Breakdown of classes:

Saturday, September 10th

10:10am-11:50am Tai-Chi Contemporary

12:00pm-1:30pm Intermediate Contemporary

1:30-2:30 Break

2:30pm-4:15pm Extreme Slow Motion

4:30pm-6:00pm Advanced Contemporary

Sunday, September 11th

10:10am-11:50am Intro to Bartenieff’s Basic 6 & floor-work

12:00pm-1:45pm Advanced Contemporary

1:30-2:30 Break

2:45pm-4:15pm Intro to Chinese Classical

4:30pm-6:00pm Intermediate Contemporary

Class Description:

Tai-Chi Contemporary: (Sunny)

Saturday, September 10th @ 10:10am-11:50am

This class blurs the lines between Tai Chi and contemporary dance technique. It is a great chance for studying and exploring the relationship between Tai Chi principle and contemporary dance technique, and the transformation of cross-cultural elements in dance.

Intermediate Contemporary (Ellen)

Saturday, September 10th @ 12:00pm-1:30pm

Sunday, September 11th @ 4:30pm-6:00pm

The techniques that I work with in class are a hybridization of contemporary forms that range from the early techniques of fall/recovery and upper-body arcs from the Humphrey/Limon tradition, release, improvisation, aerobics and Bartenieff. We’ll work in the following ways: warm-up- stretching and upper body movement combinations, floorwork- developing new neuromuscular pathways, and building strength and memorization skills in a low impact way, center technique-usually traditional exercises that include feet, legs, and hips for the development of strength and flexibility, cardiovascular- exercises that will engage the full body, increase endurance and memorization, and build the corporal relationships to space and to the others in the space; this may take the form of open movement, different sequences across the floor, or in a final dance combination.

Extreme Slow Motion (Ellen)

Saturday, September 10th @ 2:30pm-4:15pm

Learn about the practice and technique to achieving and performing stillness and very slow motion. The outcome can offer a dancer more clear pathways through transitions, range of dynamic possibilities, improvisation skills, full body awareness and focus.

Advanced Contemporary (Sunny)

Saturday, September 10th @ 4:30pm-6:00pm

Sunday, September 11th @ 12:00pm-1:45pm

This class is designed for those of advanced technical level with the ability to adapt their technical skills to a variety of technical forms within the contemporary dance discipline. In this class, you will be provided with technically challenging movement material to expand your movement capabilities which will aid in your artistic growth as performers; personal movement style and performance is strongly emphasized.

Intro to Bartenieff’s Basic 6 & floor-work (Ellen)

Sunday, September 11th @ 10:10am-11:50am

The Basic 6 are the exercises that inform all Bartineiff physical work for core stabilization. They seem simple but with high refinement become essential to understanding moving from the center. Bartenieff Fundamentals- blends information from LMA into expressive movement for further understanding the dancer’s relationship with dynamics in the body mostly through floor work to develop motor cognition, using low impact solutions to incorporate full range of motion. 

Intro to Chinese Classical (Sunny)

Sunday, September 11th @ 2:45pm-4:15pm

This class offers people to be familiar and practice the Chinese Classical Dance basic movement, which including breathing, pace, body rhythm, and core technique. You will have a fundamental concept to Chinese classical dance through this workshop.

Instructor’s Bios:

Ellen Bartel Dance Collective, formed in 2014, is a project-based contemporary dance performance group. In two decades of dancing in Austin, Ellen has managed a small dance studio (‘97-‘06),  directed a slow-motion improvisation group (’95-’01), directed non-profit Spank Dance (’00-’13), created 47+ new dance works, directed 55+ butoh improvisations, spearheaded community dance events such as the annual Dance Carousel (’04-’12), Big Range Austin Dance Festival (’08-’12), Hot September Flurries (05-07), and co- founded the Austin Independent Choreographers. She has choreographed for T. V. commercials, theater, fashion shows, as well as Performance Art events, and has collaborated with local composers: Graham Reynolds, Andy Hadaway (now NYC), Adam Sultan and Peter Stopschinski among others. Ellen has danced in 20 original new works from local choreographers including Heloise Gold and Ariel Dance Theater who she performed extensively with until 2001. Ellen’s choreography has been shown in many venues in Austin, and also Houston, Dallas, Waco, San Antonio, Edinburgh, Scotland, and in Brooklyn, NY. Ellen has a BA in Dance from SUNY Potsdam, and MFA in Dance from UT Austin, and is the middle of receiving her training in Laban/Bartenieff from the LIMS institute in NYC.

Jun Shen, born in China, danced from high school. He got the bachelor degree in dance at Beijing Capital Normal University. He attended Beijing Dance LDTX as a dancer and choreographer after his graduation. In the past several years, he has performed and choreographed many dance works at many worldwide dance festivals. He collaborated with different artists from various kinds of field as well. In addition, he had rich teaching experiences in dance training. He was invited to join the graduate dance program of UT Austin in 2013, and eventually earned his Master degree of Fine arts in the May of 2016. Now, he is working at Sansori High school as a movement and Tai Chi instructor. Meanwhile, he is the artistic director of Shen Jun Theatre Effect based on Austin area.