Author: krishna

Categories
News / Announcements

Dark Room Ballet Introductory Classes for Blind and Visually Impaired Adults — New Cycle Begins Saturday, September 3rd

Image described in caption
Image as shared and described on social media: A flyer with text that is superimposed around an edited photo of Krishna, who appears in black and white in side profile as if she is in a blue sky sky among fluffy white clouds. She wears a black leotard, tights, ballet shoes and dark glasses, front leg bent with the other leg extended straight behind her. One arm extends back and holds up her straight cane behind her, the other arm extends to the front and her hand seems to be swallowed into the clouds. There seems to be a small clock in the sky behind her. Text in white against the blue sky reads: Dark Room Ballet with Krishna Washburn, and in black on white at different spots in the sky: INTRODUCTORY BALLET FOR BLIND / VI ADULTS (no prior knowledge required) Starting Sept 3rd 8 SATURDAYS 4 PM to 5:30 PM (Eastern / New York Time) All Dark Room Ballet classes and workshops take place online via Zoom - visit darkroomballet.com or LINK IN BIO for more info!

Beginning Saturday, September 3rd from 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM (Eastern / New York Time)

NOTE: Sponsored by Movement Research, this class is designed specifically for the educational needs of blind and visually impaired adults.

About Saturday Introductory Level Class:

This is a FREE class!

This class is suitable for people with no prior knowledge of ballet. This repeating series of eight classes introduces students to the most common ballet vocabulary that they would need to know in order to participate in Open Level Dark Room Ballet Class. The class introduces students to necessary anatomical concepts like turnout, torso stability, foot sensitivity and mobility, sightless balancing, and the use of a taped floor for orientation.

Classes take place each Saturday online via the Zoom platform; there is also the option to call in via phone.



Register:

Please note that Dark Room Ballet Introductory Level Classes now operate as a scholarship program for new blind and low-vision students.

Learn more about the Dark Room Ballet Intro Level Scholarship Program.

The next Intro Level cycle begins on Saturday, September 3, 2022.

If you are a blind or visually impaired individual interested in learning ballet remotely, you MUST contact us by no later than August 26th, so you can complete the intake process to register for this class.



To register, email info@darkroomballet.com to begin the intake process

You can also reach Dark Room Ballet by phone at (929) 367-0025


If you have some ballet experience, you may also qualify to join the ongoing Dark Room Ballet: Open Level Class on Monday nights; please contact us if you are interested.

Returning students are welcome to re-join intro level classes, as well as encouraged to join Dark Room Ballet: Open Level Class. Please let us know if you would like to re-join intro class as a returning student.

If you work with an organization that serves blind or visually impaired people, please share this information with people who may be interested in registering for this class.

If you are NOT a blind or visually impaired student, you may qualify to join the ongoing Dark Room Ballet: Open Level Class on Monday nights on a select basis; please get in touch with us to explain your interest.

Other Classes in the Dark Room

In addition to online Introductory and Open Level ballet classes for blind and visually impaired adults, Krishna often teaches workshops on related topics open to everyone, including anatomy, improvisation and audio description.


Learn more about past and upcoming online workshops: Dark Room Ballet Workshops

Categories
News / Announcements

New inventory at Dark Room Adorned on Etsy!

Don’t sleep on the new inventory at Dark Room Adorned on Etsy!

Over a dozen new designs — here are just 2, WATERWAYS and TAJABONE…

⚡️ Use code WEARME for 10% off! ⚡️

All bracelets are made in a wrap style that is adaptable and adjustable for many sizes and uses, and each is created using ethically sourced supplies from the United States, Czech Republic, Austria, and Mexico. 💎

Every bracelet is named after music used in Dark Room Ballet classes for blind and visually impaired adults, many of which are songs requested by students.

Proceeds from every sale at Dark Room Adorned benefit the Telephone Dance and Audio Description Film project, so that editors, composers, ASL interpreters and consultants can be paid.

Descriptions with each image.

Shop at Dark Room Adorned on Etsy today!

Inspired by Ludovico Einaudi’s beautiful, delicately atmospheric song, Waterways. This powerfully beautiful bracelet is made with a cyan blue vegan leather strap, cyan nylon thread, beautiful rare and special cyan blue apatite gemstones cut in a unique faceted cube shape, cyan blue Baroque freshwater pearls, matte finish Czech glass beads, and two shapes of silver-filled beads: round and filigree, and a silver-tone pewter oval button with swirl detailing. At four wraps around the wrist, it fits up to a six and three quarter inch wrist. This bracelet can also be worn loose at three wraps, unwrapped as a necklace, or double-wrapped as an anklet.

All purchases from Dark Room Adorned support Krishna, the blind ballet teacher who made this bracelet, and The Telephone Film, a screen dance project with choreographer Heather Shaw meant to promote the field of audio description for dance. The song Waterways was used in Dark Room Ballet class on May 23, 2022; this song was introduced to Krishna by her disabled dance mentor, Sasha!



Image described in caption
Inspired by the impossibly talented Senegalese musician, Ismael Lo, and his heartfelt ode to childhood holidays, Tajabone. This especially beautiful bracelet is made with an olive green vegan leather strap, olive green nylon thread, beautiful natural green garnet and peridot gemstones, olive green freshwater pearls, flickering crystal rondelles, and two shapes of gold-filled beads: round and hexagonal, and a gold-tone brass oval button with pinpoint detailing. At four wraps around the wrist, it fits up to a seven and a half inch wrist. This bracelet can also be worn loose at three wraps, unwrapped as a necklace, or double-wrapped as an anklet.

All purchases from Dark Room Adorned support Krishna, the blind ballet teacher who made this bracelet, and The Telephone Film, a screen dance project with choreographer Heather Shaw meant to promote the field of audio description for dance. The song Tajabone was used in Dark Room Ballet class on June 6, 2022; this song was introduced to Krishna by her disabled dance mentor, Sasha!

Categories
Krishna's Thoughts News / Announcements

Dark Room Ballet on the NFB “Scene Change” Podcast (June 2022)

NFB Scene Change logo: a square logo that is divided directly in half diagonally from the bottom left corner to the top right corner. The bottom right half is green and the top left half is blue. Right on top of the halfway line in the blue area, it says "SCENE" in white text, and just under the halfway line in the green area is says "CHANGE" in blue text. The top left corner says "National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division" in white text.

The Scene Change podcast is presented by the National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division: 

So, you're blind. Can you sing? Can you play an instrument? Can you act? Can you dance? Of course you can! 

Join Lizzy Muhammad-Park and her special guests as they pull back the curtain on their successes and struggles as blind people in the performing arts. Be educated, be challenged, be entertained, and be empowered to join us as we work together to make a "Scene Change" for the blind.

On this month’s episode:

Accessible Ballet

Join Lizzy for this month’s riveting episode featuring Krishna Washburn, a professional ballet dancer, and the artistic director and sole teacher of ‘Dark Room Ballet‘, along with The ‘Dark Room Ballet’ program coordinator and lead administrator Alejandra Ospina.

Interested in ballet? This is an online ballet course specifically for blind dancers. She’s got something for everyone. She’s got intro courses, they are eight weeks long, and she also has open courses for experienced blind professionals. They are tuition free.

In this episode, you will hear more about this exciting opportunity and all it entails.

Her summer course is beginning on June 25, and registration closes on June 18, 2022. Sign up here: darkroomballet.com

Listen to the episode

Listen on YouTube:

NFB’s “Scene Change” Episode 21: Accessible Ballet on YouTube (transcript available)

Listen on SoundCloud:

NFB’s “Scene Change” Episode 21: Accessible Ballet on SoundCloud

Visit the podcast on Anchor.fm to listen or link to other platforms:

NFB’s “Scene Change” on Anchor.fm

Read the Transcript:

Transcript: Dark Room Ballet on NFB “Scene Change” Podcast (June 2022) – opens in a new tab

Episode 21 notes:

0:41 – Introducing Krishna
3:10 – How it’s like to be a blind ballet instructor
16:08 – How to sign up and prices for other courses
31:48 – The difference between sighted, blind, and balanced
36:15 – Do students need to purchase ballet shoes before class
37:05 – What tape is used
39:49 – Krishna dancing while teaching
41:59 – Who taught Krishna
47:39 – Misconceptions for teachers to break
54:40 – Advice for anyone advocating for equality in the dance space
1:04:51 – Contact information
1:07:54 – Outro

Connect with the National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division!
Website: www.nfb-pad.org
Like on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PerformingArtsDivision
Follow on Twitter: @NFB_PAD

Categories
News / Announcements

Dark Room Ballet Introductory Classes for Blind and Visually Impaired Students — New Cycle Begins Saturday, June 25th

Image as shared and described on Instagram: A flyer with text that is superimposed over a photo of Krishna, a thin, pale skinned woman with long dark hair pulled into a braid, poses on a studio stage. She is wearing a simple white dress with her shoulders exposed and a fluffy white headdress perched on her forehead and wrapping down her braid. She looks over her left shoulder as she lightly holds a straight cane between her hands and points her left foot behind her. Text in orange and black over a grey background reads: Dark Room Ballet with Krishna Washburn INTRODUCTORY BALLET FOR BLIND / VI ADULTS (no prior knowledge required) Starting June 25th 8 SATURDAYS 4 PM to 5:30 PM (Eastern / New York Time) All Dark Room Ballet classes and workshops take place online via Zoom - visit darkroomballet.com or LINK IN BIO for more info!
Instagram promotional image (described in alt-text)

Beginning Saturday, June 25th from 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM (Eastern / New York Time)   

NOTE: This class is designed specifically for the educational needs of blind and visually impaired adults.

This is a FREE class!

Hosted by Movement Research, Dark Room Ballet classes are designed specifically for the educational needs of blind and visually impaired adults.

About Saturday Introductory Level Class:

This class is suitable for people with no prior knowledge of ballet. This repeating series of eight classes introduces students to the most common ballet vocabulary that they would need to know in order to participate in Open Level Dark Room Ballet Class. The class introduces students to necessary anatomical concepts like turnout, torso stability, foot sensitivity and mobility, sightless balancing, and the use of a taped floor for orientation.

Classes take place each Saturday online via the Zoom platform; there is also the option to call in via phone.



Register:


If you are a blind or visually impaired individual interested in learning ballet remotely, you MUST contact us by no later than June 18, so you can complete the intake process to register for this class.



To register, email info@darkroomballet.com to begin the intake process

You can also reach Dark Room Ballet by phone at (929) 367-0025


If you have some ballet experience, you may also qualify to join the ongoing Dark Room Ballet: Open Level Class on Monday nights; please contact us if you are interested.

Returning students are welcome to re-join intro level classes, as well as encouraged to join Dark Room Ballet: Open Level Class. Please let us know if you would like to re-join intro class as a returning student.

If you work with an organization that serves blind or visually impaired people, please share this information with people who may be interested in registering for this class.

If you are NOT a blind or visually impaired student, you may qualify to join the ongoing Dark Room Ballet: Open Level Class on Monday nights on a select basis; please get in touch with us to explain your interest.

Other Classes in the Dark Room

In addition to online Introductory and Open Level ballet classes for blind and visually impaired adults, Krishna often teaches workshops on related topics open to everyone, including anatomy, improvisation and audio description.


Learn more about past and upcoming online workshops: Dark Room Ballet Workshops

Categories
News / Announcements

JUNE WORKSHOPS: Anatomy and Audio Description

image as originally shared and described on Instagram: A flyer with a black background and combinations of dark orange and white text, an orange banner at the bottom with black text. Dark Room Ballet with Krishna Washburn JUNE WORKSHOPS Black and white photo in the center: Krishna seen from the waist up in a rehearsal studio, with eyes closed, head tilted back, arms apart and fingers bent in various positions, sensing her body’s internal rhythms. TEXT CONTINUES: No prior knowledge required - priority given to Blind/VI students Anatomy ("Butt Class") - Sat. June 11 Audio Description - Sat. June 18 4 PM to 5:30 PM (Eastern / New York Time) All Dark Room Ballet classes and workshops take place online via Zoom - visit darkroomballet.com or LINK IN BIO for more info!
Instagram promotional image (described in alt-text)

Announcing two upcoming workshops open to all (priority given to blind and visually impaired students), no prior experience required.

Both workshops take place online via Zoom.

To register for one or both workshops, please write to info@darkroomballet.com as soon as possible to complete the intake process.

Saturday, June 11, 2022

4:00 PM to 5:30 PM (Eastern Time)

No Diagram Anatomy for Dancers in the Dark Room Presents Anatomy in Detail: The Gluteus Complex (Butt Class) 

(link to Movement Research class listing)

The first in a series of three highly detailed workshops analyzing specific anatomical areas in detail. In this workshop, we will use movement and conversation to not only cultivate scientific knowledge related to the gluteus complex (the butt!), but also initiate a higher degree of body awareness and neurological learning in this area. Evolutionary history and the marvels of human variation will also be addressed in this workshop. No prior knowledge of human anatomy, dance, or self-audio description are required to participate, but all students will come away with deep anatomical knowledge, reduced movement anxiety, and tools to start learning how to talk about movement in a visceral way. Yes, we’ll be laughing, too.

Part One: Superficial muscles

Part Two: Intermedial muscles

Part Three: Deep muscles

Part Four: Bone

Part Five: Nerves and patterns of motor neuron response

Saturday, June 18, 2022

4:00 PM to 5:30 PM (Eastern Time)

Voices from the Dark Room: The Multitude of Audio Descriptions and When to Touch Them 

(link to Movement Research class listing)

This self-audio description workshop gives students the framework for thinking of audio description as not a singular process with a singular best practice, but as multiple art forms with multiple purposes. Audio description has, for too long, been considered as an access tool that can be deployed at a moment’s notice with little forethought, but this sort of thinking creates environments of severe inequity. Classrooms, rehearsals, and performances where blind and visually impaired people are given inadequate connection to the art at their center are ableist places.

Part One: Audio Description in Technique Class

Part Two: Audio Description for Narrative Performance (story arc)

Part Three: Audio Description for Non-Linear Performance (emotional quality)

Part Four: Audio Description as Cooperative Creation and Collaboration (two voices)

Part Five: Audio Description for the Ensemble (a thousand voices)

Categories
News / Announcements

Dark Room Ballet Introductory Classes for Blind and Visually Impaired Students — New Cycle Begins Saturday, April 9th

Beginning Saturday, April 9 from 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM (Eastern / New York Time)   


NOTE: This class is designed specifically for the educational needs of blind and visually impaired people.

This is a FREE class!

Hosted by Movement Research, Dark Room Ballet classes are designed specifically for the educational needs of blind and visually impaired people.

About Saturday Introductory Level Class:

This class is suitable for people with no prior knowledge of ballet. This repeating series of eight classes introduces students to the most common ballet vocabulary that they would need to know in order to participate in Open Level Dark Room Ballet Class. The class introduces students to necessary anatomical concepts like turnout, torso stability, foot sensitivity and mobility, sightless balancing, and the use of a taped floor for orientation.

Classes take place each Saturday online via the Zoom platform; there is also the option to call in via phone.

Register:

To register, email: info@darkroomballet.com

You can also reach Dark Room Ballet by phone at (929) 367-0025


  • If you are a blind or visually impaired individual interested in learning ballet remotely, please get in touch before April 9, so you can be registered for this class. If you have already contacted us, we will get back to you as soon as we can!
    If you have some ballet experience, you may also qualify to join the ongoing Dark Room Ballet: Open Level Class on Monday nights; please contact us if you are interested.
  • Returning students are welcome to re-join intro level classes, as well as encouraged to join Dark Room Ballet: Open Level Class. Please let us know if you would like to re-join intro class as a returning student.
  • If you work with an organization that serves blind or visually impaired people, please share this information with people who may be interested in registering for this class.
  • If you are NOT a blind or visually impaired student, you may qualify to join the ongoing Dark Room Ballet: Open Level Class on Monday nights on a select basis; please get in touch with us to explain your interest.

Other Classes in the Dark Room

In addition to online Introductory and Open Level ballet classes for blind and visually impaired adults, Krishna often teaches workshops on related topics open to everyone, including anatomy, improvisation and audio description.

New workshop information will be available soon for upcoming summer and fall workshops; here are links to information on past online workshops: Dark Room Ballet Workshops

Categories
News / Announcements

COMING SOON: No Diagram Anatomy for Dancers in the Dark Room (March 19 and March 26)

Sponsored by Movement Research, these two workshops are a continuation of and makeup dates for workshops held last year in the anatomy series.

Like all current Dark Room Ballet classes, these workshops:

  • Will take place virtually using Zoom
  • Prioritize the educational needs of blind and visually impaired adults
  • Are free, especially for blind and visually impaired students
  • Are taught by Krishna Washburn, a blind professional dancer and dance teacher

Workshop dates:

  • The Complete Lower Body: from the soles of the feet to pelvis — Saturday, March 19 from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM (Eastern / New York Time)
    The Complete Upper Body: from the fingertips to the crown — Saturday, March 26 from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM (Eastern / New York Time)

You can participate in either or both workshops.

Our instructor Krishna says of the workshops:

These two workshops are meant to help participants cultivate deep levels of body awareness, to get to know and appreciate the unique features of their own anatomy, and to feel movement in a highly specific way that can then be described verbally (self-audio description). These workshops are an invitation to disabled dancers, especially blind and visually impaired dancers, who may have been denied important information about their own bodies, or who have been discouraged from trusting their own physical perceptions, to find certainty, confidence, and joy in movement. 

These two workshops are not fine-grain scientific anatomical analysis, but workshops that do deep dives regarding sensing highly specific anatomy on more targeted regions of the body will be coming up later this year (June: Pelvis, August: Foot, November: Neck)

To register:

Please write to: info@darkrooomballet.com

Please let us know which workshop you would like to attend…

If you are not blind or visually impaired, please let us know why you would like to attend these workshops…

If you are a current or returning Dark Room Ballet student who has already registered, you don’t have to write, but you can if you want to!

Please note:

These workshops are separate from Dark Room Ballet Introductory Level ballet classes for blind and visually impaired adults (which begin again on Saturday, April 9th) and Dark Room Ballet Open Level classes, which are ongoing and open for registration; please let us know if you are interested in either class so we can learn more about you as a potential new student.

Categories
News / Announcements

WORKSHOP: Self Audio-Description and the Motor Neuron: Learning How to Play Your Own Instrument, Wed. February 16th from 6 PM to 7 PM (Eastern Time)

Krishna Washburn of Dark Room Ballet will be sharing one of her popular anatomy and audio description workshops, this time sponsored by Hook & Loop out of Philadelphia (not Movement Research in NYC).

The Dark Room Ballet community and friends are invited — if you have participated in a version of this workshop before, please feel free to join again!

The workshop is free and will take place online; you must register directly with Hook & Loop to receive the Zoom information and recording after the event.

Description and RSVP link below.

Self Audio-Description and the Motor Neuron: Learning How to Play Your Own Instrument

Wednesday February 16th, 2022

6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Eastern Time


Facilitated by Krishna Washburn
Closed Captioning available

This workshop helps people to begin developing a self-audio description practice, in order to create movement art that connects with others on a visceral level. This workshop de-centers and de-prioritizes sight, and is appropriate for movers and dancers of all levels of experience or inexperience. Learn how to understand how movement feels in your body, and then practice talking about those feelings with others while also learning about the wonders of human anatomy.

By RSVP-ing you will receive the zoom link, full access information and a recording for this workshop. Recordings will be sent out by early March via Hook & Loop.

Please fill out this form to RSVP: Self Audio-Description and the Motor Neuron: Learning How to Play Your Own Instrument

Please send email to hookandloopphl@gmail.com with any questions.

Categories
News / Announcements

What Blindness Brings to Art: a conversation with blind and visually impaired movement artists

A virtual event on Friday February 4

Hook & Loop is a Philly-based accessible artist collective led by people identifying as Disabled, chronically ill, or on the disabled spectrum which create accessible spaces, creative practices and interdisciplinary events to be experienced by everyone.

As part of the “Fractals” series, Krishna Washburn will be participating in a virtual event…


Facilitated by K. Hamilton Projects via Hook & Loop:

What Blindness Brings to Art: a conversation with blind and visually impaired movement artists

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2022

2 PM to 3 PM Eastern Time (podcast screening to follow until 4 PM)

Featuring: Kayla Hamilton, Christopher Unpezverde Núñez, iele paloumpis & Krishna Washburn

Full Program Information for all events in this series: HOOK & LOOP Fractals Program

To RSVP for this event, please fill out this form and select the February 4th event: HOOK & LOOP Virtual Event Series RSVP

Categories
News / Announcements

Dark Room Ballet Introductory Classes for Blind and Visually Impaired Students — New Cycle Begins Saturday, January 22! (and other classes available)

Beginning Saturday, January 22 from 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM (Eastern / New York Time)   


NOTE: This class is designed specifically for the educational needs of blind and visually impaired people.

This is a FREE class!

Hosted by Movement Research, Dark Room Ballet classes are designed specifically for the educational needs of blind and visually impaired people.

About Saturday Introductory Level Class:

This class is suitable for people with no prior knowledge of ballet. This repeating series of eight classes introduces students to the most common ballet vocabulary that they would need to know in order to participate in Open Level Dark Room Ballet Class. The class introduces students to necessary anatomical concepts like turnout, torso stability, foot sensitivity and mobility, sightless balancing, and the use of a taped floor for orientation.

Classes take place each Saturday online via the Zoom platform; there is also the option to call in via phone.

Register:
To register, email: 

  • If you are a blind or visually impaired individual interested in learning ballet remotely, please get in touch before January 22, so you can be registered for this class. If you have some ballet experience, you may also qualify to join the ongoing Dark Room Ballet: Open Level Class on Monday nights; please contact us if you are interested.
  • Returning students are welcome to re-join intro level classes, as well as encouraged to join Dark Room Ballet: Open Level Class. Please let us know if you would like to re-join intro class as a returning student.
  • If you work with an organization that serves blind or visually impaired people, please share this information with people who may be interested in registering for this class.
  • If you are NOT a blind or visually impaired student, you may qualify to join the ongoing Dark Room Ballet: Open Level Class on Monday nights on a select basis; please get in touch with us to explain your interest.

    • Other Classes in the Dark Room!

    • Saturday, March 19, 2022 and Saturday, March 26, 2022 are the make-up dates for No Diagram Anatomy for Dancers in the Dark Room, an interactive dancers’ anatomy course that de-centers sight, and will cover the complete lower body and complete upper body, respectively.

    We look forward to hearing from you soon!

    Care about audio description and supporting dance art for blind and visually impaired people? Check out Telephone and Telephone Ko-Fi.