Welcome to the official reel for Mindful Movement with Shanzell, a rhythm-rooted performing arts initiative grounded in cultural memory, personal storytelling, and community care.
This reel offers a window into the depth, versatility, and impact of my work in advancing the performing arts through movement, ritual, and collective transformation.
The Seed of Mindful Movement with Shanzell
Mindful Movement with Shanzell was born from the belief that everyone deserves a space that nurtures creativity, personal growth, and a sense of belonging.
From an early age, I felt the profound impact that dance would serve as a transformative force. Alongside these experiences, I also witnessed the barriers that denied many the opportunity to experience the freedom and growth that dance could provide.
I wanted to create a program that uplifts those often left on the margins, providing an inclusive environment where individuals can explore their authentic selves.
My mission is to make dance accessible and sacred. To empower people to connect with their cultural heritage and embody their full potential with pride, presence, and possibility.
Our participants engage in:
Spatial Equity
We reclaim spaces often excluded from traditional arts institutions including porches, churches, living rooms, and parks transforming them into sites of expression, reflection, and cultural affirmation.Environmental Justice
Our performances are site-responsive and eco-respectful. Land is not a backdrop, it’s a sacred collaborator. From tap boards placed with care, we engage the earth as teacher and witness.Radical Imagination
Through rhythm, call and response, and ritual storytelling, we create pathways toward new futures rooted in memory, joy, and cultural survival.Intergenerational Connection
From after-school enrichment to family-driven choreography, we honor the wisdom of past masters while nurturing the next generation of cultural stewards.Adaptive Learning Methods
We meet people where they are. Our classes are flexible, trauma-informed, and responsive to different learning styles and bodies. Every participant receives tools and support that affirm their way of learning and moving.Foundational Dance Techniques
Rooted in legacy while making space for innovation and personal expression.STEAM-Based Learning
Integrating dance with math, science, music, and narrative to ignite cross-curricular and disciplinary curiosity.Mindfulness Practices
Encouraging self-awareness, balance, and resilience through intentional movement.Performance and Storytelling
Transforming lived experience into movement that fosters empathy, dialogue, and cultural preservation.Beyond Tap: A Diverse Dance Journey
While tap dance remains a significant part of my journey and the focus of much of my work today, I am deeply committed to a broader spectrum of dance forms that have shaped my understanding of movement and expression. My studies have taken me through contemporary dance, with a particular emphasis on Black vernacular movement, as well as training in Dunham technique and traditional African dance. These experiences, along with my studies in classical and jazz music, instrumental performance (Suzuki method), operatic and lyrical phrasing, ballet, modern dance, and jazz rooted in traditional African-American culture, have provided me with a comprehensive perspective on the power and versatility of [traditions] in dance and storytelling.
This foundation provided me with the tools to approach dance not only as a physical art but as a living, breathing conversation with music.
This diverse training informs how I approach Mindful Movement with Shanzell.
It is important to me that the space I create is not limited to one style of dance, but rather celebrates the richness of all forms of movement, especially those that are part of the African diaspora.
By integrating these different disciplines, I aim to provide a well-rounded experience where participants can explore, learn, and grow as complete dancers embodying both the technique and the spirit of the art.
This work is a testament to my commitment to advancing the performing arts and using dance as a tool for education, empowerment, and cultural preservation.
With your support, I aim to expand Mindful Movement to reach even more communities, providing accessible, innovative programs that inspire participants to explore their full potential through movement.
Thank you for watching and supporting. Together, we can celebrate the power of dance to create lasting change.
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