Red Hook now has a new and modern dance studio that will offer instruction in an array of different styles and mediums.
On September 26, World Arts East Red Hook officially opened its doors with an open house that included a variety of dance classes. World Arts East takes up the entire spacious second floor of 127 King Street and will offer something that was previously lacking in Red Hook.
The open house schedule included yoga fundamentals from 10 a.m. to 10:45 am, ballet barre from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Samba Carnival dance from 11:45 until 12:30 p.m., Capoeira / Afro-Brazilian martial art at 12:45, salsa from 1:30 until 2:15 p.m. and Afro-Caribbean dance from 2:30 until 3:15 p.m. There was a surprise party later in the afternoon.
Masks were required and they asked people to RSVP beforehand for the open house. Due to the New York State guidelines they will be having limited capacity for their classes for the foreseeable future.
“People have to RSVP for classes first,” owner and instructor Erica Olivares-Bowen said. “We want to make sure everyone is healthy and that they can social distance.”
Olivares-Bowen has a lot of previous experience as either being on faculty or guest lecturing at a school providing instruction. She has guest lectured at George Mason University, Temple University, Santa Monica College and more recently at Hunter College. She has been on the faculty at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and on faculty for yoga at Boricua College in New York City. As a youth, she studied with artists from Russia, China, the U.S.A. and Cuba, who gave her a lifelong respect and love for the arts/culture. Her goal for when someone takes a class is that they receive knowledge about the rich contributions of the arts and wellness from around the world.
The studio’s name is World Arts East, and they present a global perspective. There are eight teachers so far that are slated to teach at World Arts East and the most passionate teachers were chosen for the open house.
“Everyone is excited about teaching here, but our powerful teachers who are passionate about what it is that they teach wanted to teach for the open house.” Olivares-Bowen said.
World Arts East Red Hook is unique because it is the only business in Red Hook specifically geared toward a global perspective with many influences and styles. There are businesses that focus on dance and cross training but not a combination one like this.
“The wonderful thing is that everyone is focused on something slightly different,” Olivares-Bowen said. “We really focus not only on arts and yoga but a global perspective on arts and yoga.”
The studio is open for classes Monday through Saturday. They are looking to start with some options for instruction and then see how people in the neighborhood as well as outside Red Hook respond, and then expand organically.
The studio will have classes for children 10 years old and up and also for adults. Right now they have ballet, hip hop, Afro Latin dance, yoga and Capoeira for kids.
The various price options for kids include $20 for a first class for a child, $25 for youth drop in, $300 for the child monthly rate (three classes per week with a choice between ballet, yoga, Capoeira, Afro-Caribbean, salsa/ballroom and Afro-Latin percussion) and a $400 youth monthly rate (this option includes four classes per week with the same options as above).
The various price options for adults include $20 for a 60-minute class, $22 for a 75-minute class, $49 for a new student to take unlimited classes for two weeks and $180 for 10 classes.
Another aspect that makes World Arts East Red Hook stand out is that they offer treatments and spa techniques that are not available in normal fitness or dance studios.
In addition to the arts and yoga classes, they offer an Ayurvedic treatment and massage for those that are interested.
“Ajurveda is a 5,000-year-old system from India that is based on balance and wellness,” Olivares-Bowen added. “The system uses yoga, meditation, Ayurvedic treatments, massage and nutrition in order to balance the being.”
An example of a treatment they incorporate within Ayurvedic is Abhyanga, which is similar to massage. Abhyanga focuses on balancing the being and there are herbal oils that are used on the skin.
“We love Red Hook,” Olivares-Bowen said. “This is an amazing community. I have gone to talk to different people in the neighborhood, different businesses and owners, and they are really excited that another form of arts is here.”
If people are interested in signing up for classes at World Arts East Red Hook they can go to the website (worldartseastredhook.com), they can email (worldartseast@gmail.com) or they can call for more information (929-295-0605). The upcoming schedule is listed in the schedule tab on their website.
