Dulce Dance Company

Im performing two different pieces. 1 for Diane Mcneal Hunt and 1 for me. Diane's will be in the 6pm show while I premier a new piece in the 8pm show. Come to both!!!

DECA: Tiny Dances at the Garden /// Stay tuned for Artist Lineup coming soon!

Step into a decade-long journey of creativity and ingenuity at “DECA: Tiny Dances at the Garden.” Join us in honoring the legacy of tiny dances in Arizona at the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix.

Experience two captivating programs featuring 18 remarkable artists who have dedicated themselves to this distinctive dance format. Against the serene backdrop of the garden, we will explore the theme of TIME, as we reflect on the impact of Tiny Dances over the years. Ticket link in bio! 📸 :

I am still fundraising for this effort. Please support. Any amount is needed. Please share. If 100 or many people just gifted the price of a cup of coffee that would add up to great support. Supporting me today allows me to continue to create, share, and provide opportunity for other dancers to perform. With appreciation and grace.

Give life to my choreography, organized by Candy Jimenez Who this will help Hello, I am Candy Jimenez, a teacher, choreographer, and artist. I tea… Candy Jimenez needs your support for Give life to my choreography

I am excited to be presenting work in Breaking Ground this January. Please help me honor the talented dancers in my work, by donating whatever you can. The monetary fee I am trying to achieve is not nearly worth the time, effort and talent put in to the piece, but a little something to honor them will go a long way. There are 12 dancers in the cast. Please read my gofundme page or at best sponsor a dancer. There are 12 dancers. Message me.

Give life to my choreography, organized by Candy Jimenez Who this will help Hello, I am Candy Jimenez, a teacher, choreographer, and artist. I tea… Candy Jimenez needs your support for Give life to my choreography

Dulce wants to wish you all a Happy Holiday and to remind you:

Remember that you are Water.
Cry. Cleanse. Flow. Let. go.

Remember that you are Fire.
Burn. Tame. Adapt. Ignite.

Remember that you are Air.
Observe. Breath. Focus. Decide

Remember that you are Earth.
Ground. Give. Build. Heal.

Remember that you are spirit.
Connect. Listen. Know. Be still.

--thinking space/Black & Gold Poetry

Reach for the magic, it is there within you.

"Rooted in Movement": Another reason to attend and celebrate the event December 9 & 10

The Giving Tree continues. Bring a gift for the tree and take from the tree what you need. It is a tradition that continues. The gifts that were left the last time will be on the tree as well as bags of different herbs, and handmade ornaments.

It is the season of giving. Leave your impression, take what you need.

"Rooted in Movement": Sound Sponsor spotlight.

Thank you to Sedona Dance Project for sponsoring our sound. The audience will be surrounded in sound and our films will be experienced using the "Silent Disco" headsets. They will be immersed in the sound of the film.

Get ready for a silent sound experience.

Rooted in Movement: Vendor spotlights

Get your tickets for December 9 & 10. Get some dance, art, wine, tea, cacao and some holiday shopping in on one evening.

“Rooted in Movement” Merchandise will be available.
T-shirts (unisex)
Tote bag
Coffee Mug 12oz

Purchase the bundle and get a free face mask, gift wrap and save $5.00. Bundle includes: T-shirt, tote bag, coffee mug, free face mask, and gift wrap. Buy the bundle and save 10% at Candy’s boutique and Yolanda’s Vintage.

Purchase just the single mug and get free cacao all evening.

Wine, tea, water are included with ticket purchase.

Cacao: 1 cup for $2.00

Charcuterie: $10.00 supplied by Dancing Chef Catering

Join Orgone Knights for a night of beautiful hand made art called orgonite that makes a perfect gift for everyone in your family.

With so much stress from our devices we could all use a little break from the stress. The reported benefits are too numerous to mention but you can learn more at https://www.orgoneknights.com

Modern Shaman will also join us all the way from our beautiful Sedona. Message from the vendor:

I make organic, raw, fine handmade goods. My speciality is fixing DRY SKIN. Cracked heals, cracked fingers, eczema and psoriasis. I make an Elite Body Scrub with 10 amazing ingredients and a Body Butter that feels like velvet and silk, that leaves your skin nourished, glowing and healthy. It will blow your mind.

And the butter is only 8 ingredients. 3 butters and 5 oils. That's it. You won't find anything like it in the stores.

Make your upcoming weekend plans now! Do not wait. Tickets limited. AND its at a NEW LOCATION! You must purchase your tickets to retrieve new exact address/location. The new location is in the area of 53rd St. and McDowell. Those are the major cross streets. Support dance. Support the arts. Support artists paving and producing their own way without public funds.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/461140653107

New location revealed at purchase!
New work by Angel Castro, Nicole Hennington, Jeremiah Jenkins, Danielle McNeal Johnson, Angelica Lara, Alicia-Lynn Nascimento, Nicole Olson, and Anandha Ray

AND

I have set a new work on a beautiful trio: Kalli Sparish, Alicia-Lynn Nascimento Castro, and Demetia Hopkins and a new solo on Caroline Liddicoat and collaborating with Jeremiah Jenkins and Angelica Lara on two new solos.

Please wear comfy shoes and warm clothes.

Photo credits:
Dancer: Demetia Hopkins
Photographer: Michael Townsend
Marketing Image: Angel Castro/June+Co.

"Rooted in Movement"

Limited tickets, get your tickets now before you miss your chance.

Unique site specific dance: 2 films, 10 dance pieces, 8 artists, and 1 guest artist performer.

Get some holiday shopping done for you and a friend. Vintage and boutique choices as well as hand made arts.

"Rooted" merchandise is also available. Purchase a bundle for $25.00 and receive 10% off of your total purchase from Candy's boutique, or Yolanda's Vintage.

https://youtu.be/s5V3lLlC-NM

"Rooted in Movement: Conversation with the Director, Candy Jimenez.

Candy is proud to bring the 5th production of "Rooted" to Phoenix this December. She considers herself a Phoenix Native even though she was transplanted here at an early age from her hometown of Dickens, Texas. Phoenix is her home and where she cultivates the soil of her passion. She has a vision in where she would like to produce "Rooted" and share the mission in other cities and nature throughout the country. "This is only the start". This season Candy is very excited and honored to see her movement be given life by dancer, Demetia Hopkins. Candy, quotes, "I am very grateful to have and continue to work with the caliber of dancers I have worked with in the past. I value the dancers I work with as gifted artists as they process the movement and direction given to help the choreography breath and gain a life of it's own". Learning that Demetia Hopkins, danced Ailey's signature solo "Cry", during her tenure with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater brought Candy to gasp. She is grateful and honored to see Demetia Hopkins, Phoenix's own Alicia-Lynn Nascimento Castro, and Kalli Sparish of whom both also come with impressive bios, dance "Dust and Embers", a premiere work. "I want to share in how dance may be experienced uniquely", Candy expresses and so she invites you all to come December 9 & 10. It is a beautiful way to bring in Yule and the holidays. See ticket information in the comments.

Bio for Demetia Hopkins:

Demetia Hopkins is a performing artist and dance educator based in Central Virginia. She is a Co-Artistic Director at the Orange School of Performing Arts, where she received her early
dance training under the direction of her uncle, Ricardo Porter. Ms. Hopkins holds a Master of Fine Arts from Hollins University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Fordham University, where
she graduated with honors in 2009 while a member of Ailey II. In 2010 she joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. During her six-year tenure in the company, she was honored to
perform ballets by many prestigious choreographers from around the world including Alvin Ailey’s signature solo Cry.

In 2019, Demetia made her Broadway debut in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! as Associate Choreographer, Dance Captain, and Principal Understudy for Dream Laurey. She was
a member of Sleep No More at the McKittrick Hotel and has performed with the Francesca Harper Project, Project-Inc, Mimi Garrard, Elizabeth Turk and performing arts pioneer Dianne
McIntyre. She served as Ms. McIntyre's Assistant to the Choreographer for Intimate Apparel, written by Lynn Nottage and directed by Bartlett Sher, and is honored to assist Ms.McIntyre both artistically and administratively. Ms. Hopkins has taught and set choreography in local schools across the country and abroad. Highlighted as one of Dance Magazine's “Top 25 To Watch,” and
honored as a recipient of a Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts, Demetia is proud to give back to the community that supported her formative years.

"Rooted in Movement": Artist Spotlight

Jeremiah Jenkins brings an evolution of "Ubuntu". We are excited to share the space and energy with him.

Jeremiah D Jenkins earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts at Sam Houston State University. He has danced with numerous Dance Companies around the U.S. and Internationally Including Urban Souls (TX), Dulce Dance Company & Scorpios Dance Theater (AZ/London), Gaspard Dance Company (NYC), Dance Italia (Italy) and has guest artists with numerous companies as an independent artist. Jeremiah has had his work selected at BETA Dance Festival, MultiPurpose Dance Works, Las Vegas Dancing in the Desert Festival, and Dancing with the Houston Stars, to name a few. Jeremiah Is on Faculty for Motiv8 Dance Convention and an Adjudicator for 8 National Talent and continues to teach Master Classes throughout the U.S. while residing in San Diego, CA where he has recently joined Malashock Dance Company.

"Rooted in Movement": Artist Spotlight

Angel Castro comes back home especially for this event. As one of the original Rooted collaborators he brings a piece home to share with us for this Yule event.

"Prayers to the Moon" is a continuation/exploration of a solo that premiered in 2019 entitled "Enough"..over the last few years the solo has evolved into its different forms and adaptations.

Angel is a Los Angeles based Artist originally from Phoenix, AZ. Angel's background is a conglomerate of diverse art practices making him a creative to the core. He has worked in multiple industries including, event production, brand management, dance, fashion, photography and film. Angel has danced professionally with and choreographed for many of Arizona's leading dance companies: Scorpius Dance Theatre, EPIK Dance Company, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury Hip Hop Squad, NBA’s Phoenix Suns Solar Squad,. His athletic-yet-fluid choreography style has made him one of Arizona's most sought-after choreographers and instructors. His choreography has been also been performed on many stages including CONDER/dance’s Breaking Ground Festival, ARTELPHX, Phoenix New Times Big Brain Awards, and Phoenix ComicCon, BlkTina Dance Festival, nation wide on tour with Celebrity Dance Competitions, and on multiple NBA Arena courts. He is currently on faculty with ChoreographyPros Convention, which provides performance-ready routines for professional and collegiate level dance teams nationwide.
His Credits include, Kanye West, Lacoste, SUNROAD Enterprises, Phoenix Mercury, Phoenix Suns, HALO Movement Collective, JUNESDAYPROJECT, Javi Star, Juliana Muse, and Scorpius Dance Theatre.

"Rooted in Movement": Artist Spotlight

Angelica Lara premieres a new piece after a moment of hiatus. We are very happy that she is creating and is joining us this season.

She brings "Mayahuel's Manifesto"
Mayahuel, an Aztec deity known as the protector of fertility. Transforming mature wombs into fruitful life, her legend lives on through the agave plant.
Abajo!

Angelica’s artistic journey began at a young age. Her formative training began at The Studio of Dance in Southern Arizona, where she was introduced to various dance disciplines. She was awarded a scholarship at Grand Canyon University where she spent four years studying, performing, choreographing, teaching, and presenting work with the Ethington Ensemble while earning her Bachelors of Arts in Dance Education (2018). As an emerging artist and educator, she creates and teaches to further her study of the human condition through an illustrative lens. Her works have been recognized in multiple American College Dance Association Gala performances (CA), the Herberger Arts Festival (AZ) and has professionally produced work with GreyBox Movement Collective (UT, AZ), Dulce Dance Company (AZ), the Dance in the Desert Festival (NV), and MovementLab (NM). She will continue to challenge her artistic philosophy and build upon her movement language as she begins to venture into the world beyond the Southwest.

"Rooted in Movement": Artist Spotlight

Alicia-Lynn Nascimento Castro transitioned into dance after training as an elite gymnast. She will have an MFA from Hollins University in July of 2023 and graduated with a BFA in dance from the University of Arizona. In Philadelphia she continued her dance training with Philadanco then moved to Denver where she danced with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble performing works of master choreographers such as Katherine Dunham, Alvin Ailey, Donald McKayle, Talley Beatty, and Milton Myers. Alicia lived in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais/Brazil, for 7 years and danced with Mario Nascimento Dance Company, had a leading role in the Beatles musical Because, and presented solo work Solivagant and Arco-Iris as a member of Rede Sola de Dança. As a teacher and choreographer she was the Assistant Choreographer and Rehearsal Director for Contemporary Dance Company, Sala B directed by Fernando de Castro; taught at the world renowned Grupo Corpo, and also at the dance and art conservatory, Palácio das Artes where she choreographed for the Graduating class of 2015 with a piece entitled Wanderlust. Since moving to Phoenix she has performed with the Black Theatre Troupe and presented work at the BlakTinx Dance Festival, Rooted in Movement, Breaking Ground, Beta Dance festival and at the Phoenix Art Museum with Jam Movement and Sentidos Dance. Alicia worked at Grand Canyon University, Glendale Community College, and is currently working as a Dance Director at Tolleson Union High School, involved in her own projects and teaching at Arizona State University.

A dance film Alicia created will premiere on December 9 & 10, entitled "Cada um trasborda o que tem dentro de si" (An Offering of what Overflows from Within)

"Rooted in Movement": Artist Spotlight

Nicole Hennington from Arizona to Cleveland, Ohio to Arizona

Nicole Hennington spent her first two decades in Arizona where she graduated from the University of Arizona with BFA in Dance and a minor in Finance. Upon graduation, she was awarded the Gertrude Shurr Award, an award given to acknowledge passionate artistry and excellence in modern dance. During this time, she also studied with Chuthis., Nederlands Dans Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, New Dialect, and Ate9.

In 2018, Nicole joined Cleveland-based dance company, GroundWorks DanceTheater. During her four year run with GroundWorks, she originated roles in choreographies by James Gregg, Peter Chu, Brian Brooks, Antonio Brown, Robyn Mineko-Williams, Dianne McIntyre, Hannah Garner, and Adam Barruch. During her final season, Nicole acted as rehearsal assistant and had her own privilege to choreograph on the company—a piece titled “As I Am” that premiered in July 2022 and has been performed at Playhouse Square.

In summer of 2022, Nicole attended Springboard Dans Montréal where she worked with RUBBERBAND Dance Group and UNA Productions.

Nicole, with her multidisiplinary curiosities in dance collaborated with filmography, Cory Sheldon, in 2020 to create “Between Presence,” her first dance film which was produced by GroundWorks. “Between Presence” was selected to be played at Midwest RAD Fest and Highland Film Festival in 2022.

Currently, Nicole is a freelance dancer, choreographer, and teacher across the United States.

She will premiere "Begin Again" which is inspired by the art of creating, failing, redirecting, and beginning again.

Rooted in Movement: Artist Spotlight

Candy Jimenez, Phoenix resident continues to produce Rooted in Movement as an act of activism towards creating.without boundaries or limits. She truly believes in humanity and the powers we all harness. Currently earning her MFA in Dance from Hollins University, as she progresses in her research of audience engagement and her thesis of hallowed space, she creates 2 works that she will share December 9 & 10.

“Dust and Embers” will premiere. It is given life by Alicia-Lynn Castro, Kalli Spanish, and Demetia Hopkins. Demetia Hopkins comes from Virginia where she cultivates dance in her community as well as across the country. Demetia Hopkins is a former Alvin Ailey Company Dancer, she befriended Candy at Hollins University, where she agreed to work in this premiere.

“Liminality” will also premiere, danced by Caroline Liddicoat. The solo is inspired by the space/threshold of transition.

Rooted in Movement: Artist Spotlight

Anandha Ray from California brings us a recently released film. It will be new to our screen in Phoenix, Arizona.

"Sacred to the Memory"
A film by Rev. Anandha Ray
Featuring Quimera Ritual Dance
And the music of Irena Kotvitskaya
Edited by Zed Friedman

When we think of shadows, we might think of the things that lurk in the darkness, things we might fear, things that hide... but in the shadows resides also a great beauty... A grit and daringness to illuminate the shadows... and walk within.

"Sacred to the Memory", by Rev. Anandha Ray and Quimera Ritual Dance, was created in a pilgrimage to Scotland. They walked among the graveyards, held sacred rituals, and filmed the remembrances that surfaced in the expression of dance. "Sacred to the Memory" is a retelling of these rituals, holding forever in film the echoes of their resolute determination, in connecting through ancestral lines

Rooted in Movement: Artist Spotlight

Nicole Olson shares her beautiful light with us. She continues her series of "Valkyrie"

"Valkyrie", Part 3
Nicole L Olson continues her research on this Norse mythological character in the 3rd, and last, section. This dark and luming solo will be performed by Candy Jimenez.

"She of Three"
Inspired by the neopagan deity, the Triple Goddess, NicoleOlson|MovementChaos explores the relationship of one woman and time - the maiden, the mother, and the crone.

Photo by Chris Young

Rooted in Movement: Artist Spotlight

Danielle McNeal Johnson brings 2 new works to Rooted this season “Birthed/unbirthed“ and “Muse of Light”.

Danielle has relocated to Sedona and has had incredible community support in creating the Sedona Dance Project. Sedonadanceproject.org

Danielle is currently involved with Sedona Dance Project and Candy Jimenez's Rooted in Movement series (Phoenix, AZ 2021 - present) as a choreographer, performer, and collective contributor. Danielle was a company member of Desert Dance Theatre (modern dance) for over 20 years. Danielle's works have been showcased in New York, Arizona, Las Vegas, and New Mexico. Using various genres of dance, modern, jazz, contemporary, and musical theater, Danielle enjoys creating works that evoke emotion, thought, as well as entertain.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/461140653107

New location revealed at purchase!
New work by Angel Castro, Nicole Hennington, Jeremiah Jenkins, Danielle McNeal Johnson, Angelica Lara, Alicia-Lynn Nascimento, Nicole Olson, and Anandha Ray

AND

I have set a new work on a beautiful trio: Kalli Sparish, Alicia-Lynn Nascimento Castro, and Demetia Hopkins and a new solo on Caroline Liddicoat and collaborating with Jeremiah Jenkins and Angelica Lara on two new solos.

Please wear comfy shoes and warm clothes.

Photo credits:
Dancer: Demetia Hopkins
Photographer: Michael Townsend
Marketing Image: Angel Castro/June+Co.