SHIFT: An inclusive dance event for dancers with disabilities and allies

Monthly Community Event (No.2)

SHIFT: An inclusive dance experience for dancers with disabilities and allies.

No dance experience needed.

All levels welcome.

Get your monthly dance boost and connect with mind, body, and soul in a judgement-free supportive environment. Learn from esteemed dance artists, connect with like-minded people, and groove to good vibes.

At SHIFT we are SHIFTing dance class culture. You won’t be shamed for resting, learning at your own pace, and dancing in your own way. Dance is a universal language that belongs to everybody.

For this first edition, Infinite Flow Company dancers Shaheem (deaf) and Mia (paraplegic, ADHD) will be teaching a soulful ASL choreography combo. Every month, class will be led by a different artist, choreographer, or Infinite Flow Dance company member.

Come unleash the DANCER inside of you!

Limited to 30 dancers for this inaugural event.

Save your spot.

ASL interpretation included.

State your access needs in the registration form.

Date: Sunday, November 3, 2024

Time: 2:00-5:00pm

Address:

DC Dance LA

11828 Teale St, Los Angeles, CA 90230

Schedule:
2:00-2:30pm Warm-Up + Icebreaker

2:30-3:15pm Dance Choreo (Part I)

3:15-3:30pm Break

3:30-4:15pm Dance Choreo (Part 2)

4:15-5:00pm Community Social + Dance Jam

** Doors will open at 1:45pm

Experience Fee:

Sliding Scale $15-$35

** We are limiting to 30 dancers. Be sure to sign up early.

** On the registration form, state any access needs and accommodations we should be aware of.
** If you want to sign up, but are not in a position to pay for it, write to us at [email protected] - We have a couple volunteer roles per event you may be able to fill in, in exchange.

Your Dance Workshop Leads:

Mia Schaikewitz (She/Her) - Company Member, Infinite Flow Dance. Paraplegic, ADHD.

Shaheem Sanchez (He/Him) - Company Member, Infinite Flow Dance. Deaf.

Your Host:

Marisa Hamamoto (She/Her) - Founder, Infinite Flow Dance. Spinal Stroke Survivor, Autistic.

What to wear: Comfortable clothes easy to move in. Socks that go up to the ankle.

What to bring: Water bottle.

Contact For Questions:

Marisa

[email protected]

949-267-8751 (Please text first before calling)

Infinite Flow Dance is an award-winning Los Angeles-based professional dance company that employs disabled and nondisabled dancers with diverse, intersectional identities. As a nonprofit, our mission is to advance disability inclusion, one dance at a time. Since 2015, Infinite Flow has performed over 200 times, from school assemblies to events at Apple, Microsoft, adidas, and Red Bull, and other high-profile corporations. Our dance videos have been viewed over 100 million times across social media, and our dancers have been featured on NBC Today, Good Morning America, PBS, Inside Edition, and other national and international media outlets. Infinite Flow was founded by Marisa Hamamoto, a stroke survivor and late-diagnosed Autistic. Marisa recently became the first professional dancer named People Magazine's “Women Changing the World.” Infinite Flow Dance is a robust social justice entity committed to radical inclusion, systems change, and producing transformational experiences. Infinite Flow Dance is available for performances, keynotes, panels, school assemblies, and accessibility & inclusion workshops, virtually and in person.

About Your Workshop Leads:
Mia Schaikewitz (She/Her):
At 15 years old, an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) ruptured in Mia’s spinal cord, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. With resilient determination and a positive attitude, Mia finished high school, then attended the University of Florida where she excelled socially and academically, becoming the first woman in a wheelchair at the school to rush and pledge a sorority and graduated with top honors in Media Production. After college, Mia moved to Los Angeles where she worked in the recording industry and later developed an award-winning career in graphic design and branding. In 2012, Mia became one of the stars of the hit TV show Push Girls on the Sundance Channel which inspires audiences internationally and won the Critic's Choice Award for “Best Reality Series” in 2013. In addition to her dynamic career pursuits, Mia is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workforce and media. She maximizes her time public speaking, giving back to the community, and participating in multiple adaptive sports. Mia is a founding member of Infinite Flow. She is proud to be part of an organization that pushes for change and influences humanity.

Shaheem Sanchez (He/Him):
Shaheem Sanchez is a talented self-taught dancer who went deaf at the age of 4. Shaheem always loved to dance and wouldn't let his inability to hear the music change that. So, he taught himself how to detect the music's vibrations instead, letting the feeling drive his rhythm. He comes from a family of dancers, who call themselves “Family First Crew”. They competed in Family Dance Off in 2013 and placed second. Sanchez now lives in LA and is pursuing many opportunities in the dance industry. In addition to getting his personal story out to various mediums, he is working on a TV show and a movie. He is out to make a difference in the deaf community through his love of dance. Sanchez wants to demonstrate that regardless of their inability to hear, deaf people can do anything they desire. Most recently, Shaheem made his actor debut on the Oscar-winning film "Sound of Metal" and made a solo appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremonies. Shaheem has been dancing regularly with Infinite Flow since 2016.

About Your Host:

Marisa Hamamoto (She/Her):
Marisa Hamamoto is the first professional dancer named People Magazine “Women Changing the World.” A leading authority on disability inclusion and building a culture of belonging, Marisa was recently named LinkedIn Top Voice, and has been featured on Good Morning America, NBC Today, Forbes, Fast Company, amongst other media outlets. As a sought-after international speaker and performing artist, Marisa has shared the stage with Tim Cook at Apple HQ’s Steve Jobs Theater, and her clients and partners include Google, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Red Bull, Deloitte, adidas, PayPal, Farmers Insurance, Kaiser Permanente, among other forward-thinking brands. Marisa is a spinal stroke survivor, a late-diagnosed Autistic, and a proud fourth-generation Japanese American. She is the founder of Infinite Flow Dance, an award-winning dance company and nonprofit that employs disabled and nondisabled dancers with diverse, intersectional identities, with a mission to advance disability inclusion, one dance at a time. Marisa is bilingual and bicultural. She completed her BA & MA from Keio University, Tokyo.

Contact For Questions:

[email protected]

949-267-8751 (Please text first before calling)

Host or Publisher Infinite Flow Dance