Tag: Grand Rapids Dance Scene

DITA, Int/Adv Contemporary Technique w/Amy Cova

August 29, 2016

Join us in welcoming Amy Cova to Dance in the Annex!11110211_914268668618588_216489961844612526_n
Sunday September 11th
Wealthy Theatre Annex
4-5:45pm
1110 Wealthy St SE
Grand Rapids, MI
$15/$12 (students w/ID)
For Int/Adv dancers ages 16+
Contact [email protected] for more information

Amy Cova, (MFA in Dance from the University of Michigan) is Artistic Director of Amy Cova Dance (ACD), a Brooklyn based contemporary dance ensemble often working in collaboration with musicians, composers and visual artists. Cova is currently a Facilitator at The Field (NYC) and a recent Groundwork Artist in Residence at Cora Dance in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Cova’s movement vocabulary punctuates the highly physical with a quiet gestural sense evoking worlds of turmoil, confusion, hope, and happiness in a single theatrical experience. Cova is interested in embodied text, oral histories, subjugated knowledge and personal reflections as they dialogue through evocative movement languages.

Amy Cova has been presented at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Inside/Out, and throughout NYC at Dance New Amsterdam, the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, Triskelion Arts, The Flea Theatre and The Irondale Center. Her work has been showcased at the Alvin Ailey Studio Theater, The Alchemical Theater Laboratory, the John Ryan Theater, Studio AIR, Dixon Place, Spoke the Hub, the Green Space, and the Detroit Institute of Art.

Cova has performed in works by Laura Dean, Daniel Gwirtzman, Rennie Harris, Alex Springer, Ginger Thatcher and Nadia Tykulsker. She has most recently performed at WestFest All Over WestBeth with compositional, improve dance cooperative, The Lovelies.

Cova has been an adjunct faculty member/guest artist at numerous institutions, including University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, Wayne State University and Oakland University. Her choreography has been presented internationally in Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica and Italy. She enjoys continued collaboration with composer Alvin Hill.

This class celebrates freedom in movement; big, juicy moves alongside quiet gestural shifts. With a focus on an organic, personal way of moving, students are encouraged to tap into their physical, intellectual and emotional history throughout class. We begin with an easy, rhythmical movement pattern gently waking the muscles and brain, uniting the bodies and energies in space in order to create a fresh community for learning. Together we move in and out of the floor with the aim of priming the body for more vigorous movement tasks. We explore the space through dynamic and often virtuosic movement patterns. Finally, extended phrase work invites students to couple their emotional and physical self in order to articulate their performative voice.

DITA, INT/ADV Contemporary Tech w/ guest artist Joy Voelker

August 1, 2016

Join Dance In The Annex in welcoming Joy Voelker!

Alex Braverman / Lois Greenfield Workshop, 2008 Credits: Joy Voelker, Natasha Cziarniewy, David Gonsier.
Wednesday & Thursday August 24 & 25
7:30 – 9:15 pm
Wealthy Theatre Annex
1130 Wealthy St Se
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
$15/$12 Students w/ID
For more information email [email protected]

Joy Voelker’s approach to movement has a deep relationship with the anatomy and physiology of the dancer’s instrument. Being in touch with the instrument and using energy in opposing direction gives way to more efficient movement and frees the body to express and enjoy dancing.This approach has formed over connecting aspects from movement techniques such as Gyrotonics, Alexander Technique, and Yoga as well as dance techniques such as Classical Ballet, Countertechnique, Limon, and other contemporary dance styles.

Joy is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy and holds a BFA from the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance. Her pre-professional training also includes The Juilliard School, The Paul Taylor School, Joffrey Ballet, Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Amsterdam, and Anouk van Dijk Dance Company. Her performing career includes CorbinDances, 360º Dance Company, Lane & Co, Headless Horse, Artichoke Dance Company, children’s’ programs at the Metropolitan Playhouse and Guest Artist as the Sugar Plum Fairy for Iowa State Center’s The Nutcracker. Joy has also participated in outreach programs. Her most significant trip was with the Beech Foundation working with choirs of all ages and dance with children while breaking ground for Tumaini Children’s Home.

Joy was a faculty member at the Mark Morris Dance Center for 6 years in New York teaching all ages in Ballet, Modern, Creative Movement and more. Some of the institutions she has taught master classes or intensive workshops for include Dance Society of Colorado Springs, Lawrence Arts Center, Robert Thomas Dancenter, Park Hill Dance Academy, and Landing Dance Academy.
While living in New York Joy trained extensively at the Shen Tao Studio. The Sen Tao approach combines aspects of Gyrotonics, Pilates, Yoga, Sports Psychology, Vipassana Meditation, Anatomy, and Self Massage with Classical Ballet and Modern/Contemporary Dance technique. Joy is passionate about teaching this work as cross training while also integrating it in to the dance classes. Joy’s classes work to develop the dancer as a whole by incorporating these different teachings to form a healthy and efficient physical approach with a fulfilling spirited artistic approach.

DITA, Int/Adv Modern Tech w/guest artist Molly Ross

May 16, 2016

Join us in welcoming Molly Ross to the Annexann arbor
Sunday May 22nd
4-5:45pm
$15/$12 Students w/ID
For dancers 16+
Email [email protected] for more information

Molly Ross is an artist focused on making work that finds connections between the absurd, the flawed, and the private. In Grand Rapids she is co-founder of the dance collective CHOIR and collaborates on the multi disciplinary project BIG LOTTO. Before relocating to Grand Rapids in early 2016, she danced professionally in Chicago Illinois with Khecari and Hedwig Dances. She has studied movement at the University of Michigan, the London Contemporary Dance School, and in Northern Israel on Kibbutz Ga’aton.

In class we will consider how we can shift the space between public and private, loud and quiet, empty and filled. Movement fluctuates between improvisation and set material as we use our kinetic instincts in order to find what moves us in the relationship we have with ourselves and with others. Throughout class, a focus on moving in and out of the floor prepares our bodies for the weight, fluidity, and athleticism required for vigorous center work. We will use our time to sweat, boogie, and honor the joy of the flesh.

Int/Adv Contemporary Tech w/guest artist Nic Lincoln

February 22, 2016

Join us in welcoming Nic Lincoln to Dance in the Annex!Nic_Blue2

Sunday March 6th
Wealthy Theatre Annex
4-5:45pm
1110 Wealthy St SE
Grand Rapids, MI
$15/$12 (students w/ID)
For Int/Adv dancers ages 16+
Contact [email protected] for more information

Nic Lincoln is an instinctive seeker of beauty who takes inspiration from pop culture and visual art to voice his activism through dance. For nine years James Sewell Ballet has acted as a creative incubator for Lincoln. Nic has danced with Dayton Ballet, Cleveland San Jose Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet and performed as a guest artist for Corbin Dances, National Choreographer’s Initiative and Shapiro & Smith, among others. He is a proud recipient of a McKnight Artist Fellowship for Dance and has been named “Best Dancer” by the City Pages as well as one of three “Artists Who We Love” by MN Monthly magazine. He was nominated for a Sage award in 2013 for his performances of Larry Keigwin’s Glitter Garden as well as the entire solo show entitled Yes! Nic was recently named one of 25 to Watch by Dance Magazine. As a dance artist and activist he has collaborated with the Human Rights Campaign, OutFront MN and Queertopia.

transcend: an evening of music and dance

January 21, 2016

1273572_10151992170680419_1755055205_oSaturday, Feb. 13th, Wealthy Theatre (1130 Wealthy SE, Grand Rapids, MI) hosts a very special evening of music and dance, on the weekend of Valentine’s Day.

ArtPeers and Dance in the Annex (DITA) present “transcend,” one night only, featuring nationally renown choreographers and dancers, along with Grand Rapids’ preeminent contemporary dance collaborative, DITA.

11081345_10153210557016661_3041666028668420469_nEvent listing: wealthytheatre.org/transcend

This event is made possible by the Robert D. Mieras Fund for Dance and Music, which supported the involvement of the national and local artists; and New Holland Brewing, which supported the venue for the event. Several popular beers from New Holland Brewing will be available at the cash bar, at Wealthy Theatre.

12120065_10153675223534841_5127724408296350132_o“In addition to featuring some of the most important artists in America, ‘transcend’ is a Valentine’s event for all,” says ArtPeers co-founder Erin Wilson. “Almost half of the artists and crew happen to identify as LGBT, and everyone else is a longtime ally.”

The event is “for all” in other ways, too, according to DITA Artistic Director Amy Wilson.

“DITA’s work is for everyone, no matter how familiar with dance you may be,” (Amy) Wilson says. “It’s IMG_0011part rock concert, part roller coaster, part film festival, and part performing arts.

“At the same time, those who are familiar with professional dance… will be very happy that these choreographers are coming here.”

Nic Lincoln (Minneapolis, MN) says his work “takes inspiration from pop culture and visual art” to voice his activism through dance. Lincoln 12143208_880730625338653_4566044828660889719_nhas choreographed for the James Sewell Ballet for nine years, and worked with Dayton Ballet, Cleveland San Jose Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet. He is a proud recipient of a McKnight Artist Fellowship for Dance and has been named “Best Dancer” by the Minneapolis City Pages as well as one of three “Artists Who We Love” by MN Monthly magazine. He was nominated for a Sage award and recently named one of 25 to Watch by Dance Magazine. As a dance artist and activist, Lincoln has collaborated with the Human Rights Campaign, OutFront MN and Queertopia.

E15 KFD 0144Kristi Faulkner, Artistic Director of Kristi Faulkner Dance, says she “strives to create work that generates meaningful conversation and social exchange, blurring the lines between audience and performer and exploring unconventional performance spaces.” Faulkner’s work has been presented in numerous venues throughout Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and New York including the Center for Performance Research, Chez Bushwick’s Kinetic Cinema series, Dixon Place, Going Dutch Festival in Chicago, Alternative Art Association, HPOP Festival, Sidewalk Festival of Performing Arts, Niagra Fringe Festival, image1the University of Rochester, The College at Brockport, Michigan State University, Wayne State University and Bowling Green State University (BGSU).

IMG_5664Additional choreography and dance featured include works by Amy Wilson, Marlee Grace and Rachel Finan. Short films to be presented by internationally regarded choreographer Carolyn Pavlik, and Grand Rapids filmmakers DJ Viernes and John Hanson. Music to be performed by expunk, Casey Stratton (piano) and Heather Baker-Jackson (cello).

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