The exhibition is a celebration of 20 years of Hanan Arts' groundbreaking use of traditional middle eastern dance as a tool for social justice, along with an unveiling of new works by globally acclaimed artists Ya La’Ford and Juana Valdes with recent commissions by local artists Dinorah de Jesus Rodriguez and Karelle Levy of KREL, alongside other never before seen works.
12 PM - 12:45 PM Global South Movement Exhibition Tour
Ignacio & Jean Font
The Exhibition Tour by collaboARTive will take you on a journey through the world of art, movement, film, and cultural exchange. This tour will be led by Ignacio and Jean Font of collaboARTive, who will provide an in-depth look at the works of participating artists from across the Global South.
The tour will touch on the topics discussed in the exhibition, including resistance, the body, cultural inheritance, fluidity, temporality, identity and gender through large format photos, immersive video, photography, textile art, and mixed media installations.
1 PM - 2:30 PM Collage and Connect: 15 Generations
As part of our current exhibition Global South Movements, collaboARTive’s Jean Blackwell Font will lead Collage and Connect, a 90 minute session to connect to your own creativity through the art of collage. Participate in person or online with a global audience of creatives in an artmaking experience. We will explore the matriarchal connections between women across generations to evoke a universal, emotional symbolism that connects us to our past, present, and future. As an artist interested in memory, genealogy, and personal and oral history, Jean has created this project to uncover intuitive and ancestral memories that lie within. All necessary materials provided.
3 PM - 4:30 PM Intermodal Expressive Arts Workshop
Dr. Heidi Heft LaPorte
Are you ready to unleash your creativity and connect with others in a fun and supportive environment? Join us for an intermodal expressive arts experiential workshop, taking place on Saturday, April 22 from 3:00 to 4:30 at Green Space Miami.
Led by Dr. Heidi Heft LaPorte, an Associate Professor of Social Work an expressive arts facilitator, with co-facilitator Danielle Marie Koller, this workshop is designed to help you rediscover the power of individual expression and celebrate the essence of what it means to be human. Using movement and color, we'll explore our innermost images and connect with our inner selves, all while having fun and building community.
Danielle Marie Koller
Part of the South Movements exhibition, this workshop is aligned with its mission to engage the five senses and anchor its themes in the somatic visceral experience. We'll celebrate the beauty of human existence and explore the art of curiosity, storytelling, and witnessing without interpretation.
The workshop is open to anyone and everyone who is interested in exploring expressive arts and connecting with others. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting to explore your creativity, you'll have the opportunity to gain new insights and connect with like-minded individuals.
Space is limited, so don't wait to secure your spot! If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact programs@hananarts.org.
About collaboARTive
Founded by Ignacio and Jean Font, collaboARTive is a Miami-based non-profit arts organization that nourishes and encourages creatives willing to take chances on expanding their creative souls to grow into new possibilities and opportunities. Their process is one of encouragement and exploration without judgment, building the trust necessary to connect to playful joy and inspiration. With an eye for connections and possibilities, collaboARTive makes space for the practice and process through creativity, conversation, and community.
About Heidi LaPorte
Dr. Heidi Heft LaPorte is an Associate Professor at Barry University School of Social Work. She created and taught a DSW course focused on intermodal and integrative expressive arts as trauma-informed interventions. She co-chairs the Membership Committee on the Board of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA). Dr. Heft LaPorte uses multimodal and intermodal expressive arts in her courses and promotes healing and wellness, working with artists, academics, and mental health professionals in community partnerships. She has authored a poetry and digital art book titled "Digital Healing." She has researched various topics, including group work, social work practice and catastrophic events, HIV and sex education, domestic violence, social work in healthcare, and the Cuban Jewish community. Her current research focuses on expressive arts with the LGBTQIA+, and with BIPOC Transgender and gender-fluid adults, Cross-cultural conversations through expressive arts, and students with visible and invisible disabilities and expressive arts.
About Danielle Marie Koller
Danielle Marie Koller is a Masters in Social Work student at Barry University. As a Family Support Specialist on the Connections Team at JAFCO, Danielle serves with heart and soul to support families in need. She is particularly drawn to working with children and their families, driven by her deep passion for holistic social work.
Danielle also has a keen interest in the practice of mindfulness and embodied movement. She enjoys creating living visual installations, such as earth mandalas, at local conscious movement sessions. For Danielle, meditation is an essential part of her daily life, helping her to stay centered and grounded in her work and personal life.
Danielle believes that social work involves helping individuals in rediscovering their true selves. She strongly advocates that the body, mind, and soul are inherently interconnected and that authentic healing happens through the physical vessel of the body. As an embodiment practitioner, Danielle is dedicated to assisting individuals in developing a deeper connection with their bodies and cultivating a greater presence in their daily lives.
About Hanan Arts
Originally known as Mid Eastern Dance Exchange, Hanan Arts is a Miami-Based 501C-3 organization founded in 1991. Hanan Arts globally innovates the genre of Raks Baladi (Belly Dance) as an instrument for social justice and community connection through workshops, film, interdisciplinary performance, social practice collaborations, international projects, visual art and academic investigation.
