Dance Program, Office for the Arts at Harvard

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Dance Program, Office for the Arts at Harvard

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The OFA Dance Program's mission is to promote dance as a way of knowing, understanding, and inquiring, and as an integral part of culture.

Our focus is to foster a transformative student experience and empower tomorrow's artists, innovators, and leaders.

09/25/2026

OFA Dance Open Studios: Ella Wechsler-Matthaei / Soca Fusion 💃🏾✨

Join choreographer Ella Wechsler-Matthaei and Soca Fusion for two Open Studios offering a behind-the-scenes look at the development of a new evening-length dance work.
Rooted in Soca, Caribbean, and Carnival traditions, the work celebrates joy, resilience, and embodied expression within the Black diaspora. Each Open Studio will feature different sections of the work-in-process, followed by artist-prompted feedback and Q&A—so come to one, or join us for both to see how the work unfolds!

📅 Fridays, October 2 & 30
⏰ 6:30–8 PM
📍 Harvard Dance Center, 66 Garden St., Cambridge
🎟️ Free and open to the public
Learn more at the event page in our Linktree in bio.

Alt text: Bright yellow promotional graphic for OFA Dance Open Studios featuring instructor Ella Wechsler-Mattafel’s Soca Fusion class. Five dancers pose energetically on the right side of the image in colorful clothing. Magenta text reads: “OFA Dance Open Studios with Ella Wechsler-Mattafel — Soca Fusion.” Class details at the bottom read: “Fridays, 10/2 and 10/30, 6:30–8 PM, Harvard Dance Center.” The Office for the Arts at Harvard Dance Program and Soca Fusion logos appear along the bottom.

09/22/2026

Step into the world of Kathak with Anjali (Anjali Nath ) accompanied with live music by Akili (Akili Jamal Haynes )

This all-levels class explores the rhythms, movements, melodies, stories, and philosophies of Kathak—Northern Indian classical dance. From foundational technique and mathematical counting sequences to theatricality, storytelling, and the meaning behind movement, students will discover how dance and music come together as a form of “meditation in motion.”

Whether you are new to classical Indian dance or looking to deepen your practice, all are welcome. Registration for drop-ins is still welcome for all Community Courses which can be found in the linktree in our bio.

Video Description: Video of dancers in studio being instructed in Kathak and counting rhythms. A drummer sits at the front of the studio in front of the mirror and plays live accompaniment the dancers dance to.

09/11/2026

Join the OFA Dance Program for a Choreography Workshop with Vladimir Angelov, Bulgarian-American choreographer, author, and founding director of Dance ICONS, Inc.! Find more information in the link in our bio!

In this workshop, immerse yourself in movement innovation, enhance your creative process, and improve the efficiency and originality of your upcoming dance creations. Vladimir will introduce a range of improvisation techniques and approaches to generating original movement material while also reviewing and offering a fresh perspective on the timeless principles of choreographic creativity and artistic uniqueness.

For dancemakers working within any dance discipline or movement vocabulary, and for all levels and experiences!

Free and open to the broader Boston dance community. Participants must be age 18 years or over. This workshop is in partnership with The Dance Complex. The Dance Complex

Accessibility: Harvard Dance Center is wheelchair and mobility device accessible. If you have questions about the accessibility provided or anticipate needing any accommodation to participate, please email [email protected] or 617-496-0314.

Image description: Crimson background with event details in white text. Central photo of two dancers in mid-air, one dancer in front of other, creating right angles with their legs. The dancer in front holds a light bulb with a cord over his head.

09/02/2026

Join the OFA Dance Program for an informal showing of three works-in-process by 2026 choreographers of Boston-based dance organization MIDDAY Movement Series Rough Drafts program: Mira Göksel, Simon Montalvo, and Aiden Marshall.

These new dance works span investigations into Black Futures; solidarity-building through collective power; and an ode to the ongoing revolutionary acts done by journalists, protestors, and artists alike in Türkiye, fighting for autonomy.

Learn more and register through the LinkTree in our bio!

Date/Time: Saturday, September 12, 6-8pm
Location: Harvard Dance Center, Studio 1, 66 Garden St., Cambridge, MA

11/05/2025

We are getting ready to wrap up our fall community classes and prepare a number of energetic and amazing classes for you in the spring. Have some time tonight? Come feel the rhythm with us!

Tonight we have on offer:

House - 6-7:30pm
West African - 6-7:30pm
Hip Hop - 7:30-9pm
Kathak - 7:30-9pm

Tomorrow and Saturday we will also have a number of classes on offer. Make sure to turn your notifications on so you can see our posts and stories as we post them!

09/11/2025

Join the OFA's Dance Program and Theater Program for an introductory workshop on Liz Lerman's Critical Response Process (CRP) facilitated by award-winning choreographer and certified CRP practitioner Paloma McGregor!

CRP is a feedback system based on the principle that the best possible outcome of a response session is for the maker to want to go back to work. If you're laboring on a painting, designing a website, choreographing a dance, drafting a lecture, or composing a score, CRP helps you get fresh and useful feedback from peers, laypeople, and experts alike, while giving you the tools to do the same for others' work.

In use for over twenty years, CRP has deepened dialogue between makers and audiences, and enhanced learning between teachers and students. It has proven valuable for all kinds of creative endeavors, work situations, and collaborative relationships within and beyond the arts, from kindergartens to corporations.

This workshop is geared towards students involved in creative process, but open to all.

Due to limited capacity, registration is required. See link in linktree!

Accessibility
The Horner Room at Agassiz Theater is accessible for wheelchair and mobility device users. If you have questions about the accessibility provided or need to request accommodations, please contact [email protected] or 617-496-0314.

Image description: “Liz Lermans’ Critical Response Process led by Paloma McGregor” at the top with event details. Photo of people sitting on chairs in a circle in an open room with white walls. Centered is a large red and cream patterned square rug.

Photo by Adam Fontana, courtesy of Liz Lerman.

09/05/2025

We're Glad You're Here!

Whether you're a first-year or returning Harvard student; a Harvard staff, faculty, or alum; or a member of our broader Cambridge/Boston area community, we're glad you're part of the OFA Dance Program community.

Check out our Fall 2025 Welcome email in the linktree and then subscribe for the OFA Dance Program’s email list to receive invitations and announcements on classes, workshops, events, and more.

We cannot wait to share with you the multitude of dance and movement offerings we have planned this year!

Image description:
"Welcome!" in black text centered against gray background with OFA logo on top. Beneath is a rainbow stripe separating a photo of a student dancing while others cheer her on.

Photo credit:

08/19/2025

Registration is now open for Fall 2025 Community Classes!

Classes run September 2-November 8

Offered for all levels and abilities in a range of dance traditions and movement styles including:

Ballet
Bharatanatyam
Conditioning: Strength & Stretch
Contemporary
Hip-Hop
House
Kathak
Latin & Afro-Caribbean (New class!)
Soca Fusion
West African

Never been to a dance class before? No problem! Looking to deepen your practice? We got you!

Taught by leading artists, pedagogues, and culture-bearers, all classes are designed to be inclusive, joyful, and culturally-rooted, allowing participants to expand their understanding of dance, and to connect to themselves and each other authentically. Many of the classes also feature live music!

Open to the public– all age 18 years and over are invited to sign up for Community Classes!

See the full schedule with class descriptions, costs, and frequently asked questions on the Community Class webpage before registering.

Link in bio!

Free for Harvard undergraduate students!

Image description: Graphic with rainbow banner at top and OFA Dance Program logo in black. Black and white photo of students all in the same dance move, all smiling joyfully, in a dance class at Harvard Dance Center. Fall '25 Community Classes" "All levels | All Abilities" "Open to the Public" in black text beneath. "Move with us!" in bright purple at the bottom.

Photo credit:

05/02/2025

Harvard Arts Fest Kickoff!
Saturday, May 3, 12-1pm
Science Center Plaza, 1 Oxford St., Cambridge

You’re invited to celebrate the arts with us at the OFA’s Harvard Arts Festival Performance Fair Kickoff!

Join the OFA Dance Program’s House teaching artist Steven Garcia (Rhythm) and DJ Liza Zayas-Sellers (Luna del Flor) for a House dance party starting right at 12pm! Come dance with us!

The festivities will then continue with performances from the Harvard Choruses, Kuumba Singers of Harvard College, and the Arts Fest Jazz Band, led by Mark Olson—bringing a lively New Orleans-style energy to the plaza.

Plus, look out for special guest artist appearances!

Free and all are welcome!

Check out the full listing of events happening at Arts Fest this weekend in link in bio^

Accessibility:
All event venues and exhibition locations are accessible to audience members using wheelchairs and other mobility devices, unless otherwise noted. All live-streamed events include live captioning. Learn more accessibility for all of Arts Fest on the Plan Your Visit webpage. For questions about the accessibility provided, contact [email protected] or 617-495-8676.

Image description:
"Harvard Arts Fest Kickoff!" "A joyful community celebration of dance and music." in purple font at the top. Students joyously dancing outside on the Harvard plaza. Event details in white font against purple below. OFA logo.

04/21/2025

Afro-Cuban Folkloric Dance Workshop with Reynaldo González Fernández

Wednesday, April 30, 5-6:30pm
Harvard Dance Center, Studio 2

Join an all-levels Afro-Cuban dance workshop with renowned Cuban dancer and choreographer Reynaldo González Fernández!

Fernández will teach the traditional Yorubá dance of the Elegba, Ogun, and Ososi–three of the Warriors from Yorubá mythology originating in Western Africa (Nigeria and Benin).

Come learn the culture and embody the foundations of Afro-Cuban dancing which has greatly influenced the evolution of salsa dancing.

All levels welcome!

Free and open to the public. Class capacity is limited and priority will be given to Harvard undergraduate students. All participants must be 18 years or older.

Register in link in bio!

This workshop is co-presented by the OFA Dance Program as part of "Imaginary Dialogues: Dahomey with Yosvany Terry and Afro-Cuban Roots," which is part of ArtsThursdays, a university-wide initiative supported by the Harvard University Committee on the Arts (HUCA), in partnership with the Harvard Arts Festival produced by the Office for the Arts at Harvard and the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research.

Accessibility:
Harvard Dance Center is accessible for wheelchairs and mobility devices. Studio 2 is on the lower level and there is elevator access. Please ask the class host when you arrive. If you have questions about the accessibility provided or anticipate needing any accommodation to participate in any of the programs, please contact [email protected] or 617-496-0314. We welcome a conversation with you!

Image description:
Royal blue graphic. "Afro-Cuban Folkloric Dance Workshop with Reynaldo González Fernández" in white font at the top. White OFA Dance Program logo in upper left corner. Beneath is a square black and white photo of Reynaldo González Fernández in mid-movement teaching. He wears a white tank top and glasses and is smiling. To the left is a gray square with event details in white font. "All levels welcome! Free & Open to the public!" in white font beneath and below that is crediting.

Address

66 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA
02138

Telephone

(617) 495-8683

Website

http://ofa.fas.harvard.edu/dance

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