Nijawwon Matthews

Facts

• Teacher at Broadway Dance Center New York
• Teaching for the first time at The Summer Session

Kurzbeschrieb

Nijawwon Matthews was featured as a master artist and teacher in Dance Teacher Magazine (Oct. 16’) Mr. Matthews set his work ‘Cycles’ on The Alvin Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. Sophomore class (Nov.17’) Nijawwon is also the Founder/Artistic Director of his own project based company called XY DANCE PROJECT. Mr.Matthews is a teacher/choreographer for Broadway Dance Center, Joffrey Ballet School & Creative Culture Center based in NYC. Nijawwon is also a teacher, choreographer and resident artist for TOKYOTHECOMPANY under the direction of Kevin “Tokyo” Inouye and Alisha Lorraine Captain. Starting as a gymnast, Matthews has trained in many dance techniques including ballet, modern,jazz, hip hop, African, partnering methods, and social dances. Inspired by solid training and early achievements, Nijawwon has been motivated to pursue his interest in dance further. He landed opportunities with several companies including Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensamble, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Williams Henry Contemporary Dance Company, Cecilia Marta Dance Company, Philadanco!, and Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company. As a dance educator & choreographer, Mr. Matthews has travelled nationally & internationally to instruct masterclasses and choreograph for a host of academic schools, dance studios, and professional companies as well as institutions in British Virgin Islands, Germany, South Africa, China, Bermuda, Curacao and Taiwan. To his credit, Nijawwon Matthews orchestrated theatrical performances for Partnership For Results, a community- wide after school youth program under the direction of Susan Muldoon. Nijawwon assisted choreographer Christopher Huggins on numerous projects and was the rehearsal director and choreographer for Cecilia Marta Dance Company. Mr. Matthews looks forward to inspire, celebrate, and create artistic and authentic opportunities for artists throughout the world.

Class Description

Nijawwon Matthews Contemporary Jazz Class is about finding the freedom with the full-bodied structural movement. Using circulation, undulation and spirals for this freedom; Mr. Matthews plays with dynamics, transitioning swiftly and seemless through spatial level,textures and space. At the core of his warmup is a rock-solid ballet foundation including plies, tendus, degages and other strong components that fuses modern jazz as well as hip hop. He brings dancers’ honest; awareness to healthy alignment. When it’s time to move through space, Matthews directs the class to improvise across the floor while thinking and using circulation, undulation and spiral. When it’s time to do final combo, Mr. Matthews inserts himself by having the dancers follow the pulse of his energy, rhythm, dynamic and textures. He rarely gives the dancers counts because he wants them to feel their intuition and spirit create the artistry for the combo. He believes by giving dancers too many counts for choreography won’t help them unleash their artistry , it stifles it.