Persian & Central Asian dance infused with contemporary and devotional movement practices
Mondays 7 – 8:30 PM
This unique class form offers a full range of expression from traditional Silk Road dances, to devotional, contemporary, and improvisational movement. The class begins with an invocation, a greeting of the divine presence within the group and space, becoming fully present, and connecting with community in the sacred circle of dance. Then moving onto an intensive contemporary inspired warm-up, focusing on the spirals of the body, fluidity in the spine, contract/release, and getting the blood flowing. The class continues into traditional dance techniques, combinations/choreography as well as inspirational movement and various forms of turning.
This class module has been developed by Miriam Peretz over the past ten years, and is regarded by her students as a class fully engaging and energizing body, mind and spirit. Miriam’s classes are more than a dance class they are a weekly ritual, and a celebration of life, culture, music, and dance.
Biography
Miriam Peretz is an internationally acclaimed performing artist specializing in traditional & contemporary dances from the Silk Road (Persia & Central Asia,) as well as ethno-contemporary dance. Her style draws inspiration from her diverse dance background in Persian, Central Asian, Flamenco, and Contemporary dance as well as her training in various Martial Art forms. Miriam has been a principle dancer with Wan-Chao Chang Dance Company (California), Ballet Afsaneh (California,) Inbal Ethnic Dance Theater Company (Israel,) as well as a featured soloist in festivals throughout the U.S., South America, and Europe. Miriam has recently started an international dance project, called Nava Dance Collective which brings together dancers devoted to creating community in the sacred circle of dance as well producing meaningful projects inspired by cross cultural, cross religious themes.
Miriam’s love of dance has led her on a life long journey in search for ways to use the arts as a bridge between people of different backgrounds and spiritual traditions. She sees dance as a uniquely powerful means of expressing deep emotion and spiritual yearning, and therefore the perfect embodiment of prayer.