Just got back from yet another FABULOUS Bill Evans Teachers' Intensive.  9 hours a day of dance, somatics, introspection and personal growth.  This is my tribe.  I love re-membering how much my body knows.  And the sheer joy of dancing makes every sore muscle worth it.

I really enjoyed working with Claire Porter in her new dance, Electrical Shorts.  Her process is a wild ride, and I certainly learned a lot about myself and about dance making through working with her and the other members of our wonderful cast.

Can't wait until next year!

Another great trip to Guatemala

On May 8, I traveled to the Guatemalan Highlands with 5 SUU students and one former Cedar City resident to teach arts integrated lessons in the public schools.  Our team worked with students at La Cumbre and Sector Dos, teaching dance, music, visual art, theatre, English, math and social studies.  We designed lessons around the current curriculum at each school, and had a blast creating and learning together.  My personal favorite experience was teaching students at Sector Dos about West Africa and seeing them perform Funga Alafia, a West African welcome dance.  Because welcoming people to your village through dance is still a common practice for the children, they understood the importance of such a dance in a way that many children in the States are unable to fathom.  We had a blast dancing together.  If you want to see the kids in action, check them out in this video:

The Guatemala project continues to grow.  I am already planning for next year.  Check out the organization that makes this possible at http://www.highlandsupportproject.org/.

Guatemala was fabulous!

My trip to Guatemala was exciting and enriching.  I taught lessons on onomatopoeia and movement patterns to children at four different schools in the Guatemalan Highlands.  I also learned several folk dances, listened to beautiful merimba music, and hiked an active volcano.  The people I met were very excited to learn creative, ballet and modern dance, and generously shared their dances with me.  I look forward to returning in May of 2015 to develop the arts integration program.

Also upcoming is Shifting Velocity Dance Company in Concert.  Go to ShiftingVelocityDance.com to learn more about the company and our upcoming performances.  Please join us at the Heritage Center in Cedar City, UT on April 7 & 8 at 7:30 pm for an evening of exciting dance.  

Going to Guatemala

Welcome back to my blog!  Please explore the sidebar items on the right to learn more about me.

What is coming up?  In August I will travel to Guatemala to teach dance-integrated lessons and research the role of dance in Guatemala culture and schools.  I am very excited about this new opportunity and am grateful to Highland Support Project and Southern Utah University for making this happen.  Please check back in August to find out what I discover on the trip.  And check out Highland Support Project on the web at  highlandsupportproject.org.

Upcoming residency at Desert Hills High School

I am excited to announce that my company, Shifting Velocity Dance Company, will be in residency on June 18 & 19 at Desert Hills High School in St. George, UT.  We are looking forward to exploring dance technique and composition with these gifted dancers.

Enjoy my recent publications!

Are you in Utah and looking for an opportunity to learn more about dance and dance education?  Then join me for a 3-credit summer dance intensive designed for current educators and focusing on beginning dance technique and general dance history and aesthetics.  The course costs $99 and is offered through SUU's continuing education department.  Check out the flyer here:  Summer Dance Intensive Flyer

Please read my most recent in-practice articles.

Bill Evans Teachers' Intensive 2014 Newsletter: BETI Newsletter

Journal of Dance Education:  JODE Article


And please visit my dance company website often to stay up-to-date on our exciting activities:  www.ShiftingVelocityDance.com.

Come to the Cedar City Arts Council's June Social!

Please join the Cedar City Art Council for the June Social on June 2 at 7pm in the Heritage Center's Meeting Room 7.  Alexandria Wall-Staheli will perform the first section of Journey On.  Food, drink and networking opportunities are provided.  Free and open to the public.