Events


About this Event

Two children and an adult at a table with a art supplies

Colorful fun at Family ArtVenture -- March 2022

We’re partnering with Harvester Arts to brighten up your February with a dose of color! Celebrate and explore a variety of bold and beautiful colors in fun artmaking and art looking activities around the Museum. What will your favorite color be?

  • Get creative with a variety of bold and beautiful colors in fun artmaking activities in the Art Studio and the Living Room. Drop in between 11 am and 3 pm.
  • Celebrate WAM’s new painting Sunday Kind of Love by watching a performance in the galleries choreographed by Harvester Arts Managing Director and dance artist Mina Estrada and performed by dancers Sheldon Mba and Aviance Battles at 11:30 am and 1 pm.
  • Explore how artists play with color during story time in the galleries at 12:30 and 2 pm.

Dancers Aviance Battles and Sheldon Mba, in collaboration with choreographer Mina Estrada, will perform a dance created in response to the newly acquired painting Sunday Kind of Love by Robert Peterson.

Peterson described this work as a painting that reflects “a side of Black that isn’t shared enough – one that is strong and resilient, yet gentle.” The dance, performed in the gallery with the painting, will echo this sentiment while also exploring the elements of color, light, and symbolism in this exquisite work.

This special dance performance is part of the Harvester Arts and WAM collaboration.


About the Choreographer

Black and white photo of a woman seen in head and shoulders slightly turned to left. She has dark hair pulled back from her face and is dressed in a dark, zip-front top.

Choreographer Mina Estrada

Mina Estrada attempts to commit a substantial amount of time to teaching, creating, and facilitating some kind of dance experience for herself and those who care to join. She received her MFA in Dance at Temple University, and her choreography and workshops, which are rooted in contemporary movement concepts and improvisation, have been commissioned by folks all over the country, but not everywhere. Mina has served as faculty for the dance programs at Temple University, Old Dominion University, Christopher Newport University, and Drexel University. She is often producing shows in collaboration with other artists and contributing dance works in festivals around the country.  While in Philadelphia, she performed in the Live Arts Festival and Collage Festival, received the New Edge Residency at the CEC, worked with notable artists Jumatatu Poe, Silvana Cardell, Shavon Norris, and Leah Stein Dance Company. Transitioning to the South, Mina served as Director of Artist Resources for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and faculty at Louisiana State University. Now, here in Wichita, she has served as the Managing Director of the Regina Klenjoski Dance Company, teaches at Friends University and Wichita State University, co-creator of Benevolent Instruction (creative modality and podcast), and now consulting and program managing for Harvester Arts. When she is not busy making dance stuffs, Mina continues to be in hot pursuit of great storytellers, generous muses, equilibrium, and more time to pet her cats, smile at her husband, and hang out with Mother Nature.


About the Performers

Side-by-side black and white photographs of a woman and man. Woman on left has dark curly hair and is smiling. Man on right has dark hair and is dressed in a t-shirt.

(L to R) Dancers Aviance Battles and Sheldon Mba

Aviance Battles, originally from Kansas City, KS, graduated from Wichita State University with her BFA in Performance Dance with an emphasis in Modern. It was here where Aviance had the opportunity to work with amazing choreographers such as Darrell Grand Moultrie, Charlotte Boye-Christensen and Jammie Walker of Mark Morris Dance Company. Avi is currently living in Wichita with her loving boyfriend and kitty as a hip-hop, Jazz and modern dance teacher, a company member of the Regina Klenjoski Dance Company, and a GYROTONIC®️ instructor.

Sheldon Mba is an actor, dancer, choreographer, and director. He received his BA in Theatre and Dance Performance from North Carolina Central University and his MFA in Theatre Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. Mba has trained and worked with Baba Chuck Davis, Kristi V. Johnson, Gaspard Louis, and various faculty members during his summers at the American Dance Festival. He has performed with Regina Klenjoski Dance Company, NCCU Repertory Dance Company, and Koffee Dance Company. His choreography was featured at The National Black Theatre Festival, American Dance Festival, and in various projects throughout North Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Kansas. Notable performance credits include; Lil Moe in Five Guys Named Moe, Citizen Barlow in Gem of the Ocean, Guy Jacobs in Blues For An Alabama Sky, Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar, and Laertes in Hamlet. Mba is currently the Assistant Professor of Music Theatre and Dance at Friends University.