WORKSHOP: WRESTLING WITH ABSENCE
with Sha Harrell and Jenna Riegel
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020
2:00 - 4:00PM EDT
Workshop: $20-$40
Day Pass (Sunday): $30-$100
Festival Pass: $80-$250
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
How do we accept or embrace what is no longer there? Or what was never there? Or what has never been visible or palpable to us? Something that is taken away or lost? Something that never came to fruition or was never born?
In this movement and sounding workshop, we will investigate the presence of absence as well as the absence of presence. How do our voices and bodies react and change when we are distracted, distant, displaced, disconnected or disturbed? How do we sound when our foundations are shifting and what is known is unraveling? Where does disruption and turmoil reside in our kinetic bodies?
We will explore these questions through many different avenues: improvisations, sounding scores, movement phrases, writing excursions, and more. Each moment together will be an opportunity for us to attempt to notice what we don’t normally notice, to practice a presence with what we aren’t usually aware of and to be confused and not know how.
JENNA RIEGEL, originally from Fairfield, Iowa, is a dance artist, maker and educator. Jenna holds an M.F.A. in Dance Performance from the University of Iowa and a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Maharishi International University. During her eleven-year performing career in NYC, Jenna danced with Daara Dance (choreographer Michel Kouakou), Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, Shaneeka Harrell, Tania Isaac Dance and johannes weiland. She toured and performed nationally and internationally as a company member of David Dorfman Dance, Alexandra Beller/ Dances, Bill Young/ Colleen Thomas & Company and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company. Jenna taught classes in contemporary technique in New York City at Gina Gibney Dance Center, New York Live Arts, Mark Morris Dance Center and 100 Grand Dance. She has been on faculty in the dance departments of Barnard College, The Juilliard School and Virginia Commonwealth University. In addition, she has taught master classes at The Joffrey Ballet School, Columbia College, NYU, The New School, Ohio State University, SUNY Purchase, Bard College, Connecticut College, Hollins University, Dartmouth College, Williams College, Skidmore College, University of Maryland, University of California-Berkeley, the American Dance Festival and the Bates Dance Festival. Jenna is currently an Assistant Professor of Theater and Dance at Amherst College.
Born and raised in the heart of Miami, SHANEEKA HARRELL (also known as 'sha') is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, vocalist, and actor. Her work as a collaborator with Tony-award winning choreographer Bill T. Jones includes: a company member with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company (2001-2007); Assistant Choreographer on The Seven for New York Theater Workshop; original cast member of Fela! On Broadway (2009-2011); original cast member and dance captain of Mr. Jones’ workshop for Super Fly the Musical and most recently, teaching incarcerated young adults of Rikers Island Correctional Facility. Other theater and dance performance credits include: cast member of Richmond Triangle Player’s production of Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England, cast member of Miami Theater Center’s productions of The Love of Three Oranges and Inanna and the Huluppu Tree, dance company member of Jawole Willa Jo Zollar‘s Urban Bush Women (2001-2002) and guest artist appearances with Hattie Mae Williams’ Tattooed Ballerinas, Letty Bassart's Thought Loom and Tania Isaac Dance Project. Additionally, Harrell choreographs, directs, produces and performs in her own interdisciplinary work.
with Sha Harrell and Jenna Riegel
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020
2:00 - 4:00PM EDT
Workshop: $20-$40
Day Pass (Sunday): $30-$100
Festival Pass: $80-$250
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
How do we accept or embrace what is no longer there? Or what was never there? Or what has never been visible or palpable to us? Something that is taken away or lost? Something that never came to fruition or was never born?
In this movement and sounding workshop, we will investigate the presence of absence as well as the absence of presence. How do our voices and bodies react and change when we are distracted, distant, displaced, disconnected or disturbed? How do we sound when our foundations are shifting and what is known is unraveling? Where does disruption and turmoil reside in our kinetic bodies?
We will explore these questions through many different avenues: improvisations, sounding scores, movement phrases, writing excursions, and more. Each moment together will be an opportunity for us to attempt to notice what we don’t normally notice, to practice a presence with what we aren’t usually aware of and to be confused and not know how.
JENNA RIEGEL, originally from Fairfield, Iowa, is a dance artist, maker and educator. Jenna holds an M.F.A. in Dance Performance from the University of Iowa and a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Maharishi International University. During her eleven-year performing career in NYC, Jenna danced with Daara Dance (choreographer Michel Kouakou), Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, Shaneeka Harrell, Tania Isaac Dance and johannes weiland. She toured and performed nationally and internationally as a company member of David Dorfman Dance, Alexandra Beller/ Dances, Bill Young/ Colleen Thomas & Company and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company. Jenna taught classes in contemporary technique in New York City at Gina Gibney Dance Center, New York Live Arts, Mark Morris Dance Center and 100 Grand Dance. She has been on faculty in the dance departments of Barnard College, The Juilliard School and Virginia Commonwealth University. In addition, she has taught master classes at The Joffrey Ballet School, Columbia College, NYU, The New School, Ohio State University, SUNY Purchase, Bard College, Connecticut College, Hollins University, Dartmouth College, Williams College, Skidmore College, University of Maryland, University of California-Berkeley, the American Dance Festival and the Bates Dance Festival. Jenna is currently an Assistant Professor of Theater and Dance at Amherst College.
Born and raised in the heart of Miami, SHANEEKA HARRELL (also known as 'sha') is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, vocalist, and actor. Her work as a collaborator with Tony-award winning choreographer Bill T. Jones includes: a company member with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company (2001-2007); Assistant Choreographer on The Seven for New York Theater Workshop; original cast member of Fela! On Broadway (2009-2011); original cast member and dance captain of Mr. Jones’ workshop for Super Fly the Musical and most recently, teaching incarcerated young adults of Rikers Island Correctional Facility. Other theater and dance performance credits include: cast member of Richmond Triangle Player’s production of Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England, cast member of Miami Theater Center’s productions of The Love of Three Oranges and Inanna and the Huluppu Tree, dance company member of Jawole Willa Jo Zollar‘s Urban Bush Women (2001-2002) and guest artist appearances with Hattie Mae Williams’ Tattooed Ballerinas, Letty Bassart's Thought Loom and Tania Isaac Dance Project. Additionally, Harrell choreographs, directs, produces and performs in her own interdisciplinary work.
