Haitian Folkloric Dance at JAE DC

    • Day/Time:

      • Tuesdays 7 - 8 pm ET

      • Saturdays from 1:30-3:00 pm 

    • Dates:

      • July 7th to August 11th

      • July 11th to August 1st

    • Location: JAE Dance Center (moving back to the Dance Complex in the fall).

    • Class Description: Jean Appolon Expressions’ weekly Haitian Folkloric dance class with live drumming offers a vital space for healing and community (lakou), inviting dancers to connect with their bodies and cultural roots. The JAE educator leads dancers through the powerful movements of Haitian Folkloric repertoires like Kongo, Ibo and Yanvalou, encouraging them to breathe, release, and express themselves. This transformative practice fosters unity, strength, and resilience, providing a joyful and grounded experience deeply connected to the vibrant spirit of Haiti.

    • Price: 

      • Adult: $25

      • Child (under 15): $15

      • Neighborhood Rate: $6

        • For community members who live in the 02119 zip code.  

        • Bring proof of address with 02119 zip code  (ID or piece of mail)

      • Community Supported Rate*: $13

        • Available once per month, up to four times per season. See rules* below.

        • Promo Code: 715folk71

    *Thanks to the incredible support of our community, we are able to offer a limited number of Community Supported spots for each class. To ensure that this generosity is accessible to as many as possible, the Community Supported Rate may be used up to four times per season and is limited to one use per month. If financial barriers are preventing you from participating beyond this, we warmly invite you to reach out to us privately.  Your participation is important to us.

    Sign up for class via Mindbody at the top of the page. Walk-ins welcome.

  • Save More with JAE Class Credits

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    How it works:

    • $125 Purchase: Get 150 credits (25 bonus credits)

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    What your credits get you: Your credits can be used for any class on our schedule. For example:

    • 150 Credits: Covers six 1-hour classes (like South African Fusion) or five 90-minute classes (like Horton Modern).

    • 300 Credits: Covers twelve 1-hour classes or ten 90-minute classes.

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  • Jean Appolon, Founder & Artistic Director

    In addition to being the Co-founder and Artistic Director of Jean Appolon Expressions (JAE), Jean Appolon is a successful choreographer and master teacher based in Boston and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Appolon received his earliest training and performance opportunities in Port-au-Prince with the Viviane Gauthier Dance Company and the Folkloric Ballet of Haiti. Appolon continued his dance education in the U.S. at the Harvard and Radcliffe Dance Program (1995-1996, Boston, MA), Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (1996-1998, New York, NY) and the Joffrey American Ballet School (1998-2003, New York, NY), where he  graduated with a B.A. from a joint degree program offered by The New School.

    Appolon has also performed with Elma Lewis Productions (Black Nativity), Marlene Silva, North Star Ballet Company (Fairbanks, AK), Black Door Dance Company (Miami, FL), and the Atlantic City Ballet Company.

    Jean Appolon teaches regularly at Boston Ballet, UMASS Boston and The Dance Complex (Cambridge, MA), among other locations. Beginning in 2006, Appolon conceived and has since directed a free annual summer dance course in Port-au-Prince that serves young, aspiring Haitian dancers who do not have regular access to dance training. Since 2019, the Summer Dance Institute has been held in Lawrence, MA, in partnership with the Izizwe Dance Studio.

    Appolon’s Boston-based Haitian Contemporary dance company has performed at major venues in Boston and has toured to Washington, DC and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. JAE also has performed at many schools and colleges, including Harvard University, Lesley College and Wheaton College. JAE has been fortunate to share the stage with celebrities such as Danny Glover, Henry Louis Gates and Edwidge Danticat, and to collaborate with community partners such as Central Square Theater and Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción.

  • Velouse Joseph, Company Dancer

    Velouse Joseph studied dance at the Jean Appolon Expressions' Summer Dance Institute in Port-au-Prince, Haiti from 2013-2018. She also assisted Jean in her hometown of Arcahaie at the organization Hope on a String (HOAS). Velouse joined HOAS as instructional staff, teaching dance to younger students. In 2018, Velouse moved to Massachusetts with family and joined JAE as a professional dancer. She now teaches Haitian Folkloric classes in public schools and with the JAE community.