:: conduit dance class descriptions

Monday Night Play: Improvisation Forms and Techniques
In this class series a rotating group of teachers versed in the art and application of improvisation lead students through movement explorations which may include following intuition, increasing awareness, practicing scores, and creating physical and energetic clarity. Monday Night Play can help build confidence in generating personal dance vocabulary as well as give students the chance to work collaboratively with others to generate unique and memorable dance moments. All people welcome.

Teacher/Facilitators include:
Tahni Holt (1/2), Mizu Desierto (1/9, 1/16), Lucy Yim (1/23), Karen Nelson (1/30), Danielle Ross (2/6, 2/13), Emily Stone (2/20), Kristine Anderson (2/27), Susan Banyas (3/5, 3/12), Noelle Stiles (3/19)

Training It All: Cultivating the Co-Presence of Technique, Self and Authenticity
w/ Linda K. Johnson
This post-Judson technique class will take a rigorous and varied approach to training the thinking, feeling, dancing body. Assuming a solid intermediate foundation of fundamental contemporary technique, we will work from a place of inclusion - acknowledging that many physical practices have relevance in this contemporary climate. Grounded in a somatic sensibility (many forms and influences), we will pay attention to what we are doing and how we are doing it; improvisation will be a tool. The intent of the class will be to advance each dancer's individual physical range while deepening his/her performative sophistication.

Contact Improv Jam
Contact Improvisation is a physical investigation into gravity, momentum, and weight sharing between two or more bodies. Dancers move with constant attentiveness to their own bodies, impulses, and trajectories, while listening and responding authentically to their partners. The form encourages mindful awareness and mutual exchange. The Tuesday Night Jam is an open, informal space to which dancers of all types and backgrounds are invited to explore their bodies in a kinesthetic relationship to other bodies. The jam is not facilitated, but beginners are welcome and can receive an informal introduction to the form. ($5-$10 sliding scale; $8-10 w/ live music.)

Slow Intermediate Contemporary Technique w/ Gregg Bielemeier
This class offers a careful approach to basic skills that increase range of motion, body awareness, coordination, and the capacity for movement memory while incorporating the use of breath to promote ease of motion. With a focus on enhancing sound body mechanics, strength, flexibility as well as acquiring fundamental skills and technique, class is designed for the less experienced dance student, those returning to dance after an absence, or those with other forms of movement experience. Students are encouraged to attend on a regular basis, but drop-ins are allowed.

Raw Beginning w/ Michelle Ainza (*starts 2/9/12)
Students will learn the basic skills needed to move fully and freely. Elemental knowledge in a variety of somatic techniques will be taught, including Bartenieff Fundamentals, Yoga, and Pilates. A focus on whole body integration, alignment, spatial awareness, rhythmic locomotive patterns, and directional changes will help students develop an understanding of inner-connectivity to support three-dimensional movement and personal expression. Individual movement signatures will be supported and challenged as students are encouraged to open their minds to new movement styles. Strength, flexibility, balance, proper alignment, endurance, and coordination will be cultivated.

Somatic Technique w/ Michelle Ainza (*starts 2/9/12)
This somatic-based contemporary dance technique class is geared towards the intermediate level dancer. A rich comprehension of whole body integration will be developed by using Bartenieff Fundamentals as a jumping off point. Other somatic practices such as Laban Movement Analysis, Pilates,Yoga, and other release techniques will be taught as a supplement to encourage and develop a heightened sense of personal movement signature and patterns. A broad movement vocabulary will be introduced consisting of floor work, inversions, traveling phrases and more complex dance combinations. Strength, flexibility, spatial awareness, balance, coordination and personal expression will be cultivated.

Intermediate Contemporary Technique w/ Gregg Bielemeier
This class explores a unique and idiosyncratic style of movement that is the product of strong technique, experimentation and a sense of humor. Class begins with a standing warm-up that incorporates breath, release and ease in the joints as well as strength, line and form. With an understanding and application of these elements, along with weight and direction, the result is one of whole-bodied dancing where the student is capable of executing simple to elaborate, loose-limbed, space-consuming movement.

Repertory Performance Workshop
Over a compact and collaborative rehearsal process this special workgroup session is designed to offer dancers a focused experience creating, practicing and performing. Performance of the work at the end of the session is optional but encouraged. Following his Saturday technique class, choreographer Gregg Bielemeier will teach movement sections and offer research experiments, including partnering, ensemble, and small group work. Each session will build on the previous weeks materials to refine skills, performance quality and unity. Students will be asked to remember movement specific to their part in the constructed work.

class schedule :: descriptions :: workshops :: faculty ::		conduit dance class descriptions Monday Night Play: Improvisation Forms and Techniques In this class series a rotating group of teachers versed in the art and application of improvisation lead students through movement explorations which may include following intuition, increasing awareness, practicing scores, and creating physical and energetic clarity. Monday Night Play can help build confidence in generating personal dance vocabulary as well as give students the chance to work collaboratively with others to generate unique and memorable dance moments. All people welcome. Teacher/Facilitators include: Tahni Holt (1/2), Mizu Desierto (1/9, 1/16), Lucy Yim (1/23), Karen Nelson (1/30), Danielle Ross (2/6, 2/13), Emily Stone (2/20), Kristine Anderson (2/27), Susan Banyas (3/5, 3/12), Noelle Stiles (3/19) Training It All: Cultivating the Co-Presence of Technique, Self and Authenticity w/ Linda K. Johnson This post-Judson technique class will take a rigorous and varied approach to training the thinking, feeling, dancing body. Assuming a solid intermediate foundation of fundamental contemporary technique, we will work from a place of inclusion - acknowledging that many physical practices have relevance in this contemporary climate. Grounded in a somatic sensibility (many forms and influences), we will pay attention to what we are doing and how we are doing it; improvisation will be a tool. The intent of the class will be to advance each dancer's individual physical range while deepening his/her performative sophistication. Contact Improv Jam Contact Improvisation is a physical investigation into gravity, momentum, and weight sharing between two or more bodies. Dancers move with constant attentiveness to their own bodies, impulses, and trajectories, while listening and responding authentically to their partners. The form encourages mindful awareness and mutual exchange. The Tuesday Night Jam is an open, informal space to which dancers of all types and backgrounds are invited to explore their bodies in a kinesthetic relationship to other bodies. The jam is not facilitated, but beginners are welcome and can receive an informal introduction to the form. ($5-$10 sliding scale; $8-10 w/ live music.) Slow Intermediate Contemporary Technique w/ Gregg Bielemeier This class offers a careful approach to basic skills that increase range of motion, body awareness, coordination, and the capacity for movement memory while incorporating the use of breath to promote ease of motion. With a focus on enhancing sound body mechanics, strength, flexibility as well as acquiring fundamental skills and technique, class is designed for the less experienced dance student, those returning to dance after an absence, or those with other forms of movement experience. Students are encouraged to attend on a regular basis, but drop-ins are allowed. Raw Beginning w/ Michelle Ainza (starts 2/9/12)* Students will learn the basic skills needed to move fully and freely. Elemental knowledge in a variety of somatic techniques will be taught, including Bartenieff Fundamentals, Yoga, and Pilates. A focus on whole body integration, alignment, spatial awareness, rhythmic locomotive patterns, and directional changes will help students develop an understanding of inner-connectivity to support three-dimensional movement and personal expression. Individual movement signatures will be supported and challenged as students are encouraged to open their minds to new movement styles. Strength, flexibility, balance, proper alignment, endurance, and coordination will be cultivated. Somatic Technique w/ Michelle Ainza (starts 2/9/12)* This somatic-based contemporary dance technique class is geared towards the intermediate level dancer. A rich comprehension of whole body integration will be developed by using Bartenieff Fundamentals as a jumping off point. Other somatic practices such as Laban Movement Analysis, Pilates,Yoga, and other release techniques will be taught as a supplement to encourage and develop a heightened sense of personal movement signature and patterns. A broad movement vocabulary will be introduced consisting of floor work, inversions, traveling phrases and more complex dance combinations. Strength, flexibility, spatial awareness, balance, coordination and personal expression will be cultivated. Intermediate Contemporary Technique w/ Gregg Bielemeier This class explores a unique and idiosyncratic style of movement that is the product of strong technique, experimentation and a sense of humor. Class begins with a standing warm-up that incorporates breath, release and ease in the joints as well as strength, line and form. With an understanding and application of these elements, along with weight and direction, the result is one of whole-bodied dancing where the student is capable of executing simple to elaborate, loose-limbed, space-consuming movement. Repertory Performance Workshop Over a compact and collaborative rehearsal process this special workgroup session is designed to offer dancers a focused experience creating, practicing and performing. Performance of the work at the end of the session is optional but encouraged. Following his Saturday technique class, choreographer Gregg Bielemeier will teach movement sections and offer research experiments, including partnering, ensemble, and small group work. Each session will build on the previous weeks materials to refine skills, performance quality and unity. Students will be asked to remember movement specific to their part in the constructed work.