Category: News / Announcements

News and updates about classes, etc.

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News / Announcements

Rotating Faculty 2026: Intro to Simonson Jazz Dance with Valentina Bertani

image described in caption
Valentina is pictured in a series of 6 images arranged like a contact sheet. She has curly hair that is light near the ends and darker towards the roots. She has a slight smile and wears a top that is dark blue-green with with tan and reddish orange stripes around the collar.

Presented as part of our 2026 rotating faculty series:

Intro to Simonson Jazz Dance with Valentina Bertani

About Valentina Bertani:

Valentina was born in 1977: she is a curly-haired child, full of verve, nice, resourceful and curious, a little explorer. Her journey into dance began at the age of two and a half and, over time, her great curiosity led her to experiment with different techniques and styles: from ballet, to hip hop, to belly dancing, up to modern and jazz dance.

Valentina studies hard and works in the meantime: she grows up dancing and, the more she grows, the stronger her bond with dance becomes. She became a teacher and began to share what she had learned and her enthusiasm for this art with young and old, without ever stopping. Valentina was born with an eye disease that, over the years, would lead her to gradually lose her sight. And it is precisely after the most beautiful moment of her life, the birth of her son Matteo, that she feels the need to hang up her dancing shoes.

Due to the worsening of her condition, she gave up dancing for 15 years, a period of great hardship during which she learned to come to terms with her new life. Her tireless tenacity and her innate curiosity never left her, even when she had to deal with a different life, which forced her to move in the world in a whole new way. Her bond with dance is so indissoluble that the flame of passion reignites…

In 2021 Valentina started the “Svista Dance” project which involves visually impaired and blind children and girls in the study of dance. This path is a stimulus for her to deepen her new relationship with dance and with her own body. Shortly thereafter, she meets Tereza Perez Ceccon, an American teacher, and begins studying the “Simonson” method with her, thanks to which she discovers a whole new way of dancing. The Simonson technique was created by the North American Lynn Simonson and suggests an organic approach to movement by promoting a more “intelligent”, conscious and respectful use of the body. What others call a limit, for her becomes an opportunity. Valentina graduated in this technique, still little known in Italy, but which offers invaluable tools to increase body awareness and self-confidence. Valentina is now the first blind teacher certified in the Simonson method.

MOVING IN THE DARK

Moving in the dark is a real exploration of oneself: a deep and adventurous journey into one’s self, a way to take care of oneself. But how can you explore yourself and move in space without the help of sight? It is done by breaking down the barriers of prejudice and the rigidity of conventions, moving without looking but only listening to one’s body. Who is this experience for? To all those who want to get in touch with their most profound, most intimate part, in a natural and harmonious way through a series of organic movements that allow you to release all those tensions that often make us lose sight of our needs and priorities. Not only that: this type of path can also be very useful for all those professionals who use the body as a tool of expression: singers, dancers, musicians, actors who want to improve their performance. Moving in the dark means walking more harmoniously and serenely in the world and experiencing it without the prejudices and pressures to which we are constantly exposed in everyday life.

TRAVELING WITH VALE

I would like to accompany you on a tour “in the dark” because I think it is the best way to understand yourself in relation to the outside world. The awareness of one’s volumes in space is very useful to be able to move with greater harmony and flexibility in everyday life. Movement is, after all, the primordial approach to existence and understanding, from within ourselves, how to eliminate the knots that limit us and the tensions that cage us is very effective in order to live more serene and relaxed. Very often our experience, which is also the beauty of us, leaves vivid and perceptible signs in our mind and consequently on our body: exploring ourselves by traveling through the body gives us the opportunity to increase energy, vitality and well-being! Entering within oneself, abandoning oneself to the wonder of darkness, with the help of the other senses, amplifies the benefits of movements exponentially!

The Darkness may initially seem impetuous to face, especially if tensions and stress are very important, but you are not alone: I will accompany you in your explorations, in your travels, to reassure you until you can be at ease and fully enjoy the work we are doing. Once you have tasted the freedom from the chains that kept you tied to the light, you will be much more free and aware… It may seem surreal, but no one better than me can make you understand how wonderful it is not to see what is around you, but rather to feel it and perceive it in a real and conscious way! Becoming blind was the best way for me to feel free! When I rediscovered movement in the dark, it seemed to me as if I had never moved properly in my life, even though I had been studying dance since I was 3 years old! The work you do is not important, your performance will improve more and more! If you trust me and want to devote some time to your well-being and to improving your skills, I am ready to accompany you! If you are an artist and want to improve your characteristics and skills, you can find safe help in the dark!

About This Workshop Series:

Intro to Simonson Jazz Dance is a ten class course that teaches the movement principles and exercises of Simonson method in an additive way, with each class gradually building to the complete, full-body class format.

This class is designed for blind and visually impaired adults with no prior experience with Simonson Jazz Dance, and is open to learners who have never studied dance before. This class is not recorded for copyright reasons, so attendance at all ten sessions is strongly encouraged.

Workshop Dates and Details:

These workshops are set up to build on one another and attendance at all 10 sessions is strongly encouraged.

The workshops will be offered virtually on Zoom.

Each workshop is 90 minutes long:

  • Session #1: Friday, April 3, 2026 from 2 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Session #2: Friday, April 10, 2026 2 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Session #3: Friday, April 17, 2026 2 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Session #4: Friday, April 24, 2026 2 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Session #5: Friday, May 1, 2026 2 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Session #6: Friday, May 8, 2026 2 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Session #7: Friday, May 15, 2026 2 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Session #8: Friday, May 22, 2026 2 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Session #9: Friday, May 29, 2026 2 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Session #10: Friday, June 5, 2026 2 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern/New York Time)

To register:

This course requires completion of a student intake form and a registration conversation with Valentina, the instructor of the course.

To start your registration process, please send an email to info@darkroomballet.com to info@darkroomballet.com with the subject line Intro to Simonson Jazz Dance

Registration for Intro to Simonson Jazz Dance closes on March 30, 2026, so please do not wait to begin your registration process — Valentina is so excited to teach you!

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News / Announcements

Rotating Faculty 2026: Improvising with our Ecosystems with Shannon Brooks

image is described in caption
Shannon crouches on the floor holding a microphone with neon yellow/green tulle draped across their body and smushing their face. They speak/sing into the microphone with their eyes closed. Photo credit: And Keller

Presented as part of our 2026 rotating faculty series:

Improvising with our Ecosystems: a Laboratory and Introduction to Improvising with Movement, Sound, and Self-Audio Description with Shannon Brooks

About Shannon Brooks:


Shannon Brooks is a multisensory, multimedia artist grounded in iterative, time-based experimentation. Their practice engages with the full range of our senses and draws on ritual, material, and performance, to construct strange worlds between the physical and the ephemeral. Their practice researches the interconnected systems between ecology, decay, the body, disability, power, ghosts, geologic time, movement, textile, and memory.

Their practice decentralizes sight as the ultimate means of validating experience, creating cacophonies of textures and sounds to explore the dimensions of our senses. As a low-vision person, Shannon understands accessibility as an imperfect creative force that transforms time, space, and power structures.

About This Workshop Series:

A monthly ritual to connect with, stretch into and experiment with the glory of our senses.

We ground into our practice with guided imaginative eco-embodiments and learning different approaches to improvising with movement and sound. Then we will play with, touch, taste, listen, and smell materials found in our own everyday life to celebrate and map out the landscapes of our sensorial experiences. Our time will conclude by folding our somatic exploration into our improvisations, and developing imperfect audio descriptions reflecting on our practice together.

After each practice, participants will receive an overview of the improvisation techniques we explored, music selections, and an ever-evolving dictionary of terms specific to Shannon’s class series.

Workshop Dates and Details:

These workshops are set up to build on one another but can be taken separately. 

They will be offered virtually on Zoom.

Each workshop is two hours long:

  • Sunday, February 1, 2026 – Improvising with Our Ecosystems with Shannon Brooks, 2 PM to 4 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Sunday, March 1, 2026 – Improvising with Our Ecosystems with Shannon Brooks, 2 PM to 4 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Sunday, April 12, 2026 – Improvising with Our Ecosystems with Shannon Brooks, 2 PM to 4 PM (Eastern/New York Time)

To register for this workshop series, send an email to info@darkroomballet.com with the subject line Improvising with our Ecosystems

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News / Announcements

Rotating Faculty 2026: Cultivating a Studio Art Practice with Bill Porter

image described in caption
Bill Porter is seated on a couch on the left side of the frame, wearing a blue Henley and jeans, and has a neatly trimmed brown beard, facing the camera with a thoughtful, engaged expression. He is surrounded by his studio space, including woodworking tools, paint, and other materials.

Presented as part of our 2026 rotating faculty series:

Cultivating a Studio Art Practice with Bill Porter

About Bill Porter:

Bill Porter is a multidisciplinary artist and educator whose research-based studio practice examines how personal histories, cultural narratives, and visual systems shape perception and reinforce social inequalities, drawing on his lived experience with an inherited retinal disorder and the broader realities of blind and low vision communities to critically examine systemic ableism. Bill teaches studio art at the College of Art and Design at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, and develops accessible studio courses for artists with disabilities through museums and nonprofit organizations, including the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s Access Studio program. An active disability advocate, he founded the Lesley University Disability Advocacy and Education Group and organizes exhibitions and public programs that amplify the perspectives and lived experiences of people with disabilities. His teaching and scholarship focus on cultural narratives of blindness, inclusive studio instruction, and peer-based learning. Bill has collaborated with an interdisciplinary faculty team researching student-led peer critique, contributing to the development of a widely presented three-step feedback protocol and the co-authored publication Student-Led Peer Review: A Practical Guide to Implementation Across Disciplines and Modalities (Routledge, 2022).

About This Workshop Series:

This studio art course focuses on building a sustainable studio art practice within a supportive learning environment. Students will develop a single art project over the course of the program, working through research, making, feedback, and revision. The course also introduces art history and contemporary art through the perspectives of blind and low vision artists and scholars, grounding studio work in critical and creative contexts.

This seven-week course meets weekly for two-hour online sessions that include lectures, group discussions, and critiques. Creative individuals of all levels of art training and experience are welcome. Students are encouraged to work with the materials, modalities, and methods that best support their projects, including non-visual media. Attendance and active participation are expected, including engagement in class critiques and the shared process of giving and receiving feedback.

Workshop Dates and Details:

These workshops will be offered virtually on Zoom.

Each workshop is two hours long:

  • Thursday April 9, 2026 — 7 to 9 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Thursday April 16, 2026 — 7 to 9 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Thursday April 23, 2026 — 7 to 9 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Thursday April 30, 2026 — 7 to 9 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Thursday May 7, 2026 — 7 to 9 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Thursday May 14, 2026 — 7 to 9 PM (Eastern/New York Time)
  • Thursday May 21, 2026 — 7 to 9 PM (Eastern/New York Time)

To register for this workshop series, send an email to info@darkroomballet.com with the subject line Cultivating a Studio Art Practice with Bill Porter

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News / Announcements

Help Grow Dark Room Ballet in 2026!

How we are ending 2025…

Dark Room Ballet celebrated its sixth anniversary this year, which means…

  • Krishna has taught almost 300 Open Level Classes for adults on Monday nights
  • 500+ adults have studied ballet and traditional blind dance techniques with Krishna in Open, Intro, and Pro level classes 
  • Krishna been offering audio description workshops and courses tuition-free since 2022
  • We’re revving up for our 14th (!) cycle of the Dark Room Ballet Intro Class for blind and visually impaired adults that have not had the opportunity to study dance before — registration is now OPEN for February 2026!

Dark Room Ballet is the only place where blind and visually impaired adults receive high-quality, pre-professional and professional level education from educators that share their disability – tuition free. And there’s so much more than ballet happening at Dark Room Ballet! 

Dark Room Ballet became a driving force for high-quality audio description for dance:

  • Audio Description Consultation services are expanding globally because of the efforts of Dark Room Ballet and the Telephone Film
  • With support from Dark Room Ballet and Telephone, Pacific Northwest Ballet created their first audio description program with audio describer Alyson Osborn — it’s now a model for large dance companies starting fully integrated audio description programs.
  • American Ballet Theater / ABT Rise produced their VERY FIRST audio described dance video for World Ballet Day on November 12. Dark Room Ballet donated many, many volunteer hours to ABT to ensure audio described media in its catalog. Three Dark Room Ballet-trained audio describers got paid for this project…
  • And on December 13th, we hosted such a well-attended a showcase of audio described dance on film with Yeah, It WAS Good!

Dark Room Ballet continues to support, train, and consult with independent artists and dance companies as they create audio described dance projects. Some of our collaborators include: ShaLeigh Dance Works, Jo Troll, Emilee Lord, Toby MacNutt, and so many more!

The Dark Room Ballet faculty grew in 2025!

This year we launched the Collegium 2025, a series of tuition-free classes and workshops taught by the world’s best blind and low-vision movement and arts educators, sharing their artistry and knowledge with our community.

Educators in 2025 included:

And guess what?

They all want to come back!

There are so many blind and visually impaired arts educators that we want to bring into our community as rotating faculty, and you can help us hire them!

DONATE NOW!

Here’s our first set of updates to the 2026 calendar:

Shannon Brooks Returns with Improvisation!

  • Sunday, February 1, 2026 from 2 to 4 pm ET
  • Sunday, March 1, 2026 from 2 to 4 pm ET
  • Sunday, April 12, 2026 from 2 to 4 pm ET

DJ Robinson Returns with Choreography!

  • Friday, May 15, 2026 from 4 to 5:30 pm ET; 
  • Friday, August 7, 2026 from 4 to 5:30 pm ET; 
  • Friday, September 18, 2026 from 4 to 5:30 pm ET; 
  • Friday, October 9, 2026 from 4 to 5:30 pm ET;
  • Friday, November 6, 2026 from 4 to 5:30 pm ET; 
  • Friday, December 4 from 4 to 5:30 pm ET

And there’s more in store!

Simonson technique classes with Valentina Bertani are expected on the schedule, as well as approaches that include blind-centric visual art with Bill Porter, and hopefully some theatrical influences will find us, too!

But we can’t finish planning next year’s schedule without you — your donation will enable us to expand this important access for both blind learners and blind arts educators!

MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION

We can’t wait to grow and learn together!

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News / Announcements

Support Dark Room Ballet on Giving Tuesday and Beyond

Supporting Dark Room Ballet Means Supporting Dance Education and Opportunity for Blind Artists and Audiences

donate today!

Dark Room Ballet is celebrating its sixth anniversary, which means…

  • Krishna has taught almost 300 Open Level Classes for adults on Monday nights
  • 500+ adults have studied ballet and traditional blind dance techniques with Krishna in Open, Intro, and Pro level classes 
  • Krishna been offering audio description workshops and courses tuition-free since 2022
  • We’re revving up for our Fourteenth Cycle of the Dark Room Ballet Intro Class for blind and visually impaired adults that have not had the opportunity to study dance before

Dark Room Ballet is the only place where blind and visually impaired adults receive high-quality, pre-professional and professional level education from educators that share their disability – tuition free. And there’s so much more than ballet happening at Dark Room Ballet! 

Dark Room Ballet is now a driving force for high-quality audio description for dance

  • Audio Description Consultation services are expanding globally because of the efforts of Dark Room Ballet and the Telephone Film
  • With support from Dark Room Ballet and Telephone, Pacific Northwest Ballet created their first audio description program with audio describer Alyson Osborn — it’s now a model for large dance companies starting fully integrated audio description programs.
  • American Ballet Theater / ABT Rise produced their VERY FIRST audio described dance video for World Ballet Day on November 12. Dark Room Ballet donated many, many volunteer hours to ABT to ensure audio described media in its catalog. Three Dark Room Ballet-trained audio describers got paid for this project…

Dark Room Ballet continues to support, train, and consult with independent artists and dance companies as they create audio described dance projects. Some of our collaborators include: ShaLeigh Dance Works, Jo Troll, Emilee Lord, Toby MacNutt, and so many more!

Your donation will enable us to expand opportunities to train a new generation of audio describers of dance

DONATE NOW!

Dark Room Ballet has Increased its Faculty with the Dark Room Collegium in 2025

Dark Room Ballet intends to build a full faculty of blind and visually impaired educators which we launched with Collegium 2025, a series of classes and workshops taught by the world’s best blind and low-vision movement and arts educators, sharing their artistry and knowledge with our community. Educators in 2025 include:

Expanding opportunities in 2026:

There are so many more blind and visually impaired arts educators that we want to bring into our community as rotating faculty. In fact some are already expressing interest in teaching in 2026:

  • Alex Bulmer, Award-winning playwright and actor, wants to offer regular classes in vocal skills for audio describers and self-describing dancers
  • Valentina Bertani, the world’s first blind dance teacher certified in the Simonson Jazz dance technique, is interested in bringing the joy and vibrance of jazz dance to Dark Room Ballet for the first time

Your donation will enable us to expand this important access for both blind learners and blind arts educators

Expanding our work requires more resources

Increased Administrative Support

Suzanne Joyal has joined our team working on community outreach and institutional organization. As Dark Room Ballet continues to grow, it’s clear that we’ll need even more administrative support starting in 2026. Roles we need to fill — and afford:

  • Audio and video editing and archiving
  • Fundraising support
  • Support for faculty

Your donation will help us hire the support staff we need to grow

Upgrades and Equipment

In order to support our growth, we’re going to need…

  • Lav mic sets for our educators
  • Hard drives and cloud storage for our class and workshop videos
  • Database software for maintaining our enormous database and for sending out newsletters like this one
  • Acoustic tiling for Krishna’s teaching space to create the *ideal audio environment* for blind and visually impaired learners
  • Track lighting for Krishna’s teaching space to reduce glare and visual interference to support our low vision learners
  • And who knows what else? Dance floors? Webcams? We’ll know as we go

Your donation will help us purchase the tools to expand access for blind students and artists

Support blind and visually impaired educators, learners, and artists this year and always by supporting Dark Room Ballet

Consider making a monthly donation to Dark Room Ballet this #GivingTuesday, or a one time donation — 

What can your donation do?

  • $10 a month pays for our DropBox storage
  • $25 a month pays for our Pro Zoom account
  • $100 a month pays for social media posts for upcoming courses
  • $250 a month pays for Rode lav mic sets for educators
  • $450 a month pays for a workshop with a new teaching artist
  • $1000 a month helps us hire grant writers in 2026

MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION

Love always, 

Krishna, Alejandra, Suzanne, Andre, Jonathan, and the whole Dark Room Ballet Community!

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News / Announcements

Yeah, It Was Good! Celebrating Audio Described Dance on December 13

Image described at the end of the post


Audio description for dance performances is still very rare, but that doesn’t mean that blind and visually impaired audiences should be satisfied when the audio description on offer is of low quality.

Several times over the last 3 years, Krishna has taught a popular audio description workshop called: Yeah, But Was It Good? Learning How to Listen to Audio Description for Dance Critically

But each time this workshop has offered, Krishna has discovered fewer and fewer examples of audio described dance available to explore online. Colleagues, companies and choreographers in the wide world of dance have made less of their work available in ways that prioritize the inclusion of blind and low-vision audiences — until now…

IT’S HAPPENING!

On Saturday, December 13 2025 from 4 PM to 6 PM (Eastern Time), Dark Room Ballet will be sponsoring an audio described dance film showcase, with contributions from at least 3 blind/VI choreographers, and including new audio described work from the American Ballet Theatre!

We are now finalizing the details, but this event will be free and open to all, and you can register if you haven’t already at the following link:

Zoom Registration Link for Yeah, It WAS Good! A Virtual Showcase Celebrating Audio Described Dance (Dec 13)

You’ll receive confirmation of your registration and a link to join from Zoom.

Can’t wait for you to join us!

Image description:
A new version of a previous rectangular flyer with a new bright blue background. Blurred diagonal film-strip graphics run from lower left to upper right, containing indistinct navy dancer silhouettes. Swooping orange brushstrokes overlay the background.

Text in white and darker sometimes highlighted fonts now reads:

COMING UP!
Yeah, It WAS Good!
A Virtual Showcase Celebrating Audio Described Dance sponsored by Dark Room Ballet
Saturday December 13, 2025, 4 PM to 6 PM (Eastern Time) on Zoom

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News / Announcements

Introductory Ballet for Blind and Visually Impaired Adults – New Cycle Begins February 21, 2026

On a white background, faint orange abstract shapes appear alongside ribbons, and small orange outlines of ballet dancers, all behind large orange text in the center that reads: Dark Room Ballet,Intro Class returns February 2026

Beginning Saturday, February 21st
From 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (New York Time)

About Saturday Introductory Level Class:

This is a FREE class!

This class is suitable for people with no prior knowledge of ballet.

This 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.

Dark Room Ballet classes and workshops are taught by Krishna Washburn, a blind dancer and dance teacher, and they prioritize the needs of blind and visually impaired students.

Note:

This is the ONLY time this Introductory Ballet class will be offered again for the foreseeable future — if you or a another blind or low-vision individual ( adult 18+) or organization you know of might be interested in participating, they MUST reach out to us as soon as possible!

Register:

The next Intro Level cycle begins on Saturday February 21, 2026

If you are a blind or visually impaired individual interested in learning ballet remotely, you MUST contact us by no later than February 18, 2026, 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

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


  • 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

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

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News / Announcements

A Practice of Being Workshop with Kayla Hamilton – December 10, 2025

image description in caption
A headshot of Kayla Hamilton, who is a milk chocolate colored Black woman. She is posing in front of a blurred brick wall, wearing a long sleeve black and tan striped shirt. She has light makeup and is smiling. Her black and golden locs are down.

Presented as part of our Fall/Winter 2025 guest artist workshop series:

A Practice of Being Workshop with Kayla Hamilton

About Kayla Hamilton:

Kayla Hamilton is a Texas-born, Bronx-based dancer, performance maker, educator, consultant and artistic director of Circle O—a cultural organization uplifting Black Disabled and other multiply marginalized creatives.

About This Workshop:

Come exactly as you are—rested or restless, steady or stirred. In this improvisational movement space, there are no set steps and no pressure to perform. We begin with breath, curiosity, and a shared willingness to see what wants to emerge. Movement may arrive small and subtle—or bold and expansive. It might surprise you, delight you, or teach you something  about how your body wants to be known.

Together, we’ll play, experiment, and follow sensation as it leads us into rhythm, stillness, or flow. Each moment becomes an invitation to the next. There are no wrong turns—only new possibilities. 

For anyone who craves freedom in movement, trusts—or wants to trust—their impulses, and is ready to say “yes” , together.

Workshop Date and Details:

This workshop will be offered virtually on Zoom.

The workshop is two hours long, from 6 PM to 8 PM on  Wednesday December 10, 2025 – NEW date and time

To register for this workshop series, send an email to info@darkroomballet.com with the subject line A Practice of Being Workshop with Kayla Hamilton

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Krishna's Thoughts News / Announcements

What’s a Collegium, Anyway? (It starts so soon!)

You may have heard about the upcoming Dark Room Ballet Collegium, an upcoming free series of workshops sponsored by Dark Room Ballet that is starting very soon — the first workshop is coming up Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 6 PM to 8 PM on Zoom!

But what is a Collegium, anyway?

Merriam-Webster says, in part, that a collegium is:

An organized society or group: association” and also “a college, especially one in a university.”

That means that this series of high quality workshops, all provided for free by a group of passionate blind and low-vision professional artists, is like a Dark Room Ballet temporary university!

Read on to learn more about each offering, and reach out via email to register for any or all of these workshops at: info@darkroomballet.com to begin the registration process.

*If you have emailed but have not received a reply, we should have your message, but feel free to write again!

You can hear Krishna talk about the Collegium in a video on YouTube (with open captions and a transcript available):

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News / Announcements

Vortex Workshop with Christopher “Unpezverde” Núñez – December 6, 2025

image description in caption
Christopher moves his arms, creating curved lines while a dim light bathes his body, creating the effect of being in a cave.

Presented as part of our Fall/Winter 2025 guest artist workshop series:

Vortex Workshop with Christopher “Unpezverde” Núñez

About Christopher “Unpezverde” Núñez:

Christopher “Unpezverde” Núñez is a Costa Rican-American artist who works in choreography, film, installation, sound, and blind art. His work explores the connections between access, trust, mythology, anthropology, and heritage. Núñez contemplates the body, its movement, and how it interacts with energy and force in relation to space/time and from his visual impairment.

About This Workshop:

Vortex explores the anatomical planes (sagittal, transverse, frontal) and the axes of movement (anteroposterior, mediolateral, longitudinal) through the body and  space/time. Vortex is spatial alchemy. Disabled dancers learn to navigate internal and external spaces using our heritage, lineage, memory, proprioception, breathwork and  magical existence.

Workshop Date and Details:

This workshop will be offered virtually on Zoom.

The workshop is two hours long, from 4 PM to 6 PM on  Saturday December 6, 2025

To register for this workshop series, send an email to info@darkroomballet.com with the subject line Vortex Workshop with Christopher “Unpezverde” Núñez