Dancer, Choreographer, Instructor of Movement
KINESTHETIC LOVER
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 got to take dance classes but was "requred" to concentrate on Music, because that was where my experience was strongest. Though I fell asleep in those music classes, they got 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 was overjoyed to BEGIN EVERY DAY OFF WITH BALLET FOLLOWED BY CLASSES IN MODERN, JAZZ, TAP, IMPROVISATION, REPERTORY, SOMATICS, ANATOMY AND KINESIOLOGY, DANCE COMPOSITION AND WORKSHOPS. I spent evenings dabbling in traditional dances such as Waltz and Lindy Hop (Mixing a little contact in of course); taught dance and theater at the after school program for inner-city kids; and choreographed every chance I got - for which I received meritbased scholarships. After PRODUCING MY VERY RFIRST SHOW " LES CARACTERES DE l'AMOUR: INSPIRED IN THE WORK OF 18TH CENTURY DANCER FRANÓIS PRÉVOST , with 17 artists performing original pieces from Ballet to Hip Hop, I headed to Europe to choreograph and teach dance to young actors at the LOIRE VALLEY YOUTH THEATRE FESTIVAL IN PONTLEVOY, FRANCE. Who could go strait home after experiencing 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 language...fünf, sechs, sieben, acht! But there was still more of Europe to discover, so I HEADED TO SOUTHERN SPAIN ON NOVEMBE 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 movement so much, I continue studying Anatomy and Kinesiology and integrate that information into my tap teachings. I BELIEVE THAT TECHNIQUE IS FINDING THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY OF EXECUTING MOVEMENT AND THAT THE STYLE WITH 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 incorporate that too? In 2012 I began my “Kinesthetic Rhythm” Project which integrates movement with musical notes, consequential rhythmical ideas and tap dance. I continue investigating movement ideas and attending classes whenever possible. In 2014, I began digging deeper into jazz culture by teaching Jazz Steps and Charleston regularly, attending more Swing Dance events and participating in classes at Swing festivals in my free time from helping Hoppers find 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 of further integrating movement into my everyday life full of rhythm and jazz, and willing bodies to join me on the kinesthetic journey.
Dancer, Choreographer, Instructor of Movement
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), Espacio Temporal I Int’l. Dance Festival (Madrid, Spain), RESAD (Madrid, Spain), Madrid Players (Madrid, Spain), Festival du Jeune Theatre (Pontlevoy, France/NYC) to name a few.
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 (selection from VIDOM)
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 rather… “Improvography”
My very first Musical was as a pre-teen in The Music Man; Tap heavy musicals followed, 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 (New London, NH), Longwood Players (Boston, MA), Firehouse Theater (Newburyport, MA), Bradford College (Haverhill, MA), The Hartford Conservatory (Hartford, CT), Theater At Old House (Boston, MA), Foothills Theater (Worcester, MA), New England Dance Convention (Boston, MA), EPAC (Endicott, 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), University of Karlstad (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 (US)
LINDY
Frankie Manning Ambassador at Herräng Dance Camp 2019
First steps: At social dances in West Hartford, CT 2001
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….
JAZZ STEPS
Frankie Manning Ambassador at Herräng Dance Camp 2019
First steps: self taught.
Festival Workshops: Camp Canary (Lanzarote, Spain), The World Jam (Madrid, Spain),
MODERN
Reba Mehan (US), Patty Smith (US), Hanna Honeycutt (US/Finland), 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 (Argentina) summer 2016. Improvisation & Contact improvisation with Bonita Weisman & Shari Azar at The Hartford Conservatory 2001 - 2003.
SOMATICS, ANATOMY & KINESIOLOGY
Classes with Shari Azar & Susan Murphy at The Harford Conservatory 2001 - 2003. I continue to study and research independantly.
DANCE HISTORY
Classes with Susan Murphy at The Harford Conservatory 2001 - 2003. I continue to study and research independantly, focusing on the musics and dances of early Jazz Culture.
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 and 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. Living abroad, English teaching is almost an obligation at some point.
It was while studying at the Hartford Conservatory that I began teaching what 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 and.....
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) to name some.
CURRENTLY
I have my own groups of Tap Dance, Jazz Steps as well as private classes of Tap Dance and beginner Lindy Hop in Madrid. I currently teach at studio Madrid47, Blanco & Negro and Danza Creativa – a new school connected to the renound jazz school Música 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.
HERRÄNG DANCE CAMP SURPRISE
While attending Herräng Dance Camp the summer of 2019 as a Frankie Manning ambassador to strengthen my knowledge of Swing Dance, Solo Jazz and the music, history and culture around it....I was asked to substitute two tap dance classes for participants in the Lindy Hop Track during week 5. It was only two classes, but to be able to share rhythms in Swing Heaven was an absolute dream!