Founded in April 2006, DANSE4NIA REPERTORY ENSEMBLE is a Philadelphia-based, multicultural, contemporary modern dance company. Committed to using dance to foster personal, cultural and social change, DANSE4NIA’s mission is to educate, empower and create the next generation of well-rounded arts advocates and citizens by presenting exceptional dance works, collaborating with artists across genres and delivering high-impact residencies. Since inception, DANSE4NIA has consistently self-produced their annual season, showcasing the work of local and nationally renowned choreographers including Faye Snow, Jumatatu Poe, Zane Booker, Shawn-Lamere Williams, Meredith Rainey, Hollie E. Wright and Abdel R. Salaam. Under the artistic direction of founder Antoinette M. Coward-Gilmore and Ballet Master Bill Thomas, DANSE4NIA REPERTORY ENSEMBLE has become known for drawing audiences “in” with its passionate brand of performance, showcasing excellence in Ballet, Horton Technique and Contemporary movement vocabularies.

A native of Philadelphia, PA, Antoinette M. Coward-Gilmore is Founder, CEO and Artistic Director of DANSE4NIA REPERTORY ENSEMBLE.  During her youth, Antoinette began her dance training at The New Freedom Theatre (under the direction of Patricia Scott Hobbs) and continued her studies at the Franklin Learning Center (with Master Lester Horton Technique Teacher, Faye Snow.) Coward-Gilmore proceeded to hone her skills as a dancer at Pennsylvania Governor’s School of the Arts and in the training program of the Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO.) Antoinette later earned a BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts and an MA in Dance Education and Performance from the Steinhardt School of Education at New York University before touring nationally and internationally with Forces of Nature Dance Theatre Company. A founding company member of Philadelphia’s Eleone Dance Theatre, Mrs. Coward-Gilmore is a certified New York State Dance Educator and choreographer for the Prince Music Theater’s Rainbow Company. Additionally, Antoinette is a seasoned instructor having taught at Harlem School of the Arts, Norfolk State University (as Director of Dance), University of the Arts, Coppin State University, Grambling State University and Temple University. Currently, Antoinette is Adjunct Faculty in dance at Drexel University, teaching artist in dance at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and Director of Modern Dance at Imhotep Institute Charter High School. Notably, Antoinette is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Actor’s Equity Association, and a former Grant Panelist for the Philadelphia Cultural Arts Fund. Mrs. Coward-Gilmore was recently honored as one of Philadelphia’s Leading Women: Movers & Shakers in the Arts.

Descending/ Ascending
Choreographer-Bill Thomas

A dance work created for a trio relates in abstract form the concept of falling from and returning to grace. Within exploring the process of understanding grace, one moves through the levels in descension  to the recognition that in order to ascend, one learns ultimately that grace can never be given nor taken. Grace simply IS.

Better To Have Loved
Choreographer- A.C. Gilmore
A tribute to mothers who have lost children during the miracle of child birth or shortly there after.  Though it is always painful to loss a child during the beginning stages of life, it is comfort and joy in knowing that for a short moment in time it was better to have known that special bond and love.

 

 

 

 

DANSE4NIA’s teaching artists are highly trained educators and professionals in the field who hold advanced terminal degrees in dance, Pilates/Yoga certifications and Pennsylvania and New York State certifications to teach in public school settings. Through our educational offerings, DANSE4NIA REPERTORY ENSEMBLE provides quality, conservatory dance and performance readiness training to the students that we serve.

Our programs are best suited for participants with or without prior experience from age 7 to adult. Our educational residencies bring one to two teachers from DANSE4NIA to present custom-designed activities that are tailored to specifically meet the needs, interests and experience levels of each community. Customized residencies may include:

–Educational Workshops in Ballet (Vaganova), Horton Technique, West African Dance vocabularies, Hip-Hop and contemporary modern dance. Standard workshops begin with a center floor or ballet barre warm up, followed by adagio exercises, group combination and mini lecture.

–Master Classes that share Danse4Nia’s expertise and movement philosophy with pre-professional, professional and college-level students. Classes in all aforementioned techniques, jazz dance, Dunham Technique and composition are available.

–Lecture Demonstrations that incorporate discussion, performance and audience participation to engage and create excitement and interest in the dance process.  Topics include “Horton and Beyond,” “Shades of Dance,” “African Americans in Ballet,” ‘Spoken Word & Dance,” “Fusions of West African Dance & Hip-Hop.”

 

 

 

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