Dance Education Program 2011-2012
Program Overview
Education is a fundamental component of the philosophy and mission of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. Working with both aspiring and professional dancers, DRDT’s education programs cultivate and refine talent. The program emphasizes a concentrated period of daily classes, coaching, and performing, which demands that the students work on their craft with discipline and rigor.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Complexions, Dallas Black Dance Theater, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago,
Mikhail Baryshnikov’s White Oak Dance Project, Philadanco, Ronald K. Brown/Evidence, Twyla Tharp Company, and the Wylliams Henry Dance Theatre are just a few of the companies that have featured artists that either trained with DRDT or are a part of DRDT’s artists’ community.
Professional Training Programs
Intensives
Deeply Rooted Dance Education Intensives have proven to be a strong curricular model for artistic learning and personal growth. The intensive includes technical instruction in ballet, Horton, Graham and Dunham based modern, contemporary movement, and African-Piragramic techniques. The curriculum also involves mastery of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater’s repertory, choreography workshops, and performance opportunities.
Annual Intensives
- Summer – Four Weeks: Technique, Repertoire, Outreach and Culminating Performances
- Fall – Eight Weeks: Technique, Repertoire, Outreach and Annual Harris Theater Performances
- Winter – Eight Weeks: Chicago and Region Outreach and Performance Tour
- Spring – Eight Weeks: Technique, Repertoire, Outreach and Culminating Performance
Professional Training Companies
The Professional Dance Education Companies support gifted and inspired individuals in pursuing professional contemporary dance careers. They include three levels. At the end of each intensive, the Artistic Team consults with each dancer to provide advice, direction, training recommendations, and performance opportunities that will help enhance his/her individual skills.
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater 2 (D2) is comprised of emerging artists, working to refine their artistry and matriculate into DRDT or a career opportunity of their choosing. The portal for entry in D2 is DRDT’s dance intensives. Upon completing an intensive, advanced dancers may be invited to train and perform in D2 alongside the professional company in the Fall Intensive in Chicago. Dancers completing the program may be invited to join DRDT or continue training with DRDT to ensure and support further development.
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater 3 (D3) is an apprentice-level training company for matriculation into D2. Selected from DRDT’s Intensive Dance Education Programs, D3 members train with D2 ensemble members and participate in select DRDT programs and performances.
Director Apprenticeship Team
D1 (Professional Company), D2, or D3 members may be contracted to assist Deeply Rooted’s Directors and/or Artistic Team on special projects as needed (i.e., choreography commissions, teaching residencies, theatrical productions, etc.) This team is responsible for assisting in delivering and maintaining quality programs. Dancers who exhibit outstanding ability in professional and/or community based dance education instruction are primed for this work.
Community Workshops
The Community Workshops are comprised of three components that are part of a continuing effort to provide quality, professional, dance training to the non-professional dance community. DRDT seeks to nurture a spirit of fellowship among workshop members and encourages strong artistic engagement, believing that cultivated relationships create sustainable bonds. Each component is designed to address the interests and needs of its specific population:
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater 4 (D4) offers dancers an environment for professional study within a company structure, providing evening classes, rehearsals, repertory, and performance opportunities. On occasion, members of D4 perform alongside D2 and D3.
Mature H.O.T. (Health-Conscious, Optimistic, Triumphant) Women’s Workshops are designed to strengthen the body, challenge the mind, and nourish the soul through the synergy of modern, ballet, and African dance techniques. Mature women who want to become physically and spiritually engaged in dance, practice dance technique, learn and refine choreography, and enjoy performance experiences.
Brothers Sharing Workshops are a new outreach initiative created from interest expressed by DRDT’s audience members and community outreach participants. The workshops are designed to address contemporary concerns of men. Using dance and the related arts, Brothers Sharing will explore selected topics within workshop settings. The pilot program will occur during the 2012 Spring Intensive season.
Youth Workshops are training and performance experiences (based upon enrollment, community needs and goals) for interested and talented young people ages 12-17. Participants perform in local outreach activities and in the intensive’s culminating performances.