class info

About Us
"Rhythms of Brazil" Workshop
Performance Workshops
"Tap Lore"/ Video Showings
Sweet Pea Festival
Student Showings
Registration/Class Locations

ABOUT US

Rhythm Explosion 2003 - brings together an international group of choreographers, performers, educators and students in a cooperative community to study, perform and create new work. It offers a supportive atmosphere aimed at fostering a creative exchange of ideas, focussed on the art of dancing to jazz music. Artists, students and audiences share their knowledge and inspiration through classes, jams, discussions, repertory workshops, informal showings, video viewings, lecture/demonstrations and performances.

Live musicians accompany/interact with many of the classes, encouraging the traditional exchange in jazz between dancer and musician. This nine-day program offers a dozen daily classes designed for individuals seeking to immerse themselves in an intensive study of jazz related dance forms. Class size is limited in order to maintain the quality of the learning experience. The workshop enrolls approximately 60 participants, age 12 and older, at a variety of levels. Full-time students participate in an intensive schedule of four - six classes a day, including morning pilates and afternoon yoga class. Students are encouraged to perform their own and faculty works in informal showings and the culminating performances.

The workshop is housed in several historic locations within the downtown area of Bozeman, surrounded by mountains and big sky - an atmosphere which encourages openness and offers many opportunities for relaxed communication and exchange. (top)

"RHYTHMS OF BRAZIL" July 25 - 27

From Fortaleza, Brazil, Artistic Director of Cia. Vata, Valeria Pinheiro, and company members, Orlangelo Leal and Angelo Marcio will fill the studios with the lively rhythms of northeastern Brazil. This special 3 day workshop will include the following classes as well as a Brazilian Jam Session and Social with a catered meal.

Brazilian Tap - Level I and Level II
Traditional tap dance technique combined with and influenced by the rhythms and dances of northeastern Brazil. Live musical accompaniment.

Brazilian Drumming - All levels
Learn rhythms from northeastern Brazil - Coco, Cabacal and Maracatu. Bring hand drums, snare drums, triangles and other forms of percussion.

Brazilian Contemporary Dance - All levels
Put the rhythms of Coco, Cabacal and Maracatu into your whole body. A creative physical blend of modern dance, improvisation and social dance. Live musical accompaniment.

Rhythms of Brazil - All levels
Bringing together tap, drumming and contemporary dance in a creative exploration of the northeastern rhythms of Brazil. (top)

PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS
Monday through Friday, July 28 - August 1
2:30-4:30pm daily

Students should select one of the following workshops to participate in. The pieces created during these workshops will be performed at the Sweet Pea Festival on Saturday, August 2.

*"The Souls of Your Feet" with Acia Gray - Int/Adv Tap
Demystify the foundation of tap choreography and technique with tools and explorations based on this best selling book! Explore repertory from the nation's professional multi-form dance company Tapestry and bring faith to your feet!

*"Jazz through Time" with Kimberley Cooper and Hannah Stilwell - Int/Adv Jazz
From African and Afro-Cuban based jazz movement to Swing to contemporary Hip-Hip, we will structure an improvised look at the roots and evolution of jazz dance. Using a call-and-response format, the dancers will explore a variety of roads jazz has traveled.

*"Great Steps and Tap Lore" with Jane Goldberg and Katherine Kramer - Multi Level Jazz and Tap
Jane and Katherine will give a "feets on" intensive that includes steps and stories from tap greats Sandman Simms, Ralph Brown, Cookie Cook, Honi Coles, Leon Collins, Marion Coles, Eddie Brown, you name them, we "got em" steps. Early vernacular jazz dances, ie. Big Apple, Lindy Hop, will be incorporated as well. Both teacher/performers were very influenced by jazz and tap's great traditions and are eager to pass them on. (top)

"TAP LORE"/VIDEO SHOWINGS with Jane Goldberg
The History and Future of tap Dancing

Is tap back? Is there a tap revival? Was there a tap revival? Tap dancing, America's own dance art, has its roots in jazz as well as having complex roots in Irish, English, Spanish, and numerous other cultures. Where tap was once part of Vaudeville and the musical stage, it "went underground" after World War 2 and was considered a lost art form for many years. It has resurfaced, however, since the 1970's with a whole new cast of players. As a key player in the tap revial of the 1970's (sometimes also called Renaissance) I will trace the meaning of the tap revival in the context of popular culture. I have a unique perspective as a writer/dancer/historian. While talking about and demonstrating various rhythms and steps from some of the tap greats of the last century, I will also delve into the contemporary history of tap, starting with the NYC tap happenings of 1969. I will explore race relations, women in tap, as well as some of the inroads made by such old pros as The Copasetics, "The Hoofers", Gregory Hines and the "young white women" who forged the tap revival of the 1970s. I have a 40 minute video, "By Word of Foot" that will supplement my classes as well as other rare footage. An Astaire/Rogers fan, I will also talk about how tap evolved into "show tap" "rhythm tap", Broadway tap" Topical Tap, you name it. If it sounds like the splintered left, it is! But tap is tap. (top)

SWEET PEA FESTIVAL

This annual 3 day festival of the arts takes place in Bozeman's Lindley Park and features local, national and regional artists of all kinds. It is a spectacular event and this year our workshop will coincide with Sweet Pea. There will be concerts and workshops to go to throughout the 3 day event, August 1-3. On Saturday, August 2, Rhythm Explosion students will perform the pieces created during the performance workshops as well as other selected pieces. Individual students or groups interested in performing at this concert at Sweet Pea should indicate so on their registration and are asked to send an audition tape. Contact us for additional details. (top)

STUDENT SHOWCASE

In addition to the performance at Sweet Pea, students will have the opportunity to present their work at a noon-time showcase during the week. Let us know on your registration if you are interested in signing up to showcase a dance. Audition tapes are NOT required for this showcase. Audition tapes ARE required however for participation in the Sweet Pea performance mentioned above. (top)

REGISTRATION AND CLASS LOCATION

Registration and classes will take place at the EMERSON CULTURAL CENTER 111 Grand Ave., Bozeman, MT (One block from Main Street)

Rhythm Explosion is co-sponsored by Montana State University. (top)