Queer Dance Workshops are a chance for queer folks of all identities and experiences to connect through dance. Featuring a rotating roster of teachers and dance styles, these workshops are a time to simply dance around joyfully with other queer people.
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Upcoming workshops:
Irish Dance with Jo Troll
Saturday, April 8th, 1:30-2:45pm EST
Virtual on zoom with automated captions
RSVP for the zoom link
If you are unable to attend this workshop, but still interested in getting involved, you can note that on your RSVP.
Celebrate spring with some queer dancing and gathering! This Irish dance class focuses on an older style of Irish dance which is relaxed, accessible, and leaves room for individual flare and modification. As is the tradition, we will use these steps to dance as a community and connect with each other.
Stay tuned for some upcoming spring outdoor workshops!
Queer Dance Workshop Teachers
Angelina Benitez (She/Her/Hers)
Angelina (Angie) Benitez graduated Salem State University with a B.A in both Modern/Contemporary Dance and Spanish World, Language, and Culture. Her choreography at Salem State was presented at Boston’s American College Dance Association Conference and earned her a Presidential Arts Scholarship and a Creativity Award in Dance. She particularly enjoys collaborative choreography–especially with her partner, Rebecca Lang. She has recently enjoyed working as the Administrative Fellow at Bates Dance Festival. When Angie isn’t pursuing Arts Administration, she teaches dance locally and presents her collaborations throughout the Greater Boston area at events including, Salem Arts Festival, Dancing Queerly, Mind the Gap, Tiny & Short: A Drop in the Bucket, and OnStage360°.
Lilly Rose Valore (She/Her/Hers)
Lilly Rose Valore was born in Boston, Massachusetts and started her formal dance training at the age of 8. She studied with The Boston Ballet School. Growing up, Lilly starred in mainstage roles in their production of The Nutcracker, including Party Girl, Snow Attendant and Polichinelles . She was also featured in Boston Ballet’s annual Spring showcase. Years later Lilly furthered her training at The Boston Arts Academy, Boston’s only public performing arts high school. There she trained with Billy Mclaughlin, Tatiana Obeso, Sheryl Pollard Thomas, Christopher Ramsey, and Cristobal Marquez. At The Boston Arts Academy Lilly was introduced to many different dance styles such as Modern, Jazz, African, Contemporary, Improvisation, Contact Skills and much more.
Lilly now attends The Boston Conservatory where she is currently working on getting her BFA in Contemporary dance. She is senior and currently hopes one day to dance with a contemporary ballet company such as Complexions, Lines Ballet , Ballet Hispanico and Dancespora. Lilly also spends her most of her spare time being a activist within the LGBTQ community and advocating for dancers who identify under these categories.
Maggie Cee (She/Her/Hers)
Maggie Cee is founder and director of “The Femme Show”, a variety show featuring dance, spoken word, performance art, and drag exploring queer femininity. She co-produces the “Dancing Queerly” Festival with J. Michael Winward. Teaching ballet is Maggie’s “day job” and her passion. Maggie has presented “Ballet is For Everyone” at LGBTQ youth conferences and the 2012 Femme Conference and received a Boston Pride Foundation grant for a series of Queer Ballet classes in 2015.
J Michael Winward (He/Him/His)
J Michael Winward is an independent dance artist based in Boston. With influences in American-style ballroom, ballet, contemporary and somatic dance practices, his work places a strong focus on building connection: connection to one’s body, one’s self, one’s audience, connection between dance partners, connection within and across communities.
In addition to producing, performing, and touring solo dance repertory, Michael is involved with several exciting projects. Dancing with Peter DiMuro/Public Displays of Motion (PDM), he works to advance the PDM mission of cultivating dance/arts literacy, advocacy and engagement. Along with Maggie Cee, he co-produces Dancing Queerly: a month-long queer dance festival of workshops, mixers, panel discussions, and performances. Through his program Steps in Time, Michael brings social ballroom dancing to senior, elder, and memory care communities throughout Greater Boston.
Michael’s work is supported by the Aliad Fund, The Boston Foundation, Boston Cultural Council, and the New England Foundation for the Arts.
Jo Troll 