RDA Summer Dance Intensive featuring the Craft of Choreography Conference

June 16 through June 28, 2008

The RDA Summer Dance Intensive featuring the Craft of Choreography Conference (CCC) is a multi-faceted program, providing dancers, emerging choreographers and seasoned choreographers the unparalleled opportunity to work, study and create under the guidance of nationally recognized professionals in the fields of music and dance. The CCC provides a vital training ground/working environment for choreographers and a one-of-a-kind experience for dancers to work within a variety of styles and train with some of the best teachers in the world. Tracing its roots back to 1961, it has been guided by luminaries from the professional dance world. CCC 2008 is a culmination of this history plus so much more.

Faculty

Director of Choreography

Diane Coburn Bruning

Diane Coburn Bruning was recently awarded both a Guggenheim Fellowship and a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in choreography (her second) and was named by Dance Magazine as one of “25 to Watch in 2003.” She has worked with Atlanta Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Boston Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Joffrey II, Nashville Ballet, Ballet Chicago, Daghdha Dance, Juilliard Dance Ensemble, Pittsburgh and Glimmerglass Operas among others. She has received fellowships from The National Endowment for the Arts, Sundance Film Institute, Meet the Composer, Harkness Foundation, New York State Council for the Arts, Heathcote Foundation, McKnight Foundation among others. Diane serves on grants panels, leads choreographic workshops, and has served as a teaching artist for Lincoln Center Institute and New York City Ballet. She is a graduate of Butler University’s Jordan College of Fine Arts, from which she received their 2003 Alumni Achievement Award, and New York University’s Gallatin Division. She attended Yale University as a special fellow studying with renowned stage designers Jennifer Tipton in lighting and Ming Cho Lee in scenery, Diane designs lights for some of her ballets.

Director of Music

Paul Moore

Paul R. Moore, Music Director, began his work for dance at the University of California Santa Barbara where he studied Music Composition with Marc Ainger, Carolyn Bremer, Jeremy Haladena, Larry Karush and Margaret Mayer. After graduating from the College of Creative Studies at UCSB in 1993, Paul remained in Santa Barbara for two years as Senior Musician of the UCSB Dance Department. During this period, Paul focused on composing musical works for small ensembles, soloists and orchestra, as well as collaborating with faculty choreographer, Christopher Pilafian. He has collaborated with choreographers Mark Dendy, Katie Duck, Mark Haim, Rob Kitsos, Peter Kyle, Maria Simpson and his wife, Alice de Muizon, and has performed with the Chamber Dance Company for five seasons. He was commissioned to compose a new orchestral work for the Degenerate Art Orchestra, which premiered in March 2005. Paul was selected to be a part of the 2003 season at On The Boards and won the Washington Composers Forum orchestra competition. His work has been performed by the Seattle Creative Orchestra and published by Mimicry Records. Currently, he is the Director of Music for the Dance Department at the University of Washington.

Dance Faculty

Nicholas Ade, PNB School Director
Patricia Barker, Principal Dancer
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Benjamin Griffiths, Dancer, PNB
Kiyon Gaines, Dancer, PNB
Maria Chapman, Dancer, PNB
Lindsi Dec, Dancer, PNB
Diana Law, Jazz
Teacher and Choreographer

Facilities

The Francia Russell Center opened in fall 2002 and is conveniently located east of downtown Bellevue in the Bel-Red area of Seattle. It features four large dance studios with state-of-the-art sprung flooring plus two conditioning studios, library and spacious dressing rooms. The La Quinta Inn is located approximately 3 miles from the Francia Russell Center.

For Emerging Choreographers

  • Daily choreography session with the Director of Choreography & Director of Music and given assignments.
  • May participate in one morning class each day - Ballet, Modern Jazz, Pointe or Men’s.
  • Afternoons spent creating new works/assignments that will be shown that evening.
  • Nightly critique sessions, discussing and dissecting that evenings works.

Emerging Choreographers are are limited to five choreographers (one per region) and are chosen by the adjudicators of each region. Emerging Choreographers are granted full scholarships to attend and are accepted for the two week session only.

For Project Tier Choreographers

  • May participate in daily choreography session with the Director of Choreography & Director of Music.
  • May participate in morning class each day - Ballet, Modern Jazz, Pointe or Men’s.
  • Afternoons spent creating a new work in a non-judgmental environment that will be shown at the end of the Conference.
  • Nightly critique sessions, discussing and dissecting that evenings works.

Project Tier Choreographers are limited to five choreographers (one per region) and are chosen by a panel appointed by each region. Project Tier Choreographers are granted full scholarships to attend and are accepted for the two week session only.

For More Information

Debra Rogo
Summer Dance Intensive Executive Director
509.946.5417
mcb@midcolumbiaballet.org

RDA Summer Dance Intensive
c/o P.O. Box 326
Richland, WA 99352

Conference Costs

Tuition and Food (Two weeks)
RDA Members: $900
Non-Member: $1100
Airport Transportation: Included

Tuition and Food (One Week)
RDA Members: $650
Non-Member: $750
Observer/Weekly: $400
Observer/Daily: $100
Airport Transportation: Included

Room (Two Weeks)
Quad: $750
Double: $1050
Single: $1800

Room (One Week)
Quad: $400 (6 days)
Double: $650 (6 days)
Single: $1000 (6 days)

RDA Artistic Directors
$150 per day - includes single hotel room, meals and all attendance

For the Dancers

  • Two classes daily in Ballet, Modern Jazz, Pointe or Men’s classes
  • Bi-weekly evening seminars
  • The dancer becomes part of a collaborative team, expanding their technique and increasing their confidence

Dancers must be studying dance at an intermediate to advanced level and be at least 13 years of age.

For the Student Choreographer/Dancer

  • Daily choreography session (after warm-up with the Directors of Choreography & Music
  • One morning class each day - Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Pointe or Men’s
  • Afternoons will be divided between an Emerging & Guest Choreographer whose short works will be performed that evening and with a Project Tier Choreographer whose complete work will be shown at the end of the 2-week conference.
  • Bi-Weekly evening seminars from professionals in the field.

Student Dancer/Choreographers must be studying dance at an intermediate to advanced level and be at least 15 years of age. A letter of recommendation from their Artistic Director must accompany their application. Student Dancer/Choreographers are accepted for the two week program only.

For Guest Choreographers

  • Daily choreography session with the Director of Choreography & Director of Music and given assignments.
  • May participate in morning class each day - Ballet, Modern Jazz, Pointe or Men’s.
  • Afternoons spent creating new works/assignments that will be shown that evening.
  • Nightly critique sessions, discussing and dissecting that evenings works.

Guest Choreographers are limited to five choreographers and are chosen by the Director of Choreography via a video audition of their work. Guest Choreographers are accepted for the two week session only.

New This Year!

Dancers may attend the Summer Intensive for one week or two! Dancers wishing to attend the Intensive for only one week must attach a letter from their Artistic Director verifying the dancer’s conflict for the other week.

Student Choreographer/Dancer Track!
This track will accommodate 20 RDA Choreographer/Dancers who would function in the dancer track of the conference but would also give them the experience of 10 group choreography lessons with the Director of Choreography. This is an excellent way for dancers with an interest in choreography to gain a basic understanding of choreographic theory.

Guest Choreographers! We will have room for five additional choreographers to participate in the emerging track of the Dance Intensive. Choreographers are chosen by video audition by the Director of Choreography.

Lecture Series for Dancers! Lectures will be given by Pacific Northwest Ballet dancers and Dr. Alan Woodle. There will be four lectures total.

A Typical Day

8:45-10:15
1st Class
9:15-10:15
Student/dancer Choreography Session
10:30-12:00
2nd Class/Choreography Session
12:00-12:30
Lunch
12:30-2:00
Emerging Choreographers
2:15-3:45
Guest Choreographers
4:00-5:30
Project Tier Choreographers
5:30-6:15
Dinner
6:30-7:00
Spacing
7:00-8:00
Showings
8:00-???
Critiques/Dancer lecture Tuesday & Thursday

(Schedule will vary slightly depending upon which group the dancer or choreographer is participating in.)

Arrival and Placement Day

  • June 16
    Departure Day
  • June 28