Dina Denis Dance — Dance Into Light Inc.

MEET THE COLLABORATORS

Dina Denis, Founder & Artistic Director

Dina Denis is a choreographer, dancer, and teacher from Queens, New York. Dina has a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Hofstra University. She is also a K-12 certified dance teacher who holds a Master of Arts in Dance Education from New York University. Dina currently teaches dance to grades 6-12 at the East Bronx Academy for the Future and Nadia's Performing Arts Centre in Whitestone, Queens.

In 2003, Ms. Denis founded Dina Denis Dance / Dance Into Light, Inc. which is a Queens based Modern Dance Company. The Company produces original dance works of an interdisciplinary & multi-cultural nature. The company uses dance as an avenue for personal healing, a means for self-expression, & as an approach toward building confidence. We carry out our mission through performances, artist-to-youth mentoring services, hands-on creative movement workshops, & live dance performances to nursing homes & senior centers throughout Queens.

Dina Denis Dance's choreography and performance credits include "The Women of the Mahabharata" at the Roy Arias Theatre (NYC), "Rang de Nila" with visual artist Siona Benjamin at Princeton University (NJ), Rutgers University (NJ), Cherly Pelavin Gallery (NYC), Mizel Museum (CO), Temple-Tifereth Israel (Cleveland, OH), The Laurie M. Tisch Galler/JCC (NYC), and the Flomenhaft Gallery (NYC). "Dina Denis Dance: The Works" at Green Space (Queen, NY), "A Collaborative Movement Project" with Classical Indian Dancer and Choreographer Ishrat (Rakhi) Hoque at Lotus Music and Dance Studio Theatre (NYC), The Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival (NYC), Flatbush Tompkins Concert Hall, Brooklyn Arts Exchange (Brooklyn, NY), and High School of Art and Design (NYC).

Dina Denis Dance Presents: Pieces of Life was featured November 2009 at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LaGuardia Community College, NY). Ms. Denis was commissioned by Hofstra University (NY) to set a work on their students as well as perform in their Dance Program's 25th Anniversary Concert. Ms. Denis was the 2009 recipient of LaGuardia Performing Arts Center's "Lab 101" award. The Company has also been awarded the 2010, 2011 Queens Council on the Arts' Department of Cultural Affairs grant for the development and expansion of our senior center and nursing home program. In addition, we received a JP Morgan Chase Grant through the Queens Council on the Arts to strengthen our fundraising efforts.

In addition to her own choreography, Dina was a member of Joan Miller's Dance Players for five years. While dancing with Joan Miller's Dance Players, Dina performed at Columbia University's Miller Theatre (NYC), The Duke on 42nd Street (NYC), Lehman College (Bronx, NY), The Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theatre (NYC), and The Point (Bronx, NY ). She has also performed professionally under the direction of choreographers, Robin Becker, Deborah Damast, Douglas Dunn, Sheila Kaminsky, Joan Peters, Joan Miller, Eleo Pomare, Martial Roumain, Abdel Salaam, Dr. Glory Van Scott, and Val Suarez.

Dina has taught at various New York private dance studios, public and private schools, and community organizations including:
East Bronx Academy for the Future (Bronx, NY)
Nadia's Performing Arts Center (Queens, NY)
Student Teacher - P.S. 165 The Edith Bergtraum Elementary School (Queens, NY)
Student Teacher - Talent Unlimited Performing Arts High School (New York City)
The Hetrick-Martin Institute (New York City)
The Riverdale Country School (Bronx, NY)
Beach Channel High School (Queens, NY)

Siona Benjamin

Photograph by Siona Benjamin

Artist Siona Benjamin has collaborated with classical Indian dancers Ishrat Hoque, Pranita Jain, Dina Denis and Nicole Sclafani in a very special performance entitled: Rang de Nila (Color Me Blue). Originally from Bombay, now living in the US, Siona's work reflects her background of being brought up Jewish in a predominantly Hindu and Muslim India. In her paintings, she combines the imagery of her past with the role she plays in America today, creating a mosaic inspired by both Indian miniature paintings and Sephardic icons:

"My paintings take inspiration from the lyrical forms of classical South Asian dance. In this collaboration, actual dancers assume the roles of characters in my paintings. I am excited to draw from my background in theater as the dancers bring the narratives in my paintings to life".
~ Siona Benjamin

Excerpts from Rang de Nila on YouTube - watch here

Andrea Eisenstein Winard

Photograph by Fatima Zohra Quraishi

Andrea Eisenstein Winard received her BFA in Dance from Sam Houston State University in 1999, and her MA in Dance Education from New York University's Steinhardt School of Education in 2005. Andrea has danced with Bridgman/Packer, Michael Leleux and Company, Avodah Dance Ensemble, IronStone Movement Company and Dina Denis Dance. She has also been a part of choreography by Dana Nicolay, Liz Keen, Megan Williams, Takehiro Ueyama, Megan Williams, Teri Weksler, John McLaughlin and Yoav Kaddar. Andrea is a certified Pilates Mat and Machine Instructor through the PhysicalMind Institute. Mrs. Winard has been featured as a dancer, choreographer and dance educator in the New York Times, Village Voice, Jewish Women Magazine, the Afro Times and LEAP.

Lisa Craig

Lisa earned her BA in Dance from Hofstra University, where she first began working with Dina. Upon graduation she also performed with Dr. Glory Van Scott and Joan Miller's Dance Players. Through Dance Into Light, Lisa has performed with Artist Siona Benjamin, most recently for an opening in Cleveland, OH. Lisa is also currently a dancer/choreographer with Saint Michael's Warriors Dance Company, where she has had the opportunities to tour in Germany and Australia.

Paul Monaghan

Paul Monaghan graduated Marymount Manhattan College with a B.F.A. in dance. Trained in both classical ballet and modern, Paul began studying movement at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance at the age of 14. He Has performed the works of some notable choreographers which include Jose Limon, Anna Sokolow, Geoffrey Holder, Sophie Maslow, Chet Walker and Robin Becker. He is a current company member of Robin Becker Dance, Salvatore LaRussa Dance Theatre and Dina Denis Dance. Paul has been photographed by distinguished photographers Peter Lindbergh, Mario Testino, Kenneth Willardt, Ryan McGinley, John Rusnak and appeared in numerous fashion magazines. Paul's own work was performed in "La Petite Mort d'Ete"; a collaborative performance and multimedia installation at the Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery. Most recently he danced at Jacob's Pillow with contemporary ballet choreographer John-Mark Owen and dancers.

Nicole Sclafani

Photograph by Fatima Zohra Quraishi

Nicole Sclafani is a graduate of Hofstra University, where she received a BA in Dance. After graduation, she attended the American Dance Festival on scholarship. She has worked with Robin Becker Dance, Liquid Body - Media Movement and Dance, NOW Dance, Gritty Cherries Inc., and Mexican dancer and choreographer Oscar Velasquez, as well as an appearance in a dance film by John Bush, choreographed by French choreographer Nadine Yavel. She is also a company member of Salvatore LaRussa Dance Theatre.

Steve Sclafani, Multimedia Arts

Steve has been composing music, producing video and creating graphics for dance for the past eight years. With a background in theatre arts and rock/electronic music, his focus is not merely on accompanying the dancers, but allowing the dance to give rise to musical themes, these in turn providing an aural framework to inform the dancers movement.

Ishrat Jahan Hoque (Rakhi)

Photograph by Fatima Zohra Quraishi

Ishrat Jahan Hoque (Rakhi) is an Indian classical dancer trained in Kathak and Bharatnatayam. She has been teaching rhythm, movement and sensuality of Indian dance through her semi-classical Hindi Film Dance classes at NY's Lotus Music & Dance since 2004. Her current running show Rang de Nila (Color me Blue), a collaboration with visual artist Siona Benjamin, Dina Denis & Pranita Jain, has been featured in the Chicago Tribune (March 2006), DNA (India, May 2006) and The Statesman (India, August 2006). Her new works featured in A Collaborative Movement Project, produced with Dina Denis, showcased in NYC 2007. As a choreographer, Rakhi is creating works incorporating movements of Indian and western contemporary/modern dance while exploring the need for peace, tolerance and spirituality in our communities.

Dina Denis and eyeBLINK Entertainment

Dina Denis Dance often collaborates with eyeBLINK Entertainment on various dance performances throughout the New York area.