Weekly Dance Classes
Meet Funmilayo Chesney
Funmilayo Chesney is a veteran multidisciplinary artist who is a dancer, choreographer and the Artistic Director of Fusha Dance Company (NYC). She leads ongoing classes, workshops and residencies for all ages that build confidence and cross cultural appreciation. Funmilayo and Fusha Dance Company are Board of Education, Federal and City Vendors that offer workshops, performances and assemblies for companies, schools and cultural venues. She was honored to be a 2022 -2023 Grant Recipient from The Women's Fund for Media, Music and Theater from Mayor's Office of NYC.
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Funmilayo specializes in Central African Congolese Dance and was a member of the traditional Congolese dance company in New York City, Malaki Ma Congo. She was the recipient of the Ethnic Dance Award for Best African Dance Instructor (1996).
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Funmilayo has taught ongoing Congolese dance classes at the prestigious Alvin Ailey, Rod Rodgers, Charles Moore, Harlem School of the Arts, Cumbe, Lezly Dance and Skate, Fareta and Djoniba. Funmilayo and Fusha Dance Company have graced the stages of Alvin Ailey, Harlem Stage, Brooklyn Museum, The Apollo, The United Nations, African Burial Ground, The Metropolitan Museum, Carnegie Hall, BAM, The African Street Festival, Brooklyn Public Library, Citibank and Symphony Space.
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Funmilayo and Fusha Dance Company tour the world yearly visiting South America, Europe, Caribbean and Africa to facilitate Congolese dance workshops for children and adults. Funmi is also a Health Coach who empowers participants to Heal themselves with food and is the founder of “Cook to Live Interactive Nutrition Workshops."
Fusha Dance Company features dance and music rooted in the traditions of Africa and the Diaspora, spanning from the Congo, West Africa, South America, and the Caribbean to urban centers like NYC. These traditions encompass activities such as planting and harvesting crops, welcoming dignitaries, celebrating the birth of triplets, recognizing scholastic and artistic achievements, and rites of passage.
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FDC offers specialized programs designed for occasions like Kwanzaa, Black History Month, Dance Festivals, and Cultural Events.