Kent Dance Association Masterclass with Desmond Beasley

On Sunday, November 21st the Kent Dance Association will be hosting a dance masterclass with Desmond Beasley. It will be held in the dance studio D123 from 1:00 to 3:00pm. Desmond will be teaching contemporary dance for the first hour and hip-hop for the last hour. The class is FREE to anyone who wants to come! All levels of students are encouraged to join, so come take Desmond's class and bring a friend. Even if you have never taken hip-hop or contemporary it is always good to try new types of movement and have experience with a variety of styles. His bio is posted below and if you want to learn more about him, you can visit his website here. There are photos, videos and his schedule of where and when he teaches. The Kent Dance Association would appreciate it if you can join us FOR this event, so that we can further awareness of the dance division at Kent State University.



Desmond Beasley's technical dance history began in Fall 2005, when he first enrolled at the University of Akron where he majored in Dance and Business. Originally from Cleveland, Desmond began dancing is his middle school and high school show choir. Desmond won many awards at various show choir competitions in and out of Ohio, including outstanding performer, most dynamite performer, and best male soloist. In spring of 2007 at the University Desmond was awarded a dance scholarship from one of the dance faculty members. Desmond’s first self-choreographed piece "State of Circumstances" was chosen to be part of The University of Akron’s Dance Company Fall performances. The piece was modern/contemporary dance, and was about everyday emotions, and breaking points in life. Each fall semester faculty members choose a student's work which they feel will fit best in the faculty show. Akron News Now.com wrote, " Once intermission started, the crowd looked and found that it was a student who choreographed the dance. The audience was surprised that a student could create something so professional. "State of Circumstances" was perfect." While in college Desmond has performed with the University of Akron Dance Company and various students works. He is also a member of the Akron based hip-hop group ILL’U’SYN. This group performs all around the Akron, Canton, and Cleveland area but has also traveled to New York, Florida, and Nashville for various hip-hop competitions. ILL’U’SYN has been seen on BET’s 106 & Park, BET’s Spring Bling, and BET’s Blaze the Stage. Desmond specializes in Hip-Hop but also studies ballet, modern, tap, jazz, african dance, and jazz phunk. Desmond was given the title of Artistic Director at his studio in Canton, Ohio, "The Turning Pointe School of Dance." Just recently moved back from Las Vegas, Desmond now does some choreography for the University of Akron's Dance Team and also Marietta College Dance Team and teaches dance at various studios and cities across the state of Ohio.




--Amanda Black (BFA Dance Major/ KDA President)