Threshold Dance Institute Schedule

The Dance Institute offers study with national and international faculty. The Institue consists of a daytime intensive track and an evening track available for drop in or as a week-long course of study. The daytime focuses on International and National artists/teachers and the evening on Seattle-based artists/teachers who are performing (or their companies) in the Spotlight on Seattle Series.The daytime track includes classes in International Contemporary Technique, Partnering Technique (Pilobulus-style and other contemporary partnering work) as well as some Ballet, Butoh, Modern, Post-Modern and other contemporary forms. The full intensive treack lasts from 10am-5pm. The evening session is open to all levels (some previous dance is receommended).

Monday 6/13

Tuesday 6/14

Wed 6/15

Thur 6/16

Fri 6/17

Rasheed or Ghaieb

Rasheed or Ghaieb

Thomas

Gorboulev

Tawil

Tawil

Katsura Kan

Tawil

Thomas

Gorboulev

Katsura Kan

Tawil

Khambatta

Tawil

Thomas

Karin Stevens Modern

Julie Tobiason Interm. Ballet

Cyrus Khambatta Partnering Techniques

Marlo Martin Open Level Modern Class

Jurg Koch Modern/ Contemp. Technique

Theater Dark

Spotlight on Seattle I performances

Spotlight on Seattle II performances

Spotlight on Seattle III performances

Inter/National Series wkend 2 performances

Please note: Schedule subject to change. Some substitutions may occur.

Class Descriptions (Intensive Track)

Anger body in space/M. Rasheed or Duraid A Ghaieb  (Iraq)- The class will work with Mr. Rasheeds' choreography for "Crying of my Mother" (presented by the festival) produced in 2007, focusing on the emotion of Anger (one dance scene will be taught by Rasheed or Ghaieb). It will include stretching and yoga exercises (breathing and body balance) and exercises to make contact with the Inner world of the body. It will start by planting a particular emotion in the body, building it further to move it into the blood, in a circle. Then move towards controlling that feeling in order to grasp all the physical reactions that the body could produce in this state; letting out the emotions and expressing them through movement in a specific space. Researching the body state and how honest the body could be in the translation of these feelings into movements generated.

Contemporary Technique / L.M. Tawil (Syria/Palestine/USA)- How can we unleash our body physics and our creative visions so that they manifest directly into the dancing Self. In this technique class, we study the mechanics of dancing, precisely and acutely, and then we Dance. Momentum and personality are drawn to the surface in order that our work be intentional, personal, and expansive. Movement studies will layer throughout; we will question, we will make choices, we will attempt something. Class will culminate in phrase material as a platform for dancing and performing active research into your voice. Leyya’s teaching is influenced by decades of classical dance, contemporary dance, international travel, master teachers, hidden teachers, and thousands of words of poetry.

Butoh / K. Kan (Japan)- Butoh is capable of breaking through our conscious barrier and reaching our precognitive identity, which we all hold deep within us. Kan's workshop will explore unusual body movement by what Kan calls "observation." The workshop will explore body percussion work, natural walk, Butoh notation, messenger work, the quality of body movement, and will touch on Kan's choreographic work.

Butoh Workshop with KATSURA Kan is suitable for all performers on the stage, with or without previous butoh experience.

A Contemporary Classic /M. Gorboulev (Uzbekistan/Russia)- Ballet helps to develop and maintain posture, beautifully shaped muscles and lines, coordination, stamina, and musicality - all of which are essential for the Contemporary (Modern) dancer.  Every contemporary and modern choreography involves ballet steps - plié before any jump, a la seconde, saute, pirouette and many others.
This class will be taught as a foundation to efficient execution of contemporary dance vocabulary and will be divided into three parts, barre (45min.), center (25-30 min.) and jumps (15-20 min.) The combinations will be simple to enable repeating to become comfortable with them.  The class will focus a good deal on crossing the leg front and back through out the class, being on the toes of the supporting foot, softening elbows and hands, stretching knees, and of course pointing feet. Although musical execution of the steps is very important in my combinations, we will rarely mark with music. I make an effort to address each student particular needs in the class and although an imperfectly performed combination is not the end of the world, it is important to work seriously on the given steps.

Master Class with Donald Byrd (USA-WA)

Mr. Byrd's aesthetics emphasize a relaxed, strong, and flexible torso with sharp and highly articulated feet and legs. The technique portion of the workshop is designed to enhance this usage of the body, as well as increase rhythmic and spatial exactness. With this focus on accuracy, the dancer becomes more efficient and effective in the management of energy and more able to control the visual, emotional, and physical impact of their body moving. A characteristic of Donald Byrd's choreography is its speed and abundance of movement information. The repertory session is structured to allow the dancer, by learning existing works or through compositional process, to gain skills and experience managing these demanding elements.

Partnering with all parts - (both intensive and evening tracks)/ Cyrus Khambatta (USA-WA) - This workshop, which Mr. Khambatta will teach throughout Europe this summer, will integrate elements of Contact Improvisation (CI) with elements of traditional partnering to create new and underutilized pathways in the body-to-body dialogue that are still intuitive and instinctual. In the CI realm, the workshop will focus on decentralized use of anatomic structural elements of the body to create more highly articulated, subtle and expanded surface awareness and multi-sensorial tracking. In the contemporary dance lexicon, we will address more traditional dance aspects by emphasizing recognition of inner emotive sensations as we explore extension, line, awareness of body shape, weight support patterns and inter-body architecture. And finally we will source from both to examine a palette of different ways of creating, crafting and experiencing a movement dialogue with a partner.

Class Descriptions (Evening Track/Seattle-based teachers)

Modern/contemporary technique with Jürg Koch:
Mr. Koch teaches all levels of modern/contemporary technique offered in the uw dance program. He teaches a non-codified contemporary dance class informed by historic modern dance forms, Release based work and Integrated Dance. His classes work with explorative, improvised and set material to prepare dancers to move with specificity in their full physicality and deal with various different performance modes used in post modern dance practice.
See you this week end

Modern with Marlo Martin
Marlo’s class concentrates on building clean, sound and strong technique. Moving gently from the floor to standing, each exercise stresses the importance of strengthening the core in order to enhance integrated mobility throughout the entire body. Marlo borrows from her training in Barteniff Fundamentals™ and Laban™ to challenge each student with the art of musicality and weight shifting. Be ready to sweat while working on strength and mobility as you gain freedom in your dancing.

Modern with Karin Stevens
Through full and athletic use of the body, students can experience the freedom to move with maximum joy, ease, and expression in ksd classes. "It was healing me physically, and it also challenged my mind regarding how the body works as a whole." -Student recovering from past hip surgery.  Karin Stevens incorporates in her teaching years of experience in multiple movement disciplines; an understanding of the Brain Dance concepts of Anne Green Gilbert; an emphasis on movement mindfulness; an awareness of the relationship between the major joints of the limbs and spine.  The first hour of class is a very structured and goal oriented class with exercises building the focus in the fold, crease, spiral and initiation of movement from the limbs and spine, the yield vs. push, and taking the body in and out of standing alignment. The second part of the class will incorporate ksd improvisational tools and movement repertoire.

Intermediate Ballet with Julie Tobiason
The class will be an intermediate level ballet class with an emphasis on the pathways to strong ballet technique. We will focus on quality of movement and the grounding steps that help a dancer achieve the form that ballet technique is so demanding of."

Biographies

Muhanad Rasheed - Iraq/Holland

Muhanad Rasheed recently won the 2010 Dutch Dance Days Promising Choreographer award, granted to one artist each year in Holland. His recent work, “Mourning”, commissioned by Internationaal Danstheater Netherlands (IDT), also received the Swan Award for Best Dance Production in Holland 2010. Mr. Rasheed is an Iraqi choreographer and composer living in the Netherlands, where in 2008 he was offered political asylum after spending months as a refugee in Jordan and Syria. Born in Baghdad, he studied theatre at the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad and soon thereafter founded Iraqi Bodies, the first contemporary dance company in Iraq. Iraqi Bodies won the Jury Prize at the 2007 Theatre Festival in Jordan.  Their first production, “Crying of My Mother”, had its European premiere in the 2007 Dancing on the Edge Festival (NL), followed by tours throughout Europe and the Middle East, including the Kalamata Dance Festival 2009 (GR), Birmingham International Dance 2010 (UK), BIPOD (Beirut International Platform on Dance, LB) 2009. In January 2008, following the successes of “Crying of my Mother”, Mr. Rasheed was interviewed by Deborah Amos for a feature on NPR’s “All Things Considered”. Mr. Rasheed’s first published musical score was for his solo “Obsession”, which was presented in an art museum in Casablanca, Morocco.  He recently scored “dream is a broken mirror of realty”, a site specific performance presented at the Mellemrum Festival, Denmark 2010.  Earlier this year, he formed an ensemble of Iraqi musicians, based in Amsterdam.  Mr. Rasheed and this ensemble are the collaborating musicians for the original scoring of THIEVES.

Duraid A Ghaieb Iraq/Holland

Duraid is an actor, theatre maker, and dancer born in Baghdad in 1980. He joined the Institute of Fine Arts at the age of 15 to study theatre. After graduating with a Diploma in directing in 2001 he went directly to the College of Fine Arts to undertake a Bachelor of Theatre in 2007. During his degree, Duraid took on many extra curricular activities, such as teaching theatre in a kindergarten for orphans. Most significantly, he participated in Iraq’s first ever Contemporary Dance workshop and went on to join ‘Iraqi Bodies’, one of the first ever Modern Dance Groups in Iraq. Their first project ‘Crying of my mother’ performed nationally, regionally and internationally. Duraid has appeared in many short films within Iraq and also working as the leading actor in a major feature length film ‘Battle for Haditha,’ directed by Nick Broomfield shot in Jordan in 2007. This film took the prize for the ‘Best Director’ at the Toronto Film Festival in 2007. After receiving politial asylum, Duraid is now living in Holland, and working with Iraqi Bodies on new performances, such as ‘Insomnia’ and ‘Henna’, which will be performed in Amsterdam in 2011 at the International Dance Theatre.
Recently he is working in Belgium as well, with different theatre projects, such as ‘Irakese Gessten’, directed by Mokhallad Rasem, which won the KBC price for young theatre and was selected for the Flemish-Dutch Theatre Festival 2010. His upcoming project is ‘Gecrasht’, directed by Ahmed Khaled, which will be shown in Antwerpen in November 2010.

Leyya Mon Tawil - Syria/Palestine/U.S.

Leyya Mona Tawil is Artistic Director of DANCE ELIXIR, an organization dedicated to artistic collaboration, dance research and contemporary arts production. Tawil's choreography has been featured in national tours and international engagements throughout Europe and the Middle East, including Ramallah Contemporary Dance Festival 2010 (Palestine), the Syrian National Opera House (Damascus), Overtoom 301 (Amsterdam) and Studio Emad Eddin (Cairo). As an improviser, Tawil has had the honor of working with musicians around the world. She primarily works in the duet format, in a free-improvisation style.
Tawil is a first-generation Syrian-Palestinian-American, born in Detroit, Michigan. She received a BDA in Dance (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, School of Music) and an MFA in Choreography (Mills College-Oakland). She has received numerous grants and awards including the prestigious University of Michigan Emerging Artist Award (2008) and the Best of Oakland Award at 510Arts.com for her film "Quieting Heart: Attempt #5" .www.danceELIXIR.org

Katsura Kan - Japan

Kan is a native of Kyoto, is a Master Butoh artist among the ranks of Japan's first generation of Butoh. He performed with the seminal Butoh troupe "Byakkosha" (1979-1981) known for its austerity and integrity, rather than theatrical glamour. He is a celebrated solo artist, collaborative performer and choreographer. Kan has worked with what he calls "minority dancers" all over the world, in remote locations throughout Africa, Europe, South East Asia for the past 30 years, in addition to performing his creative works in cosmopolitan culture. Kan says, "I'd like to share with you unique movement from my dance work of nearly 30 years which I 've learned from many Masters, especially Butoh Founder, Noh Master of Kongoh School and Ben SUHARUTO in Jogjakarta in Indonesia. The body is a "spirit" that carries your ancestor's soul from the past to the future, a spirit who wears the costume called 'tradition.' I will guide you to find your costume through silent walk, rhythmic patterns and quality of movement for the sake of your own dance."

Oleg Gorboulev- Uzbekistan/Russia

Oleg received his ballet training from the National Ballet School of Uzbekistan.  Upon graduation, he was offered a job with Moscow Classical Ballet in Russia, where he toured with the company throughout Europe, the USA, and Asia.  Curious to perform ballets of Western choreographers, Oleg came to the USA in 1995, to dance with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre.  A few years later, he was invited to join Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) in Seattle, WA, where he reached soloist rank.  While dancing with PNB, Mr. Gorboulev was featured in works of American choreographers such as George Balanchine, Kent Stowell, Lynn Taylor-Corbett, Val Caniparoli, Eugene Loring, Glen Tetley, Paul Taylor, Nicolo Fonte, as well as in works by European choreographers such as Rudi van Dantzig, Hans van Manen, and Ronald Hynd..  He was one of the dancers chosen to participate in the Hayden Seattle Project of the George Balanchine Foundation in 2000.  Oleg most recently danced as a founding member of Los Angeles Ballet and currently dances with Seattle Dance Project, Seattle, WA.
He is also a highly acclaimed ballet instructor in the Seattle area, teaching at the Olympic Ballet School, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Spectrum Dance Theatre, and International School of Classical Ballet.

Darryl Thomas - USA (Eugene, OR)

Associate Professor of Dance, Western Oregon University Darryl was a former dancer and artistic collaborator in the world renowned Pilobolus Dance Theatre has performed and choreographed in a multitude of nations including England, Japan, Korea, and the United States. He received his Masters of Fine Arts in performance and choreography from the University of Hawaii, where he received the Hawaii State Dance Council Award for choreography in 1993.

Cyrus Khambatta - USA (Seattle)

Artistic Director - Khambatta Dance (formerly Phffft! Dance Company) He studied at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts before creating his own international touring company. His works have been presented in twelve US states, throughout Europe, Russia and Latin America. In 2003, his choreographic work received California’s Daman New Choreography Award and in 2004 he was chosen for The National Dance Project/New England Foundation for the Arts Regional Dance Development Initiative. He is also the Director of Beyond the Threshold Seattle International Dance Festival.

EVENING TRACK (Seattle-based artists)

Jurg Koch - Switzerland/USA (Seattle)

Born in Switzerland Jürg has been working internationally as a performer, choreographer and dance educator for the past twelve years. Working with Candoco integrating disabled and non-disabled performers and dancing in contemporary repertory including works by Bill T Jones, Javier de Frutos and Fin Walker informs Jürg’s artistic and pedagogic outlook.

In January 2004 he joined the faculty of the University of Washington as a lecturer and was appointed Assistant Professor, Summer 2008.

As a performer Koch has been a company member of Diversions Dance Company in Wales UK and CandoCo Dance Company, London. Since moving to Seattle Koch has regularly appeared as a guest artist for the Chamber Dance Company and in contemporary works by artists including Amy O’Neil, Mark Haim and others.

Koch’s choreographic work includes in house productions for the UW, Candoco and Diversions Dance Company in the UK as well as commissions for various dance companies and colleges. His choreography spans from solo repertoire (The Printer’s Tray) to community ensembles (the workshop) and collaborations with new media artists (David Prior, Iole Alessandrini, Lyn Goeringer). Jürg’s work has been included in the Northwest New Works Festival at On the Boards, June 2009 and The Bridge Project at Velocity, both in Seattle.

As an educator Jürg focuses on contemporary dance technique and composition. He has a specialized interest in Integrated Dance and creating access to course content for a diversity of students. Jürg Koch was co-organizer with AXIS Dance Company for the Physically Integrated Dance Summer Intensive August 2005. He teaches regularly as a guest for the akar-studio and Beweggrund in Bern, Switzerland.

Marlo Martin - USA (Seattle)

Marlo Martin has over 15 years of experience as an instructor of multiple disciplines including jazz, modern, tap, hip-hop, musical theatre and creative movement. Originally from Michigan, Marlo earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree from Western Michigan University (WMU). Marlo has been on faculty at numerous studios in Michigan and Washington as well as at WMU, where she served as the instructor for all university jazz classes. Marlo’s experiences as a choreographer and performer include musicals, studio works and concert dance. Marlo is an eclectic and daring choreographer. Her choreography has been selected three consecutive years for The Jazz Dance World Congress, an international showcase of jazz choreographers. Marlo (along side Jill Leversee) was selected as a choreographer for Velocity Dance Center’s The Bridge Project. Marlo presented her company oaklanDrive at takePAUSE, seasonal rep shows at Erickson Theatre and Velocity Main Space, High Wire Series at Seattle University and On the Boards for 12Minutes, among many others. Since moving to Seattle, Marlo has performed at Velocity’s Under Construction, danced as part of The Three Yells in Northwest New Works and Bumbershoot, and spent three years as a company member with Redd Legg Dance. Currently Marlo is a free lance choreographer, a board member of Redd Legg Dance, and producer of the BOOST dance festival.

Karin Stevens - USA (Seattle)

Karin Stevens began her training most notably with Pacific Northwest Ballet and The Seattle Children's Theater. Her artistic lens has been influenced by a diverse movement background and travel, including a theatrical performance gig as a youth in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and dancing in Spain as a young adult. While completing a B.A. in dance from the University of Washington, she was awarded a Mary Gates Endowment for Student Leadership Grant for her work with at-risk youth through dance. In 1999, Stevens began presenting her work and since has completed more than 40 dances. As Director of Dance at Dr Philips H. S., Orlando, FL, 2000 - 2003, she created many notable dances. She was awarded multiple invitations to present in various national and local dance festivals, including a request to teach and choreograph for The Orlando Ballet School.  In 2003, Stevens was awarded a full scholarship and teaching assistantship for the Mills College MFA Dance program. While dancing with the Mills Repertory Dance Company her performance in Molissa Fenley's, Water Courses, was recognized in the Voice of Dance online publication. Following graduation, Stevens formed Oakland Dance Encounter, collaborating with local composers and performing in many Bay Area venues. Stevens returned to Seattle in 2008 to form Karin Stevens Dance. By the fall of 2008, her company was established as the resident dance company of the Fremont Abbey Arts Center. Stevens has danced for VOCI Dance, Double Vision, Omega West, Push Up Something Hidden Dance, Westwick Dolder Dance Theater, Molissa Fenley and Dancers, Penny Hutchinson, and various Seattle, Los Angeles and Bay Area independent choreographers. In February 2009, she joined, master choreographer, Molissa Fenley, as an associate artist, at the Atlantic Center for the Arts.  Stevens is Dance Curator for the Fremont Abbey Arts Center.  ksd offers weekly modern dance classes at the Abbey.  Her company collaborates with many local artists, composers and musicians and presents two major concerts a year.

Julie Tobiason - USA (Seattle)

Julie Tobiason is from Lyndhurst, New Jersey. She began her studies at the Studio Workshop and continued her training on scholarship at the School of American Ballet, in New York. In 1983, Ms. Tobiason joined Chicago City Ballet, under the direction of Maria Tallchief and Paul Mejia, and in 1986 joined Pacific Northwest Ballet, under the direction of Francia Russell and Kent Stowell, where she was Principal Dancer from 1992 until her retirement from the Company in 2002. Ms. Tobiason's varied repertoire included the roles of Juliet, Swanhilda, and Cinderella, the ballets of Frederick Ashton and George Balanchine, and the modern and contemporary work of Paul Taylor and William Forsythe. She originated roles in works by Donald Byrd, Val Caniparoli, Mark Dendy, Nacho Duato, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Kent Stowell, and Maureen Whiting. Her film work includes Nutcracker the Movie and the role of Hermia in the BBC production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and she was a featured artist in the KCTS production of Inside Pacific Northwest Ballet. Ms. Tobiason is currently a faculty member at Pacific Northwest Ballet School and co-Artistic Director of Seattle Dance Project.