Biography & Class Description
SIDRA BELL, Artistic Director of Sidra Bell
Dance New York, graduated from Yale University
with a BA in History and received an
MFA in Choreography from Purchase College
Conservatory of Dance.
Since its inception in 2001, Sidra Bell Dance
New York has been presented at Tribeca
PAC, Yale, Harvard, the Schomburg Museum,
Purchase College, Stella Adler Studio
of Acting MAD AIR series, DancenOw/NYC
at Dance Theater Workshop, Alvin Ailey
Citigroup Theater, Montreal’s Danses Buisssoniéres
at Tangente, Riverside Church NuDance Festival, CityParks Dance Foundation
Dance Festival, the Margie Gillis Foundation,
Barishnykov Arts Center and Joyce SoHo
Presents. In 2006, the company performed
a program of its repertory at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Inside/Out Series.
Sidra Bell’s works have been performed in Spain, Aruba, Montreal, Vancouver
and Toronto. Recent commissions include the Alvin Ailey/Fordham BFA Program,
Ballet Divertimento (Montreal), Arts Umbrella (Vancouver), Canadian Children’s
Dance Theater (Toronto), Purchase College, Perry Mansfield Performing Arts
School, LaGuardia High School, Ballet Austin (2008), Sacramento Ballet (2008)
Ailey II (2008) and The Juilliard School (2008).
Ms. Bell was selected to work as a young choreographer at Springboard Danse
Montreal for two consecutive years and created works that were performed at
Moyse Hall and Place des Arts. She was a recipient of the Patricia Kerr Ross Award
for choreographic achievement, sponsored by New York Foundation for the Arts,
was a Tribeca Performing Arts Center Artist-in-Residence and was awarded a
Bessie Schönberg Choreographers Residency at The Yard in 2007.
Modern Dance
This class incorporates a high degree of athleticism, musicality and fluid articulation of the body. The warm-up is geared towards developing clarity in movement and a sense of dynamic range. It will incorporate explorations of weight, space, momentum, gesture and movement initiation. The sequence is fluid and seamless and will examine articulation and isolation as a means to thoroughly engage the entire body. Core strength is a primary focus of the warm-up, as many sequences will focus on rising and falling in a grounded and sinuous way. The style of movement uses the line of modern and ballet techniques fused with jazz rhythms and contemporary forms. The dancers will be encouraged to find a sense of individuality in combinations that are intricate and dynamic. Having an extensive background in several major techniques including Graham, Horton, Ballet, and Jazz, my class will employ some technical points that have a foundation in these forms. While the class will draw from these styles and techniques the emphasis will be on movement that is primal and instinctive. The dancers will be encouraged to find a sense of line in movement that challenges them to shift their weight in dynamic and unpredictable ways.
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