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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.
Outside Eye
My goal as an outside eye is to bring to the choreographer’s attention areas of untapped potential. Through close observation of creative rehearsals I offer critical responses that provide primarily the choreographer, but also the dancers, with challenges and points of departure for deeper more affective solutions at all levels of the work.
Arising From Movement Perspective
Arising From Movement Workshops belong to the contemporary dance convention that holds movement to be the primary subject of choreography. While this approach often embraces influences from other disciplines it prioritizes the expressive power of movement to sustain and convey its imaginative world.
Arising from Movement I guides participants through a condensed version of a choreographic process. It introduces a creative template that is flexible, layered and comprehensive, allowing participants of different levels to benefit according to their experience.
Arising from Movement II guides choreographers in an intensive investigation of works in progress. It provides a means to the comprehensive and multi-layered consideration of a work in progress. Its varied and detailed analytical perspectives serve to support the development of choreography by both directing the creators’ attention and by challenging the creators’ assumptions.
Chance Dance Deck
The 175-card deck is a creative tool that can serve to build choreographic versatility. It can be used to test the limits of choreographic expression; promote creative risk and a rigourous use of the imagination. As one builds familiarity with the Deck it can be integrate into rethinking or refining at any point in the choreographic process. The Chance Dance Deck may be purchased for $30.