Dance and the City
Imagined by Hiie Saumaa and organized by Columbia Undergraduate Programs in Paris, this program invites you to dance virtually through the streets of Paris and its parks, museums, and hidden treasures.
Thursdays, 9 a.m. (New York) | 3 p.m. (Paris)*
In each session, the dance instructor and scholar Hiie Saumaa, based in Paris, will introduce you to a sight/place in Paris, followed by 50 minutes of energizing and relaxing dance movements and meditation that can be easily done by anyone. At the end of the class, the students will have a chance to talk about their movement experience with their peers to build a sense of community in a stress-free environment. For the movement section of the class, no previous dance background is necessary. The movements will be easy and fun and do not ask for a lot of space. We will move to world music as well as songs in French and from Francophone cultures.
*due to Daylight Savings Time, the March 18 and 25 sessions will take place at 2 p.m. (Paris) The following four sessions (through April 29th) will start at 3 pm Paris time.
About the organizer:
Dr. Hiie Saumaa (PhD, Columbia University), is a movement educator, dancer, and writer. She is a certified instructor of Nia dance, BodyLogos, and JourneyDance, and she writes about health, movement, imagination, and creativity. She’s currently completing a book manuscript on the artistic process of the choreographer Jerome Robbins and her articles have appeared in numerous international dance journals. She also collaborates with visual artists on performance art projects.