Groove and Ground: Principles of Afro-diasporic Movement and Rhythm with Samad Raheem Guerra

In this workshop, we will explore the rhythmic elements and movement principles of Afro-Diasporic dances. From the Polyrhythmic Layering of Comparsa Rhythms to Embodying Ogun / Ogum Movement across Afro Cuban and Afro Brazilian traditions, this workshop centers cultural background and movement of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian Orixa, and an exploration of movement principles through embodiment and improvisation.

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Samad Raheem Guerra is a multidisciplinary performing artist and arts educator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. A Fulbright-Hays Scholar, he holds a BA in World Arts and Cultures/Dance from UCLA and has toured internationally with CONTRA-TIEMPO Activist Dance Theater. His credits include performing at the Hollywood Bowl and the Ford Amphitheater with Viver Brasil and Sergio Mendes, appearing as a featured artist and choreographer for La Doña, and producing work presented at LACMA, as well as Hamburger Bahnhof and daadgalerie in Berlin. He has taught with the East Bay Center for Performing Arts Diploma Summer Intensive Program and served as Director of World Dance at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts for five years. Currently, he sits on the board of World Arts West, the largest multicultural dance network in the United States.