Work in Progress Working Title: Split
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92nd St. Y residency - warm up and rehearsal footage
The images above and below are from Yoo and Dancers' recent piece, "Silk Road". As part of my 92nd St. Y residency, I am building on this piece to explore what new movements can be made with traditional Korean concepts.
“Chea”
Borrowing movements from one dance tradition or another can define a piece, but can also constrain it.
I am in the midst of a deep argument with myself about the best way to create a new dance form while honoring the culture and soul sitting at the center of traditional dance forms.
This project explores two of the most formalized movements, Korean traditional dance and Ballet, and breaks them into new movements. I used to live in these two dance forms. My career in dance started at my Korean roots. I deeply miss my grandmother, who was a Korean traditional dancer and loved to dance with me. I grew up watching her dance. Now I can see my grandmother's movements were very abstract and beautiful and I want to reshape the movements in my memories of my grandmother's Korean dance. I also believe that ballet is one of the most formalized art forms and I am interested in developing ballet movements so that they grow beyond formalized and predetermined choreography into the realm of the experimental.
Researching Techniques:
Improving Dance through Use of the Stretch Band
I am working on writing a thesis on ' Improving Dance Technique with Stretch Band' to be published in December 2018 at the Scientific Conference for Ballet and Dance Education.
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I developed a new technique that I have incorporated into both ballet and modern classes using the stretch band (theraband). The stretch band helps dancers find their center and develop their core muscles more quickly and productively. Dancers understand essential concepts by interacting with the actual force of the stretch band's resistance. These exercises also reshape their bodies in ways that prevent injury and produce a greater range of movement. Using a variety of techniques makes class more exciting, and helps students generate new ideas. Students learn that they can push existing boundaries and practice the creativity needed in professional dance environments.
The stretch band dance class is a somatic study and incorporates the Eric Franklin method and Pilates concepts. I have taught this technique in well-received classes at Georgian Court University, at Steps on Broadway in NYC, as part of the American Dance Festival Summer and Winter intensives, and at the Somatic Dance Conference, American College Dance Association annual meetings.