Welcome to the Community Artist Program’s (CAP) Roster!
DANCE | MUSIC | LITERARY & VISUAL ARTS | SENIOR PROGRAMMING
The Community Arts Program provides funding to ethnic and culturally specific individual artists and cultural organizations to teach, perform, and exhibit at host facilities in neighborhoods around the City of Dallas. CAP cultivates collaborations between artists and communities. The Community Artist Program is offered to facilities and groups within the city limits of Dallas. Events or services must be free of charge. Services are available in the form of performances, workshops, and residency programs. Some performances and workshops can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the host organization. Artists are available through the CAP funding program offered by the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs. You book the services and OCA pays their fee. The Office of Cultural Affairs staff will assign participating artists/organizations to services in the community on a request and need basis. Community hosts may include churches, community organizations, recreation centers, social service agencies, and other nonprofit groups. Emphasis will be placed on underserved or unserved communities that have not had prior exposure to the art form. An attempt will be made to spread program services throughout all areas of the City. Performances are based on a 50 minute presentation. Workshops are available in 2day and 4day series. Residency Programs are 4 – 8 week placements for artists to provide concentrated sessions with the same audience. Bookings are available for audiences ranging from preschool to senior citizens. You must fill out a 2018-19 CAP Artist/Organization Request Application to be considered. Not all requests can be filled. If you are interested in booking an event, please contact Rhonda Ivery, Artist Resource Coordinator, at rhonda.ivery@dallascityhall.com
DANCE
Exploring Traditions of Mexico

An African Drum and Dance Ensemble, under the direction of founder, Tony Browne. The name “Bandan Koro” means “under the tree”, which is traditionally a gathering place for the community.
Bandan Koro performances feature songs, rhythms and dances from West Africa and the Caribbean. Audience members will observe vibrant attire, authentic instruments, and traditionally based music and dance demonstrations from various ethnic groups of West Africa while learning about African culture & traditions. Additionally, workshops, and residencies can focus on African Drumming, African Dance, or a combination of both.
Designed to foster a greater awareness and understanding of African and African Diaspora related music, dance, and culture in a fun, interactive environment.
Mexican Mitote
Mexican Mitote in the Aztec language, Nahuatl, means “Aztec
Party” is an interactive presentation that offers tribal dancing,
drumming and a brief look at the MexihcaNahuatl philosophy.
The audience will also learn a brief history of the dance regalia and the
musical instruments.
Michelle N. Gibson, the Artist / MFA a true New Orleans ambassador now living in Dallas
Movement, music, and dance are used to support seniors awareness and sensibility connected to the motor functions of their bodies. A variety of dance styles are used in class including basic Modern and Jazz, Cultural and Authentic dance styles, Aerobic dance, and Social dance. Movement and music feeds their soul while conditioning their bodies.
The Original BuckShop Workshop
Creates works, teaches master classes, and presents lectures that are firmly rooted in her own “ New Orleans Second Line Aesthetic ” that involves improvised movement, defined footwork, brass band music and the embrace of communal ritual.
Class structure includes:
Presentation of information through full embodiment:
Technical proficiency of movement emphasized:

Bharatnatyam Dance
A performance of Asian Indian Classical dance in the Bharatnatyam style with vibrant native costumes and dazzling jewelry set to original recorded music.
Yogercise
The Terrance Johnson Dance Project
The Terrance M. Johnson Dance Project (TMJDP) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that uses the art of dance to promote community enrichment, cultural wareness, art in education, and the preservation of live performance art.
Our mission is to support the welfare of historically underserved communities through the creation and implementation of art & culture programs that are rooted in principles of humanity.
D.A.L.L.A.S
The Dance As Literacy, Language Arts, & Service (D.A.L.L.A.S.) After School Program is a dance as literacy initiative that uses the art form of classical ballet to develop a students’ creative writing and critical thinking skills while providing structured training in the discipline of classical ballet.
The curriculum includes:
Literacy – Language Arts – Creative Writing/Dance Journal
Classical ballet vocabulary – Classical ballet movement fundamentals
Human Anatomy Health & Wellness.
The Flame Foundation
Antonio and Delilah Arrebola are Dallas’ prominent world class flamenco dancers.
Antonio is from Malaga, Spain Director and Choreographer for Flamenco DNA.
Delilah a native Texan is the artistic Director of the 2017 Dallas Flamenco Festival and Estudio Flamenco Conservatory of Dallas “Flamenkitos” youth program. Both Delilah and Antonio have danced flamenco since the early age of 5 years old, and instructors for over 10 years.
<p class=””>
MUSIC

South Dallas Concert Choir
South Dallas Concert Choir’s (SDCC) – provides a unique opportunity to enhance the cultural life of the community by educating, performing and preserving the Negro Spiritual in its original form. The group is well versed in a variety of genres and can perform repertoire that includes classical music, show tunes, classic rhythm and blues, traditional and contemporary gospel.
Jazz and Blues in the Context of American Standards
Music performances that describe the development of Jazz and Blues that originated on the Mississippi and in New Orleans. The band plays selections from various periods. With adults and seniors, the band provides a time for requests. The group takes an eclectic approach to its performances drawing from Dixie Land, Swing, the Blues and Bop. The “Great American Song Book” forms the basis for most of its presentations.
The Inner City All-Stars entertain, educate and energize new life into the jazz experience, fusing eclectic music and a fresh interpretation of the music.
Programs Offered
-
-
- Live Music Performances
-
- Brass.Jazz.Funk!: A Musical Journey with the Inner City All-Stars
-
- Electronic Music for Students: Producer Basics with Loopers and DAWS
-
- Trombone Intensive Jazz Camp
-
- Jazz Improv Master Classes
- Music Education consulting training (Certified presenter through the Texas Education Agency)
-
Kamica King is a classically trained soul/folk/pop artist known for her soulful voice and acoustic stylings. Citizens of Dallas will receive the opportunity to delve into the music and flavor of her many musical art forms.
Kamica shares uplifting performances that incorporate live Afro-Caribbean music as well as African American and Latin music. Her audiences will be exposed to authentic recordings as she sets the stage through musical stories. Kamica also provides workshops that create hands-on opportunities to introduce participants to a cultural art form or tradition. A workshop series allows the participants to explore the topic in greater detail and includes a culminating activity.
<p class=””>
LITERARY & VISUAL ARTISTS
Griot/Storyteller, Oral Historian, Musician, Poet and Singer.
“The Art of Storytelling” inspires the participants with stories, instruments, songs, theater (story-play) poetry, dance, and circle-partner-line-ring games. Participants will learn the importance and the significant role of the Griot/Storyteller to the family and community as well as morals, values and self-esteem.

<p class=””>
Roots for Youth
Helps build the self-esteem of youth. RFY has developed into a cognitive learning system using cultural education programs, playscripts/curriculum, children’s literature, games/puzzles to help youth embrace the African/African-American culture and simultaneously increase cognitive development.
African Textiles
Participants learn the basics of Ghanaian Adinkra and Batik printing, Nigerian Adire cloth, and Abomey Applique of the Republic of Benin.
Cara Mía Theatre Co. is a non-profit theatre company that develops innovative and educational youth arts programming reflective of the Latino experience. Their workshops and residencies combine theater, music, dance, and art workshops. They also provide intensive fine-arts after school residencies at cultural and community centers.
Write On! Residency
Students collaborate to develop a play based on their own ideas, a piece of literature, works of art, or Social Studies material.
Mask Making for the Theater
Students create masks based on research on cultural and theatrical masks from around the world. In a highly structured curriculum, students design their own personal masks and learn how to use them for performances.
Big Puppets Residency
Oversized puppets, or Mojigangas, have been used in Mexican towns during religious and cultural festivities. Students will be shown the various types of puppets there are before creating their own designs.
l

Cynthia is especially good working with special needs populations, seniors or groups that have challenges that can be overcome through art.
Global Tapestry
Offers a unique art experience in which participants explore and create art pieces from a myriad of cultures. Creations will range from traditional folk art to contemporary artworks and are meant to foster creative expression, cultural awareness and acceptance of the global village in which we all live.
VET is a native Texas artist who incorporates environmental recycling awareness through her artwork, commissions, and workshops. In addition to her wide variety of cultural-based and educational arts programs, she also shares innovative ways to re-think, re-purpose and re-design discarded items. VET provides visual art workshops in which participants will learn how to combine recycling and found objects to create 2D and 3D artwork through the use of art, math, and science. Participants learn practical solutions to reduce, reuse, and recycle to the general community and promote the re-distribution of non-toxic recyclables though visual art. The Found Objects experience workshops can be presented to adults and children of all ages.
Coming of Age Rites of Passage
The Coming of Age Rites of Passage Program allows girls to explore and experience how various cultures of the world celebrate young girls transitioning into womanhood. Participants study quinceaneras, bat mitzvahs, and an in depth study of the Krobo tribe of South Eastern Ghana. Girls learn African dance, bead making, as well as the sociocultural norms of womanhood.
The Conversational Quilts Project
Conversational Quilts residency allows young women/girls to record the oral histories of elder women in their communities for compilation into a book.
Intro to Acting & Improv
Kids will learn to embrace their inner creativity & spontaneity while learning acting basics & script reading. This introductory course to performance is also an ideal gateway to boosting self-esteem, teamwork development and public speaking skills.
Choreo Camp for Beginners
A fun way to introduce aspiring young choreographers/dancers to sharing their movement ideas with the masses. Kids will be introduced to drawing upon various inspiring sources, combining physical movement, and learning basic directorial reasoning to lead each other in a his/her own choreographed selection. Good for developing leadership skills and effective communication.
Upcycled Fashion Workshop
Features DIY training on recycling old clothing items for a cool, revamped look (aka “upcycling”). Attendees will learn techniques to reconstruct items such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc. using scissors, chalk & No Sew techniques. Fabric paints may also be used to jazz up a cool, new tote bag!
Fred is a working visual artist who has exhibited in New York City, across the USA, Europe and in Dallas.
Mural Painting Projects
Offers organizations and groups mobile on-site mural painting, workshops, and sessions for the creation of painted murals. Mobile mural workshops help to create learning experiences for participants, and can raise awareness of communities needs, while creating memorable bonding and growing experiences for participants. Movable murals can take the form of large paintings that can be rolled up and stored, banners, or backdrops. These are very versatile, and can be stored and moved often when dry.
Mobile Media Lab Workshops
This workshop will reveal and elaborate the use of everyday media and technology as used in the creative art and design studio, from very basic uses, to more advance techniques and ideas of how to harness the power of technology in the creation of art and design. From image research, and basic desktop publishing to the more advanced techniques of video projections and photo collages for drawing, technology is more within our reach than ever before.
Theatre Workshops
Theatre for children and/or adults
Performance with Folk Masks
Art and Craft Workshops
Eyes of God
Huichol Yarn
Mask Making
Big Puppets
Tailored Theatre or Art and Craft project according the Host’s needs.
This presentation exposes all ages to the beautiful aesthetics, and practical use of African Art and Culture of West Africa. They present traditional masks and wooden sculptures from West Africa including Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria.
African textiles are powerful communicators of status, gender and accomplishments in Africa. The extraordinary costumes and textiles of the African continent—from ensembles to wrappers to wall hangings to accessories/hats. Authentic African cloth from Ghana, Mali, and Burkina Faso and authentic African clothing and accessories will be available to be modeled by the audience.
They can also showcase instruments, such as Djembes drums from Senegal, African xylophones from Guinea Conakry, and Agogo Bells from Ghana.
Tejiendo Historias: Why our Cultural Voice Matters
The workshop examines what culture is and how it impacts our personal and writing self. Appropriate for youth (middle & high school) and adults.
Semillitas Community Book Club for Girls:
A book club for girls that focuses on books written by authors, especially women, of diverse backgrounds. Participants meet for book talk and an opportunity to practice reading out loud and speaking in front of groups in a comfortable setting. Appropriate for girls in second through fifth grade.
Chirping Frog Bookmaking/Zine Workshop:
Participants create their own book or zine. Focus is on writing a story or narrative based on their personal experiences. Appropriate for all ages.
Mama Ka Rhythm World
A 1-2-hour session workshops to be taught 1 – 5 days per week, making musical percussive instruments out of mainly recycled materials such as cardboard and wood. There will be 1-3 elements involved in the construction of the instrument. The projects may require students to paint, stencil or appliqué the design. Students must plan the outcome, as much as possible, then utilize various materials, such as straw, yarn, clay, etc. Also, participants will make instruments out of natural materials such as, sticks, gourds, bamboo, etc. These pieces may require some assembling. Participants will experience the joy of really making music!
Katanga Rhythm Stories
The performance component. Students are taught dances, songs and drum rhythms from various countries. Each class can last from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. A 45- minute class means you are learning either drum or dance or songs. To learn the choreography, drum rhythm, and song usually takes 4 – 6 weeks. The goal is to make sure each student learns well enough to perform in a show… otherwise all can be done within a 1 – 2 hour setting. Children are taught self-confidence and becoming comfortable in front of an audience. MKRS also includes performances where original children music is presented at special events such as Kwanzaa, Cinco de Mayo, MLK Day, etc. This music is highly rhythmic, so that children are encouraged to clap, sing and dance along. Also, drumming workshops are made available at some of the festivals.
Katanga Rhythm Art
The visual art component. It entails creating art pieces that are heavily rooted in the use of geometric patterns, free flowing lines and symbols. These symbols may come from various cultures such as, Caribbean, Latin, Asian, African, as well as Native American. Symbols are intertwined into student’s artwork. Other times, students are encouraged to create their own original designs. These designs will be placed, painted or appliquéd on clothes/costumes to be used in performances and/or presented at art galleries. Usually the theme for the designs derives from a special event. Also, participants will learn the history and meaning behind these cultural symbols.
<p class=””>
SENIOR PROGRAMMING
Senior Artist’s Creations
Our elders deserve respect and attention. Our global community learns so much and has so much to gain from their wisdom, knowledge and creativity. This specific program is designed to give the participants opportunities to learn how to create various art forms from diverse cultures, including traditional and contemporary art. The art projects vary according to the facilities and/or participants special request and abilities. This program fosters creative expression, culture awareness and pride while giving everyone the opportunity to share stories, experiences and life with all participants. It is both therapeutic and enjoyable.
Coil Baskets
Drawing 3-D Pop Art Helping Hands
Tissue Paper Stained Glass Windows
Water Color Trees of Life
Percussion Things
Percussion Things creates energetic, engaging programs for audiences of all ages. For our senior audiences, programs include jazz performances for music fans, percussion demonstrations, drum circles and stories and percussion presentations.
Senior audiences enjoy the opportunity to learn about a variety of percussion instruments and rhythms from around the world, or immerse themselves in rhythm and music in our drum circles, where each participant has a hands-on experience with drums, shakers, bells and more. Seniors who love to laugh will enjoy our stories and percussion program, complete with a nostalgic stroll down memory lane with folkloric tales and songs.
Textiles Program
Renee Miche’al Jones provides textiles program for senior organizations. This program is therapeutic for seniors to imagine and create fabric textiles. Would be great for them to make scarves maybe even organize it as a senior club.
Dancing through Mexico Performance & Dance Workshops
Seniors Citizens performances, dance workshops, hands on workshop,
OBC offers performance and workshops to students in Dallas through special presentation. In a performance that portrays the Dancing through Mexico, and Mini Folklorico Festival Dance Workshops OBC performers introduce Seniors Citizens to Mexican music and dance styles as well as the education, history, geographical side of the dances and audiences are involved as they learn basic dance steps, songs, hands on and more.
Teatro Dallas offers educational and cultural workshop aimed for seniors.
Designed to the capacity of each individual, participants engage in physical and voice warm-up exercises that help awaken the body and the mind.
The workshop includes, theatrical games stimulated by music and visual arts, generating awareness of the five senses (smell, touch, taste, vision and hearing)
Our theater workshops are designed to provoke participants to analyze situations and interact socially while building self-esteem.
Theatre heals! It is a vehicle to better express emotions.
Theatre keeps the mind, soul and body healthy!
All of Bandan Koro’s current programs are able to be uniquely tailored to a senior audience.
Bandan Koro performances feature songs, rhythms and dances from West Africa and the Caribbean. Audience members will observe vibrant attire, authentic instruments, and traditionally based music and dance demonstrations from various ethnic groups of West Africa while learning about African culture & traditions. Additionally, workshops, and residencies can focus on African Drumming, African Dance, or a combination of both.
One can practice Yoga at any age. Yoga can have a number of benefits for people over 50, from healthy bones to flexibility to anxiety relief. Yoga is not only safe for older practitioners, but also effective in keeping the mind and body in good health.
An improved sense of body awareness is also often seen in people who practice yoga regularly. For a senior, this enhanced awareness can translate into an increased confidence in their ability to get around without falling.
Practice of yoga is ancient, however, research on effects of yoga is still in its infancy, but some promising results regarding few of the benefits of practicing the discipline have been published.
Yoga has been shown to:
Help control blood sugar in people with type II diabetes
Reduce stress and anxiety
Reduce chronic pain
Reduce cardiovascular risk
Improve chemotherapy tolerance
Help alleviate arthritis pain
Improve sleep quality and reduce depression
Improve balance
Increase bone density and help prevent osteoporosis
Enhance respiratory function
Improve interpersonal relationship
Enhance positive attitude
Effective in chronic diseases
Improve general health
The Story History and Art of Freedman Town Texas
1880-1940
The Art of Storytelling inspires, uplifts and encourages participants as they listen to the stories with music, songs and poetry as the people of Freedman Town (Dallas TX) come to life.
Participants will bring to life in story-play the occupations, professions and businesses of the people in Freeman Town with simple costumes and props.
Participants will receive a packet about Freeman Town Texas.
References: Dr. Prince Book: Freemantown Dallas Texas
A city within a city The Freeman’s Town/North Dallas Community
The Flame Foundation teaches many classes geared toward seniors.
They also have available a castanets class which can also be taught sitting down.
Other programs available to seniors are:
• Flamenco Rumba dance for balance, movement and light cardio
• Castanets class to classical Spanish music.
Help strengthens hands and arthritis. (We provide Castanets)
• Sevillanas class (fun partner dancing from southern Spain)
Get Up and Move!
Programming for seniors to move, dance, and sing along to live music.