juniper fusion dance programme
A comprehensive practice companion in Fusion Bellydance, developing technique and expanding vocabulary, cultivating personal style, honing musicality and developing each dancers’ choreographic and creative ability.
JDFP 2023/24 Edition
Join Alexis for the 6th Juniper Fusion Dance Programme, happening in 2023/24! Spaces are limited to 12 dancers, so register quickly!
Enhance your dance technique and discover your individual style and voice under the guidance of an internationally recognised and experienced teacher.
Dates (all Sundays, 10am-4pm (with 1hr for lunch)):
2nd July 2023
17 September 2023
26 November 2023
21 January 2024
17 March 2024
Location:
2nd July studio: Wolverhampton Grammar School, Compton Road.
All other dates are at Synergy Dance & Fitness Studios, Unit 11, Commercial Road, Wolverhampton, WV1 3QS, 10 minutes walk from Wolverhampton train station.
Investment: £275
Pay in full, or pay a £75 deposit to secure your place.
What is the juniper fusion dance programme?
In 2015, after a long period of reflection on her life of teaching internationally, performing and expanding on her knowledge of the dance she loves, Alexis was inspired to create an intensive dance programme focusing on fostering community, developing the unique voice of the dancers in the community and providing a solid foundation in technique for this dance style.
As dancers in this genre, we often work alone without the consistent guidance and mentorship we crave to travel along our dance journey. After working in this field for the past 15 years, Alexis has noted that the majority of dancers working and training in this dance style still don’t have a regular teacher or opportunities to grow with an instructor’s guidance. Alexis hopes that she can be a positive role model and mentor for the cohort of dancers participating in the intensives.
Dancers receive an intensive education programme delivering detailed training in the fundamentals of fusion bellydance technique and stylisation. There are options to join the programme as a live one year programme with dedicated mentoring through private lessons and feedback sessions included; or to join the online programme which will be launched in late-2021.
The full course syllabus covers easy to implement conditioning and drills for students’ practice, lessons in musicality, foundation level finger cymbal training, history of the dance-styles which influence Alexis’ training and teaching, and more. We stay connected throughout the course, co-developing personal goals and working on understanding the dancers’ own artistic interests and vision.
The programme has sold out every year since 2015.
In-Person Training
The in-person option is limited to 12 participants, and is structured over five group meetings totalling 25 hours of instruction, alongside 2x 1 hour online/in-person sessions on an individual basis through the course of the programme and up to 3x video feedbacks. We go deep into the foundations of technique that will serve students for everything else they will do in Fusion Bellydance.
As part of the live course, students cultivate artistic expression, respectful ambition, and learn to offer critique to themselves and their peers through the development of a choreographic project, which they later perform in the JFDP Graduation Showcase.
To be kept up to date of when the next live JFDP is taking place, please sign up to my mailing list.
Online Training
I am currently developing the programme content for an online option, which can be accessed and completed on a schedule to suit you. If you would like to be kept up to date of the programme’s launch, please join my mailing list.
Testimonials
- “Highly recommend, it’s one of, if not the best thing I’ve ever done for my dancing. Favourite thing has to be watching how myself and the other dancers in my cohort found our unique voices/styles. Alexis doesn’t create mini-me’s, she helped me find myself as a dancer” – 2019 JFDP Student
- “I got so much out of these courses. I was definitely at my peak after having done them. I’ve signed up to do it again as I know it’s the kick I need to take me to the next part of my journey” – 2015 & 2019 JFDP Student
- “JFDP totally changed my dancing and took it to the next level. It has been an inspiring journey, that has left me with lasting knowledge and improved technique. The content of the workshops was tailored to our needs, and their regularity helped with consistent feedback and areas for improvement. The private lessons were fantastic, getting to really work on specifics and to take home an improvement programme tailored specifically to my needs was great. Alexis’ teaching style is approachable but firm, driving us all to improve, her knowledge is phenomenal. There has been nothing like this in the UK, and it’s been something Fusion Bellydance has really needed, and Alexis is the teacher and dancer who really delivers” – 2015 JFDP Student
- “The JFDP has been absolutely brilliant! I have learned so much in a short space of time. The course is organised and structured really well, which gives you time in between sessions to practise and consolidate things learned. The course covers a variety of things such as dance technique, choreography, performance skills and much more. Alexis is a fabulous tutor who gives so much through her teaching and experience. I feel I have had the opportunity to meet some wonderful dancers through this course and have really enjoyed the experience of learning new things and challenge myself. Absolutely loved this course!” – 2015 JFDP Student
- “One of the best things I have ever done for my dancing” – JFDP 2016 Student
- “Thanks so much for this year, all the advice, feedback, encouragement and inspiration” – JFDP 2017 Student
- “It has been really great to share this experience with such strong, amazing dancers, and of course a wonderful teacher“ – JFDP 2017 Student
- “Having that joint learning community brought together over a long term period of time was wonderful” – JFDP 2016 Student
- “It’s hard not to gush about how appreciative I am… for EVERYTHING you’ve done for me over this journey” – JFDP 2017 Student
Previous JFDP Graduates
2015-16
Aruna Kailey
Caroline Evans
Charlotte Elizabeth
Claire Salem
Dawn O’Brien
Ebony Dormer-Kuti
Halley Fisher
Kathryn Whittington
Kirsty Bentley
Lide Vinas
Mond Tivey
Nia Lacey
Nilmini Francis
Nicola Hatchard
Robyn Richardson
Sal Nicholson
Xanthea Heynes
2016-17
Briona Ryng
Claire Cookson
Denise Lovely
Holly Blue
Isabelle Bidou
Ivana Buric
Jahanara Nemer
Katherine Thomas
Rhiannon Graham Garnett
Sarah Maddrell
Sian Day
Taryn Rutter
2017-18
Charlotte Heloise
Emma Hammond
Emma Hubbard
Fuchsia
Janet Hathaway
Jasmine Cowles
Laigh Linh Ho
Nami Beards
Sarah-Fay Berry
Zoe Bowlt
2018-19
Beccy Jones
De Dancey
Gabi Ekins
Jessi-Lou Lambert
Josie Preece
Kat Muller
Liz Hoyland
Louise Vella
Maria Iride Morelli
Ree MacLean
2019-20
Aarti Jhoke
Claire Stewart
Debbie Vale
Jane Ni Hifearnain
Katya Daly
Masha Gauden
Michelle Yembra
Niki Jones
Polina Jacoutot
Sarah Stell
2023-24
Agnieszka Mackos
Anna Kuzma
Catherine Taylor
Charlotte White-Gallego
Diana Raimundo
Edina Bozso-Ryan
Kezia Bridie
Melissa Altman
Nikki Harley
Rebecca Claire
Robyn Richardson
Wasn't this called something different before?
Very perceptive of you! Yes, this programme was previously known as the Tribal Fusion Education Programme from 2015-2019. In 2020 a great amount of discussion was had regarding the name ‘Tribal Fusion’ for this dance style and how the use of the word ‘Tribal’ causes harm to those communities who are marginalised by its use while we benefit and capitalise the word. While there is still some disagreement over this in the dance community, Alexis has chosen to remove the word ‘Tribal’ from use in regards to the dance she performs and teaches. However unintended, harm is still harm, and while there are still many problems within the dance to work on, the name is something that can be easily and quickly changed to begin the process of repairing any damages that have been done.
As such, Alexis has chosen to rebrand the programme with the Juniper moniker, in line with the branding of her other dance projects Juniper Project, Juniper Collective, Juniper Dance & Fitness School and Juniper Online Studio. This also feels more reflective of what dancers participating in the programme will experience through Alexis’ teaching, as each teacher has an individual approach to how they share their knowledge, skills and experience and their individual stylisations. Students will learn Alexis’ stylisation within the form, alongside foundation level technique and developing their own style and artistic voice, and as such renaming the programme to be specifically Juniper feels right.