TAPPING INTO CREATIVITY

BY JESSICA MILITELLO

Founders Pascal Rioult and Joyce Herring first opened the school to give their dance company a place to call home and to offer Astoria’s melting pot a creative outlet.

“We really wanted to have a place where we could expand our classes and have a community center as well,” Herring said. “We wanted to have classes for children, adults, nonprofessionals, really for everyone.”

The RIOULT Dance NY company was originally founded in 1994 by Rioult and Herring, who both danced professionally with the Martha Graham Dance Company. RIOULT NY has traveled and performed throughout the country, as well as internationally in Europe and Asia.

After two decades of directing and Look up at the sprawling second-story windows of RIOULT Dance Center by Steinway Street and 34th Avenue, and you’re sure to see dancers at work. It’s an open invitation for dancers of all ages and experience levels to step inside. The center, which opened in August 2018, offers classes including tap, belly dancing, BollyJazz, ballet, yoga, contemporary, capoeira, Zumba, musical theater and more. Whether you’re a lifelong dancer or just looking for a fun way to break a sweat, the center offers something for everyone. Photos by Jillian Jacobson

choreographing contemporary dance performances, the duo decided to come to Astoria to open their very own center. They wanted to to give their company a permanent place to rehearse and to offer the community the chance to tap into their creativity.

“Astoria is a very vibrant, up-andcoming community, and we thought it was really on the cusp of having a larger number of artists because of the Kaufman Arts District which was encouraging arts organizations to move here to keep the community alive and growing,” Herring said. “[I]t’s a place where people not only live but have access to art as well.”

RIOULT offers classes for children and teens, and even has a parenttoddler class for 18-month-olds. Photos by Jillian Jacobson

Photo by Tiffany Schleigh

Photo by Alex Pepper

Photos by Jillian Jacobson Meanwhile, adults who would like to continue their training — or just try something different in their fitness routine — can choose from classes in a wide variety of styles, depending on how adventurous they'd like to be. Adults can sign up for single classes or purchase a class card with five, 10 or 20 credits, and walkins are welcome.

Step into a belly dancing class, and you’ll find newbies in workout gear alongside regulars donning hip scarves. Many students who drop into the tap class enjoy the opportunity to dust off their tap shoes from their childhood and teen years.

Another unique offering is the center’s BollyJazz class, which is a mix of Bollywood and jazz dance moves. One student, Nneka Symister, loves to dance but is not a professional dancer, so she decided to step out of her comfort zone.

23 FEBRUARY 2020 I BOROMAG.COM it’s probably the best place to start in order to build your flexibility, so that when you try other genres, all you have to worry about is having a wonderful time.

Herring said that when co-founder Rioult worked with the architects to create the “nice, open space,” it was “designed to make people feel welcome and at home.” She’s satisfied with the result: “I think it worked because when I see all these kids running around and dancing in the hallways, it really is like a community in itself and that was our goal.”

To learn more about RIOULT and check out their schedule of classes, visit RIOULT.org. “The BollyJazz class was wonderful,” Symister said. “I tried it because it sounded interesting and I wanted to see how the instructor would combine two very different genres of dance. She made me so comfortable and the routine was easy to follow; I will definitely take this class again.”

Instructor Pooja Uberoi said that all levels are welcome and that anyone can get the hang of BollyJazz.

“Bollywood uses a lot of footwork, hip and chest movements along with getting a full body workout,” Uberoi said. “Everyone must try this class once to experience the essence of Bollywood dancing.”

Borrow a mat for RIOULT’s weekly Pilates class, which focuses on stretching and core work. While the class may be a bit challenging for those with limited flexibility, it’s certainly worth breaking a sweat for; plus, Photo by Luke Antony Neville Photos by Jillian Jacobson RIOULT DANCE CENTER RIOULT.ORG 34-01 STEINWAY ST., ASTORIA 212-398-5901 @ @RIOULTDANCENY