WMU News

Students, teachers, to step into Summer Dance Institute

May 1, 2000

KALAMAZOO -- A summer institute will bring dance students and teachers into Western Michigan University dance studios for a week's worth of intensive training with WMU dance faculty and a guest artist.

Sponsored by the Department of Dance, the Summer Dance Institute will take place July 9-14 in state-of-the-art studios and facilities in the Dorothy U. Dalton Center. Faculty for the institute will consist of teaching members of the Department of Dance and guest artist Derrick Alfonso Evans.

Evans has performed with the Joel Hall Dancers, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago and Michael Jackson and has choreographed and taught throughout the United States, Europe and the Caribbean. He currently teaches at the Broadway Dance Center in New York.

Department of Dance professors participating in the institute include Jane Baas, David Curwen, Sharon Garber, Nina Nelson and Lindsey Thomas.

Baas, chairperson of the Department of Dance, specializes in dance science and conditioning. She also choreographs and teaches modern dance. Curwen teaches ballet technique, men's class, partnering and choreography, while Garber teaches all levels of ballet and pointe technique, as well as ballet history and pedagogy.

Nelson teaches modern technique, choreography, Bartenieff Fundamentals, and Laban Movement Analysis. Thomas teaches jazz dance technique and serves as the dance representative to the Music Theatre Bachelor of Fine Arts Program at WMU.

Lyle Juracek also will join the institute. He has served as dance musician/adjunct assistant professor at the University of Iowa since 1994 and was music director for the WMU Department of Dance from 1991-94.

A placement class will be held on Sunday, July 9. Daily technique classes in ballet, jazz and modern dance will begin the following day. Participants will take a daily class in all three techniques. Ballet, modern and most jazz classes will feature live accompaniment.

Studios have sprung floors and state-of-the-art sound equipment. In addition, presentations will be given on health and fitness, conditioning for dancers, nutrition and injury treatment and prevention. Workshops on production, improvisation, costuming and music for dancers also will be presented.

Guest presenters will include professionals in the fields of nutrition, psychology, podiatry, chiropractic, massage therapy and costume design. Special sessions for studio teachers on pedagogy, dance management and Pilates-based Reformer techniques also will be offered. Special evening activities are planned for all participants. A closing banquet will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 14. Guests may also attend the banquet.

On-campus housing and meals are available in residence halls. Blocks of rooms also are being held in two Kalamazoo hotels and will be available at a discounted rate for participants. All out-of-town participants, ages 13-17, must stay on campus unless accompanied by a parent of guardian. Teachers bringing five or more students pay only half the teacher's tuition.

WMU will offer one undergraduate credit and one graduate credit for attending the institute. High school seniors are eligible to apply for the undergraduate credit. Teachers may apply for either the undergraduate or graduate credit.

Cost of the institute is $300 before June 1 or $350 after that with a final registration deadline of June 15.

For registration materials, call the WMU Office of Conferences and Seminars at 616 387-4174. For more information, call the Department of Dance at 616 387-5830.

Media contact: Mark Schwerin, 616 387-8400, mark.schwerin@wmich.edu


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