Contemporary Technique
In addition to emphasizing my choreographic and musical sensibilities, my technique classes have developed under three major influences: Peter Boneham’s ballet based contemporary technique, Amelia Itcush’s Mitzvah Technique Itcush Method emphasizing groundedness, expansion and fluidity; and Shauna Sky’s elite athletic principles, primarily centering, ease and power.
Classes begin with simple motifs that warm-up the body/mind. Proceeding through relatively more complex patterns the class follows a conventional trajectory. From pliers and tondues, to movement through space and at various levels, to jumps and adagio, the class is comprised of choreographed phrases that explore the elements of technical vocabulary in a contemporary aesthetic, emphasizing the dancers’ use of flow, attack, precision and release.
Athletic Principles
Serving as an introduction to the fundamentals of athletic training for the professional dancer, these classes concentrate on the understanding, activation and integration of core strength in simple and advanced movement. Dancers are guided to sense and see core-integrated movement, as well as to understanding it’s implications for the development of injury-free powerful movement execution.
The Movement Tree
The Movement Tree provides private or group study for movers of all levels of experience who want to improve the quality and pleasure of their movement.
The work focuses on the movement principles that underlie all movement practices and refines how the body articulates joints through flow, how the body works with the force of gravity through groundedness and expansion, and how the body extends into space through the sense of direction. Through The Movement Tree practice participants will develop good movement habits, and improved posture. They will also experience a reduction of injury susceptibility and a quicker injury and workout recovery, an overall elimination of strain, a sense of freedom and the many benefits of improved awareness.