Workshop & Tutor Info
Master Class & Forum
Michael Parmenter
Workshop Info:
Life Between Us – strategies for relational movement
Maintaining an active dance life into the mature years rests for me on three key principles derived from the knowledge of How Life Learns: relational movement, new grammars and personal practice.
In the European tradition of individual subjectivity, we tend to focus on the movement of personal identity and creative expression, often removed from any environmental context. I prefer to think of self-recreation in terms of the demands of a constantly restless and challenging world. I maintain that the fundamental tenant that as living beings we learn through our relationships with others and with the world – most evident in infancy and our earlier years – is no less imperative in our advanced decades. I focus on relational movement and the challenge of new movement grammars as a practice to keep my body moving and my mind dancing.
In Life Between Us – strategies for relational movement, I will share three approaches to movement exploration – Piloting, TACTICS and Balfolk – that I explore with others of all ages as a means of perpetual renaissance of mind and body.
Tutor Info:
My dance life began with my exploration of the world. At primary school I loved the challenge of the school jungle gym: the precarity, the danger and the sense of achievement when I mastered it’s demands. At intermediate school I became a gymnast, but only after an inauspicious exit from university did I discover modern dance and fell under the influence of the fabulous Shona Dunlop MacTavish.
From Erick Hawkins, who was in his late 70’s when I danced with him in his company, I learned how life moves, with grace, strength and ease. From Min Tanaka, who continues to explore the threshold of dance and the world in his 8th decade, I learned that nature is sometimes violent, ugly and disconnected, and from Renaud Barbaras, my ‘prof de philo’ at the Sorbonne, I learned that we are creative moving beings because we are called into
existence by a world that is ceaselessly ‘innovant et exigeant’ (innovative and demanding).
My latest major choreographic work was OrphEus – a dance opera, created in 2018 for The New Zealand Dance Company. I am currently in rehearsal for Lucy Marinkovich’s production Strasbourg 1518 for the 2020 New Zealand Festival. I regularly dance tango, swing, and Balfolk.
Somatics
Julia McKerrow
Workshop info:
Julia has recently developed a Somatic Movement class for dancers and is currently teaching classes through Movement Art Practice, Hagley Dance Company, Anneliese Gilberd Academy and workshops for St Margaret’s College Performing Arts Department.
Julia offers material which will challenge and expand individual movement ranges by facilitating an experiential learning practice for artists. She is committed to investing in the growth of local dance students and artists in their professional development and continued movement practice.
Tutor Info:
Julia Mckerrow is a Christchurch based Contemporary Dance Artist and Movement Tutor. She is a graduate of the Unitec School of Performing and Screen Arts and a recipient of The New Zealand Tup Lang Choreographic Scholarship.
Julia has danced and choreographed for New Zealand’s leading dance festivals including The Christchurch and Otago Arts Festivals, The Body, Wellington Fringe and Tempo.
Julia has been fortunate to have worked with Christchurch Choreographer Fleur de Thier over the last 20 years whilst working for Footnote Dance Company, Michael Parmenter, Body Cartography, Southern Lights Dance Co, Rebound Dance Co, The Unity Creative, Jolt Integrative Dance and Epic Entertainment.
Julia investigates her Somatic Movement and choreographic interests through the Somatic Movement Centre and Movement Art Practice. She invests in the local dance community through her teaching work with Hagley Dance Company, Anneliese Gilberd Academy, St Margaret’s College and Cashmere High School. In 2019 she presented her new work ‘She is called Virago’ at the Inaugural Ōtautahi Tiny Performance Festival for MAP and is planning a return season for Little Andromeda in April.
Salsa
Donna Frost and Daniel from Latin Fire
Workshop info:
Latin Fire will be teaching a 1 hour salsa workshop. It is a fun, easy to learn dance and a great way to express yourself in dance and movement. All skill levels welcome.
Tutor Info:
The Latin Fire studio has been spreading the love of salsa for 20 years. They have a real passion for teaching people to dance, help give them confidence in movement and if they want to to excel help them to get to their fullest potential. Their teaching team help you have fun, while learning a great skill and helping to get fit along the way.
We look forward to seeing you all at the workshop.
Site Specific
Jamie Bull: Independent Manager, Choreographer, Director and Producer
Workshop info:
Jamie will develop a site specific piece over 2 sessions somewhere around St Margarets College. Preference will be given to less experienced movers. It is currently planned that the piece will include live music.
Tutor Info:
Jamie has had over 40 years performance and training experience. She is an experienced choreographer, director, group facilitator, therapist, performance and creativity motivator, arts manager and mentor, and she has worked in education, in health, and in commercial and non-commercial theatre and performance.
Former Founding Director of Impulse Dance Theatre, Jamie has choreographed for most Professional Dance Companies in New Zealand in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, and her own Company. She has maintained an active involvement in theatre –including choreographing and directing.
In theatre Jamie has worked on projects within many of the main Professional theatres/ companies including Downstage, Bats, Circa, the Court Theatre, and Centrepoint.
In community theatre she has presented many professional performances with untrained performers, including the full length works Back Beach Time, and Blanket Coverage which were recreated in many communities throughout N.Z.
Jamie has long been an advocate for access to artistic practice and creativity for all members of our community and has contributed in this field for all her professional life. She has a strong Bi Cultural commitment and understanding.
The main thread of her recent professional portfolio, has been in putting her experience and expertise into mentoring in the arts, supporting a select group of performing artists.
Contemporary Dance
Jan Bolwell
Workshop Info:
Jan Bolwell will teach a two-hour workshop which is open to all participants regardless of their dance experience. Jan will model the session on how she works with her group, Crows Feet Dance Collective.
The workshop will be divided into four sections. (1) Floor and standing/travelling warm up. (2) Learning a piece of Crows Feet repertoire (3) Improvisation leading to the creation of short dance pieces. (4) Sharing and discussing the work created.
Tutor Info:
Jan is a performer, choreographer and director of Wellington’s popular 45-strong dance company for mature women, Crows Feet Dance Collective. She has created more than 25 works for Crows Feet over 20 years. The Collective has performed at events all around the country. Their latest production The Witch Project was staged in 2019 at Te Papa, the Globe Theatre, Palmerston North and Nga Purapura in Otaki. As a Fulbright scholar Jan studied cross-cultural dance in the States, and this led to three seminal bicultural dance theatre works, Wahine Toa, Takitoru and Sing Whale! He Apakura Tohora that she co-created in the 1990s with Keri Kaa and Sunny Amey. Takitoru won a Chapman Tripp Theatre Award in 1995.
After experiencing breast cancer in 1998, Jan began writing plays. Her solo play Here’s Hilda was nominated for a Chapman Tripp Theatre Award in 2006. In March 2018 at the Dunedin Fringe Festival Jan premiered Once Upon a Dance co-written with Mona Williams, a Guianese professional storyteller and dancer. In August 2019 Jan presented her popular solo play about her grandfather in WW1, Bill Massey’s Tourists as part of Tahi, the inaugural Festival of Solo Performance at BATS. In November 2019 Jan premiered her latest play, Welcome to the Death Cafe at BATS theatre, Wellington.
Lyrical Contemporary
Jennifer De Leon
Workshop Info:
As dancer-choreographer whose manner of dance has developed over 55 years the present style is lyrical, strong with an emphasis on fluidity, line and grace. My class begins with grounding and lengthening: earth to sky, and with ‘walking lightly upon the earth’. Folding and unfolding and deep stretching
follows. The movement evolves into a combination that can be danced alone or in partnership with another. I am also a dancer with a reconstructed knee, 2 hip replacements and a spinal injury so the movement strongly emphasizes core strength, postural accuracy, energy economy, presence and mindfulness. The work is distinctly about core power and healing power.
Tutor Info:
Jennifer De Leon, dancer-choreographer, Director of Poyema Dance; also a registered Psychotherapist, a practitioner of Bikram yoga, and holds a Masters’
degree with first class honours in Health Science. She is the mother of two young 20’s children. Jennifer trained in classical ballet at the NZ School of Dance, then in London and for 10 years trained and worked with Mr Bill Evans of the Bill Evans Dance Company in USA.
Presently Jennifer is freelance artist, performer, choreographer, teacher and writer. Her focus is to share / communicate discipline, ecstasy, prayer, sweat and joy.
Hip Hop
Lisa Wilkinson - Ngai Tahu / Ngati Pakeha
Workshop Info:
My class will be inclusive and fun with an old school vibe. We will do some hip hop progressions and a fun set - suitable for those new to hip hop as well as anyone wanting to have a dance-off with me. Basically, it will be a hip hop dance party. See you there.
Tutor Info:
Kia ora I have been teaching hip hop for 30 years now and still loving it albeit needing to adapt to the changes in the body over time. I have seen hip hop move and develop into what it is today and I love the creativity coming out of the young hip hop champions in the world.
I started teaching dance in ChCh at Dance Corporate which was the best studio to ever exist in my opinion. Inclusive and diverse and where my love for dance was encouraged by fantastic people - Barbara Franks, Ginny Ayson, Sheryl Robinson, Fleur de Thier, Andrew Shepard X
I moved to Dunedin when I was 24 and completed a Bachelor or Performing Arts and a Bachelor of Education and then started my own school - RASA School of Dance, modelled on my love of Dance Corporate and my dance whanau in ChCh. At RASA I teach hip Hop, contemporary, bollywood and jazz. I have over 600 students who keep me very busy and I feel lucky to have made a career in dance.
At RASA my favourite class is the over 60s class called Rhythm of Life as these students are so appreciative and aware of what dance can offer in terms of wellness of body, mind and spirit.
Mature Movement
Marlene Le Cren
Workshop Info:
The class I am offering at Seasoned is for the trained or non trained dancer over 65 who is willing to take some risks with their body in a safe and new way, with a fun approach to movement. There will be no technique but there will be some sequence work with choreography towards a routine. It may be comedic or serious but we will definitely have a smile on our faces.
Tutor Info:
It has been over 70 years since I took my first dance class and there hasn’t been a time mylife when I haven’t been involved in the dance world in some way.
I was trained in ballet, tap and highland and was part of the competition circuit as a young dancer, then in musical theatre and teaching. I developed the Performing Arts Department at Linwood High School and helped formed The eXceL Dance Company, The Rebound Dance Company and in 2014 The Zimmers Dance Company.
All of these projects have been immensely rewarding but it is working with the mature dancer that has given me the most enjoyment and fun. I teach in a retirement village and also choreograph and rehearse The Zimmers Dance Company for their performances.
Tap
Molly Chapman
Workshop Info:
Tap Class – (although intricate tap is hard to teach in a class situation) this 60 min class will suit beginners and dancers who have learnt other forms of dance. I will be teaching some, basic tap steps and will teach a small routine and the object is to have fun, you are never too late to learn to tap dance. We will do old style tap and maybe introduce some props like a cane, have you ever wanted to dance like Fred and Ginger, this will be your opportunity.
Tutor Info:
I have been teaching tap since the age of 13 which is a long time. I have such a passion for tap dance and love sharing it with predominantly older women, aged from 38 to 77. I created Molls Dolls, about 6 years ago and we have grown from 6 to 36, mostly ex tappers, but also beginners. I love watching the new dancers evolve into dancers with style and flare. The girls that have tapped before love being able to take up their passion again, this gives me so much pleasure. I do teach private lessons to younger children as well, but the oldies are what I enjoy.
Molls Dolls have such a lot of fun performing, at competitions, masters games, (winning several Gold Medals as well as other medals), and concerts, in October this year we will be competing in the Showcase Cruise, dancing around the pacific, which is very exciting. Molls Dolls, don’t sweat they Sparkle and have a wonderful time doing it.
Ballet
Sean James
Workshop Info:
This class is for those with ballet experience at an intermediate to professional level, with a short barre to get going, and plenty of centre work including turns and jumps. Challenge the brain and body through the strength, grace and artistry of classical ballet.
Developpé over 90 degrees not required - love of dance essential.
Tutor Info:
Sean started ballet training at the age of 8, and spent several years as the only male ballet dancer on the West Coast before graduating from the NZSD in 1988. He went on to dance with the RNZB & Southern Ballet, toured with the musicals 'Chess' and 'Cats', and taught and
choreographed alongside building up a repertoire of technical skills in lighting, sound, video and photography.
A current member of Rebound Dance Company, Sean also teaches ballet and contemporary dance at several Christchurch dance schools, and occasionally ends up on stage with his students in Ballet character roles. In his technical roles, he has worked with Raewyn Hill, Michael Parmenter, Fleur de Thier, Julia Sadler, the World Buskers Festival, Jennie Gillies Colourful Company, and many other local and touring productions.
In 43 years of dancing, he has never dropped a partner.
Panel Discussion
Susan Jordan
Susan Jordan has worked as a dance professional in many capacities over the past five decades – as performer, choreographer, academic, teacher, writer and arts manager.
With Jordan & Present Co she choreographed 12 major works funded by Creative NZ and many commissions 1982 - 2000. She founded Dance Studies at University of Auckland in 1996 with both MA and under-grad programmes. In 2005 she established the DANZ Tamaki office and was Regional Manager for 10 years.
She co-founded Dance Mobility 2011, rebranded as SeniorsDANCE in 2016, to address the needs of the aging population. Jordan has also established a community performing group called the SeniorsDANCE Company and is Artistic Director, Choreographer and Producer for this group. Jordan has an MA in dance from American University DC and is an elder of the New Zealand dance community with a passion for creative ageing.
Advanced Contemporary
Fleur de Their
Workshop Info:
Contemporary dance choreographic exploration. The 2 sessions in this will be for the dancers with some experience. You will learn material and be guided through choreographic tasks to generate movement that will then be structured into an informal performance for the Sunday evening showcase. This will be a creative and fun workshop. It will involve some improvisation and may include some moving in and out of the floor.
Tutor Info:
Fleur has been working professionally in the dance industry for the last 29 years. She trained for three years full time at Auckland Performing Arts School (now Unitec) graduating in 1991. Fleur worked as a freelance dancer in Auckland before returning to base herself in Christchurch in 1993.
Fleur is an established New Zealand choreographer and has had works featured nationally in Arts Festivals throughout the last decade. Fleur is known for her diversity and connections with many different companies including Jolt Dance Theatre, Rebound, Southern Lights Dance Company ,Unitec ,Footnote and Hagley Dance Company.
Fleur has most recently been exploring collaborations with visual artists presenting works with sculptor Robyn Webster and Puppet Maker Simon van den Sluijs.
Feldenkrais
Serena Gallagher
Workshop Info:
The Feldenkrais Method is named after its originator, Moshe Feldenkrais (1904-1984). It is a form of somatic education that uses gentle movement and directed attention to improve the way you move. It allows your nervous system to reprogram inefficient movement habits and introduce new choices. This creates the potential for more ease, vitality and grace in everyday life. This lesson will include lying sequences, where the theme ‘less is more’ will be explored. Open to all abilities.
Tutor Info:
Serena graduated from the Feldenkrais Professional Teacher Training in Auckland (2002) after her interest was sparked in the method when studying her BA in Dance at WAAPA, Perth.
She has tutored students from the Unitec Dance programme as part of their Somatics training, before her move to Christchurch 12 years ago. She now runs her own massage clinic having completed a Diploma in Therapeutic Massage (1996). Serena also currently teaches a variety of massage courses for Holistic Health Training Ltd.
She has been a member of Rebound Dance Company since 2012 and loves performing many dance genres. Using the Feldenkrais method has been an absolute life saver in finding ease and comfort in movement in a physically demanding choice of lifestyle!
Belly Dance
Tracey Saunders
Workshop Info:
We will be focusing on Tribal Style Belly Dance which is a modern improvisational form of belly dance with an emphasis on dancing together as a group. Tribal has a powerful, grounded and earthy aesthetic in both its movement vocabulary and adornments. Suitable for all ages and abilities.
Tutor Info:
Tracey is the director of Christchurch’s premier belly dance troupe Firefly Belly Dance who are well known for their innovative & creative approach to belly dance. Tracey has performed belly dance everywhere from Las Vegas to Blackball & regularly trains internationally, she is also a recent graduate of Hagley Dance Company.
Tracey is an advocate for the joy & satisfaction that dance and movement can add to peoples' lives and believes that dance is for everyone.
Tai Chi
Steve Schapel
Workshop Info:
Tai Chi is a slow, gentle form of choreographed exercise, which is known for its many health benefits. It is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Participants in this class will learn about some of the principles of Tai Chi, its purpose, and how it differs from other forms of movement.
The bulk of the time will be devoted to learning and practising some Qigong exercises, and a selection of the moves from our Tai Chi set.
Tutor Info:
After working for many years in counselling and social work, Steve decided to follow his love of computers, and for the last 20 years has been self-employed developing software.
Along the way, he was attracted by a Tai Chi demonstration at a fair. With a few health worries at the time, he decided to give it a try – and instantly fell in love with a practice that is challenging while at the same time non-competitive.
He trained as an instructor, and was accredited in 2010. And he has been teaching Tai Chi, in a voluntary capacity, at least one class per week, ever since. He has experienced many benefits himself, and witnessed many others who have gained greatly from the practice of Tai Chi, fueling his enthusiasm for teaching.
Since moving to Christchurch last year, with his wife (also a Tai Chi student) and daughter, Steve has affiliated with the Tai Chi Internal Arts society, under the mentorship of Banyin Lee in Western Australia. Currently he is presenting two classes per week in Woolson.
Panel Discussion – Longevity in Dance
Moderator Jan Bolwell
Guests
Jamie Bull Wellington
Fleur de Thier Christchurch
Michael Parmenter Auckland
David McMicken Australia
Susan Jordan Auckland
Michael Parmenter
Workshop Info:
Life Between Us – strategies for relational movement
Maintaining an active dance life into the mature years rests for me on three key principles derived from the knowledge of How Life Learns: relational movement, new grammars and personal practice.
In the European tradition of individual subjectivity, we tend to focus on the movement of personal identity and creative expression, often removed from any environmental context. I prefer to think of self-recreation in terms of the demands of a constantly restless and challenging world. I maintain that the fundamental tenant that as living beings we learn through our relationships with others and with the world – most evident in infancy and our earlier years – is no less imperative in our advanced decades. I focus on relational movement and the challenge of new movement grammars as a practice to keep my body moving and my mind dancing.
In Life Between Us – strategies for relational movement, I will share three approaches to movement exploration – Piloting, TACTICS and Balfolk – that I explore with others of all ages as a means of perpetual renaissance of mind and body.
Tutor Info:
My dance life began with my exploration of the world. At primary school I loved the challenge of the school jungle gym: the precarity, the danger and the sense of achievement when I mastered it’s demands. At intermediate school I became a gymnast, but only after an inauspicious exit from university did I discover modern dance and fell under the influence of the fabulous Shona Dunlop MacTavish.
From Erick Hawkins, who was in his late 70’s when I danced with him in his company, I learned how life moves, with grace, strength and ease. From Min Tanaka, who continues to explore the threshold of dance and the world in his 8th decade, I learned that nature is sometimes violent, ugly and disconnected, and from Renaud Barbaras, my ‘prof de philo’ at the Sorbonne, I learned that we are creative moving beings because we are called into
existence by a world that is ceaselessly ‘innovant et exigeant’ (innovative and demanding).
My latest major choreographic work was OrphEus – a dance opera, created in 2018 for The New Zealand Dance Company. I am currently in rehearsal for Lucy Marinkovich’s production Strasbourg 1518 for the 2020 New Zealand Festival. I regularly dance tango, swing, and Balfolk.
Somatics
Julia McKerrow
Workshop info:
Julia has recently developed a Somatic Movement class for dancers and is currently teaching classes through Movement Art Practice, Hagley Dance Company, Anneliese Gilberd Academy and workshops for St Margaret’s College Performing Arts Department.
Julia offers material which will challenge and expand individual movement ranges by facilitating an experiential learning practice for artists. She is committed to investing in the growth of local dance students and artists in their professional development and continued movement practice.
Tutor Info:
Julia Mckerrow is a Christchurch based Contemporary Dance Artist and Movement Tutor. She is a graduate of the Unitec School of Performing and Screen Arts and a recipient of The New Zealand Tup Lang Choreographic Scholarship.
Julia has danced and choreographed for New Zealand’s leading dance festivals including The Christchurch and Otago Arts Festivals, The Body, Wellington Fringe and Tempo.
Julia has been fortunate to have worked with Christchurch Choreographer Fleur de Thier over the last 20 years whilst working for Footnote Dance Company, Michael Parmenter, Body Cartography, Southern Lights Dance Co, Rebound Dance Co, The Unity Creative, Jolt Integrative Dance and Epic Entertainment.
Julia investigates her Somatic Movement and choreographic interests through the Somatic Movement Centre and Movement Art Practice. She invests in the local dance community through her teaching work with Hagley Dance Company, Anneliese Gilberd Academy, St Margaret’s College and Cashmere High School. In 2019 she presented her new work ‘She is called Virago’ at the Inaugural Ōtautahi Tiny Performance Festival for MAP and is planning a return season for Little Andromeda in April.
Salsa
Donna Frost and Daniel from Latin Fire
Workshop info:
Latin Fire will be teaching a 1 hour salsa workshop. It is a fun, easy to learn dance and a great way to express yourself in dance and movement. All skill levels welcome.
Tutor Info:
The Latin Fire studio has been spreading the love of salsa for 20 years. They have a real passion for teaching people to dance, help give them confidence in movement and if they want to to excel help them to get to their fullest potential. Their teaching team help you have fun, while learning a great skill and helping to get fit along the way.
We look forward to seeing you all at the workshop.
Site Specific
Jamie Bull: Independent Manager, Choreographer, Director and Producer
Workshop info:
Jamie will develop a site specific piece over 2 sessions somewhere around St Margarets College. Preference will be given to less experienced movers. It is currently planned that the piece will include live music.
Tutor Info:
Jamie has had over 40 years performance and training experience. She is an experienced choreographer, director, group facilitator, therapist, performance and creativity motivator, arts manager and mentor, and she has worked in education, in health, and in commercial and non-commercial theatre and performance.
Former Founding Director of Impulse Dance Theatre, Jamie has choreographed for most Professional Dance Companies in New Zealand in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, and her own Company. She has maintained an active involvement in theatre –including choreographing and directing.
In theatre Jamie has worked on projects within many of the main Professional theatres/ companies including Downstage, Bats, Circa, the Court Theatre, and Centrepoint.
In community theatre she has presented many professional performances with untrained performers, including the full length works Back Beach Time, and Blanket Coverage which were recreated in many communities throughout N.Z.
Jamie has long been an advocate for access to artistic practice and creativity for all members of our community and has contributed in this field for all her professional life. She has a strong Bi Cultural commitment and understanding.
The main thread of her recent professional portfolio, has been in putting her experience and expertise into mentoring in the arts, supporting a select group of performing artists.
Contemporary Dance
Jan Bolwell
Workshop Info:
Jan Bolwell will teach a two-hour workshop which is open to all participants regardless of their dance experience. Jan will model the session on how she works with her group, Crows Feet Dance Collective.
The workshop will be divided into four sections. (1) Floor and standing/travelling warm up. (2) Learning a piece of Crows Feet repertoire (3) Improvisation leading to the creation of short dance pieces. (4) Sharing and discussing the work created.
Tutor Info:
Jan is a performer, choreographer and director of Wellington’s popular 45-strong dance company for mature women, Crows Feet Dance Collective. She has created more than 25 works for Crows Feet over 20 years. The Collective has performed at events all around the country. Their latest production The Witch Project was staged in 2019 at Te Papa, the Globe Theatre, Palmerston North and Nga Purapura in Otaki. As a Fulbright scholar Jan studied cross-cultural dance in the States, and this led to three seminal bicultural dance theatre works, Wahine Toa, Takitoru and Sing Whale! He Apakura Tohora that she co-created in the 1990s with Keri Kaa and Sunny Amey. Takitoru won a Chapman Tripp Theatre Award in 1995.
After experiencing breast cancer in 1998, Jan began writing plays. Her solo play Here’s Hilda was nominated for a Chapman Tripp Theatre Award in 2006. In March 2018 at the Dunedin Fringe Festival Jan premiered Once Upon a Dance co-written with Mona Williams, a Guianese professional storyteller and dancer. In August 2019 Jan presented her popular solo play about her grandfather in WW1, Bill Massey’s Tourists as part of Tahi, the inaugural Festival of Solo Performance at BATS. In November 2019 Jan premiered her latest play, Welcome to the Death Cafe at BATS theatre, Wellington.
Lyrical Contemporary
Jennifer De Leon
Workshop Info:
As dancer-choreographer whose manner of dance has developed over 55 years the present style is lyrical, strong with an emphasis on fluidity, line and grace. My class begins with grounding and lengthening: earth to sky, and with ‘walking lightly upon the earth’. Folding and unfolding and deep stretching
follows. The movement evolves into a combination that can be danced alone or in partnership with another. I am also a dancer with a reconstructed knee, 2 hip replacements and a spinal injury so the movement strongly emphasizes core strength, postural accuracy, energy economy, presence and mindfulness. The work is distinctly about core power and healing power.
Tutor Info:
Jennifer De Leon, dancer-choreographer, Director of Poyema Dance; also a registered Psychotherapist, a practitioner of Bikram yoga, and holds a Masters’
degree with first class honours in Health Science. She is the mother of two young 20’s children. Jennifer trained in classical ballet at the NZ School of Dance, then in London and for 10 years trained and worked with Mr Bill Evans of the Bill Evans Dance Company in USA.
Presently Jennifer is freelance artist, performer, choreographer, teacher and writer. Her focus is to share / communicate discipline, ecstasy, prayer, sweat and joy.
Hip Hop
Lisa Wilkinson - Ngai Tahu / Ngati Pakeha
Workshop Info:
My class will be inclusive and fun with an old school vibe. We will do some hip hop progressions and a fun set - suitable for those new to hip hop as well as anyone wanting to have a dance-off with me. Basically, it will be a hip hop dance party. See you there.
Tutor Info:
Kia ora I have been teaching hip hop for 30 years now and still loving it albeit needing to adapt to the changes in the body over time. I have seen hip hop move and develop into what it is today and I love the creativity coming out of the young hip hop champions in the world.
I started teaching dance in ChCh at Dance Corporate which was the best studio to ever exist in my opinion. Inclusive and diverse and where my love for dance was encouraged by fantastic people - Barbara Franks, Ginny Ayson, Sheryl Robinson, Fleur de Thier, Andrew Shepard X
I moved to Dunedin when I was 24 and completed a Bachelor or Performing Arts and a Bachelor of Education and then started my own school - RASA School of Dance, modelled on my love of Dance Corporate and my dance whanau in ChCh. At RASA I teach hip Hop, contemporary, bollywood and jazz. I have over 600 students who keep me very busy and I feel lucky to have made a career in dance.
At RASA my favourite class is the over 60s class called Rhythm of Life as these students are so appreciative and aware of what dance can offer in terms of wellness of body, mind and spirit.
Mature Movement
Marlene Le Cren
Workshop Info:
The class I am offering at Seasoned is for the trained or non trained dancer over 65 who is willing to take some risks with their body in a safe and new way, with a fun approach to movement. There will be no technique but there will be some sequence work with choreography towards a routine. It may be comedic or serious but we will definitely have a smile on our faces.
Tutor Info:
It has been over 70 years since I took my first dance class and there hasn’t been a time mylife when I haven’t been involved in the dance world in some way.
I was trained in ballet, tap and highland and was part of the competition circuit as a young dancer, then in musical theatre and teaching. I developed the Performing Arts Department at Linwood High School and helped formed The eXceL Dance Company, The Rebound Dance Company and in 2014 The Zimmers Dance Company.
All of these projects have been immensely rewarding but it is working with the mature dancer that has given me the most enjoyment and fun. I teach in a retirement village and also choreograph and rehearse The Zimmers Dance Company for their performances.
Tap
Molly Chapman
Workshop Info:
Tap Class – (although intricate tap is hard to teach in a class situation) this 60 min class will suit beginners and dancers who have learnt other forms of dance. I will be teaching some, basic tap steps and will teach a small routine and the object is to have fun, you are never too late to learn to tap dance. We will do old style tap and maybe introduce some props like a cane, have you ever wanted to dance like Fred and Ginger, this will be your opportunity.
Tutor Info:
I have been teaching tap since the age of 13 which is a long time. I have such a passion for tap dance and love sharing it with predominantly older women, aged from 38 to 77. I created Molls Dolls, about 6 years ago and we have grown from 6 to 36, mostly ex tappers, but also beginners. I love watching the new dancers evolve into dancers with style and flare. The girls that have tapped before love being able to take up their passion again, this gives me so much pleasure. I do teach private lessons to younger children as well, but the oldies are what I enjoy.
Molls Dolls have such a lot of fun performing, at competitions, masters games, (winning several Gold Medals as well as other medals), and concerts, in October this year we will be competing in the Showcase Cruise, dancing around the pacific, which is very exciting. Molls Dolls, don’t sweat they Sparkle and have a wonderful time doing it.
Ballet
Sean James
Workshop Info:
This class is for those with ballet experience at an intermediate to professional level, with a short barre to get going, and plenty of centre work including turns and jumps. Challenge the brain and body through the strength, grace and artistry of classical ballet.
Developpé over 90 degrees not required - love of dance essential.
Tutor Info:
Sean started ballet training at the age of 8, and spent several years as the only male ballet dancer on the West Coast before graduating from the NZSD in 1988. He went on to dance with the RNZB & Southern Ballet, toured with the musicals 'Chess' and 'Cats', and taught and
choreographed alongside building up a repertoire of technical skills in lighting, sound, video and photography.
A current member of Rebound Dance Company, Sean also teaches ballet and contemporary dance at several Christchurch dance schools, and occasionally ends up on stage with his students in Ballet character roles. In his technical roles, he has worked with Raewyn Hill, Michael Parmenter, Fleur de Thier, Julia Sadler, the World Buskers Festival, Jennie Gillies Colourful Company, and many other local and touring productions.
In 43 years of dancing, he has never dropped a partner.
Panel Discussion
Susan Jordan
Susan Jordan has worked as a dance professional in many capacities over the past five decades – as performer, choreographer, academic, teacher, writer and arts manager.
With Jordan & Present Co she choreographed 12 major works funded by Creative NZ and many commissions 1982 - 2000. She founded Dance Studies at University of Auckland in 1996 with both MA and under-grad programmes. In 2005 she established the DANZ Tamaki office and was Regional Manager for 10 years.
She co-founded Dance Mobility 2011, rebranded as SeniorsDANCE in 2016, to address the needs of the aging population. Jordan has also established a community performing group called the SeniorsDANCE Company and is Artistic Director, Choreographer and Producer for this group. Jordan has an MA in dance from American University DC and is an elder of the New Zealand dance community with a passion for creative ageing.
Advanced Contemporary
Fleur de Their
Workshop Info:
Contemporary dance choreographic exploration. The 2 sessions in this will be for the dancers with some experience. You will learn material and be guided through choreographic tasks to generate movement that will then be structured into an informal performance for the Sunday evening showcase. This will be a creative and fun workshop. It will involve some improvisation and may include some moving in and out of the floor.
Tutor Info:
Fleur has been working professionally in the dance industry for the last 29 years. She trained for three years full time at Auckland Performing Arts School (now Unitec) graduating in 1991. Fleur worked as a freelance dancer in Auckland before returning to base herself in Christchurch in 1993.
Fleur is an established New Zealand choreographer and has had works featured nationally in Arts Festivals throughout the last decade. Fleur is known for her diversity and connections with many different companies including Jolt Dance Theatre, Rebound, Southern Lights Dance Company ,Unitec ,Footnote and Hagley Dance Company.
Fleur has most recently been exploring collaborations with visual artists presenting works with sculptor Robyn Webster and Puppet Maker Simon van den Sluijs.
Feldenkrais
Serena Gallagher
Workshop Info:
The Feldenkrais Method is named after its originator, Moshe Feldenkrais (1904-1984). It is a form of somatic education that uses gentle movement and directed attention to improve the way you move. It allows your nervous system to reprogram inefficient movement habits and introduce new choices. This creates the potential for more ease, vitality and grace in everyday life. This lesson will include lying sequences, where the theme ‘less is more’ will be explored. Open to all abilities.
Tutor Info:
Serena graduated from the Feldenkrais Professional Teacher Training in Auckland (2002) after her interest was sparked in the method when studying her BA in Dance at WAAPA, Perth.
She has tutored students from the Unitec Dance programme as part of their Somatics training, before her move to Christchurch 12 years ago. She now runs her own massage clinic having completed a Diploma in Therapeutic Massage (1996). Serena also currently teaches a variety of massage courses for Holistic Health Training Ltd.
She has been a member of Rebound Dance Company since 2012 and loves performing many dance genres. Using the Feldenkrais method has been an absolute life saver in finding ease and comfort in movement in a physically demanding choice of lifestyle!
Belly Dance
Tracey Saunders
Workshop Info:
We will be focusing on Tribal Style Belly Dance which is a modern improvisational form of belly dance with an emphasis on dancing together as a group. Tribal has a powerful, grounded and earthy aesthetic in both its movement vocabulary and adornments. Suitable for all ages and abilities.
Tutor Info:
Tracey is the director of Christchurch’s premier belly dance troupe Firefly Belly Dance who are well known for their innovative & creative approach to belly dance. Tracey has performed belly dance everywhere from Las Vegas to Blackball & regularly trains internationally, she is also a recent graduate of Hagley Dance Company.
Tracey is an advocate for the joy & satisfaction that dance and movement can add to peoples' lives and believes that dance is for everyone.
Tai Chi
Steve Schapel
Workshop Info:
Tai Chi is a slow, gentle form of choreographed exercise, which is known for its many health benefits. It is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Participants in this class will learn about some of the principles of Tai Chi, its purpose, and how it differs from other forms of movement.
The bulk of the time will be devoted to learning and practising some Qigong exercises, and a selection of the moves from our Tai Chi set.
Tutor Info:
After working for many years in counselling and social work, Steve decided to follow his love of computers, and for the last 20 years has been self-employed developing software.
Along the way, he was attracted by a Tai Chi demonstration at a fair. With a few health worries at the time, he decided to give it a try – and instantly fell in love with a practice that is challenging while at the same time non-competitive.
He trained as an instructor, and was accredited in 2010. And he has been teaching Tai Chi, in a voluntary capacity, at least one class per week, ever since. He has experienced many benefits himself, and witnessed many others who have gained greatly from the practice of Tai Chi, fueling his enthusiasm for teaching.
Since moving to Christchurch last year, with his wife (also a Tai Chi student) and daughter, Steve has affiliated with the Tai Chi Internal Arts society, under the mentorship of Banyin Lee in Western Australia. Currently he is presenting two classes per week in Woolson.
Panel Discussion – Longevity in Dance
Moderator Jan Bolwell
Guests
Jamie Bull Wellington
Fleur de Thier Christchurch
Michael Parmenter Auckland
David McMicken Australia
Susan Jordan Auckland
