MAD Weekend hosts a variety of events, such as movement masterclasses, workshops, and panels.
Classes are $3 each for students with a Naz ID and $5 for the public, CASH ONLY. Admission is paid at the door. Classes are FIRST COME FIRST SERVE and spots are limited.
Nazareth University is featuring Kyle Abraham's Company A.I.M in a performance on Friday, January 24, at 7:30PM in Callahan Theatre. Go to the box office page to order tickets to the show now.
A.I.M company members will also be holding a workshop/movement class during MAD Weekend open to students and community members. Look at the schedule below to see the when and where this takes place.
Schedule:
10:30 am - 11:45 am
Floorwork For The Vertical Dancer - Catherine Messina, Location: George 154
With the growing need in the professional world, this floorwork class is designed for the vertical dancer - someone who has been in movement for much of their lives, but has limited experience getting in and out of the floor safely. The class will begin with a warm-up in a circle, finding the energetic transfer from one body to the other while the grounding of your full feet on the floor. It then move into a fluid center floor phrase to warm up the spine and increase hip mobility. We move across the floor with floorwork multivitamins, looking at commonly seen body patterning that will be asked of you in a professional space. All of this accumulates in a phrase to ignite our body with our learning brain.
12:00 pm - 1:15 pm
Advanced Pre-Professional Ballet - Aldo Katton, Location: George 102
This class applies the principles of Cuban classical dance technique with a special
emphasis in dynamics and musicality adding elements from other dance techniques. The barre focuses on establishing and consolidating precise movement, mechanics for jumping and turning, while building endurance and developing full body coordination. Center work pushes the dancer to transfer their weight quickly, move across the space with freedom and develop moments of personal artistry. Aldo's approach to technique is a body positive focus on movement concepts that are available to all body types, while creating a safe space for students to explore trial and error.
The Naftali Method; Speed - Brianna Lopez, Location: George 154
We will focus on generating speed with minimal effort. While speed typically involves muscle engagement, our goal is to reduce this reaction, allowing for greater velocity in movement. We will develop efficiency by exploring techniques to enhance speed without excess tension.
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Access and Criptime in an Anti-Capitalist Dance World - April Biggs
This panel gathers several disabled dancers from the field to discuss how access and "crip-time" are necessary for all to create a healthier landscape in the dance ecosystem. Oftentimes, especially in academia, access needs are labeled "accommodations" - which infers that the non-disabled get to decide "if" a particular access need will be given. As disabled artists who have built our own cultural practices in community together and then brought those practices to mixed spaces with non-disabled folks, we feel it is important to keep gathering and having dialogues about between disabled and non-disabled dancers to bring more awareness and understanding to the premise that everyone has access needs, and attempts must be met to meet all.
Panel Audience: Teachers, Dancers, All
1:30 pm - 2:45 pm
Leaps and Turns - DoubleTake Dance, Location: George 154
Class starts with a full 40-45 min warmup that focuses on technique, strength and flexibility. Following warmup we will focus on across the floor and center exercises working technique and progressions that lead up to advanced elements. Open to all levels
2:30 pm - 4:15 pm
Immersive Theatre - Cat Olson, Location: Callahan Theater
This class will explore the immersive theater medium both from the aspect of a creator and a performer. We will focus on archetypal character development and narrative through the lens of immersive, interactive, site-specific, and promenade theater. This is a call for choreographers/directors and performers as we will spend the class developing an immersive scene to be performed later on Saturday in Callahan Theater from 6:00 - 7:00 pm in an informal showing open to the public.
3:00 pm - 4:15 pm
Intermediate Pre-Professional Ballet - Aldo Katton, Location: George 102
This class applies the principles of Cuban classical dance technique with a special emphasis in dynamics and musicality adding elements from other dance techniques. The barre focuses on establishing and consolidating precise movement, mechanics for jumping and turning, while building endurance and developing full body coordination. Center work pushes the dancer to transfer their weight quickly, move across the space with freedom and develop moments of personal artistry. Aldo's approach to technique is a body positive focus on movement concepts that are available to all body types, while creating a safe space for students to explore trial and error.
4:30 pm - 5:45 pm
Practices For Deepening The Presence Of You - April Biggs, Location: Callahan Theater
This class uses various improvisational techniques to deepen a student's abilities to conjure, bring forth, and materialize a more full expression of their uniqueness within group improvisation. This class borrows from many different improvisational techniques and philosophies (authentic movement, Viewpoints, contact improv, contemporary improvisational performance, among others), focusing specifically on the transition from solo improv to group improv. There is a liminal space in this transition wherein artists can struggle to maintain that same sense of magical authentic expression that can be found in solo improvisation. A class like this also contributes to many others forms of dancing and performing in which a strong connection to self must be maintained. Immediately proceeding this class is an informal showing in Callahan Theater from 6:00PM - 7:00PM.
Class Level: Intermediate to Advanced
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Come attend this informal showing in Callahan Theater. April Biggs' class Practices For Deepening The Presence Of You and Cat Olson's Immersive Theater class will showcase the creative products of attending the classes during this time. Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend this informal showing free of charge. For artists interested in participating in the showing, you must be signed up for/attend at least one of the classes.
