movement as well as its history. On top of that, Laurel is simply an excellent teacher. She delivers concepts and ideas in a way that is easy for any level of dancer to understand and her positivity is contagious.

Kayla: Any words on your dance journey- coming in as people who don’t identify as dancers to now making your own dance influenced by Laurel’s classes?

Marie: I want to encourage anyone who doesn’t identify as a dancer to consider dance as a means to get to know a part of yourself, as a means to be creative, expand your mind, and develop community. There’s something about pushing yourself to your limits, physically and creatively, that allows for growth and humility. You don’t have to identify as a dancer to enjoy dancing. But practicing the art of dance has allowed me to express myself in ways that I couldn't before.

Jacintha: I feel dance helps me articulate the feeling of music and rhythm running through my body. I don’t identify as a dancer either but I can’t help but dance through my house and wherever I am! I believe anyone can dance and learn these skills. Dancing has allowed me to grow and push myself. Laurel’s classes opened a new way to think creatively using my body by accessing new spaces in my body and pathways...thinking about the way I press my foot down into the floor that then sends energy up into my leg, flows through my hips, winds up my spine, glides up my arm and out my fingers...it has been amazing to learn from her. I think my dance journey has been one filled with community connection and plenty of fun and laughter!

Rent Studio Space in Philadelphia!

7/20/2021

Rent Studio space for rehearsals, classes, events and more!

Our beautiful, light-filled studios are located right in Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia. We have 3 different studios available for rent for your class, rehearsal, meeting, party or other event!

Studio A

Studio B

Studio C

Request a Studio Rental Today!

Kemuel Bendeyaduh on finding his own voice

7/9/2021

Finding his own voice

At Urban Movement Arts Kemuel Bendeyaduh has been able to express himself through
dance.
By: Bibiana Correa
Intern

If there’s something Kemuel Benyehudah loves to do, it’s dance.

“To me, it’s about rebellion, it’s about do it yourself, it’s about making things more equitable for
Black and brown kids who were like left out, and they created their own ingenuity with their
bodies because that’s all they had,” Kem said. “I’m going to get creative with my body, I’m going
to get out and put graffiti on all these trains because you don’t see me so I’ll make myself
visible.”

Kem grew up in New York City with a house filled with martial arts, thanks to his father’s love of
the fighting style. In college, Kem was introduced to the drum and bass scene by his friend
Johnny Fajardo. That then sparked his interest in techno and the New York City club scene.

“The music just made sense to me, I connected with it,” Kem said.

About seven years ago, Kem moved to Philadelphia to start his doctoral program at the
University of Pennsylvania. New to the city, he started immersing himself in the city’s club scene
but also wanted to get involved in a dance community. He first started taking classes at the
Koresh Dance Academy in Rittenhouse.

Then, a friend of his suggested he take classes at Urban Movement Arts. He first took the free
salsa classes for students with Ken, then he took the partner salsa classes with Laurel. Soon
one class a week turned into six classes a week, even taking 14 classes in a row, ranging from
hip hop and street dancing to salsa and bachata

Kem loves UMA for a variety of reasons, but mainly because of the bond the instructors have.

“The instructors are a community in that they practice together and dance together, and that
wasn’t always the case at other schools,” Kem said. “A lot of times there wasn’t overlap and I
think students lose out when that’s the case.”

Throughout his time at UMA Kem learned a lot about listening to his body and its limitations.
During classes he realized his body may not move in the exact same way as his instructors, it
moves in his own way.

“There's little things, little feedback and things that helped me understand that I can't move like
Vince, or I can't move like Ricky or I can't move like Ron, or I can't move like Laurel, so don't put
that pressure on yourself,” Kem said. “That kind of put me in this other space where I don't
make it into a competition and don't turn it into like, you're trying to be, you know, like the
teacher or someone else in the class, I’m finding my own voice.”

Kem loves how dance, specifically at UMA, has given him and countless others the space to
express themselves, discover themselves and give them a space to be confident.

“The space brings people together who probably normally would not be in the same space, you
know, people from all different walks of life come into that space and leave with the feeling of joy
and euphoria of learning that they can push their body in a way they never thought possible,”
Kem said.

Thanks Kem!

Samba no pe workshops at uma!

6/14/2021

join melissa corpus for samba no pe workshops at uma!

June 26, 2021, 5pm-6pm
Beginner Samba no pe Workshop:
Get ready to shake your hips! This class will give students a solid foundation in the fundamentals of samba while exploring its many expressions: folkloric samba de Roda, glittery, elegant Rio-style “passista” samba, playful, jazzy “malandro” samba, pop-style “pagode,” samba from Bahia, African “samba afro,” and more. This type of samba should not be confused with “ballroom samba,” so no partner is necessary.

June 26, 2021, 6:15pm-7:45pm
All-Levels Samba no pe workshop:
Whether you are a seasoned Sambista or new to Samba, there is something for everyone in this class! We are going to focus on Rio Style Samba no pe and bringing the performance element to life! You can expect Samba drills, progressions, sequences with playful footwork, and lots and lots of Samba! This type of samba should not be confused with “ballroom samba,” so no partner is necessary.

Join Acarajè, Philadelphia’s Afro-Brazilian Bloco for a summer Samba no pé Workshop taught by Mestranda Melissa Corpus.

Melissa is a Professional Dancer, Teacher, and Choreographer in Austin, Texas. Since 2010, she has been teaching Samba No Pé focusing on footwork, technique, and the joy of the Brazilian spirit.

She has traveled to Brazil and throughout the United States to study and train with mestres such as Patrick Carvalho and Rosangela Silvestre. She has paraded in Rio de Janeiro with the legendary Escola de Samba, Mangueira.

Melissa has worked with Austin Samba, the largest samba school in the United States, as a choreographer, director, and principal dancer.

In 2016, she founded MeliSamba,
a group of professional Samba dancers in Austin, Texas. http://www.melisamba.com/

Join us Saturday, June 26th at Urban Movement Arts to expand your movement practice with an incredible instructor!

All levels of movers are welcome!

UMA updated Mask policy as of 6/11

6/14/2021

A Note From Vince (Owner/ Founder):
Well folks, it seems as if we have come to a crucial turning point in Philly's reckoning with COVID-19. It is great that the city is experiencing good progress with getting numbers down. On June 11, the city announced significant lift on mask and capacity requirements. See here and here for more info. Although we are happy that the city is offering our community the opportunity to return to a mask free experience, we acknowledge that we have a diverse community representing different perspectives and needs surrounding health and wellbeing. Therefore, our response to the city's updates are in an effort to support and accommodate our clientele in a way that is inclusive, fair and mindful. The decisions below also reflect that we are a youth education facility and the new mandates present some incongruencies for an organization like ours that features youth and adult education. We will proceed with the following policy.

UMA Updated Mask Policy Effective Now

1. Masks are optional for vaccinated individuals. We ask that individuals that are interested in participating without masks provide an official documentation that proves full vaccination. Proof of vaccination only needs to happen once and can be done via showing a photo of the certificate on your phone. People that are not able to provide proof of vaccination are asked to wears masks while participating at UMA.

2. Unvaccinated individuals are asked to wear masks during classes inside at UMA.
This current formation of policy is temporary at UMA. Our current approach is designed to be a transition period. It is our goal to move towards full relaxation of mask mandates and other related COVID policies. So we hope that you will be patient in our effort to move collectively in this direction. Our hope is that we will reach yet another significant milestone between July and August.

We appreciate all of the support you've given during the COVID dilemma. So many of you have stuck by us through these challenges. And if you've been with us, we are confident that you share in our sense of growth and resilience. Many thanks.

How to do a dolphin dive- house dance and floorwork tutorials with ron wood!

5/7/2021

#uma has a whole stash of free online dance & Movement tutorials!

In this video, Ron Wood breaks down the basics of the Dolphin Dive- a popular ground move in house dance. You can find a TON of other tutorials from Ron including: "How to do a Spin Down", "How to do a Stab", and even "Getting to the Floor"- to name only a few.

Ron is not only dope at doing all this stuff- he's also dope at teaching it. We recommend Ron's class for anyone looking to work on coordination, flexibility, strength, balance, core strength, creativity, agility and overall confidence in moving in and out of the floor, holding weight in your hands, and going upside down. These skills are useful for ALL STYLES OF DANCE! If you want to get into class with him you can catch him the following times:

Tuesday 7:00-8:00: Home Bodyweight Workout
Thursday 7:30-8:30: Beginner Movement Flow
Friday 7:30-8:30: Intermediate Movement Flow

Sign up through our schedule page!

youth summer dance camp 2021!

4/16/2021

enroll the youth in your life in movemakers Philly Summer camp!

WHO? Youth ages 5 and up!
WHAT? A fun summer camp outside, in studio or online that gets kids moving through dance classes and games, as well as engaging their creativity through music and arts and technology classes
WHEN? All summer 2021! See our summer camp page for weeks offered. Drop off is from 8:30-9am. Pickup at 3:00pm. Extended stay options are available!
WHERE? MoveMakers Philly is located at 2100 Chestnut St. Philadelphia PA!
WHY? After a year of zoom school kids need to be outside, moving and interacting with their peers more than ever before! MoveMakers counselors create a welcoming and engaging environment for ALL students to thrive this summer.

MoveMakers Summer Dance Camp will get kids outside, dancing, playing games and participating in structured arts and technology classes!

Participating Campers will work on developing:
-Coordination and fitness
-Musicality and creativity, and
-Determination, focus and grit

And most importantly of all campers will...

HAVE FUN!

Sign up now to reserve your spot for MoveMakers In-Person or online Summer Camp! In-person drop off is between 8:30 and 9:00. In person students will begin their days outside- taking hip hop and breaking classes and playing games. In the afternoon they will be at the studio for lunch break, more dancing and arts and technology classes! Online camp includes hip hop and breaking classes live streamed throughout the day as well as special arts and technology classes with incredible instructors!
Sign up through MoveMakers Philly Summer Camp Page!

Questions? Email kayla@urbanmovementarts.com

<<Previous

uma blog

uma people: susan ragland

uma people:
Susan Ragland

Through Thick and thin

Afro Hiit with sophiann mahalia

updated mask policy- 7/26/21

Uma People: Jacintha and MArie

Jacintha an d marie's choreography Debut!

Rent Studio Space in Philadelphia!

Rent Studio space for rehearsals, classes, events and more!

Studio A

Studio B

Studio C

Kemuel Bendeyaduh on finding his own voice

Finding his own voice

Samba no pe workshops at uma!

join melissa corpus for samba no pe workshops at uma!

UMA updated Mask policy as of 6/11

How to do a dolphin dive- house dance and floorwork tutorials with ron wood!

#uma has a whole stash of free online dance & Movement tutorials!

youth summer dance camp 2021!

enroll the youth in your life in movemakers Philly Summer camp!

Contributors

Archives

Categories

Social

Location
2100 Chestnut St. 2nd Flr
entrance is on 21st! next to poi dog!

what the people say

uma blog

uma people: ​Susan Ragland

Through Thick and thin

Jacintha an d marie's choreography Debut!

Rent Studio space for rehearsals, classes, events and more!

Studio A

Studio B

Studio C

Finding his own voice

join melissa corpus for samba no pe workshops at uma!

#uma has a whole stash of *free* online dance & Movement tutorials!

enroll the youth in your life in movemakers Philly Summer camp!

Contributors

Archives

Categories

Social

Location2100 Chestnut St. 2nd Flr*entrance is on 21st! next to poi dog!*

what the people say

uma people:
Susan Ragland

#uma has a whole stash of free online dance & Movement tutorials!

Location
2100 Chestnut St. 2nd Flr
entrance is on 21st! next to poi dog!