Ted

Happy Saturday! Here is a picture of Teddy Tedholm from rehearsal tonight.

Ma petite pomme

A huge thank you to Sidra Bell, Michelle Mola, Zack Winokur, and the SBDNY dancers. We are sad to see you leave so soon, but extremely grateful for the work, inspiration, and happiness you brought to UArts dance study cycles. Tonight was exactly what the students needed. Not only did the SBDNY dancers show a piece of work they have been creating this week but Zack and Michelle ended the night with a fun, and thought provoking talk. Come back and visit us!

...we go deeper

A photo from the one hour composition/improvisation exercise led by Meredith Glisson. A beautiful thing to see. 

The Thought Factory

Another great day at the UArts Dance Study Cycles has come and gone. Today continued the students' understanding of Cunningham technique with a class taught by Ty Boomershine. Although the style was somewhat foreign to most of the students, everyone applied their experience and knowledge to the fullest extent. The students then continued "to play" with Sidra Bell in an exploratory "thought factory" that allowed everyone to care for their exhausted bodies. Sidra spoke about the importance of exhausting an idea in order to dig even deeper into the thought or movement. After lunch Michelle Mola and Zack Winokur began putting the final touches on their repertory work. Meredith Glisson, Dance Study Cycles co-coordinator, led her composition/improvisation class emphasizing honesty in performance and what subtleties help to communicate with the audience. And after a long day of rehearsing SBDNY kindly answered a few questions the students had for them during the dinner time chat. 

Dance Party

I think we can all agree that today was a very long but incredibly fruitful day. Michelle Mola taught a Pilates class to wake up the students followed by an intimately creative class with Sidra Bell. During the students' lunch break Rashaun Mitchell was kind enough to speak about his creative journey and the time he spent as a Cunningham dancer. (video soon to come) The students then enjoyed a partially traditional, partially updated Cunningham class with Rashaun. Once the students caught their breath Rashaun allowed them to partake in one of the ways he creates work. During his workshop the students were able to take a simple five second phrase and manipulate it to ultimately create a full scale work. To finish out the day the students took it upon themselves to warm up for repertory class with an outrageous dance party. The exhaustion and delirium was caught on tape, look froward to that video making an appearance on this very blog! Michelle Mola and Zack Winokur pulled together what the students had learned so far, bringing them closer to the masterpiece that will be The Troupe's final product. Im sure everyone is looking forward to a very restful night. 

"It's about becoming, you are never going to arrive"

Day 3::

Today the students had another full day of classes. The day began with ballet taught by Zack Winokur followed by an intensive study with Sidra Bell. Michelle Mola and Zack Winokur of The Troupe were generous enough to have a lunch time chat with the students. (video soon to come!) After lunch Michelle and Zack continued with the repertory work the students began learning yesterday. Donna Faye Burchfield, director of the school of dance, then finished the day with a special topics class that both asked and answered a wide array of questions. Donna Faye spoke about the Tanz Kongress, held in Dusseldorf, Germany, she had just recently visited and introduced the students to revolutionary work and the artists that create it. I will leave you for today with a quote from Donna Faye that came up while answering a question from one of the students.

"It's about becoming, you are never going to arrive...it is in reflection that we know we exist."

Day one!

Day one has concluded and the students are successfully exhausted! The long day of classes ended with an informative and fun film viewing. Here are a few of the photos we were able to get of these talented dancers.

About::

UArts Dance Study Cycles is an innovative project for professional experience in preparation for careers and advanced study in dance. Dance does not exist in a vacuum. Recognizing the current need for contemporary programs of study with the capacity for young artists to experience national and international exchanges in dance, UArts Dance Study Cycles is designed specifically for advanced undergraduate students or recent graduates seeking to build new networks across geographies. Distinctive for its rigorous training, critical discourse, individual mentorship and engagement with internationally recognized artists, Dance Study Cycles will utilize the University of the Arts as its creative home base for artist led groups traveling to select dance destinations for artistic exchange.

Aligned with The School of Dance’s commitment to moving students closer to the professional world of dance, the Summer 2013 UArts Dance Study Cycle is a three-week immersion for young artists seeking to further define and expand the scope of their dancing and dance making.

Led by a team of internationally recognized artistic mentors including Sidra Bell/Sidra Bell Dance New York,Donna Faye Burchfield, Sara Procopio, Meredith Glisson, Jonathan Royse Windham, Rashaun Mitchell, Michelle Mola & Zack Winokur/The Troupe, Ebony Williams and additional guest artists, the cycle begins with two weeks of intensive dance study in Philadelphia at the University of the Arts. The schedule includes daily studio practice, research and creation of choreographic work, conversations with artists, lectures, video viewings, studio showings and a culminating public performance.

The Summer 2013 UArts Dance Study Cycle concludes with a week in Southern France at Festival d’Avignon, defined as a meeting place for artists from all around the world. Participants will be at the heart of it all, interfacing with professionals, attending two performances daily and engaging with artists about their creative works and visions through conference events. http://www.festival-avignon.com/en/

This final week of travel and mentorship will be led by, Dance Study Cycles co-coordinators, Meredith Glisson and Sara Procopio.