Links Hall Open House 2024
Celebrate the start of the season at Links with a day of free workshops. Try a new style or return to a favorite with classes in Afro-House Dance, Dance Improvisation, Physical Theater, and more.
Need a new promo photo? William Frederking Photography will be offering free movement photography sessions throughout the day.
This event is FREE. Pre-registration is encouraged.
From left to right: Shireen Hamza, Camila Rivero Pooley, Leslie Parker, Vanessa Valliere, and Destine “D’Roc” Young
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:
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Let's explore moving from the back space, building more trust and comfort with moving backwards. Come open up your sensation and awareness of your back as we work with the wall, the floor, and a partner, if desired.
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Embrace the flow of dembow’s rhythmic beats in a people-centered, all-levels dance class inspired by the joy of Latin American party culture.
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Contemporary Experiment is a class session in improvisation. The focus of the class is primarily the individual body as a site/map for exploration. It is an embodied practice that expands capacity for a more nuanced, rigorous, and sensory approach to space, time, and energy to integrate the thinking-body with real-time presence; and to play with physical range while increasing flexibility of the spine for a deepening in awareness of strength and endurance. In this class, empathetic exchanges using collaboration in movement studies are significant to amplify grounded power, intuitive connection to the body and place, navigating dissent, and honing clarity in timing and rhythm.
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We will look to staging (seeing the stage from the outside and the inside) and the ways in which it can inform a group or solo devising process. We will stage with people and with objects, allowing site-specific inspiration for creation. We will also visit the role of and relationship between perfection and imperfection in the creation of new work. This workshop is an introduction to some basic principles as well as an opportunity to play and have fun.
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"My House is Your House: the Cypher Experience" invites you to be curious, expressive, and bold as you explore the deep connections between your body, mind, spirit, rhythm, and the cultural roots of House dance. Engage in dynamic movement sequences, find your flow, and step into the cypher to express your individuality, embracing the power of community and the essence of House as both a dance style and a sanctuary for creative expression.
PHOTO SESSIONS:
10:00am-3:00pm | Movement Portraits with William Frederking Photography
We have nine 45 minute spots available on a first come, first serve basis.
To RSVP for a free dance photo session, sign up here:
Movement Portraits by William Frederking Photography
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP LEADERS:
Shireen Hamza is an artist and historian living with chronic illness. She moves in the contact improvisation and disability dance communities in Chicago.
Camila Rivero Pooley [she/they] is a performing artist and director born in Peru and raised in Venezuela. She illustrates and pushes forward new visions of the Latin American people through the exploration of Latin American aesthetics, music, artifacts and idiosyncrasies.
Leslie Parker, a Bessie award recipient, was awarded the Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship, and Mcknight Choreographer Fellowship. As an educator and full-time lecturer at University of Minnesota, Parker's choreography, 'In Search of Colors' premiered at Rariq Center. Throughout the US as a guest and visiting assistant professor, Parker has led master classes at various institutions including Carleton College, University of Michigan, Point Park University, and Temple University. Her multi-year and multi-city work, Call to Remember, (CtR), is rooted, researched, and performed through residencies, public performances, and workshops across the US and internationally at venues including Blaise Senghor Cultural Centre, The Camargo Foundation, Walker Art Center, Danspace Project, Pillsbury House Theatre, Pangea World Theatre, CounterPulse, Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography, PearlDiving and BOOM Concepts.
Vanessa Valliere creates her own work using elements of clown, puppetry and physical theater and was recently invited to perform in the the Skupova Festival in the Czech Republic. She has taught and performed with The Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival and was performer with Manual Cinema, Theater Unspeakable and Mucca Pazza.
Destine (D’Roc) Young is a native Chicagoan who began dancing at an early age. Holding a B.A. in Dance from Columbia College Chicago, she works extensively as a performer, educator, curator and choreographer exploring relationships between contemporary, martial arts, and hip-hop street dance. 'The Ground Rhythm Method' is her movement-based healing method that supports social, mental, and spiritual development. Destine is enrolled in the Masters Program at Bradley University to become a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.