Boresow stares sweetly into the camera. Her eyes are warm, her smile soft. The background is dark and gloomy, but Boresow is backlit, illuminating her figure. She gently caresses her left cheek with her hand as her curly brown hair gently falls from her head.
June 1, 2020
Volume 1 Issue 2
By: Jacob Lavoie
“Dance has once again proven to lead me through troubling times.”
In these uncertain times, one thing remained constant for Atlanta-based instructor, performer and choreographer Leah Boresow — her need for dance. “I can’t not teach,” said Boresow. “Dance is a constant reminder that I am still alive with a working body, and that is enough to keep me going. In a crisis, the arts remind us of our humanity and all we have in common; that we all need music, movies, movement and entertainment. . . . If anything, this pandemic has only made my relationship to dance that much stronger.”
Boresow stares fiercely into the camera. Her body is in full view. She hinges forward with her right leg in passé, holding her hands above her head. Her sleeveless peach top pops against the brick wall behind her.
Founded in July 2018, Leah Boresow Dance offers monthly social dance events, as well as private, small and large group lessons in a number of dance genres, which include tap, cha-cha, ballet, ballroom and contemporary to name a few. After the implementation of stay-at-home and social distancing orders, Boresow acted quickly, pausing all in-person activities indefinitely as of mid-March.
Currently, Boresow offers two free classes on Facebook Live every week: “1 Hour Ballet” Mondays at 11:30 a.m. EDT and a rotating roster of genres Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Her monthly class schedule is available on her website.
Boresow is pictured from her waist up, her arms raised above her head. Her hair floats upward as her body falls freely downward. An iridescent fanny pack slices her waistline. Her brightly-colored lips pop against her pale face which is washed with contentment.
When asked how she has approached this new way of offering classes, Boresow said, “My priorities have not shifted. . . . My practices however, definitely have.” Boresow’s main priority is teaching for the benefit of the student — trying to understand who she is teaching, why they are there and how she can help them. Boresow explained that a lot of her students do not feel welcome in traditional dance spaces, but she has cultivated an environment that welcomes all. Across all genres, Boresow’s classes focus on details, technique and having fun. Boresow is not interested in teaching just to teach, “but I am teaching for the person who is in front of me.”
At this time, Leah Boresow Dance has resumed in-person private lessons with one or two students at a time. Her students have the option to meet at Boresow’s Atlantic Station in-home studio or outside at a nearby park. Her studio is professionally cleaned regularly, and the appropriate precautions are available as her students see fit. Virtual lessons are still an option too. In-person group classes and social dance events will remain paused until further notice. In the meantime, Boresow’s free group classes are being offered twice a week on Facebook Live for the foreseeable future.
For more information about Leah Boresow Dance check out her website, her Facebook page, her YouTube channel and her Instagram at @leahboresowdance.
Jacob Lavoie is a maker, performance artist, and educator. In his work, he has a special interest in exploring the extremes within human gesture, the avant-garde, and using the body as the primary vehicle for storytelling. Jacob graduated Summa Cum Laude from Keene State College in May 2019 with a B.A. in Theatre and Dance with dual concentrations in Dance: Choreography and Performance and Theatre Arts: Directing. https://www.jacobdlavoie.com
