The Iibada Dance Company was founded in 1989 under the direction of Sabra Logan, who has been dancing since the age of three.
The dance company has been in existence for 22 years. Sabra Logan is known to her students as, Mama Sabra as she treats all her students like family. Mama Sabra emphasizes positive self-esteem, education, discipline, and a safe place for children to come and express themselves through dance. It is a well-known fact that African dance is very expressive and communicative; no words are necessary for this style of dance.
Mama Sabra is quick to emphasize that her dancers do not perform recitals. “A recital, to me, is different levels of dance,” she said, explaining her disdain for the word. “It’s something that you do to show your mama what you’ve been doing in class. I have a thing about going to see a production. When I present something to a parent or an audience, I want to present a level of excellence.”
Her dancers range in age from 5 to 19. Mama Sabra stretches her students to reach for excellence in a stern but nurturing way to perform material seen on Broadway stages, such as “The Color Purple” and “The Lion King,” to name a few. Many feel that Mama Sabra examines no technical barriers for her students, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
She wants her children to learn the basics, learn techniques, and become the well-rounded dancers she knows they can be. They even learn how to work with directors and choreographers, which is not typical of most dance classes. She treats her dancers like professionals right from the start. This has helped many of her students move on to some of the most respected dance companies, such as The Alvin Ailey American Dance Company.
One of her former students’ states, “Before Iibada, he didn’t know much about dance genres outside of hip-hop, that a career in dance was possible, or even that he wanted to be a professional dancer. But, he said, “Iibada helped me find my passion for dance.”
She also has her students attend dance conferences and workshops. Going even further, she also has lessons in dance vocabulary and at times, requires students to write reports on professional dancers. Her goal is to continue to expose them to something bigger whenever possible.
To get to the “company level” takes about 3 to 4 years of training, and then you have to audition just like a professional. If you want your children to learn more than dance moves, The Iibada Dance Company is the place. Become a part of Mama Sabra’s family and express yourself in this unique and loving way. The studio is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
© EthLeen
