Salve Regina University will host “Bridging the Gap: A Jazz Dance and Music Festival” for the third consecutive year, bringing together jazz dancers, musicians, and educators for a week of performances and free community classes July 29 through August 3.
The festival’s centerpiece is a Jazz Lounge at Ochre Court on Wednesday, July 29, at 7:30 p.m. The oceanfront mansion will transform into an immersive club for “Roots and Revelry,” featuring Marcus Grant and the Movement with One Jazz Collective. The first set takes on a speakeasy feel with movement, music, and spoken word; the second highlights New Orleans music with the Trombone Shorty Foundation Alumni Band, presented in partnership with Newport Festivals Foundation.
On Monday, August 3, One Jazz Collective will lead two free movement classes at Rodgers Recreation Center — One Jazz for All, open to all ages and abilities, and One Jazz for Experienced Dancers. Both are accompanied live by Marcus Grant on drums. Space is limited and advance registration is required.
The festival also reaches beyond campus: Salve dance program graduate Trinity Leite will offer jazz dance classes for youth at the Boys & Girls Club of Newport County’s summer day camp in Saunderstown.
“This festival is helping to reframe the conversation around the intimate and inseparable relationship between movement and Black American music,” said Lindsay Guarino, jazz dance artist and chair of Salve’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance.
The festival is curated by One Jazz Collective and supported by Amica Insurance and BayCoast Bank. Full details and tickets are at salve.edu.
