UC Irvine to Present Restive Moves: A Multimedia Festival of Dance, Music, Film and Mindfulness

Led by Professor S. Ama Wray, Ph.D., the festival unites artists, educators and community members at the xMPL

Irvine, Calif., March 31, 2026 – The University of California, Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts will present Restive Moves: A Multimedia Festival of Dance, Music, Film and Mindfulness, a four-day interdisciplinary festival exploring movement, healing, creativity and community. Directed by S. Ama Wray, Ph.D., professor of dance and director of the MOVE Lab, the festival will take place April 30 through May 3, 2026, in the xMPL (Experimental Media Performance Lab) at UC Irvine.

Bringing together live performance, film, improvisation, mindfulness and community practice, Restive Moves highlights the moving body as a site of knowledge, connection and restoration. The festival gathers artists, educators, students and community members to explore dance and music as pathways to wellness, resilience and cultural expression.

Through workshops, screenings and participatory events, the festival reflects ongoing research and creative practice within the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, where interdisciplinary collaboration connects artistic inquiry with broader conversations around wellbeing, learning and community engagement.

Festival Schedule
All events take place in the xMPL at UC Irvine.

Thursday, April 30 – 8 p.m.
Land Acknowledgement and Community Meditation

The festival opens with a formal land acknowledgement and guided community meditation honoring the Indigenous histories of the land on which UC Irvine stands. The evening also features a performance by the LA Jazz Dance Company.

Friday, May 1
Restoration – Music and Dance Improvisation Workshop (Invitation only)

A focused workshop dedicated to music and dance improvisation as practices of restoration. Led by festival collaborators, the session explores innovation, virtuosity, creativity and deep listening.

Saturday, May 2 – 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
Healing for K–12 Educators (Virtual access available)

Led by Dr. S. Ama Wray with Brandi Kelley and Robin Branch-Scott, this workshop offers K–12 educators strategies for navigating stress and burnout through movement, mindfulness and reflective practice.

Saturday, May 2 – 2–7 p.m.
“Branching through the Storm” – Workshop for Silver Surfing Dancers (Invitation only)

An extended workshop exploring movement, resilience and creative process, with a focus on how the mature body processes experience and longevity through dance.

Saturday, May 2 – 8 p.m.
Dance and the Archive – Documentary Screenings

An evening of documentary films examining dance as a living archive of culture, memory and innovation. The program highlights how choreographic practices and embodied traditions carry histories and lineages that often remain invisible in written records.

Sunday, May 3 – 3–5 p.m.
MOVE Lab – Community Dance Gota with Nani Agbeli

The festival culminates in an open community dance experience led by renowned artist Nani Agbeli.  Participants of all ages and backgrounds are welcome to join a traditional Gota dance practice emphasizing rhythm, collective energy and shared participation. No prior dance experience is required.

Sunday, May 3 – 8 p.m.
Screen Dance Screenings, Part 2 and Closing Dance Party

The festival concludes with a second program of screen dance films, followed by a celebratory closing dance event.

Sponsors

Restive Moves is supported by:
UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts
UC Irvine Newkirk Center for Science and Society
MOVE Lab
Hughes Media Lab
Dance Arts Academy OC

About S. Ama Wray, Ph.D.: S. Ama Wray, Ph.D., is a professor of dance at the University of California, Irvine, and director of the MOVE Lab. Internationally recognized for her work at the intersection of improvisation, embodied knowledge and social healing, she is the creator of Embodiology®, a research-based methodology that centers polyrhythm, intuition and breath as forms of embodied intelligence. Her work engages artists, educators and communities in exploring how embodied practice can support learning, connection and resilience.

About the Claire Trevor School of the Arts: The UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts is where scholarly research and creative activity converge. As the only comprehensive arts school in the University of California system, it includes four departments: art, dance, drama and music. The school offers 15 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and two minors that combine rigorous artistic training with a world-class liberal arts education. Named for Academy Award-winning actress Claire Trevor, the school presents more than 200 public performances, exhibitions and lectures each year. Students and faculty engage in studio practice, performance, academic study and interdisciplinary research, often collaborating across campus and within the community. Recognized nationally for its excellence, access and affordability, the school prepares the next generation of creative leaders who shape culture, drive innovation and make a difference in the world. For more information, visit arts.uci.edu.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit uci.edu.