JEAN APPOLON EXPRESSIONS INC

🌞 JAE's Summer Dance Institute in the DR is in full swing! Our students are hard at work every day, learning from JAE educators about the healing powers of Haitian Folkloric Dance. 🌺✨ All of our free youth programming is made possible due to the generosity of our donors.  Seeing your contributions change young lives in real time is truly incredible, and we are just getting started!  @appolonj @fubaelisa @mcedance @funtepod   #SummerDanceInstitute2025 #HaitianFolkloricDance #JAE #SummerDance #HealingThroughDance

We kicked off the Summer Dance Institute last Wednesday! The JAE team was greeted with hugs and excitement from returning students, wide-eyed eagerness from new students, and immense gratitude from all. Students presented us with tokens of appreciation from the Dominican Republic, like hand made flowers and local sweets. We will continue to share photos and reflections as programming unfolds. For now, a quick overview, by the numbers: 🧡 14 days to share and learn 🧡 76 participants 🧡 4 lead educators: Jean, Meg, Raphaëlle, and Bisi 🧡 4 master drummers: Ralph, Josil, Richard, and Ernst 🧡 1 final culminating show on August 3 at at Centro Cultural de España 🧡 In partnership with Fundación Funtepod

Jean Appolon Expressions (JAE) is seeking male presenting dancers to join the JAE professional company beginning in January 2025. We would greatly appreciate it if you can share this information with your community! Professional training in Haitian Folkloric/African Diasporic dance, Horton modern, and contemporary techniques is preferable. Must be a powerful and musical mover with strong partnering and improvisation skills. Seeking mature, open, and dedicated artists with an interest in growing with JAE long term. If interested, please send your headshot and performance resume to Bisi at bisi@jeanappolonexpressions.org.

It's almost time!  JAE's Summer Dance Institute in the DR is fast approaching.  Take a look at some moments from last year's incredible drummers, teachers, and students!  Want to help support?  Donate to the Summer Dance Institute at the link below!  https://lnkd.in/e73NqU99

Meet Emily, JAE's Intern!  Emily is joining us from Vanderbilt University for the Jean Appolon Expressions Summer Learning Intensive pilot, June 13-16. Emily will shadow JAE staff and help with this weekend's events to get an inside look at the world of Arts Administration. Emily was awarded funding from Vanderbilt University to make this possible. If you see Emily at a JAE event this weekend, please say hello! Welcome, Emily, we are thrilled to have you! Emily Feingold-Fisher (she/her) is a rising senior at Vanderbilt University majoring in English and Secondary Education with a minor in Theatre Design and Technical Production. She is from Skokie, Illinois, and spent her childhood and high school years dancing at a variety of studios in the Chicagoland area. She is currently the Co-President of Vanderbilt VIBE, one of Vanderbilt’s hip hop companies, as well as a choreographer for Tap That, Vanderbilt’s tap dance organization. She has been performing and training in hip hop for 14 years and always enjoys training in and learning any style of dance! At Vanderbilt, she is employed as a carpenter in the Vanderbilt University Theatre and she has also worked as the Assistant Technical Director for a variety of productions. She is passionate about how dance can create community and connection, as well as the technical aspects of bringing a dance to life. Emily is so excited to be a part of the JAE Learning Intensive and greatly admires the work of everyone involved in JAE.

Dear JAE family, We want to keep you informed regarding matters close to our hearts. Due to the ongoing social and political unrest and security issues in Haiti, we will not be able to lead the Summer Dance Institute in Okap this year. This decision prioritizes the safety of participants who live in Haiti, our partners there, and the JAE team. JAE will be lengthening its programming in Santo Domingo for both Dominican and Haitian youth and adults. We also plan to lead additional programming in Boston for Haitian refugees this summer and fall when the team returns. JAE is keeping a very close eye on the current situation in Haiti and plans to return as soon as possible to lead our free programming. If you know of any opportunities where JAE can work with Haitian refugees and community members in the Boston area, please let us know. We are eager to expand our reach and provide support wherever we can. We continue to stand strong in our pillar of Kiltirèl Conexiones (Cultural Connections), using dance to highlight our shared connections and foster hope for a bright, new future. With love, Jean and the JAE team Photo Credit: Nadia Todres

Thank you to everyone who helped us reach our $100,000 goal for the 2024 Summer Dance Institute!

WE DID IT! We met our fundraising goal for this year's Summer Dance Institute! To our community, We are overjoyed and filled with immense gratitude to announce that we have reached our fundraising goal for the Summer Dance Institute! This is truly incredible—our community came together in such a powerful way, and we couldn't have done it without each and every one of you. Your generosity has helped us raise a total of $100,000! A special thank you to Movement Arts Creation Studio (MACS) and the Social Equity Access Fund for their generous matching gifts. And a heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who contributed—your donations, big or small, made a monumental difference. Your contributions will enable young dancers to foster connections, build resilience, and heal from trauma through the transformative power of dance. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for being a part of this journey and helping us achieve this remarkable goal. We look forward to sharing incredible stories as the dance unfolds. With gratitude, Your JAE family Photo Credit: Nadia Todres Nadia Todres

Last month, we had our second unforgettable The Natural Connection Experience retreat in the Dominican Republic. We are still glowing from the sunshine, community, dancing, nature, people, and so much more. Aventura Rincon Ecolodge (ARE) was our stunning retreat home and we look forward to next year's TNCE there from April 22nd to April 27th 2025! @fubaelisa @mcedance @appolonj @aventurarinconecolodge

This past week JAE was honored to take professional company class with Alvin Ailey Dance Theater led by Jacquelin Harris! The JAE Professional Company and Jean had a blast learning from Jacquelin and being in community with other Boston dance professionals.  Thank you again to Alvin Ailey and Jacquelin for an incredible experience!  Photo Credit: Robert Torres, Celebrity Series @jacquelinh @appolonj @aidenk_choreo @mcedance @velouse2 @celebrityseries @treborserrot @alvinailey