merging modern dance
with the aesthetic and soulful energy
of diverse cultures

Sonia Dawkins presents us with dance informed by classical ballet as well as movement techniques established by some of the masters of modern dance – Martha Graham, Lester Horton, and José Limon. She then infuses the exacting beauty of these disciplines with the texture and expressiveness of dance and music from around the world.  The results are visually moving, emotionally compelling, and wide-ranging in style and effect.

Although Ms. Dawkins aligns her work with the "modern" dance form it has a unique energy and pace which flows from her innovative application of dynamics and timing. Cultural expressions also abound in her choreography.  She draws from her own Afro-American and Afro-Caribbean roots – especially the tradition of Jamaican folk dance – and she incorporates the Arabic, European, Jewish, and Asian cultures that she has studied intently.  Among the influences on her various commissions are Buddhist philosophy, Persian dance, the Harlem Renaissance, American tap dance, classical mythology, and the sculptures of Michelangelo and Rodin.

Despite the influences of tradition, Sonia Dawkins’ choreography retains a strong contemporary edge that broadens the mind and blesses the eye.

"My work is inspired by a curiosity about the cultural dimensions of dance, and expresses the artistic, social, religious, and political dimensions of human experience. I am committed to developing a distinct choreography that expands the parameters of modern dance as most people know it. I do this by helping dancers recognize and connect with the spiritual and aesthetic energies of different cultural dance movements. The outcome is the intense expression of form and feeling. Thus, our audiences are better able to think, feel, learn, and enjoy the experience along with us."

—Sonia Dawkins