Spectrum in Motion Dance Theater Ensemble, Inc is a BIPOC owned and operated non-profit dance organization that is dedicated People of Color and the American experience. Founded in 1982 by choreographer Olivia S Ilano Davis, Spectrum in Motion is singularly American in its method drawing from the integration of techniques from modern to ballet and traditional dance from the Global South, classical to contemporary, organic, and somatic to our body intelligence.

Mission

Create a sustainable home to present dance and develop equitable access to dance education for emerging artists and future leaders.

Vision

Be a place where every bodies, regardless of race, class, gender, age, ability, or experience is welcomed to dance.

About the CC

We are in the community. We are the reflections of the faces in our community and we celebrate it through dance.

We maintain the knowledge, discipline, and rigor of a traditional conservatory. A shared experience is a fundamental action for change that fosters our ability to create our own paradigm and unveils the full measure of who we are and what we aspire to become.

Dance is a vehicle for self-discovery, a powerful tool for communication, and creative self-expression. No one is turned away who seeks to learn. Taking care of ourselves is a reflection of how we take care of each other. Dance is a physical activity. Well-fed and well-rested bodies become a lifestyle for a vibrant community.

Having two tracks is a cornerstone trademark of Spectrum in Motion. Anyone curious and who would like to learn at our Community Conservatory is welcome. Students in both tracks will overlap and take classes together. Discovering the wealth and value of dance is done by celebrating our movement journeys collectively.

Community Track

If you are interested in dance and want to try it out but not dive in, this track is for you! It’s the same rigor, but a lighter schedule, and you will have many of the same opportunities as a Conservatory student.

Conservatory Track

This track is for you if you are living, breathing, and dreaming about dance! We invite everyone up for the challenge and commitment to a full-scale, pre-professional training program.

A promise we have made to our Hartford and Greater Hartford communities is to meet you where you are.

Values: Dedicated to People of Color and the American Experience

KINDNESS (Compassion/Respect/Sincerity/Humility): We begin class with reverence in a circle. Each one is first and together we have each other’s back.
COMMUNITY (Family-Oriented): Building upon generations of seekers in need of cultivation & nourishment for the best version of ourselves.
IMMERSION & INCLUSION (Multicultural/Diversity): Honoring and celebrating traditions of dance by building bridges of solidarity through multicultural and multigenerational stories.
INNOVATION (Creativity): Tailor-made bodies in a tailor-made world, dancing in all places.
EMERGENCE (Discipline/Leadership): Discovering the wealth and value of dance through self-awareness.

Goals: Invested into the children, young adults, and families of the Greater Hartford Region

Health: Committed to the health and wellness of our community.
Education: Instill lifelong learning through dance
Safety & Access: A safe place to freely discover oneself.
Building Community: Build Integrated curriculum to engage participants in a multifaceted (scholastic/artistic) experience.

We Pay It Forward

Our Community Conservatory is tuition-based on a sliding scale.

This system makes it accessible for every family to pay what they can afford. The return on their investment is proven by our joint effort in raising our future leaders who can navigate the world with a wider lens in understanding our differences and able to advocate for a more just world.

Hiraya Manawari: The Night Market

Instruments of Culture Performance 2026