DANCEbank Spring session 
Saturdays 11am-1pm, April 25, May 2, May 9 
Esther Baker-Tarpaga
Esther’s movement class draws from her most recent explorations in West African Dance and Improvisation. The class will consist of a rhythmic and spinal oriented warm up drawing from West African movement, modern dance, and yoga, short combinations across the floor with the accompaniment of live drumming, and guided improvisations in group, solo, and duet forms. It is an open level class and will have live drumming and music.

Esther M. Baker-Tarpaga, choreographer and dancer, has a B.A. from Bowdoin College in French and Anthropology and an M.A. in Dance and M.F.A. in Choreography from UCLA’s World Arts and Cultures Dept. She is co-founder and co-director of Baker & Tarpaga Dance Project, a transnational company that intertwines West African dance and postmodern dance with live music to create physically powerful dance theatre. Recent works in 2008 include Los Angeles premieres of Dar Es Salaam at Celebrate Dance Alex Theatre, Sira Kan/On the Road at the REDCAT NOW Festival, and Disorder Inside Order at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre. In 2007 Esther was invited as a cultural Envoy to teach contemporary dance and to choreograph a new piece for Djoliba National Ballet in Conakry, Guinea. From 2000-2005 she collaborated with Senegal-based dancers, musicians, and rappers on several projects and implemented and led UCLA’s first summer study abroad program in Senegal at Germaine Acogny’s Ecole de Sables. She is the recipient of a Jacob K. Javits Fellowship, a Durfee, and UCIRA grant and is currently dancing in David Rousseve/REALITY new work Saudade.. She has recently taught courses and choreographed work with students at Marlborough High School, Rio Hondo College, Cypress College, and is a HeArt Project artist in residence for continuation high schools in Los Angeles. www.btdanceproject.com

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