MUSICALITY

Musicality in dance has two main components. Receptivity and Creativity.

Musical receptivity is ones ability to receive, comprehend, be sensitive to, and have a working knowledge of musical concepts like rhythm, tempo, phrasing, and even mood.

Musical creativity (or musical artistry) is the ability to connect with accompanying music, interpret it, or phrase and add movement dynamics that relate to music even in the absence of accompaniment, in a way that is unique or interesting.

Musicality in dance then might be considered a measure or degree to which a dancer is receptive and creative in his translation or rendering of music through movement. It is a key ingredient in a dancer’s display of artistry.

SPIRITUALITY IN DANCE

Afro Cuban Dance!

As the owner of Metamorphosis Dance Theatre; dance and spirituality has always been an interwoven presence in my life - professionally and personally.

Dance and spirituality has always been an interwoven presence in my life – professionally and personally. The shape and tone of how this weaving is expressed shifts over time, with the changes that life experiences bring. I’d like to open with some words that came to me spontaneously when I first thought about this theme for today. When I look at the body as movement, I think… the earth body is movement, the space, the universe is movement. So then I ask, what does it mean to dance?

FUNDAMENTALS IN DANCING

5 STEPS TO THE FUNDAMENTALS IN DANCING:-

1.  Learn the basic rhythm of your dance style and learn to move to it. Getting your feet and arms used to the movements with the rhythm is actually the most basic aspect of any dance.

2. Get used to moving your arms. If you watch yourself in the mirror, you might notice that an absolute lack of arm movement looks unnatural. So once your feet have the beat, get your arms working!

3. Watch your kicks. Practicing this in front of a mirror can help you reduce your movements and to learn to kick in time with the music. 

4. Ground yourself for turns.Nearly all dance styles include turning and spinning. You need to make sure you find your balance and pick a point of reference for the turn. 

5. Be confident.You will make mistakes, and yes, you probably will look silly when you start, but you have to learn to commit to your movements. Confidence is everything, even when you’re not sure of the steps! 

PERCUSSIVE MOVEMENTS

Math in you feet!!

Percussive dance is a highly rhythmic and musical dance form that relies on precise execution of foot-based dance patterns.

Percussive Movements Explained:-
If you execute a series of slow and connected movements in a fast way, leaving a pause between them, you might achieve a percussive quality... With accents at the end of percussive movement.

At Mimi-Metamorphosis Dance Theatre we teach an intense programme which is taught by the school's Director; Michelle Lewis (Mimi) who is a certified UK percussive dancer. The name of the programme is 'MATH IN YOUR FEET': this dance requires immense concentration in understanding and responding to each beat of the instruments of the music

CAPOEIRA

Capoeira is a Brazilian Martial Art that combines elements of dance, music and acrobatics and is sometimes referred to as a game. It was developed in Brazil mainly by West African descendants with native Brazilian influences.
It is known for quick and complex moves, using mainly power and speed. There is a wide variety of spins, kicks involved in this dance.

**See our capoeiristas/dance instructor at the end of this video!

The in-house dance lecturers at Mimi-Metamorphosis Dance Theatre do not teach this type of dance. However, a highly qualified Brazilian Capoeira guest instructor teaches this dance at the Dance Theatre. These classes are held on a Friday from 7pm to 10pm.

All interested persons are asked to contact Mimi-Metamorphosis Dance Theatre for more details.

BODY CONDITIONING

Body conditioning is the practice of physical exercise to promote better health conditions in a human being. This conditioning can be performed to obtain better fitness goals. Body conditioning may also be used for rehabilitation purposes after an injury.

At Metamorphosis Dance Theatre we offer multiple training programs to promote body conditioning. Each program is designed to support specific fitness aspirations. These include running, biking, swimming, contact sports, weight training, aerobic activities etc. 

Interested persons please contact for more info!

PACHANGA

Pachanga is a genre of music which is described as a mixture of son montuno and merengue. This type of music has a festive, lively style and is marked by jocular, mischievous lyrics. The name came about to describe the genre in Cuba in 1959. Pachanga is also a Cuban dance style. It is danced to the downbeat of four-four time to the usual mambo offbeat music characterized by the charanga instrumentation of flutes, violins and drums.

At Mimi-Metamorphosis Dance Theatre we incorporate Pachanga into our list of dances taught at workshops only. Our next workshop will be held in January 2016. We are presently enrolling interested persons.

After seeing the dance videos, how many of you all are willing to attempt this dance?

AFRICAN BEATS

African culture have left an indelible mark on Caribbean culture. Let us look at dance. Our folk dances evolved from the original dance forms that came with the African slaves. Dances like the Bongo, Shango dance  are directly related to Mother Africa. The dance form varies and they all have different movements, this is evident when you watch the various dances.The hip, torso  and  hand and feet movement is also very similar to African dance. 

At Mimi-Metamorphosis Dance Theatre, we focus mainly on the Bongo dance which is a dance of strength and is done by males. This dance was dance in the village to settle disputes as well as when someone dies at the home of the deceased (Wake) to allow the passage of the spirit from one world to the next.

We have recently introduced the Pique dance which is a fast creole dance for couples choreograph by African movements. This dance has strong sexual movements mainly hip and pelvic movements by both male and female dance. Due to the sexual content of the dance, this dance is not appropriate for children.

Taking dance to another level...total workout, complete concentration...Do you have what it takes? I challenge you to join this dance school.

CARIBBEAN FOLK

"We go dance de Bélé...we go dance de bélé...I neah-neah no...we go dance de Bélé!"

In the late 18th Century when the French plantation owners and their Creole slaves came to Trinidad and Tobago, they brought with them a life style of "joie de vivre" to their plantations. The house slaves, in their moments of leisure, took the dance to the field slaves and mimicked the dance of their masters. The slaves who worked in or around these houses quickly copied the style and dress. They showed off by doing ceremonious bows, making grand entrances, sweeping movements, graceful and gentle gliding steps which imitated the elegance of the French. The rhythmic quality of the bélé drums added spicy and yet subtle sensuality to the movements. There are more than 14 types of bélé dances. The movements of the dance are very soft and flirtatious.

LATIN VARIATIONS

Salsa

Cha Cha Cha

Bachata


Info coming soon!

MALE DANCERS

Men in Heels!

Despite the cliché that dance is a universal language, it’s interpreted very differently depending on where we live. Attitudes toward dance vary depending on how we’ve been raised and where we live.
At Mimi-Metamorphosis Dance Theatre we’ve started focusing on the sexuality of men who dance. This school is the only school in Trinidad that caters for males to express themselves through dance. 

It's time for a step-change on how we view men on the dance floor. What do you think guys?

We offer classes at our dance theater come down and register now!!

Suave Salsa/Bachata Men's Style (estilo de los hombres)

Come on guys... come and show off what you got!!!! We teach Latin dances as well.

ZUMBA

Zumba is a dance fitness program.

At Mimi-Metamorphosis we take the "work" out of workout, by mixing low-intensity and high-intensity moves for an interval-style, calorie-burning dance fitness party. Once the Latin and World rhythms take over, you'll see why Zumba Fitness classes are often called exercise in disguise. Super effective? Check. Super fun? Check and check.

A total workout, combining all elements of fitness – cardio, muscle conditioning, balance and flexibility, boosted energy and a serious dose of awesome each time you leave class.

Our Zumba instructors are licensed and each will tailor their own fitness routine, sticking to the fundamentals of Zumba and provide you with a strong aerobic and muscular workout. We utilize whole body moves in our Zumba classes, helping you to burn fat and build lean muscle. 

Classes run twice for the week. Personal Certified instructor runs classes every Monday and Thursday from 7 pm to 8:30 pm.

HEALTHY FOODS

Dancers are athletes.

Just like any other athlete, it’s important that we be conscious about how we are fueling our bodies.  The stereotype of the stick-thin waif who dines on lettuce leaves are long gone, and as our field becomes increasingly physical, so too must our fitness and nutrition.

Fruity Smoothie

• 1 banana
• 1 cup frozen strawberries*
• 1/2 cup frozen other berries (I use blueberries and raspberries)*
• 1/4-1/2 cup plain yogurt (regular or greek)
• juice of 2-3 oranges
• spoonful of honey (optional)

Place all ingredients in the blender and puree until smooth.  Pour into a glass or travel cup and sip through a straw!

Additional Tips:*You can use fresh fruit, but you can add a few ice cubes to make it cold and smooth.  Better yet, buy fresh fruit in season, wash it, and freeze it yourself!

Check out this great video on Healthy Meals

MESMERIZING

KIZOMBA

Kizomba is one of the most popular genres of dance and music originating from Angola. It is a derivative of Semba, with a mix of Kilapanda and Angolan Merengue, and sung with a romantic flow generally in Portuguese. 

Mimi-Metamorphosis gives you a total body work out hitting all the right spots. Ladies what do you think?

SEDUCTIVE

Stiletto Dancing!!

Stiletto dancing emerged and evolved in the United States and Europe in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. It is named after the stiletto heel women's shoe style and its distinguished features are wearing the high-heel shoes during a performance.

Step by Step explanation at Mimi-Metamorphosis Dance Theatre...as shown in the video above!!

Ladies this is for your man...working out abs, legs and thighs!Visit our dance theatre.

CLASSICAL BALLET

Classical ballet originated in the 17th-century French court ballet, which came to fruition at the Russian Imperial School of Ballet, directed in the 19th-century by Marius Petipa.

Classical ballet, also called romantic ballet is a system of dance based on formalized movements and positions of the arms, feet and body designed to enable the dancer to move with the greatest possible agility, control, speed, lightness and grace. It is based on the turn-out position of the legs, which increases the range of movement through added mobility in the hip joint and also imparts a more pleasing line to the extended leg.

We at Mimi-Metamorphosis offer Classical Ballet to students who already have a background in this type of dance.

Do you think that the Ballet fraternity would ever fully accept/ acknowledge non-white Classical Ballet Dancers?

CLASSICAL INDIAN DANCE

KATHAK

Kathak is the major classical dance form of Northern India. The word "kathak" means "to tell a story". It is derived from the dance dramas of ancient India.  The dance is primarily an abstract exploration of rhythm and movement.

THE ANATOMY OF DANCE

Human anatomy is the branch of science concerned with the structure and function of the body.

The human body is the dancer's instrument of expression.

Understanding how the body works can help a dancer stay in shape, improve performance, increase confidence and add longevity to his or her performing career. It can also help a dancer avoid injury. If an injury does occur, knowledge of human anatomy can contribute to a safe process of healing and recovery.

At Mimi-Metamorphosis Dance Theatre, principles of exercise physiology, fitness and nutrition to help you on your journey toward maximum health and longevity is focused upon to ensure all-round dancers.

DANCE IN FULL FLIGHT

                                                    

                                                     GLIDE....LIGHTLY..... FEATHERY

Confidence -  you either have it or you don't. But what is confidence?

Confidence is an eagle in full flight. Once it hits the sky, you have to stop and look. I glides with a certain degree of assurance. There is grace; there is poise; there is majesty in the glide of an eagle. It does something to your spirit...that eagle in full flight.

At Metamorphorsis Dance Theatre you become like an eagle flying in the sky. Let us help you build your CONFIDENCE through dance!

THE ARTISTRY OF DANCING