Dancing Through the Lens of Flamenco and Spanish Culture
Introduction
Hi everyone! Welcome to our unit, Dancing through the Lens of Flamenco and Spanish Culture! Thank you for letting us work with your high school students. The lesson is designed for students in grades 9-12. We have created a unit that explores identity and diversity through the three elements of Flamenco, the Cante, the Baile, and the Toque. We are so excited to work with you all!
Our Hope
We hope that we have created an environment that allows you and your students to immerse yourselves in the beautiful culture of Flamenco. Through this unit, we have had the opportunity to learn about ourselves, each other, and the culture of Flamenco. We hope that you and your students will be able to share similar discoveries through this interactive experience.
Meet Your Dance Educators
Brianna Brathwaite
Brianna Brathwaite, a native of New Jersey, is an EdM candidate in Dance Education at the Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University. Brathwaite’s full-time clinical experience was at Franklin Park School (elementary), and her part-time clinical experience was at Franklin High School--both in Franklin School District. Throughout Brathwaite’s college career, she was on the Dean’s List, graduating from Mason Gross School of the Arts Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance.
During Brathwaite’s time at Mason Gross, she was also inducted into the National Honor Society for Dance Arts for her Artistic Merit and Leadership. While at Rutgers University, she has been awarded the Nancy Higginson Dorr Award. Brathwaite attended the National Dance Education Organization conference in Miami, Florida in 2019. Brathwaite worked as a student ambassador for Mason Gross, actively participating in the Rutgers community as well as helping prospective students make decisions in regard to their collegiate future. Brathwaite also worked as a Rutgers Global Ambassador after studying abroad at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, England.
Brathwaite earned her certification Pre-Primary through Level 3 at the American Ballet Theatre under the mentorship of Maeve Dougal. Brathwaite has had the privilege of interning at the José Limón Dance Foundation learning the inner workings of a dance foundation. Brathwaite graduated from Saint John Vianney High School in Holmdel, NJ. During Brathwaite’s high school career, she taught Ballet to children at the South Amboy YMCA. Brathwaite spent eight years studying at The Ailey School in New York City. During her time at The Ailey School, Brathwaite trained in Ballet, Horton, Limón, Flamenco, West African, Character, Jazz, Tap, and Graham. Brathwaite’s passion for dance began at Dance Stop, a dance studio in Parlin, NJ where she trained for seven years. Brathwaite works to inspire and cultivate students through dance every day.
Rebecca Pavelko
Rebecca Pavelko is an EdM candidate in the Dance Education program at the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University. Rebecca completed her full-time student teaching at Cranford High School in Cranford, NJ and her part-time clinical fieldwork at Franklin Park School in Franklin Township, NJ. While at Rutgers University, Rebecca has been inducted into the National Honor Society for Dance Arts and has been awarded the Mastrobuono EdM Dance Education Excellence Award Scholarship. Rebecca is a 200-Hour Registered Vinyasa Yoga Teacher through the Om Factory in New York City under the mentorship of Taryn Vander Hoop and Blair Ritchie. Rebecca is on supplemental faculty at Washington Rock Dance in Warren, NJ.
In May 2020, Rebecca graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance. While at Mason Gross, she had the pleasure of learning works by Vim Vigor, Yin Yue, Alexandra Beller, Randy James, Cleo Mack, Chien-Ying Wang, Kelli McGovern, and Ani Javian. She has performed in several venues including New Brunswick Performing Arts Center and Victoria J. Mastrobuono Theater in New Brunswick, NJ and Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater in New York City.
Rebecca has also studied dance abroad, attending Dance Italia and Accademia dell’Arte in Tuscany, Italy and B12 in Berlin, Germany. She also performed at the International Creative Dance Seminar in Beijing, China with Chien-Ying Wang and Paul Ocampo. Infusing her two passions, dance and traveling, Rebecca has learned about many cultures through dance. Rebecca is very excited to infuse these lessons into her dancing and teaching as she continues to explore and learn about a variety of cultures through dance.
Rebecca is from Bayonne, NJ, where she received her foundational training from Bayonne High School and Washington Rock Dance under the supportive mentorship of Kelli McGovern, Cleo Mack, and Blair Ritchie. When Rebecca is not dancing, she enjoys photographing her adventures in familiar and unfamiliar places with friends and family.