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Home › Alumni Stories › Alicia-Lynn Nascimento Castro

Alicia-Lynn Nascimento Castro

Adjunct Professor at GCU, ASU and GCC
Alumni, BFA, 2005

What I've Been Up To

After graduating from the UofA, I joined Philadanco’s second company D2 where I had the opportunity to take class everyday with the main company with teachers like Pat Thomas and Milton Myers. I experienced a traumatic break in Philadelphia and decided to move somewhere new to regroup. I ended up moving to Denver where I danced with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble performing works of Katherine Dunham, Alvin Ailey, Donald McKayle, Talley Beatty, and Milton Myers. Dancing and touring with Cleo took me to ADF, Jacobs Pillow and many other amazing festivals and venues. I really got an understanding of who I was and how important it is to preserve ancestral roots, culture and the history often times erased from text books. Cleo made me connect to my Afro-Brazilian roots in such a way that I moved to Brazil, specifically Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. There I lived and danced for 7 years. Some professional highlights include dancing with Mario Nascimento Dance Company, having a leading role in the Beatles musical Because, and presenting solos with Rede Sola de Dança. I had the incredible honor of teaching at the world renowned Grupo Corpo, and the dance conservatory, Palácio das Artes. My time in Brazil lead me all over the country touring and connecting with a different contemporary dance perspective. I got the chance to study under some phenomenal master teachers and share the stage with incredible dance artists. My dance journey has always been a balancing act of my personal life and job fulfillment. Becoming a mother made me rethink where to raise my family and lead me back to the United States. Since moving to Phoenix I have continued my artistic endeavors performing with the Black Theatre Troupe and presented work at the BlakTinx Dance Festival, Breaking Ground, and at Beta Dance festival. My favorite part of dance currently though is helping shape future dance artists. I absolutely love teaching and challenging the way we currently think about dance and remembering to make these spaces as inclusive as possible. I am currently teaching at Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University and Glendale Community College.

How UA Dance inspired and/or impacted me as an individual

University of Arizona gave me the technical skills needed as a professional dancer along with being able to balance a heavy work load. I went out into the dance world knowing that dance is not only physically challenging but mentally challenging as well. Touring and 8 hour days was possible because I was physically and mentally prepared. During my undergrad we had to write a grant or project for Careers in Dance. I actually submitted my project and was awarded money through the Medici scholarship which I used to take the Philadanco Summer Intensive. This really is where my professional career began. From that scholarship I had the opportunity to experience company life and became a D2 member which really set me on my path as a professional. I am so thankful for the outstanding program and professors at UofA. There is a reason it’s always at the top. The training and preparation is built for students success. I am forever grateful for my time at UofA.

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Thank you, Eric Fink and KVOA News 4!
kvoa.com/news/top-stories/2021/04/13/uarizona-dance-students-gracefully-find-path-back-on-stage-d...
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UArizona dance students gracefully find path back on stage during pandemic

kvoa.com

But how does such a physical artform survive in a pandemic when your stage, your canvass shuts down and your workspace becomes your living room via Zoom?
6 days ago
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So inspiring!

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Grateful.

Way to go, UA Dance!

Candidato a MFA, Eduardo Zambrana, comparte la inspiración detrás de su nueva pieza de baile, “Está Hecho de Pensamientos.”

Agradecimientos especiales a los colaboradores Erina Ueda, John Dahlstrand, y Carlos y Charlie en Terrazas Video.

///

MFA candidate, Eduardo Zambrana, shares the inspiration behind his newest piece, "It's Made of Thoughts."

Special shout out to collaborators Erina Ueda, John Dahlstrand, and Carlos and Charlie at Terrazas Video!
... See MoreSee Less

4 weeks ago
Está Hecho de Pensamientos
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Junito muchas bendiciones para ti

Today the University of Arizona Office of the Provost issued a statement condemning the violence in Georgia earlier this week that left eight dead, most of the victims women and Asian American. This is only the most visible and latest example in the sharp and deplorable rise in discrimination, violence and hate against individuals in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community over the past year.

>> azart.fyi/ProvostsStatement

Anti-Asian and gender-based violence and discrimination are intolerable and must stop.

The Arizona Arts family stands in solidarity with our University in condemning violence of any kind, and we stand in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander community.

The University is committed to providing resources to address anti-Asian violence, xenophobia, and gender-based violence on our campus. The Provost’s message includes valuable resources to support our Asian American and Pacific Islander community and our entire campus community. I urge you to review these resources, and if you are a faculty member, to share them with your students.

>> azart.fyi/UnivCoreValues

As we continue to find ways to live the university’s core values of compassion and inclusion, please take time to extend your solidarity to our Asian, Pacific Islander, and Asian American students, staff, faculty, and other community members.

Sincerely,

Andrew Schulz
Vice President for the Arts
Dean, College of Fine Arts
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1 month ago
Today the University of Arizona Office of the Provost issued a statement condemning the violence in Georgia earlier this week that left eight dead, most of the victims women and Asian American. This is only the most visible and latest example in the sharp and deplorable rise in discrimination, violence and hate against individuals in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community over the past year.

>> azart.fyi/ProvostsStatement

Anti-Asian and gender-based violence and discrimination are intolerable and must stop.

The Arizona Arts family stands in solidarity with our University in condemning violence of any kind, and we stand in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander community.

The University is committed to providing resources to address anti-Asian violence, xenophobia, and gender-based violence on our campus. The Provost’s message includes valuable resources to support our Asian American and Pacific Islander community and our entire campus community. I urge you to review these resources, and if you are a faculty member, to share them with your students.

>> azart.fyi/UnivCoreValues

As we continue to find ways to live the university’s core values of compassion and inclusion, please take time to extend your solidarity to our Asian, Pacific Islander, and Asian American students, staff, faculty, and other community members.

Sincerely,

Andrew Schulz
Vice President for the Arts
Dean, College of Fine Arts
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Now Showing!
UA Dance IN/OUT/SIDE THE BOX: March 18-21, 2021
Online/On-Demand
Free Admission
To register and watch: watch.dance.arizona.edu/

The Box, a constant in our pandemic-era lives, has become something of a catalyst for creativity. We dance in boxes demarcated on the studio floor, we come together through grids on our computer screens, and the frames of our TVs or tablets have become our new proscenium. The Box, in its many iterations, gives new meaning to what lies beyond its boundaries, and the outdoors. IN/OUT/SIDE THE BOX features seven new dance films created by faculty and students—each work a unique variation on this invariable theme.

Featured Choreographers:
Tamara Dyke-Compton
Autumn Eckman
Chloe Erlandson and Hannah Weinmaster
Ilana Giardina
Sasha Reist
Caitlin Rose
Eduardo Zambrana
... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago
Now Showing!
UA Dance IN/OUT/SIDE THE BOX: March 18-21, 2021
Online/On-Demand
Free Admission
To register and watch: https://watch.dance.arizona.edu/

The Box, a constant in our pandemic-era lives, has become something of a catalyst for creativity. We dance in boxes demarcated on the studio floor, we come together through grids on our computer screens, and the frames of our TVs or tablets have become our new proscenium. The Box, in its many iterations, gives new meaning to what lies beyond its boundaries, and the outdoors. IN/OUT/SIDE THE BOX features seven new dance films created by faculty and students—each work a unique variation on this invariable theme.

Featured Choreographers:
Tamara Dyke-Compton
Autumn Eckman
Chloe Erlandson and Hannah Weinmaster
Ilana Giardina
Sasha Reist
Caitlin Rose
Eduardo Zambrana
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The show was creative & a joy to watch! Thank you for sharing.

As part of the University of Arizona Museum of Art's online exhibition, Picturing 2020: A Community Reflects, UArizona Dance assistant professor Autumn Eckman is giving a virtual artist talk with collaborator Jonathan Marquis. Join us! ... See MoreSee Less

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1 month ago
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Our own Kristin Miller, AT, ATC is presenting tomorrow, Tues. Jan 26 at 5 PM MST as part of the Performing Arts Athletic Trainers' Society Facebook Live series "Getting The Show Back on the Road." Kristin will talk about how UA Dance has been able to operate in-person, and getting dancers back to performing post COVID. All are welcome to tune in to learn about this important topic! ... See MoreSee Less

This content isn't available right now

When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
3 months ago
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All photos by Ed Flores featuring UA Dance Ensemble members unless otherwise noted.

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