Heather Norton is a Dancer, Company Administrator at Wasatch Contemporary Dance based in Provo, Utah. The arts community is only going to grow as the city does, and we want to be there as a great dance company for Provo. Gavin: Going local, what's your take on the Utah dance scene, both good and bad? I served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Spain. Rather than aspiring to an aesthetic ideal, the dancer attempts to bare his soul, to reveal the human being in his banality, ugliness and grotesqueness, to expose the suffering and joys of life.[16]. (All pictures courtesy of WCDC.). Log In. First thing, tell us a little bit about yourselves. We get e-mails from more and more dancers and choreographers who want to audition, guest choreograph, or take a class with us almost every day. This does mean, though, that some people are very opinionated on the best genre of dance, or the best studio, but that is just the way the dance world is. In the twenties and thirties Germany was a hotbed of both the formal (Schlemmers Bauhaus space-and-shape experiments) and the expressive (Mary Wigman and her lesser known rival Veleska Gert) strains of free dance. [13]Robert Atkins defines expressionism as referring to any art that puts a premium on expressing emotions and usually traced back to Van Gogh and the Fauves, in Artspeak (Abbeville Press, New York, 1990) 73-4. Movers and Makers is a 4-day professional dance and choreography workshop that will hone your craft whether you are a contemporary dancer or choreographer. [12]Modernism seems to have brought change especially in the choice of themes, mise-en-scne and to have led to the creation of some new steps and positions. The project was funded in part by the Oakland CARES Fund for Artists. 2023Wasatch Contemporary Dance CompanyAll rights reserved, Powered byDesigned with the Customizr theme, require(["mojo/signup-forms/Loader"], function(L) { L.start({"baseUrl":"mc.us3.list-manage.com","uuid":"fbd85498aaf0ab41cc47a4c20","lid":"9c0ec82800"}) }), Professional dance company in Provo, Utah, Movers & Makers Professional Dance & Choreography Workshop, I want to sign up for a few drop in classes, I want to register for the June 10 audition only. PAIR is an exploration of courtship rituals, and the art of finding a mate in the Animal Kingdom, while examining gender roles and gender fluidity in nature. [7]Literally implies coming after modern [dance]. Jessica saw the need for a contemporary company in Utah County as an artistic outlet for the numerous talented dancers graduating from colleges in the area. If you would like to audition for WCDC 2023-2024 contracts, please register for as much of the intensive as you are able to and dont miss the final audition class June 10 from 9-12:00. We applaud these women who find a way to honor two things that mean so much to them - dance and a family. [20]Kealiinohomoku in Ballet as a Form of Ethnic Dance clarifies the mistaken notion that some modern dance historians and teachers have perpetuated by confusing primitive with primeval. Updated May 11, 2023 Expand All Opportunities Dance: Auditions, Workshops, Classes, etc. I explored choreography, had great teachers and mentors and really found my love for a holistic and spiritual view of the human body through some of the other courses required of a dance major, such as anatomy and kinesiology. The dancer generates the movement material from which the choreographer chooses and shapes the final performance. The answer to that question is we NEVER know if we're going to be able to continue creating works! With poetic ethnocentrism, each believes that their approach to dance provides the model for all forms of contemporary dance expression. Last community technique class of the year! It is another, professional kind of new dance that is becoming familiar to the public at large, thanks to its growing popularity in international festivals and performing arts series. This workshop will also serve as auditions for WCDCs 14th season, August 2023-June 2024. In November, the dance film Humanimali was premiered as a drive-in presentationallowing viewers to have a shared experience of the pieces that were recorded in a variety of locationsas well as with online accessibility. They also draw material from the sophisticated, multi-cultural evironments of the large city centers in which most of them live, devising new dances of their own making. Heaton first conceived of using the location for dance after driving past it many times, noting that "I'm intrigued by unique spaces, and I'll think 'dance belongs there.'" Our very first show was one we co-organized with Provo High School's dance program in an effort to help Provo High fundraise for its "100,000 for 100 Years" campaign. 7:30-9:00 PM Watch WCDC perform in "On Repeat" Location: Orem Library Hall, 58 N State Street, Orem Ages: 14-18 years Level: Intermediate-Advanced Cost: $45/person (or sign up with a friend for a discount!) Artist Open technique classes every Wednesday night and Friday morning starting Jan 11. Some radical changes have taken place as well in the process of inter-media collaboration.. A dance curator reflects on culture and the new dance. Since the development of ballet and modern dance institutions occurs side-by-side other existing forms of traditional dances, a novel fusion of aesthetic purposes sometimes takes place when old confronts new, such as character dancing in ballet choreography or theatrical stagings of folk dances intended for international touring. the dancers must move in sensitive relationship to other moving bodies and seek to avoid injury). The dance material is developed in the sanctuary of the studio. Jessica: I think a lot of the power lies in the hands of dance educators. WCDC requires all company members to re-audition every year, so technically all company contracts are open to auditionees. Besides dancing, I also love traveling and running. This year we will be performing in a studio at SMASH Dance Academy, transformed with wings, curtains and seating. Our audience is a lot of family and friends right now, but we hope that as we continue to work on better marketing and advertising that we will be able to build a following of people who support us because they want to support the arts in this area. ROXANNE GRAY PAIR the film And it is at those meeting places that meanings arise. Written in partial fulfillment of a masters essay in Movement Studies at Wesleyan University in August 1991; published in Dance Connection and Contact Quarterly magazine summer 1992 and as a chapter in a book of essays Les Vendredis du Corps edited by Aline Glinas (ditions Jeu/Parachute); revised for Canadian Dance Studies 2 (published at York University) in December 1996. Tuition refunds can only be made until March 31 (minus a $30 nonrefundable portion). She was talked about among professors and students as a really brilliant choreographer, and I remember seeing -- at least -- one piece that she choreographed on DancEnsemble. These experiences are decisive, though I am not sure what actually transpires. Press,1972).for a challenging discussion of this western concept. Jessica: Auditions are always a time of much thought for us. Feel free to ask us anything by emailing wasatchcontemporary@gmail.com. We're bringing in guest performers and making it a real community event, so make sure to check the website for more details to come. Wasatch Contemporary Dance Company provides adult dancers in Utah County withopportunities to develop their technical and artistic skills by creating exceptional works of art in the field of contemporary dance. Salt Lake City Weekly has been Utah's source of independent news and in-depth journalism since 1984. and multi-culturalism. In addition to the original choreography created by company members and guest choreographer/BYU faculty member Adam Dyer, Seven will showcase an entirely original score written by local musicians Benjamin Swisher and Bly Wallantine. With Wasatch, we do realize that there needs to be a balance there, and we work to make our shows accessible to anyone who might choose to drop in and watch. Volunteering (Performing Arts Organizations) She also co-founded the modern dance festival. We really want dancers to enjoy the whole package training, rehearsal and performance. 49 likes, 0 comments - Wasatch Contemporary Dance Co. (@wasatchcontemporary) on Instagram: "Did you miss Clever in April? But we understand this doesnt always work for everyones budgets and work schedules. Since then, choreographers have chosen gestures from every imaginable source, organized them in countless structural forms to imply as many meanings as there are spectators. I probably never spoke a word to Jessie at BYU, though - -she was a few years ahead of me, though we took dance and technology together. I worked hard for 11 months to help start Westview High School's dance program, which is still alive and kicking today. In any case, the visible result is that these local choreographers begin to freely adapt the foreign dance forms to suit their own expressive needs. Advanced dancers who just want to enjoy a cathartic day of sustainable movement will also love this workshop. "An artist's first tendency is to think about the person who's there physically, because that's always been our experience before," Heaton says. Scott Renshaw, Wasatch Contemporary Dance Co.: Seven Too much freedom? It's never been easy. Attend a WCDC performance! Jessica: I looked forward to attending BYU my whole life. Within a rapidly changing society, these dance rebels collectively reopened the parameters of dance by the formal study of everyday life as art. Now, I work at Smash Dance Academy, where WCDC rehearses, and I have a cute little 2-month-old daughter. Having children is a natural and necessary part of life and yet I felt like I was being discriminated and shunned for being pregnant -- even after rocking my audition while I was seven weeks pregnant! Occidental choreographers structure their long working day around a training session, studio time for movement explorations and rehearsal, and administrative tasks. Jessica: I started WCDC before I graduated from BYU, but by that time I had already made a name for myself as a professional choreographer, choreographing for musicals, pageant contestants, and high school dance teams in both California and Utah. Gavin: You'll be approaching your four-year anniversary in March. Meagan has guest taught at both her . Wasatch Contemporary Dance Company has been performing and teaching in Utah County since April 2010. In the BYU dance program, I met other students who shared my interest in starting a dance company, namely Christine Harbor and Elizabeth Mason, who both played instrumental roles in founding and growing WCDC before they both moved out of state. While Utah County art and culture has made leaps and bounds in recent years and dance is finding its voice within this renaissance, there is still so much that YOU can do to help WCDC provide professional contemporary dance experiences for both the dancers and audience members in our community. An interchange of ideas seems to be replacing the directive setting of material on the dancer. [10], Across the Atlantic, parallel dance developments were evolving out of the Central European free dance[11]. Absolutely! When you look at the dance community over the past few years, you can see a steady growth in the performers, but not so much in the companies. Classes are held at Smash Dance Academy, our home and one of our greatest sponsors. I will also be choreographing a piece for the next show. Jessica: We are starting rehearsals for our second annual American Dream concert in less than a month. These local companies are offering a solution for those dedicated dancers who can't imagine a life void of their passion, and yet who do other things and have other jobs and commitments. Jessica: We are always looking for the next way to expand, to grow, to provide more opportunities for dancers and to reach more people. Meeting WCDC directors a few years before you hope to audition is also a great way to let directors see your progress and trajectory. Dancers who wish to audition but will not be attending the entire workshop will have the chance to join the mandatory audition portion of the intensive on June 10 from 8 AM to 12 PM. We earn all our money through hard work, mainly by choreographing for high school dance teams and teaching master classes to schools and studios. A key to understanding what they intend to communicate through their choreographies may be found within this social identity. Facts matter. DIRECTION AND CHOREOGRAPHYRoxanne Graywith collaboration from dancers, PERFORMERSMarisa Augustine-CrowderSara BeachLyndi ColesChristi HarrisSawyer McKinley NewsomeKen NukayaAlysia PaskettAdrienne Whitworth, MUSICAlyssa PyperBenjamin SwisherLuke WilliamsColin Lindenfield. SMASH Dance Academy188 W River Park DriveProvo. Rebecca Aneloski - Repertory Dance Theatre DONATE Support the Free Press. She describes a gamut of commitments, from a full-time creative process between like minds, to sudden last minute additions in nearly finished work.[25]. Valentine Theater Scheduling - Serving All North Utah County [10]Banes in New Dance New York and in the Introduction to her book Terpsichore in Sneakers (Wesleyan University Press, Connecticut, 1987) discusses this period in depth. I love how the arts have been resilient. Each season, we continue to improve our processes and company style. "Being an artistic director, it's been a baptism by fire. Click on the registration button below to sign up no cash accepted at the door. Jessica: My name is Jessica Wilcox Heaton. Rachel: My name is Rachel Robison. Was a member of both Utah Ballet and Character Dance Ensemble at the U of U, Travelled the world dancing with Disney Cruise lines, Trained in Tumbling, Jazz, Hip- Hop and Contemporary, Danced at UVU while pursuing a BS in Family Science and Early Childhood Education, Has danced in commercials and with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, 4 years of pre-school teaching experience, Trained at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Attended the B12 Festival in Berlin, Germany, Freelance Dancer in SLC and Dances with "And Artists" and emerging SLC Company, Previously danced with SALT Contemporary Dance and Wasatch Contemporary Dance, Previously worked at Wasatch Ballet and is a Wasatch Ballet alumni, Studying at BYU in Experience Design & Management, with a Contemporary Dance Minor, Choreographed original musical "Submarine Races", Currently dancing with BYUs Theatre Ballet for her fourth year. S." Wasatch Contemporary Dance Co. on Instagram: "Dancers 14-18 yrs: get those registrations in by Friday so we can dance together this Saturday! Through inventive and stimulating productions, educational outreach programs for a Read More View Company Info for Free Who is Wasatch Contemporary Dance Headquarters There are studios on every block, it seems! [19]Francis Sparshott, Off the Ground: First Steps to a Philosophical Consideration of the Dance (New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 1988) page xxi. Performed works by Merce Cunningham, Andrea Miller, Marguerite Hemmings, Emily Wexler, Kun Yang Lin, and many others. I grew up in San Diego and moved to Provo for school in 2005. This audience favorite piece by Christi Harris will be performed at our Movers+Makers Showcase on June 10! . I also remember dancing with scarves all around the room and loving that! My husband and I manage an apartment complex together and we have an 8-month-old baby girl. Not only are these dance-makers fervently engaged in the search for an individualistic means of expression, but this imperative has changed the very nature of their work with the dancers. If you wish to take part in remaining drop in classes on either track, you can register without an application at the button below. 6 were here. When teachers talk to their students about dance opportunities outside of the school or university, they assure that their students continue dancing beyond the walls of their own studios. Rent the Valentine! See a full list of class topics and schedules here. The environment at the studio motivate the girls to want to be better at dance because they love to dance." "But they were great at working with us.". Utah Valley Universitys Contemporary Dance Ensemble guest performed with us during our last show and we enjoyed the opportunity to get to know their talented students. I am for the free enterprise of the spectator[32]. I believe it is very rare for a dancer to show up at an audition, meet the directors for the first time, and be invited to join the company. PAIR was filmed at five different locations across the state of Utah, on the traditional and ancestral homeland of the Shoshone, Paiute, Goshute, and Ute Tribes. Jessica: It was terrifying. If class spots remain in the Maker classes, individual class sign ups will open up on May 29. It is also interesting to note a reciprocal effect of this inter-cultural contact: that ballet and modern dancers have often sought inspiration from their perceptions of foreign and primitive[20] cultures, borrowing their features quite freely and being especially drawn to the exotic features of the Orient. As performing arts companies begin exploring ways to bring live audiences back to shows, they're not forgetting the necessary innovations that were part of the pandemic. I don't consider ourselves in competition with any of these other companies; we want to support them in their efforts and hope to receive the same in return. Heather Nielsen Norton - Dancer, Company Administrator - Wasatch It is encouraging that we have never been at a loss for dancers. The spring performance is amazing. Each dance explorer is now required to prospect in new and unclaimed artistic territory, and on it to build a unique aesthetic ecosystem. Rachel: The challenge for us right now is getting our name known in the community, and not just the dance community. Jessica: The first year was easy because we were very low-key in the beginning. In Utah County, the Wasatch Contemporary Dance Company has been hard at work bringing out original works with the help of local performers to create independent productions and bring more dance to Provo. Use your degrees and your talent to keep dance and art growing here in Utah County. Jessica: As a senior in high school, I decided I would someday own a dance company. Their bodies become the site for mediation between creative idea and gestural response. Schedule & Prices Example Schedule Utah's Premier Dance Studio About - Meagan Woods & Company After we put together the show with Provo High School, then things took off and we've been rehearsing four to six days per week since then, with only a two-month break from Nov.-Dec. every year. Jessica: The Utah dance scene is excellent in some parts of Utah. 8 were here. [1]Joann Kealiinohomoku, An Anthropologist Looks at Ballet as a Form of Ethnic Dance, Impulse 20 (1969) 24-33. Wasatch Contemporary's Seven is offering four live performances for reduced-capacity audiences, making use of the century-old Northampton House in American Fork as a venue. Internships, Fellowships, Residencies, etc. Who wears their red better..Alyssa Richardson or Santa? Their creed of personal freedom and the creation of dances which reflect the contemporary condition sets the stage for further experimentation. Dont let any opportunity pass you up to attend a dance class, a dance lecture, or a performance -- you never know who will see you and be impressed with you! I was skeptical, though, of whether the commitment -- time and finances -- was worth it. It was then that I decided that my dream to start a dance company needed to come sooner than planned; I needed to start this dance company in Provo. Wasatch Contemporary Dance - Overview, News & Competitors - ZoomInfo According to company artistic director Jessica Heaton, the process of adapting the Humanimali pieces that had initially been planned for a theater stage, so that they could work for a filmed presentation, required a bit of re-thinking. An afternoon of dance designed for all movers 18 years+ with at least some previous dance experience. Contact the Valentine Theater & TAF Arts Center Scheduling Manager: Marlene Myers 385-787-4040 mmyers@americanforkarts.com Valentine Theater street address: The first clip should feature about 1 minute of lyrical/ballet technique or performance and the second clip should feature about 1 minute of contemporary/modern technique or performance. She saw a need in the community and she has worked tirelessly to bring this company about and we continue to ask ourselves how we can progress, how we can reach more people, how we can get better technique from our dancers, how we can help the community appreciate art, and specifically dance. Concerning this loyal devotion to a single form of dance Francis Sparshott, in his recent inquiry into dance philosophy, mused: It may well be that some (or even all) performers are personally committed by this self transformation in such a way thatas a matter of integrity or simply as a psychological impossibilitythey cannot afford to take seriously any alternative standpoint.[19]. [26]Peter Brinson, The New Dance Transnationalism, The Joan Russell Memorial Journal. Jessica: Being a traveling company brings with it many challenges. Audition: via video between July 6 and August 2Selected dancers will need to commit to the following: Selected dancers will be notified by the end of the day on August 4. [27]Several trade journals and regional newletters carry information to participants, of which the most comprehensive and international is the dance journal Contact Quarterly: A vehicle for moving ideas, eds. Re-imagining it for both a seated audience and remote viewers presented its own set of challenges in considering how the show could work for both kinds of viewers. Excellent venue for Arts groups, Corporate events, Community presentations, and much more. French writer Jean Viala, in permanent Japanese residence since 1980, clarifies: Dancing [in butoh] means being in the cosmos, as well as containing the cosmos within oneself. Claudia Jeschke specifies that for the German expressionist dance of the twenties art is no longer what is generally considered beautiful, but directly expresses what moves artists emotionally, what appears necessary, true to them, in her article Identity and Order: Trends in Dance Theatre in Germany Blickpunkte II catalogue (Goethe-Institut, Montreal, l989).19. Born in Newark in 1973, his considerable talent was . Instead, the advice is to attend their classes and workshops, see about any apprenticeships, introduce yourself to the people who matter and show your dedication. In reality artistic choices are always made within the framework of the immediate communitys social and aesthetic mores, as well as the individual artists sensibilities. Rachel: I am so excited to see so many different groups also working to bring more high-quality, professional dance to this area. Here is our East Rutherford, NJ Nominee for Best Lyrical/Modern/Contemporary Performance! Jessica: I watched my sister perform in her dance recital when I was 13 and that's what interested me in dancing. #iconadancewear will be there with beautiful #Dancer #leotards, #ballet #skirts , #sweatshirt & more! Heather Nielsen Norton Dancer, Company Administrator & Yoga Instructor at Wasatch Contemporary Dance Company Orem, Utah, United States 126 followers 127 connections Join to view profile. Similarly, we dance graduates have to go up north to find master classes, workshops, and guest teachers to continue our dance training and keep ourselves growing professionally. [11]This originates with Rudolf Labans term la danse libre, from his Parisian sojourn, and is discussed in his prefatory note to Modern Educational Dance (MacDonald and Evans, London, 1948); he also notes here Europe wasthe cradle of a comprehensive theory [for this free dance].. [28]Judson dancer Simone Forti created this compound name for the activity of contact improvisation because of its alliance to both disciplines. Come join us for intermediate/advanced contemporary technique with Christi Harris on November 18 from 6:45-8 PM at Smash Dance Academy in north Provo! Performances of this kind call actively upon each audience member, through personal experiences and perceptions, to formulate possible meanings. Community Technique Class schedule for this week! Finally, a year after I graduated and soothed my ego, I contacted her and asked if I could come and audition for her company. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); What is Dance? The late international dance consultant Peter Brinson accounts eloquently for the new dance transnationalism as an inevitable consequence of the rise of a global economy and culture.

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