Ailey Extension Celebrates Women's HERstory Month with Two Special Workshops

To celebrate Women's HERstory Month in March, Ailey Extension presents two workshops to promote health awareness and empower women of all shapes and sizes. On Tuesday, March 14th at 7 p.m. three of Ailey Extension's top dance and fitness instructors - SaRita Allen, Karen Arceneaux, and Sarah Rozek - lead a Women's Health and Fitness Day workshop. On Saturday, March 25th at 7 p.m. Pretty BIG Movement's founder and CEO Akira Armstrong instructs the Move Your Curves workshop designed for voluptuous, plus-sized women.

Students bodies will be sculpted, tightened, and toned during the March 14th Women's Health and Fitness Day workshop through three 30-minute class demonstrations led by Pilates/Ailey barre instructor SaRita Allen, Zumba instructor Sarah Rozek, followed by Horton/Zumba instructor Karen Arceneaux. In this cardio-intensive and restorative workshop, participants will learn heart-healthy exercises alongside women of all ages.

In partnership with Pretty BIG Movement, the full-figured Dance Company based in New York City, students will learn various genres of dance such as hip-hop, jazz, and ethic during the March 25th Move Your Curves workshop from instructor Akira Armstrong - a Bronx native, former Ailey School student, and backup dancer in two of Beyoncé's music videos. Pretty BIG Movement hosts dance workshops in the tristate area to the plus-sized community, creating a No Judgment environment welcoming women of all shapes. In recent years, the group has performed in VH1's Female Hip-Hop Honors, NBC's America's Got Talent (Season 10), Ms. Full Figured USA pageant, and appeared in Lane Bryant campaigns "I Am No Angel" and "Plus is Equal."

Each month, Ailey Extension offers several technique workshops and classes for students to sharpen their dance skills, including NY Style Mambo with Katherine Jimenez, Afro Flow Yoga™ with Pilin Anice, The Samba Reggae Workout™ with Quenia Ribeiro, and Kukuwa® African Dance Workout with Cassandra Nuamah.

To register for these workshops and for the complete Ailey Extension schedule, visit aileyextension.com.

UPCOMING WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS

Women's Health and Fitness Day

SaRita Allen, Karen Arceneaux, and Sarah Rozek

Tuesday, March 14th at 7 p.m. / $25

Move Your Curves

Pretty BIG Movement's Akira Armstrong

Saturday, March 25th at 7 p.m. / $30

ABOUT AILEY EXTENSION

Since its inception in 2005, Ailey Extension has fulfilled Mr. Ailey's life-long commitment of bringing dance to everyone by offering "real classes for real people." Ailey Extension offers over 25 different dance and fitness techniques such as Horton, Ballet, Masala Bhangra, West African, Samba, Jazz, Zumba, House and Hip-Hop. Over 125,000 people have taken classes at Ailey's home, New York's largest building dedicated to dance, where dancers of all levels and walks of life can learn and be inspired - body, mind, and spirit! For additional press materials, including photos, videos, and class descriptions, visit pressroom.alvinailey.org.