By Annette Pinder
Naila Ansari is an Assistant Professor of theatre, dance, and Africana studies at Buffalo State College, Founder of Movement of Joy, and Director of Buffalo’s Ujima Theatre Company.
“As a child, I had a passion for dance, and realized that it made people happy. In middle and high school, I appeared in television commercials, and worked with Darren Henson, choreographer for famous boy band NSYNC.” Naila attended local dance classes at Miss Barbara’s School of Dance, Buffalo City Ballet, Barb Denny’s School of Dance, and David DeMarie Dance Studios. By age 13, she was working professionally, doing commercials, and attending industry and dance conventions.
After graduating from Buffalo Seminary, Naila was accepted to Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts in Pittsburgh, PA, a renowned and highly competitive dance program. “There were about 35 people in my class, and the program was rigorous. We danced from 8 am to 10:45 pm with top choreographers such as Robert Battle, the Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre; Broadway Star Ann Reinking; and Daniel Ezralow. They were the people you wanted to be in the room with,” said Naila.
Naila chose not to pursue ballet, saying, “As a young girl and during college, ballet teachers often shamed us for our weight. Many of the girls I danced with developed eating disorders and were unhealthy mentally. The movie Black Swan accurately depicts the toxicity bred into ballet culture. Other dance forms are similar; however, I picked a dance career that served me. I chose to be healthy.”
Naila says dancers make the best workers. “You learn the importance of spontaneity and endurance. You learn about etiquette and importance of being on time. You have to be efficient about conserving your energy, and scaling your endurance, despite being uncomfortable.”
Life wasn’t easy when Naila founded Movement of Joy. She was finishing graduate school, in the midst of a divorce, and navigating being a single mom. “The academic environment is challenging for Black women. Black students were often criticized and told their dance gestures were immature. It’s difficult to navigate hyperwhite institutions when you don’t have anyone that looks like you, and there are few readings that relate to who you are,” explains Naila.
The Movement of Joy project space nurtures people through music, dance, and storytelling. “This project provided me with the emotional and financial support I needed during a difficult time. I want to help others do the same,” said Naila. She learned about Buffalo’s Black performance groups and wanted to help women of color champion their own joy. She especially admired Mary Talbert.
At Buff State, Naila teaches her students the African American experience, The Politics of Black Dance, Modern, Ballet, Jazz, and Choreography. Reflecting on Gen Z students, she says, “They like getting immediate answers on Google, and don’t like the discomfort of having to figure things out. It prevents them from thinking critically — getting immediate information without knowing whether the information is trust-worthy is a problem.”
Naila attributes this desire for comfort and immediate access to people’s response to the pandemic. “Many believe things that are not true, regardless of their source.” She adds, “I have many friends and students who refuse to get the vaccine. I tell them if you’re willing to risk your life and not get vaccinated, eventually you have to decide — Is it about you? Or is it about the whole of society? One of my mom’s employees in her 40s passed away due to COVID. Her death was difficult for our family, and underscored the seriousness of COVID.”
Naila is very close to her parents, views the integration of art, movement, and health as therapeutic, follows a healthy diet, and believes in moderation. She loves spending time with her son Noah, an outdoorsy kid who loves basketball, baseball, hockey, and Beyblade spinning top toys.
In partnership with the Community Health Center at Buffalo, The Movement of Joy will do a “Move Your Joy” campaign. From July 16, 2021, to September 16, 2021, people will choose a song from the “Joy” playlist at https://tinyurl.com/h9j3yzsn each morning and move. Videos of this challenge are welcomed and will be posted on the Movement of Joy website at www.instagram.com/chcb_inc/. For more information visit www.themovementofjoy.com.
Naila is working on many exciting programs, including a remake of The Sound of Music. Learn more at www.themovementofjoy.com. Also, watch Naila on Buffalo Healthy Living’s Your Hometown Health Connection television show on Wednesday, July 21 at 8 pm and on Saturday, July 24 at noon on WBBZ-TV, Spectrum, FiOS, and DISH channel 5 and DirecTV Channel 67.
