Bella Moxi

Our Trifecta Youth and Encore Companies spent the weekend learning and performing at Bella Moxi, an up-and-coming dance convention. Bella Moxi, which began 2015, is a young dance convention that emphasizes the education, empowerment, and growth of young dancers. The convention focuses on performance dancers and the power you can find in being passionate about dance and telling stories.

On Friday night, DMA dancers performed two full length works in the Bella Moxi Choreographic Festival. Our concert piece “Defining Extraordinary” was chosen as the Runner Up in the Choreographic Festival. Our dancers were awarded individual scholarships to intensives, top ten honor awards, and the prestigious Versatility Award.

Dancers met and took classes with renowned professional choreographer Mia Michaels, whose partnership with Bella Moxi has brought the convention much attention. In a video, Michaels described the atmosphere of Bella Moxi as “a completely different experience than everything else” on the dance convention scene. She said the spirit of the convention is being “true in your authenticity” as a dancer, an idea DMA teachers have always stressed to our dancers. The weekend provided our dancers with multiple opportunities and teachings that align with our studio’s values. From their Choreographic Festival, to their competition and convention classes, Bella Moxi staff continually stressed the importance of artistry in the dance world.

Senior dancer Dani Rink expressed how positive of an experience she had this weekend at Bella Moxi. “Rather than emphasizing being this perfect cookie cutter dancer, the faculty pushed us to find individuality on our movement and to break through the mold. (We were told to) just dance because it feels good and it's something we love.” Dani said the weekend proved to be a “totally different experience from the conventions that she is used to”.