Get ready to move! The Dance Exchange is a fun and exhilarating day of dance on the New Haven Green, bringing five choreographers of different styles to teach all-levels dance classes—salsa, contemporary, hip hop groove, street jazz, and vogue.
Dance Exchange
Alexis Robbins
CONTEMPORARY at 1PM
Alexis Robbins (she/her), originally from Wakefield, RI (US), is a New Haven, CT based tap and contemporary choreographer, performer, improviser, producer, poet, and dance educator. Robbins received her B.A. in Dance and B.S. in Exercise Science from Hofstra University. As the Artistic Director and Choreographer of kamrDANCE, Robbins has shown her works throughout NYC, New Jersey, and New England, and created five dance films. Robbins has received choreographic commissions from Artspace New Haven, Kehler Liddell Gallery, Hofstra University, Arc Dance Collective, and the Montana Dance Center. Robbins was a 2022 “Artists Respond Round 2” grant recipient from the Connecticut Office of the Arts for her community performance project Rooted in Dance & Music, which had two successful performances in outdoor, public spaces in Hamden and New Haven, CT. Robbins was named a 2023 Artist in Residence at the Kirkland Art Center in Clinton, NY, where she received the Tom Bell & Ginger Parker musician residency. Robbins has been a guest teaching artist for the CT Tap Intensive, Elm City Dance Collective, MiXt Co, the Hartford Dance Collective, Montana Dance Center, Hofstra University, STAMP Long Island, and Rhythm and Sound (Toronto, CA). Robbins has a current teaching affiliation with Neighborhood Music School. She is a passionate advocate for dance and marginalized artists throughout Connecticut, is the owner of kamrDANCE Studio LLC where she offers drop-in adult tap classes, and currently dances for Rebecca Pappas.
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Jasmine McPherson
STREET JAZZ at 2PM
Jasmine McPherson is a 22 year old aspiring dancer and choreographer! She dances full time with Studio-8-Sixty, in all styles of dance. Some include modern, jazz, popping and locking, hip hop, and contemporary. Jasmine currently dances for the 860 Dance Crew Senior division dance team, the WNBA Connecticut Suns dance team, as well as The Hartford Dance Collective. Aside from dancing, she teaches a youth Jazz class and Co coaches the 860 Dance Crew Junior division team.
INSTAGRAM
Amara Xtravaganza
VOGUE at 3PM
Amará Velasquez Xtravaganza is a Latina Trans woman apart of the ballroom house of Xtravaganza. She is model, actress, activist, voguer and runway diva extraordinaire. Being queer and Latina it is important for the intersections of her identity to be expressed through her creative works.
INSTAGRAM
Charliece Salters
HIP HOP GROOVE at 4PM
Charliece Salters is a dancer and choreographer from New Haven, CT. She has been dancing for over 15 years, and choreographing for about 10 years. She is trained in various dance genres such as ballet, modern, jazz, African, and hip hop. Salters graduated from Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School in New Haven with a focus in Dance. Continuing her education at Eastern Connecticut State University, she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater, concentrating in Dance & Global Performance. Salters has choreographed several pieces for three main stage productions, as well as the two musicals “Cabaret” and “Two Gents of Verona”. Her most recent main stage performance is titled “Casho’s Sugar in the Raw”, which was a modern-jazz piece performed at ECSU as well as Saint Joseph’s University. Followed by “3am thoughts”, a hip-hop piece performed at Rockwell Dance Center.
Salters is currently teaching Hip Hop bi-weekly at The Lab Creative Space in Meriden, CT; as well as Modern dance, and contemporary fusion. She is also on the faculty of Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts teaching Hip Hop as well. She has taught workshops at “The Grind” dance intensive in Norwalk, CT. Followed by workshops taught at Dance on the DL in Darien, CT.
Independently, to build on her portfolio; Salters choreographs for local performances or events, working with other artists located in the Tri-State area. She also directs and choreographs her own dance visuals, working with videographers and other dancers to expand and strengthen her craft in performance and camera work. Salters currently has a total of 7 concept visuals that she has created within the last three years. Her plan is to continue creating and exploring with this work as a choreographer; in addition to training in classes to expand her physicality as a dancer also.
Alisa Bowens-Mercado
SALSA at 5PM
Alisa is the Dance Director and Artist Development Liaison at Alisa's House of Salsa, located in New Haven, Connecticut. Proudly, this accomplished Dance company is going on their 20th year in Business. Just recently, Alisa relocated her Studio from downtown New Haven to the art-filled Westville area. Her dancing journey began at the age of three. Alisa eventually went on to obtain her Dance Masters Of America (DMA), Professional Teaching Certificate.
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DJ Dana Game
DJ Dana Game is a DJ of nearly 20 years. She credits herself with being a great ‘selector’ of tunes, and she knows how to play for ‘the room’. If you were lucky, you’ve caught her sets downtown at Rudys, The Graduate, and Anchor Spa. While she was raised on hip-hop, her favorite grooves are house music, dance music, disco and all things soulful.
Frank E. Brady
Host
Frank E. Brady is an Award-Winning Poet, Educational Consultant & Mental Health Advocate. He has appeared on BET, Soultrain.com, The Source Hip-Hop Magazine, and recently, ABC Networks. Frank has an undying dedication to youth development. He is a former High School Teacher with a love for Literacy & Social-Emotional Development. Frank is the Co-Author of Suited For Success, 25 stories of life lessons & overcoming adversity.
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