Taylor School Expands Curriculum

[Dale]

A release:

THE TAYLOR SCHOOL EXPANDS CURRICULUM BEGINNING OCTOBER 2015

LARRY KEIGWIN AND DOUG ELKINS TEACH MASTER CLASSES MARNIE THOMAS TO TEACH MARTHA GRAHAM MASTER CLASS SERIES

NEW YORK, September 30, 2015 – The Taylor School is expanding its curriculum with a series of Master Classes beginning in October. Larry Keigwin and Doug Elkins will teach three two-hour master classes each and Marnie Thomas will be teaching two weeks of Martha Graham classes.

Students will have the chance to study with the choreographers selected for the inaugural Season of Taylor Company Commissions. Mr. Keigwin will teach classes on October 16, 23 and 30. Mr. Elkins will teach classes November 6, 13 and 20, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Mr. Keigwin will provide a vigorous and fun warm-up that moves quickly into phrase work emblematic of his style. Emphasis will be on learning and mastering the dance by employing curiosity, a sense of humor, and passion for movement. Participants will excavate movement ideas with simple considerations of space, design, and narrative within a collaborative format. This class offers a playful environment that has you alternating between dancer and choreographer to discover and deepen your unique interests, process, and dancing.

Mr. Elkins’ warm up and class focus are informed by Capoeira, soft martial arts, Systema, animal movements, b-boying (breaking), and somatic practice in synthesis. Flow and circular motions and spirals will be emphasized in order to facilitate greater awareness while also investigating intricate floor work, dynamic falling, rolling, collapsing, flipping, waving and melting through the space and dancing/flowing through the different surfaces of our bodies. Improvisational skills from the phrase work learned in class will also be investigated. Students are asked to bring knee pads and a t-shirt that covers shoulders (for floor work).

Ms. Thomas' advanced-professional level Graham class will focus on the contrasting dynamics of breath, spiral, oppositional as well as contraction and release. It will begin with basic warm-up exercises on the floor and standing, and will culminate in a traveling phrase from the repertory of Martha Graham. Ms. Thomas will teach classes Monday, November 30 through Thursday, December 3 and Monday, December 7 through Thursday, December 10 from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

[sandik]

It really does look like Taylor is transforming his company into a multi-style modern ensemble. I'm excited by the possibilities, remembering some of the great performances I saw from Repertory Dance Theater, but am keeping fingers crossed nonetheless.