By creating his own opportunites and opening doors and opportunites for others, George Randolph has carved a winding transformational journey in dance through musical theatre and beyond.

<description>&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;By creating his own opportunites and opening doors and opportunites for others, George Randolph has carved a winding transformational journey in dance through musical theatre and beyond.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

By creating his own opportunites and opening doors and opportunites for others, George Randolph has carved a winding transformational journey in dance through musical theatre and beyond.

From the hallowed halls of Hampton University to the world-class stage of the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, George Curtiss Randolph Jr has always attributed his unwavering self-belief to a blessed upbringing in Red Bank, NJ.

Upon wrapping his principal role with Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, George pivoted from performance to producing, opening the iconic Randolph Dance Theatre and staging the 'T.O Hot Shoe Show’, a smash featuring an international collection of dance giants from around the world. Beyond celebrating the work of industry masters, George looked to cultivate the skillset diversity of those simply studying to make it. Inspired by what could be, George challenged existing academic modules by introducing Canada to the Triple Threat Training method in 1992, housing its study in his beloved Randolph College for the Performing Arts. To this day, the program remains unrivalled, primarily due to it’s innovative approach and progressive outreach.

More recently, the RCPA founder’s industry achievements have co-produced the CSA award-winning documentary ‘Unsung: Behind the Glee’, national singing competition ‘Show Choir Canada’, and a ground-breaking curriculum collaboration with Middle East arts jewel, Stardust Academy (Amman, Jordan).

And while his efforts and leadership have been honoured by The Ontario Black History Society, Dance Immersion, Harbourfront Centre and Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, George continues to be most humbled by the army of actors, directors, producers, recording artists and choreographers that continue to share his legacy on stage and screen, world wide.

Episode #9 - George Randolph - Creating Opportunities

How a multi-faceted cultural art form and its dance expression can impact the mental health of communities.

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How a multi-faceted cultural art form and its dance expression can impact the mental health of communities.

Michael ‘Piecez’ Prosserman is a bestselling author, B-Boy (“breakdancer”), university instructor, and certified coach who specializes in scaling start-ups, team culture, fundraising, and succession. In Michael’s new book Building Unity: Leading a Non-Profit From Spark to Succession, he shares practical tools and stories to launching, leading and leaving a sustainable organization. He scaled a grassroots organization from the ground up as the Founder of Unity Charity, an organization using Hip-Hop to improve youth mental health. Over 15 years Michael grew Unity from a volunteer group to employing 80 staff, raising $7 million, and having an impact on 250,000 youth. 

Link: https://www.epicleadership.ca/about

Episode #8 - Mike Prosserman - Unity Through Hip Hop

Dance spirituality, community and social change. Creating opportunities for dance artists of African descent.

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Dance spirituality, community and social change. Creating opportunities for dance artists of African descent.

The Founder of dance Immersion, Vivine Scarlett is an administrator, choreographer, and instructor, whose artistic goals and aspirations are rooted in the love of dance.  As former Artistic Director and performing member of the Usafiri Dance & Drum Ensemble, Vivine created and presented works in both traditional influenced African and contemporary African dance styles. Vivine’s contributions to the field of dance are generated from an energy that has fuelled her passion, leading her on a journey for over 34 years of giving and serving through the arts.

 

Drawn to all kinds of dance expressions and movement, Vivine’s passion has manifested many experiences that have served Canadian artists of African descent with opportunities that have laid a foundation for continued growth and representation. Vivine is the recipient of the 2011 Planet Africa Heritage Award received for her contributions.  In 2008 she received a Chalmers Arts Fellowships to work with youth in Ghana, West Africa.

 

Her choreographic endeavours in the theatre production of “The Adventures of a Black Girl in search of God” won her a Dora Mavor Moore award in 2002 and her work in “The Freedom of dreams: The Story of Nelson Mandela” received a Dora nomination in 2003. Ms. Scarlett is the 2005 K.M. Hunter Dance Artist award winner and has taught for numerous institutions and organizations throughout Canada.  She continues her creative explorations as a freelance choreographer.

https://danceimmersion.ca/

Episode #7 - Vivine Scarlett - Truth, Wisdom & Equity

Meher Malik is a visionary always looking to the bigger picture, acknowledging the impact of Women's Rituals and how to uplift community through her dance.

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Meher Malik is a visionary always looking to the bigger picture, acknowledging the impact of Women's Rituals and how to uplift community through her dance.

Meher Malik is the foremost exponent of belly dancing in India, having spent more than 17 years learning training, maturing and teaching this dance form. She received  huge recognition for her performances on India's Got Talent and just dance where she performed belly dance with grace, passion and a hint of Bollywood Spice. She is the founder of the Banjara School of Dance, a pioneering belly dance institute in the country. 

The journey to becoming the most popular and influential belly dancer in the country began as a hobby for Meher. It has been hard struggle for Meher to establish belly dancing in India as a dance form. She has broken stereotypes and proven that belly dance is a legitimate art form. Meher through her art and way of life sets an example to many and thereby continually inspires and empowers women from all walks of life to express themselves fully and find their true place in the world.

www.banjaradance.com

https://www.youtube.com/c/BanjaraSchoolOfDance

https://www.instagram.com/meherbanjaran/?hl=en

Episode #4 - Meher Malik - Divine Feminine & Community Awareness

An independent spirit who has carved her own path for dance.

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An independent spirit who has carved her own path for dance.

Mervat Bahlawan was born in Syria in 1988. Her first encounter with gymnastics was at the age of 6 years old, in which she obtained several medals on a national scale in Syria, and then participated  in competitions on a wider scale internationally, as well as being a part of several gymnastics camps in multiple countries (Romania, Egypt, Iraq).Mervat journey with gymnastics ended in 2002,and that’s when her  journey with dancing started,

In 2013, Mervat graduated from the High Institute of Dramatech of  Arts in Damascus University, with a degree of “excellent” as a professional dancer, later she attained several experience certificates from the Russian Center Institute in Damascus and she Participated in numerous professional courses in both ballet and modern dancing.

Mervat worked as a dancing instructor in both Choueifat School, and in Damascus university High Institute of Performing of Arts in Syria , she worked as a ballet teacher in the School of Ballet in Damascus, and in other private and cultural schools in Syria.

Mervat Participated in the Arabic version of the international TV competition show “So You Think You Can Dance” and she was chosen among the first best sixteen dancers , and she Participated in several dance shows with Inana professional dancing group in multiple countries in the Middle East and worldwide ,Mervat Participated in the Arabic version of the TV competition show “Arab Got Talent” and she reached the Semi Final

In 2015 Mervat Worked as a choreographer and also a dance trainer in Inana Ballet Academy.

Episode # 5 - Mervat Bahlawan - Breaking Limitations From Syria to Dubai

Hosted by Yasmina Ramzy, Deeper Dance discusses a wide range of world dance arts and its artists with emphasis on socio-political change, community outreach and searching for the meaning of existence.

Deeper Dance Podcast

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