 This week, we meet my super fabulous intern, Jordan! She joins us from Kennesaw State University, and will help me out as a Communications Intern this summer. Jordan's a dancer, cat lover, and fits in wonderfully here at Core Dance. Read on to learn all about her!
Hometown: Snellville, Georgia Education/Training: Kennesaw State University, B.A. in Dance (graduating in December 2019) Position: Communications Intern Delights: Music, reading, the beach, my cats, and dancing! How did you come to Core Dance? I found out about Core through a professor at my school. During an advising session, she informed me Core was looking for interns. After looking at the Core website and seeing what they were all about, I applied for the Communications internship. What is your favorite part about working here? My favorite part about working here is the environment. Everyone here is so excited and passionate about their jobs, and it makes me excited to work on new projects with them. This translates into me being pushed beyond what I think I know everyday. With every assignment I am given, I learn something new about working on a different side of a dance company. Fun things planned this summer: I just got back from a study abroad trip to Israel, which was amazing! I have a few more trips planned, including Nashville, Disney World, Dallas, Indianapolis, and Tybee Island! When not traveling, working at Core, or in school, I'll be spending my summer relaxing by the pool! To learn more about Jordan, check out her bio here. Keep following us to meet our many other wonderful staff and dance artists!
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This week, we meet Core Dance company member Rose Shields! Rose received her BFA in Dance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts before moving to Atlanta to teach and perform. This upcoming season will be her seventh with Core Dance. We sat down with Rose to find out what she's up to this summer - check it out below! Rose says... "This summer is filled with a mix of teaching and training for me. Next week I will be teaching ballet, contemporary, and acrobatics at Good Moves' week long Summer Camp. Then, I finish out the month teaching acrobatics and contemporary at the Good Moves' Summer Intensive. I have been taking part in a collaborative effort, spearheaded by Zerina Serulle, to offer free Summer dance classes to fellow dance artists. I've been taking classes with Scott Wheet, Jerylann Warner, Zerina Serulle, and Amanda Sieradzki, and I myself will teach on Wednesday, July 11th. I'm taking ballet classes at Atlanta Ballet, and contemporary classes here and there and everywhere to keep myself in shape and somewhat sane. I plan to take classes offered at the Staib Workshop and with Jillian Bodnar and Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. Meanwhile, I train my circus skills on my own time at The Space, with fellow artists building human pyramids, and with ELEMENT Acrobatics at In Flight Gymnastics. Nearing the end of my summer in July, I will be teaching dance with some of my Core Dance co-workers in Vero Beach, FL at the Riverside Dance Festival. I keep busy, but I leave time for rest here and there." This summer looks full of opportunities for learning, growing, and dancing for Rose! We can't wait to see how all her hard work this summer will pay off. Stay tuned to hear about the adventures of the rest of our company.  Hometown: Houston, TX
Education/Training: Agnes Scott College, B.A. in Theatre (expected May 12, 2018) Position: Production management intern Delights: Netflix, theatre, coffee, and dogs How did you come to Core Dance? I found out about Core Dance and the internship opportunity through my school’s job search engine. I was interested in learning about production management and working with a performing arts organization, different from theatre, that was close to my college. I got an interview and was offered the internship shortly afterward. What is your favorite part about working here? My favorite part about working at Core is the fact that I have gotten to work with almost everyone in the office and therefore been exposed to the other jobs involved with maintaining an arts organization and putting on performances. Something else that I have enjoyed is the fact I have gotten to do office work as well as hands-on tasks in the studio. While shadowing Sharon, I believe that I have gotten a good understanding of what being a production manager entails and I think that it could be a job possibility for me in the future. What is one of your favorite memories of your time here so far? One of my favorite memories of my time here is when I went to the performance of Patton’s piece. I loved the dance and the performance as a whole. I got to see the final product of some of the behind scenes elements that were talked about in the office as well as in the rehearsal that I attended. It was also nice to see the staff all together at the performance. I appreciate the company culture because it is very understanding and supportive, and I have felt that throughout all of my time here. I usually try to stick to one post a week, but on Monday, I attended my very first march, and I have strong itch to write about it. Monday morning, our Core Dance company and staff bundled up and jumped on the MARTA to join the Martin Luther King Jr. March for Humanity. While we gathered with hundreds of other participants at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, I felt, for the first time since I moved here last fall, the importance of Atlanta’s history. At home in Rochester, NY, we don’t have too many landmarks for the civil rights movement. Here, in the true South, it surrounds us constantly.
As we folded into the crowd and got real close and personal with strangers, I could feel this vibration of energies coming together for the one vision of humanity. What I didn’t realize at the time, was that we followed the exact same path as the funeral procession for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, fifty years ago. To me, a 22 year old from Upstate New York, the march first felt like an exploration of downtown Atlanta. It was exciting to walk new streets of a city with which I am still fairly unfamiliar. But when Bernice King took the stage, I felt the significance of being physically in the same spot as a legend. I couldn’t believe that Martin Luther King Jr’s family was a few feet away, leading this united crowd. Some groups chanted in a celebration of life and an enthusiastic drum-line accompanied their voices, almost like the second line in a funeral. I wondered if MLK Jr’s family felt the same energy of that procession fifty years ago, a combination of mourning for our world and the determination to unite for change, today, in this march for humanity. Although I wasn’t immediately aware of the significance of our path, it seemed that even the youngest marchers knew they were participating in a significant moment. One group of kids - no older than five or six years old - linked their arms and created their own chant of “MLK JR!” I was in awe. If they felt this strong need for change in kindergarten, who knows what they’ll achieve in the future. One girl was clearly the leader, counting in her fellow chanters with “A one, and a two, and a three!” I feel like if she has anything to say about our world in the next 15 years, we’ll be okay.  Yesterday morning, I took a very sweaty class with guest artist Frank Van de Ven. He created a circuit for us that included improvisation techniques like “rain walk,” where you think of the feeling of rain on your body, and “newspaper,” in which you let your body sink like a wet newspaper. Dispersed in between the improvisation were workouts - arms (pushups - yikes!), legs (squats and lunges), and cardio (jump rope). After finishing two cycles, I felt like I had completed a workout that should count for a weeks worth.
Last week, instead of a workout circuit, Frank taught a fast-paced class that focused on movement across the floor. I felt like I couldn’t completely loosen up in my arms, especially when the steps became complicated and I started thinking a lot. Some of the combinations felt like rubbing your stomach and patting your head! When I can’t figure out what step goes where, my tension goes into my upper body. A lot of dancers seem to hold their stress here, and Frank kept reminding us to loosen up. By the end of the class, I felt like I could finally let go and stopped thinking so much (even though I was messing up pretty consistently). Frank lives in Amsterdam, and has worked with Core Dance in the past. This time, he is creating a piece entitled “Carrying Water to the Sea,” as part of National Water Dance. Core Performance Company will perform this Saturday at 4pm EST on Driftwood Beach at Jekyll Island, GA. In Houston, Core Dance is commissioning artists Lydia Hance and jhon stronks to create two other pieces for National Water Dance. Our Houston staff members are preparing for their performance, which will happen at the same time as ours here in Georgia. For more information on our performances this weekend, check out http://www.coredance.org/national-water-dance---houston.html and http://www.coredance.org/national-water-dance---houston.html On March 2nd, I had my 6 month anniversary as Publications Manager here at Core Dance. It’s strange how the time flew by, but I also feel like I’ve been here forever. I’m beyond grateful for all that Core Dance has given me so far, and last week, I realized (again) how lucky I am, when I experienced my very first retreat. The time away felt much more like one big hug rather than 3 days of intensive discussions.
On Wednesday morning, we carpooled out to Lake Ruben, a 2 hour drive to North Georgia. My experiences in Georgia have been limited to the city, so I was excited to see a bit of the country. After we unpacked and settled in, I went on a walk (despite the super steep hills) to really take it all in. The house we stayed in overlooked the lake, with a boathouse and a dock to complete the picture-perfect landscape. The whole time we were there, I was bombarded with memories of my family’s old lakehouse, and evenings spent curled up on the couch watching the water. The word “retreat” makes me think of naps and hot cups of coffee and relaxing with a good book. While some of our time at the lake was spent doing just that, most of the day we would dive deep into all things Core Dance. My position here is only my second “real” adult job since I graduated in May from college, and I haven’t experienced much of the corporate world. Still, I know that not every company organizes a time away for staff to connect, reflect, and come up with goals for the future. (Side note - Everyone was also responsible for cooking at least one meal. Who knew dancers ate so much quinoa and avocado!) Although some of the discussions were exhausting and occasionally mentally draining, they were balanced out with meditation sessions, and the occasional time for napping or going on walks. Personally, I claimed a wonderfully plump corner of the couch, where I spent some quality time with my book during our breaks (I highly recommend The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir by Jennifer Ryan), and probably woke up Rose and Sharon in the middle of the night with my snoring (sorry guys). Technically, we were working for three days straight. But between the nightly games of Uno, handstands on the dock, and the endless teasing of me and my “spot,” it really felt more like one big sleepover.  Photo by Simon Gentry On the Monday after a major performance, the office at Core Dance is always a bit quiet. We’re all tired and sluggish, coming down from the high that is production week. Today, my body is especially weary because in addition to Core Performance Company’s performance of “July 13, 2016: 4:10pm,” we also had a guest artist teach class last Wednesday-Friday. Last week was a crazy, amazing blur, and there is really no way I can capture all the energy and emotion in one blog post. So, I’m going to pick a few highlights to sum it all up.
Benjamin Wardell - “Low Flying” Throughout three short classes, we learned how to move with, instead of against, the floor. Benjamin Wardell, the founder and Creative Director of The Cambrians, taught “Low Flying,” which included a ton of athletic floorwork and smooth transitions. Ben described his movement with some unique phrases:
Learn all about The Cambrians at http://www.thecambrians.com/ July 13, 2016: 4:10pm A New Work by D. Patton White Although we had three nights of performances, I only had a chance to sit and fully experience the third night. (The box office is quite a job!) The final night felt especially emotional to me, and the audience sat in silence for a moment after it ended. Everyone seemed to be catching their breath. I could tell you all about my favorite parts of the piece (shout out - Andrew and Scott’s duet was breathtaking), but I think it’s best to reflect the entire audience’s experiences. After every performance or event, we ask two simple questions on an easel: What surprised you about the performance? And what did you find memorable? Here is what our community said: What surprised you about the performance?
What did you find memorable?
This week, I would like to introduce someone very near and dear to my heart - my Communications Intern, Chenoa! Chenoa is a life saver here at Core Dance. She distributes flyers, updates our database, posts on social media, and keeps my work load under control. I'm beyond thankful that she's in our office twice a week! Read on to learn all about our amazing intern.  Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Education/Training: Graduating Senior at Decatur High School Position: Communications Intern Delights: listening to music, trying out new foods, late-night online shopping, doodling, editing videos together, spending time outdoors, and rewatching my favorite movies! How did you come to Core Dance? I started my internship here in August of 2016 after looking for one for the school year. I wanted to intern somewhere that catered to my interests and at the time, I had recently stopped dancing at the Decatur School of Ballet so I wanted to be involved in the performing arts in some way. One day, while I was looking, I stumbled upon Core Dance and I applied! I had always known about Core Dance and I was extremely excited to start. Also, it was a coincidence that I knew someone who worked here so I felt super comfortable. In the end, I’m really glad I chose to intern at Core Dance because it’s the perfect fit for me! What is your favorite part about working here? There are so many amazing things, so it’s hard to pick just one. However, one of my favorite parts about working here are the people who work at Core Dance. Not only do I work with kind, vibrant people but it’s inspiring to work with the staff who are incredibly passionate about what they do. I’ve met so many phenomenal mentors who I know I can count on and I think it’s rare to find a staff as great as ours. What is one of your favorite memories of your time here so far? My favorite memory was probably the first time I saw the company perform. It was my second or third week at Core Dance and I had spent all of my time in the office. I had yet to see anyone dance so I was really curious to see the company perform anything. So, one day, I was invited to see the dancers rehearse Niv and Oren’s American PlayGround. Let me tell you, I was completely blown away. The dancers were outstanding and I was captivated the entire time. At the end, I was still stunned and it was amazing to see the work we do at Core Dance. For more info on Chenoa, check out her bio here! The past few weeks at Core Dance have been non-stop! I’ve barely had a chance to catch my breath with all of the events happening around here. American Playground and Two Room Apartment just had its Houston premiere this past weekend at MATCH in Houston. In addition to recovering from this trip to Houston, our Company Manager, D. Patton White, is choreographing a piece that will premiere in Atlanta the first weekend of March - in less than two weeks!. (Click here for more info!)
Two weeks ago, we had a guest artist, Rebecca Steinberg from New Dialect, come to teach “Guided Improvisation.” I took her class on Thursday morning, and it was an eye-opening, very sweaty adventure. We began class with a shaking series, and kept moving for at least half an hour without stopping. It’s amazing how difficult it is to continue this movement, even if you keep the shaking small. We later moved into contact improvisation, with one partner influencing the other with his or her touch. It was especially interesting because later that night, I went to a performance of “One: A Kinetic Journey” and saw this same exercise used in one of the pieces. (Which, by the way, was awesome!) That Thursday was also our Lunchtime in the Studio event, during which we offer free lunch and Core Performance Company performs for our local community. For this Lunchtime, we featured excerpts from Patton’s piece, July 13, 2016: 4:10PM. This piece was inspired by the sudden and unexpected death of his brother, Claiborne, in 2016. Patton is working on including the audience in the performance, and allowing each member to experience his or her own interpretation of love and loss. To begin Lunchtime, Patton asked the audience to listen to a piece of music, and to draw while they listened. After the music finished, we reflected on this experience. One young audience member said, “I feel like this music was meant to played here and on this day.” Then, Core Performance Company performed an excerpt from the choreographed portion of the piece. After a brief reflection after the performance, the CPC Dance Artists each connected with one audience member, and walked with them around the studio. Patton encouraged the audience members to explore the space, and enter on a journey with the dancers. After this experience, a few participants spoke of a realization that we don’t have all the time in the world. Patton expressed that he feels it is important to focus on relationships, because these are what give our lives meaning. One audience member summed up my own interpretation of the afternoon perfectly. He said, “I found the meaning and the beauty behind the madness.” Later that day, students from East Atlanta Villages came to the studios. Core Performance Company performed a short excerpt of American Playground, and then led the students in a class. After the excerpt, the students responded to what they saw in the performance. Here are some of the phrases they used to describe their experience: “Happy” “A lot” “It was amazing” “They were working together” “Different energies” “Happy feet” “Ballet energy” “Hypnotizing” “Was it all a part of the plan?” “Comical” “Fun” “Sweaty” “I want to be a dancer now” For more information on future events including Lunchtime in the Studio, American Playground, and July 13, 2016: 4:10PM, check out the “Coming Up” page on our website! Although we had to close up shop for a few days last week, Core Dance has still been plenty busy! Last Monday, Core Performance Company and the Core Dance staff members spent the morning volunteering for the City of Decatur. Our assignment was lawn work: raking, picking up trash, shoveling out old stones, and making the lawn of a Decatur citizen as beautiful as possible. We put on as many layers as we could, grabbed our gardening gloves, and got to work. We carried pieces of concrete, wood planks, and miscellaneous trash to the dumpster. After an hour, I was already stripping off my layers. Although we weren’t in the studio, we certainly got our workout for the day!
The rest of the week was thrown off course by the ice and snow, but on Friday we were finally back on track with the studios open. That morning, I thawed out my muscles with a class with Kristin O’Neal. Dancing to upbeat, Irish music was the perfect way to begin my Friday. Core Performance Company finished out the afternoon by rehearsing American Playground, which will have its Houston premiere next month. (More info here!) While the dancers prepare for their trip to Houston, I am getting ready for a community meeting for DanceATL, and an audition for the Riverside Dance Festival at Vero Beach. This Saturday, January 27th, Core Dance will be hosting a placement audition for children ages 10 and up for the Riverside Dance Festival. For more info, check out their website: https://www.riversidetheatre.com/riverside-dance-festival/. Following the audition at 4pm in Core Studios will be a meeting with DanceATL, held for all Atlanta dancers, artists, and community members to discuss what the dance community needs at this time. The next few weeks are crammed for us over here in the office. This Monday, our entire staff and company had a Work Room. This is a full day where we dance together and discuss our programs and company needs. In March, we will all attend a 3 day long company retreat, to extend and deepen this process. Spring Fieldwork begins in Atlanta on January 29th, and in Houston on February 3rd. In Atlanta, our February Lunchtime is coming up on February 8th. And don’t forget, we have classes Monday, Wednesday-Friday at 9:00am. Keep warm, and come move with Core Dance! |
AuthorSydney Burrows, Publications Manager, and the People of Core Dance Archives
November 2018
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