KINESTHETIC LOVER
Dancer, Choreographer, Instructor of Movement
My Dance Story
My Dance Experience
I received my B.A. in Performing Arts from Bradford College (Haverhill, MA) in 2000 and Diploma in Dance Composition from the Hartford Conservatory (Hartford, CT) in 2003. Dancing is my key to happiness
I always wanted to dance, but we couldn't afford it, so I absorbed all I could from Movie musicals until I got to bradford College.....where I finally could dance but "had" to concentrate on Music, because that was where my experience lied. Though I fell asleep in those Music classes, they gave me a B.A. and after an adventurous summer of Summer Stock in New London, New Hampshire, I went on to study at the Hartford Conservatory where I got to start every day off with Ballet and other classes in contemporary, jazz, tap, improvisation, repertory, somatics, anatomy and kinesiology, dance composition and workshops. Evenings were spent dabbling in traditional dances such as Waltz and Lindy Hop (Mixing a little contact in of course). . I taught dance and theater at the afterschool program for inner-city kids, and choreographed every chance I got - for which I received a merit scholarship. After producing my very first show "Les caracteres de l'amour" inspired in the work of 18th century Dancer François Prévost with 17 artists performing original pieces from Ballet to Hip Hop, I headed to Europa to choreograph and teach dance to young actors at the Loire Valley Youth Theatre Festival in Pontlevoy, France. Who could go strait home after experience Europe for the first time?! So I headed to Germany and found the Deutschen Institute Für Improvisation and danced with Artists from Leipzig and Bosnia, Participated in a dance film with Sebastian Weber and took Ballet and Modern classes – proof that movement is more powerful than the barrier of verbal language. But there was still more of Europe to discover, so I headed to Southern Spain on November 1st, 2004. Although I taught Adult Modern classes in Jerez and choreographed a few pieces in Madrid for Local theater groups and a dance festival, Tap dance began it’s move to the forefront of my dance life.
BUT…because I love movment so much, I continue studying Anatomy and Kinesiology and find ways to integrate them into my tap teachngs. I believe that technique is finding the most efficient way of executing movement and that the style weith which we interprate is what brings each genre to life. As for Music, it is in everything down to the very basic rhythm of the heartbeat – across oceans, cultures, languages, races….it is what connects all human kind. So how could I not incoporate that too? In 2012 I began my “Kinesthetic Rhythm” Project which integrates Moder, Ballet or jazz dance movements with Musical notes, consequent rhythmical ideas and tap dance. I continue investigating movement ideas and attending classes whenever possible. In 2014, I dug deeper into jazz culture by teaching Jazz Steps and Charleston regularly, attending more Swing Dance events and taking part in classes at Swing festivals where I teach Lindy Hoppers to get more rhythm in their feet!
I am also interested in the neurological benefits of movement – especially for learning and learning difficulties such as ADHD and Sensory Integration Disorders. I am considering obtaining a Masters Degree in Dance composition, Kinesiology for Dance or perhaps both! In the meantime, I continue to search for ways to integrate more movement into my everyday life full of rhythm and jazz, and for willing bodies to investigate deeper and share these rhythmical kinesthetic ideas.
CHOREOGRAPHIES
Genres include: Modern, Movement, Foxtrot, Menuet & Baroque Dances, Jazz, Jazz Steps, Physical Theater, Structured Improvisations, Ballet, Funky and lots and lots of Tap! And So many awaiting their Debut! ¿Can Someone get me some trusting bodies please?
For presentation in places like: Blue Tap (Berlin, Germany), Muestra Coreográfica (Barcelona, Spain), Hoofers Festival (Antwerp, Belgium), Department of Culture (Madrid, Spain), Juan Manuel Alonso (Pozuelo, Spain) Alta Films (Madrid, Spain) European Film Festival (Seville, Spain), Sala Company
My Very First Tap Dance Choreography
(Jerez, Spain), Charter Oak Cultural Center (Hartford, CT), Juventudes Musicales (Cádiz, Spain), Abbey Kelly Foster School (Worcester, MA), Hartford Conservatory (Hartford, CT), Les Caracteres De L’Amour (Hartford, CT), Espacio Temporal I Int’l. Dance Festival (Madrid, Spain), RESAD (Madrid, Spain), Madrid Players (Madrid, Spain), Festival du Jeune Theatre (Pontlevoy, France/NYC)…
Some of my favorites are: I can’t give you Anything, the Artist Flash Mob, La Vie L’amour, Pretty, Choreo-Poem, Ballet Class: A Comedy En Pointe, Felange Español,
DETAILS AVAIABLE UPON REQUEST.
PERFORMANCES
Though I prefer to not dance my own choreographies, performances do include some of the fore-mentioned choreographies. U.S. Dance experience is mainly Musical Theater and Dance concerts whilst European dance experience has been focused in the world of Jazz and improvisation or… “Improvography”
My very first Musical was The Music Man, as a pre-teen, followed by Tap heavy musicals such as Anything Goes, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Singin’ In the Rain, (Complete list of Theater/TV/Film experience available upon request)
American Performances include: New London Barn Playhouse (NH), Longwood Players (MA), Firehouse theater (MA), Bradford College (MA), The Hartford Conservatory (CT), Theater At Old House (MA), Foothills Theater (MA), New England Dance convention (MA), EPAC (NY),
European Performances Include: Bogui Jazz Club (Madrid, Spain), El Chupadero (Lanzarote, Spain), City Hall (Langa de Duero, Spain), Médicos sin Fronteras (Madrid, Spain), Ciclo de Danzas del Mundo (Alcorcón, Spain), Jazzaza Jazz Festival (Murcia, Spain), Fundación Juan March (Madrid, Spain), Fiesta Maniquíes (Galicia, Spain), Alanis Art (Seville, Spain), Mirajazz Festival (Miranda de Ebro, Spain), Café el Despertar (Madrid, Spain), Milwaukee Blues and Jazz Club (Cádiz, Spain), Sala Tararí (León, Spain), EnVibop (Soria, Spain), Le Swing Jazz Club (Madrid, Spain), Prague Tap Festival (Prague, CR), Festival de Jazz de Pinto (Madrid,Spain), El PlazaCopas (Madrid,Spain), International Jazz Festival of Madrid (Madrid,Spain), Department of Culture (Madrid, Spain), Sebastian Weber (Leipzig, Germany), UniversityofKarlstad (Karlstad,Sweden)…
TRAINING
HARTFORD CONSERVATORY (Merit based scholarships Yr 2) Hartford, CT. Dance Diploma, Concentration: Dance Composition, June 2003
BRADFORD COLLEGE, Haverhill, MA, Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts, May 2000
UNIVERSIDAD APEC, Santo Domingo, Dominican Repulic. Study Abroad: Dominican Language & Culture. Fall 1999
TAP DANCE
Classes:
Ludovico Hombravella (BCN/Mexico), Jennifer Ruest (US), Clare O’Donnel (US)
Intensives/Workshops:
Aitor Montesinos (BCN), Julia Boynton (US), Rubén Sanchez (BCN), Basilio Gonzalez (BCN), Ulrike Neth (Germany), Jussi Lindroos (Finland), Iván Bouchain (BCN/Mexico), Ryan P. Casey (US), Ian Berg (US)
Master Classes/Festivals:
Roxane Butterfly (NYC), Jason Janas (US), Michelle Dorrance (US), Sarah Reich (US), Heather Cornell (US), Jason Samuels Smith (US), Chloe Arnold (US), Maud Arnold (US), Thanos Daskalopoulos (Greece), Rocky Mendez (US), Sean Fielder
LINDY
First steps in West Hartford 2001, Different Social Swing Dances in travels: Spain, France, Boston, Sweden, Czech….
Festivals: Move Your Bottom (Valencia, Spain), Camp Canary (Lanzarote, Spain), The World Jam (Madrid, Spain), Lindytón (Santander, Spain), Social Swing Dances in travels: Spain, France, Boston, Sweden, Czech Republic….
MODERN
Reba Mehan(US), Patty Smith(US), Hanna Honeycutt(US), Susan Carlson(US), Transit Tanz (Leipzig, Germany), Occasional classes in travels to London, NYC, Budapest…
BALLET
Gemma Bautista (Madrid, Spain), Jeanne Giroir (US), Linda Presnykova (US), Occasional classes in travels to US.
JAZZ
Alyson Portelance (US), Salime Pineda (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), Universidad APEC (Santo Domingo, D.R.)
IMPROVISATION
6 Hour Contact improv. intensive with Esteban Bruno summer. Improv & Contact improv with Bonita Weisman & Shara Azarat HC 2001 - 2003.
TEACHING
If teaching your competition tap steps at auditions rather than focusing on your own audition counts, I’ve been teaching far too long! During my semester in the Dominican Republic I taught some tap classes, in addition to volunteer work. Throughout Highschool and University I volunteered at the Girls Club or was a counselor at summer camps. After receiving my BA I was a permanent substitute for a charter school and worked as an activity aide for alzheimers residents.
But it was while studying at the Hartford Conservatory that I began teaching wñhat I love: Performing Arts. I taught Theater, Modern Dance and Movement to Inner city children ages 8 - 16 after school. Some of which I proudly continue to be in contact with! I taught theater workshops in various afterschool programs, and an Adult Theater program for the city of Worcester, but then it was off to Europe!
GENRES
Though I have taught classes or workshops in Modern Dance, Movement, Theater, Singing, Vernacular Jazz or Jazz Steps, Funky, Baroque…..my genre of focus since 2007 has been Tap Dance. As the years go by,
REGULAR CLASSES
I’ve taught regular classes at Tarantos, Gemma Bautista, El Horno, La Escuela de Música Popular, Sol de York, Flow Escela de Baile, La Escuela de Anabel Azuar,
WORKSHOPS
I’ve taught workshops at Dusseldorf, Germany, Camp Canary, (Lanzarote, Spain), Move Your Bottom Festival (Valencia, Span), Mad Tap Fest (Madrid, Spain), Meet Share Dance Festival (Madrid, Spain), Lindytón (Santander, Spain), Hello English (Madrid, Spain), The Department of Culture (Madrid, Spain), Purely Technique (Binghamton, NY), Terpsichore (Vigo, Spain), El Callejón de Las Artes (Sevilla, Spain), Mambo (León, Spain), Interacting Summer Camp (Extremadura, Spain), Festival du Jeune Teatre (Pontlevoy, France)….
CURRENTLY
I have my own groups of Tap Dance, Jazz Steps and private classes of Tap Dance and Lindy Hop in Madrid. I currently teach at one studio Madrid47 and am on the teacher roster at Danza Creativa – a new school connected to the renound jazz school La Creativa. Ultimately I am teaching a lot of tap workshops to dancers at Lindy Hop events. The tap workshops I do offer are based heavily on Music, building choreography or ideas through musical tools and concepts.