About our Classes:

The Vanaver Caravan offers a schedule of year round modern, creative movement, and percussive dance styles from around the world for children, teens, and adults. Classes are taught by members of our professional dance company, as well as other local teachers and guest artists from New York City. The Vanaver Caravan promotes a community atmosphere among its students and faculty, fostering a deep love of dance, while providing an environment to explore self-expression. The Vanaver faculty and students appreciate the nurturing environment of MaMA’s beautiful, spacious studios. Please visit our website, www.vanavercaravan.org for information about our classes, faculty, and performances!

A brief history:

*The Vanaver Caravan *was established in 1972 by musician/composer Bill Vanaver and dancer/choreographer Livia Drapkin Vanaver. Their love for the world’s diverse cultures and commitment to their art as well as to peace among nations, continue to inspire artists, students, teachers and audiences daily. Their down-home, high-spirited performances have been presented throughout the U.S., Europe and North Africa. Over the years, The Vanaver Caravan has toured abroad extensively, privately, in festivals, theaters and arts centers in France, England, Scotland, Belgium and Germany and for the US State Department in Greece, Italy, Tunisia and Cyprus. Appearances at major festivals include: Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, the Smithsonian American Folklife Festival, the Bienale de la Danse in Lyon, France, the Rudolstadt Festival in Germany, Harbourfront in Toronto, and the Sidmouth International Festival in England.

From percussive Appalachian clog dancing featured in their “Pastures of Plenty” tribute to songwriter Woody Guthrie, to the Caravan’s new world dance & music show, “EarthBeat!” to reconstructions of works by modern dance pioneers Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis, to original choreography by Livia, with full orchestral accompaniment composed by Bill, The Vanaver Caravan weaves tapestries of dance and music with effortless skill and precision.

The Caravan has worked on many socially oriented projects since their inception. Some of the most recent include their collaboration with Friendship Ambassador’s Foundation, which brought the Company to work at the Balkan Peace and Reconciliation Conference in Romania and Bulgaria. In 2002 the Company created an arts and healing program for 9/11 victims that included workshops with children and adults.

The Vanaver Caravan has also pioneered in-depth arts-in-education programs throughout the US for both public and private schools, often creating a curriculum in conjunction with teachers and administrators. They offer imaginative workshops, a Dance Institute and SummerDance! intensive program. Equally at home in a symphony hall, an outdoor festival, in the classroom, school assembly, or at a conference, The Vanaver Caravan has captivated audiences worldwide with its celebration of American and International dance and music.