FALL 2016

12 Week Dedication to Dance Course

A modern dance course for your development in technique, form, knowledge, love, courage, confidence and community.

Mondays, 4:30-6pm, Community Dance Collective, 2020B 21st St, Boulder, CO 80302

September 19 - December 12, no class October 31
*This program requires the full 12 week commitment and is limited to 12 people. Longer-term commitment and small classes increase the benefits of the course and boost the classroom experience.*

Program Features:

• 12 Classes over 13 weeks
• 6 classes, one week break, 6 classes
• 1 Private lesson
• A one-hour private lesson with me at any time during the course.
• Consultation
• One half-hour phone or in-person meeting to discuss obstacles, fears, questions, visions, or whatever other dance-related things you want to talk about!
• Performance opportunity
• We will have at least one performance opportunity for those who want to perform. Details will be decided by the group.

COURSE BENEFITS AND OBJECTIVES:
This course is designed to benefit your body, mind, heart, and spirit.

Here are some of the specific objectives I've designed, based on almost 10 years of teaching modern dance in community classes, workshops, and college courses:

• Develop integrated body awareness and increased well-being
• Learn & practice dance fundamentals including principles of alignment, breath, coordination, rhythm, & musicality to facilitate healthy & efficient movement
• Heighten understanding & experience of energy & confidence
• Improve strength, muscle control, ease of movement, & flexibility
• Practice assimilating choreography
• Learn & implement performance skills such as presence & focus
• Foster personal movement styles & authentic expression
• Build collaboration skills
• Create connection & community through shared experience, reflection, & mutual support
• Create a classroom environment of safety, respect, trust, & concern
• Discover implications of the course material for understanding yourself
• Move playfully, expressively, creatively, & have fun!

In Dance lingo, we’ll explore:

Breath · Weight · Space · Energy · Time · Rhythm · Improvisation · Choreography · Focus · Initiation of movement · Musculoskeletal anatomy · Floor work · Alignment · Attention to details · Community · Expression

Music:
Most classes use recorded world music with different rhythms, moods, and tempos to inspire us.

Live music with some of my beloved collaborators is available!

You have the option to fund live music for one class by investing an extra $50 when you enroll for the course. Live music promotes a delicious spontaneity of interplay between music and dance; it adds a dynamic element to the classroom by engaging the musician's creativity in the moment, while we are in our dance. Dancing to live music in the classroom is a gift.

Investment

Early Bird:
$298 per person
$348 with live music sponsorship
*Register and Pay by 11:59pm on Thursday, August 25

Regular:
$323 per person
$373 with live music sponsorship

Email or Call me to register: Maren @ moving joy studios . com or 607-227-7422

Your spot is confirmed after I receive payment. Pay here via paypal. If you prefer to send a check, let me know and I'll email you the address.

I also have a scholarship fund to support eager young dancers who may not have access to funds to support their dance dreams. If you would like to increase your class investment and contribute to the scholarship fund, you can scroll to the bottom of my purchases page and pay a custom amount. Thank you for your generosity!

STUDENT REFLECTIONS

“I have noticed a greater sense of feeling certain of myself, of how I want to move, and comfortable to express physically in other areas of dance.”

“Modern dance has been all these things to me: being embodied, aware of myself, my connection to the space I’m in and with those around me, and present while allowing organic and creative expression to flow forth."

“As time went on I started to break free of my fears of being judged.”

“To me, modern dance is about freedom.”

“This modern class was exactly what I needed in my life right now. I needed the environment to be creative and free as well as training and focusing on technique. This class has made me feel refreshed and rejuvenated from my long work weeks and unadventurous days. I cannot even explain how different my outlook on life is, my body feels healthier, my mind is more free but also thinking much more, and I feel like myself here in Colorado finally!”

“This experience has even affected me out of class.... I hold myself differently when I walk; I feel like I’ve developed more technique for the simplest things like walking. I feel physically stronger, more motivated, and way less lazy. I have days where I just lay in bed, morning until night, and don’t move a muscle. Now I’m beginning to despise these days. I need to exercise my muscles every day to show them how much I love and appreciated them for supporting me while I dance!”

POLICIES AND GUIDES

Diversity and Openness Policy:
This course is open to all levels of dancer, all cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, and gender expressions. This is primarily an adult-oriented space, so is open to those 15 and up. If you are a mature young one and want to join us, email me with your inquiry. Elders with strong body awareness and ability to take care of their bodies in an active classroom are welcome!

Decision Making Guide
This class is FOR you if:

• All of what you read so far creates a resounding "YES!" inside your bones and blood.
• You’re looking for a focused, experienced teaching style that layers learning to support growth for students of all levels.
• You’re ready to commit to yourself and dedicate 1.5 hours a week for 12 weeks to training in form.
• You’ve had some training in other sytles of dance, yoga, or martial arts, but have never tried modern.
• You’ve never taken a dance class in your life but want to try something new.
• Part of you is terrified of dancing, but something inside of you is pulling you to do this and you don’t know why.
• You want to study in a small group where you still receive individual attention in the classroom.
• You want to love your body more.
• You’re willing to take risks and move outside your comfort zone.
• You’re primarily an improvisational dancer, but you're looking to broaden your dancing with new skills.

This class is NOT for you if:

• You’re an advanced dancer and will be impatient with re-visiting the basics.
• You really just want to improvise and following someone else’s choreography makes you crazy.
• You only want to come to class occasionally – this is not a drop in class.
• You have new or significant injuries that you are still learning how to manage and would need a lot of attention to navigate. If you are in this situation and still want to dance, consider private lessons.

Refund Policy:
If you attend the first 6 classes for the entire class period, participate fully with an open mind and spirit, and engage with all the suggested reading and writing offerings, yet are unsatisfied with the course, I will refund 100% of your money.

Thank you!

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Swing Dance Classes

Much more than the steps, the benefits of social dance include coordination, communication, stress relief, musical expression, creativity, meeting new people, and having fun!

All classes are small and balance group instruction with individual attention.

Swing Dance I

We're on a break for summer classes. Private lessons are available! Private lessons are a fantastic way to progress quickly, prevent and refine bad habits, and refresh before joining a more advanced class. 

Stay tuned for fall 2016 schedule.

For private lesson: maren (at) movingjoystudios (dot) com or 607-227-7422 

Private Lessons available in:

Modern/Contemporary Dance
Swing Dance
Salsa Dance
Basic Rumba, Foxtrot, Waltz, Country Two-Step, Night Club Two Step
Stretching
Self-Care/Stress Management
Wedding Couples

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS 

Swing Dance I introduces you to the basic step, rhythms, posture, and partnering techniques for East Coast Swing/Jitterbug - a high energy, playful dance! We also practice how to hear the music, drawing on music from both the Swing Era and contemporary swing bands. After this class, you will be able to hold your own at any swing dance nation wide! Designed for the Absolute Beginner. No partner or experience needed.

Swing Dance II takes your dancing a step up and builds on the basic steps and skills learned in Level I. We continue to practice the foundation while building musicality, practicing improvisation, and of course learning more moves. A solid comfort with the basic East Coast Swing single step is recommended to succeed in Level II.

$55/person; $98/couple
*an additional $55 provides one month of classes for a student who cannot afford class. Choose the sponsor option if you'd like to give the gift of dance to an eager youth. Read more about our scholarship fund.


CHOREOGRAPHY

Maren’s choreography has been performed on stages including University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder Public Library, Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) & Loop Dance Festival (Kent, England), as part of community events including Rochester’s ArtWalk (Rochester, NY) and Art in the Heart (Ithaca, NY). She has collaborated with chamber musicians, visual artists, scientists, and musicians.

Maren is accepting new commissions for choreography.  If you have ideas for collaboration that are not listed below, please contact Maren with your ideas!

Areas of interest for collaboration:

• Sustainability & Conservation: Initiatives, Special events, Conferences - Art for Social Change
• Community: City Initiatives, Diversity events, Chamber of Commerce Banquets
• Science: Physics, Biology, Psychology, Social Sciences
• Music: Chamber Ensembles, Soloists
• Food: Farmers’ Ball, Farmer’s Markets celebrations or special events, Restaurant Grand Openings
• Visual Arts: Sculpting, Photography