Summer with SWDA

Hey all…Alex here. I can’t believe how fast the six weeks I spent interning with SWDA went by. During my stay, I continued a photo collection of the dancers that I began working on during their three week residency at Syracuse University. Throughout my documentation, I got to travel to Durham, NC for the American Dance Festival and be a part of Lincoln Center Festival, which was such a great learning experience! Not only did I get amazing access to take photos, but I got to see behind the scenes and observe the Tech/Production side of things. The experience has opened my world to a whole new realm of photography and has renewed my passion for dance…both of which I will pursue during the next four months in London. I hope to reunite with the company soon, but until then, catch ya on the flip side!

Shen Wei in the Wall Street Journal

Hey all,

Check out Shen Wei in today’s online edition of the Wall Street Journal by clicking HERE

 

Enjoy!

SWDA seeks dancers

Shen Wei Dance Arts is seeking eight dancers or movement-conscious individuals over the age of 60 to participate in upcoming performances of Shen Wei’s Re- II.

Participants will enter stage slowly and assume a supine position – joining the entire company in the performance’s final image.  Participants must be willing to perform topless (with full-body make-up).

Re- II is a work inspired by Shen Wei’s 2006 visit to Angkor Wat, Cambodia.  The closing sequence of the piece finds bodies melding into sculptural abstractions of the natural surroundings of some ancient Cambodian temples.

We seek two sets of performers: American Dance Festival, Durham, NC (June 16-20; performances 18-20) and Lincoln Center Festival, New York City (July 7-11; performances 9-11). To participate, you must be available to attend an initial studio rehearsal, technical and dress rehearsals on stage and the three performances.

Shen Wei Dance Arts will offer a $100 honorarium.

If you are interested and available to participate, please send a headshot/bodyshot and resume/CV to audition@shenweidancearts.org.

Shen Wei Dance Arts Offers

Natural Body Development Dance Technique Class

Mondays & Wednesdays in April

April 6 & 8, 10am-12noon with Sara Procopio

April 20 & 22, 10am-12noon with Kathleen Jewett

April 27 & 29, 10am-12noon with Andrew Cowan

Studio 6A, Baryshnikov Arts Center at 450 West 37th Street

$70 for all 6 classes if you register in advance; $80 on first day or $15/class

These advanced level open classes will provide an introduction to Shen Wei’s ‘natural body development’ dance technique. Through the detailed investigation of movement, each class will explore moving ideas involving breath, internal energy, center-shifting, momentum, spirals, rotations and flow. The focus will be to provide an informed pathway for opening the body and mind to new ways of approaching dance.

Payment Information: To pay with credit card you must register in advance. On the day of class only cash or check will be accepted. For more information or to register, please call 212.962.1113

www.shenweidancearts.org

Hannah Warren’s photos

SU Honors student Hannah Warren took a bunch of photos during the residency. Check them out here.

Article in the SU Student Paper.

Hannah Warren wrote an article about last night’s Re Tryptich preview at Syracuse Stage for SU’s student newspaper, The Daily Orange. Check out that story here.

Sunday musings…

Yummy lunch…peanut butter & jelly casserole warm.  who knew it could be soooo good. Kudos to Carole and Stan!

African dance is hot….

Joan is a lovely, blissful and inspiring yoga teacher.

- a roll of marley is extremely heavy.

Carole Brzozowski was an inspiring student. Thank you.

We map out the format for tomorrow’s lecture demonstration: Re- I, Re- III:  doctor-patient, crab cakes, carry your bag to sit on the bench, Re II:  the line, 3 for a dollar, twisted tree trunks and duets.

Welcome to Syracuse…..James, Reid, Amber & Logan!!!!

A Rite of Spring walk-thru, phew!

I see the growth in my Shen Wei technique after three weeks.  Thing are finally starting to come together.  Hope is always here.

New videos from Duke.

A series of videos from the residency at Duke University, Jan 12-24, 2009 can be seen here, at Duke Performances on Vimeo. They include footage of a lecture from Shen Wei, master classes, and a rehearsal performance.

Shen Wei and SCSD

Teachers and students from the Syracuse City School District are having a once in a lifetime experience with SWDA. A team of teachers in working with them to produce study guides for the Tryptych. Our strudents are watching and experiencing Shen Wei and workshoips provided by members of the company. Experiences are being provided to us through our Partnership with Syracuse University. To see the awe and excitement generated is beyond any expectations. We are so fortunate to be in cluded in this venture.
Carol Terry, Fine Arts, SCSD