Second Chance Dance presents The Tapestry of Time: Threads of Time Woven in Motion

Poetic dance

Ivey, who teaches African dance, said, “After learning about the mission of the school, it instantly felt like home.” She has a background in traditional and contemporary techniques from Africa and the diaspora, along with training in tap, jazz, and modern. For The Tapestry of Time, Ivey created a dance called Whispers of the Drum: from Yankady to Sinte. She described the piece as “a poetic journey through the feminine spirit, flowing from the graceful sway of Yankady to the powerful rhythms of Sinte.” Whispers of the Drum aims to honor “the balance of softness and strength, echoing ancestral whispers through movement and drumming.”

Martin has performed with Eleone Dance Theatre, danced for rapper Bobby Shmurda, and created for and performed in the 6abc Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade. He began dancing in church, though, and he taught praise at Second Chance Dance this year. A form of dance sometimes used in religious services, praise expresses worship. It is a “fairly new genre that SCD added this year,” Martin told me. But his connection to the studio runs deep. Studio owner Alyssa Bowser is a longtime friend with whom Martin has danced and taught.

Last year’s recital blew Martin away, and he “had to be a part of it somehow.” This year, he created a dance to a song “that reminds the people that God is present in all of our current situations, no matter how great or troublesome.”

Brand new journeys

Both Cynthia Ingram and Gala Hughley take praise classes at Second Chance Dance, along with modern and jazz. Ingram began dancing at age eight, but financial constraints kept her from going as far as she wanted. Now she is dancing again, “something I never imagined possible at 40,” Ingram said. “It’s given me access to the kind of training I always dreamed of–high-level instruction with teachers who really push and inspire me.” She now dances at a higher level than in her youth, and it “fills me up mentally, physically, and spiritually. For the first time, I can truly say I’m a dancer. And the beautiful part is, I’m just getting started.” Sharing her dance journey with her daughters makes it even sweeter. “They’re in dance too, and one of them even trains with the same instructors.”

Hughley attended her best friend’s dance recitals as a child, but her family could not pay for lessons. Instead, she turned to dance as an adult, seeking relief from work stress; Hughley is an assistant principal in the School District of Philadelphia. Efforts to “have a genuine release from work” and “bring some joy back into my life” led her to consider ballet. A friend told Hughley about Second Chance Dance, and she signed up for her very first class with Bowser. Now, Hughley does double and triple pirouettes, and the little girl inside delights in dance recitals.

Second Chance Dance teachers are proud of their students’ accomplishments. The performers “have worked extremely hard,” Martin said. Ivey noted that they did so “while juggling their careers and families.” She added, “I am so proud to be part of such a beautiful family of artists.” Viewers can celebrate with them–and be inspired–at The Tapestry of Time: Threads of Time Woven in Motion.

Editor's note: this preview was published late after the performance date due to an editor error.