Last Saturday morning faculty member Diana Nicastro, invited Dads to attend the Creative Dance classes in honor of Fathers Day 2010! The turnout exceeded our expectations. One enthusiastic Dad said "We had fun."
Here is the evidence
Our creative dance classes are offered for children ages 3-6 every Saturday morning at Dance Place San Diego in Point Loma. Bring your child and begin this process of self-discovery and fun! Details about all of our classes, tuition, and registration are available at www.MalashockDance.org/the-school
Don’t miss the first master class in the 4 Sundays in February Master Class Series! In this exciting series of master classes, Malashock Dance proudly presents four Master Teachers/Choreographers from Los Angeles, Orange County, Long Beach, and San Diego. Each Sunday in February, experience the innovative techniques and powerful repertory of Method Contemporary Dance, Backhausdance, Keith Johnson/Dancers, and Malashock Dance.
Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010
11am - 1pm
Keith Johnson of Keith Johnson/Dancers (Long Beach)
Location: Malashock Dance
Dance Place San Diego
2650 Truxtun Road, Studio 200
San Diego, CA 92106
Class Fee: $20; BUY 3 CLASSES, GET THE 4TH ONE FREE! Sign up now!
This advanced level technique class will have an emphasis on the alignment of the skeletal structure and the freedom this allows for expansive and dynamic movement. Emphasis is placed on the movement and articulation of the torso and how material is threaded through the center of the body to the extremities. There is a lot of repetition of material and re-enforcement of conceptual ideas with a focus on breath, dynamics, and athleticism. The skeletal structure is not separated from the muscularity of the movement but both work together to generate the ability to ride momentum and falling as a means of traveling. Both center combinations and across the floor work will involve highly athletic material. Be prepared to move.
I met Marianne Olsson over a year ago, when a friend recommended her pilates class at our gym. My strongest memory of that first class with her was of her walking over to me several times, telling me that she knew I could stretch a little more, do a few more reps, do the more difficult variation she had taught. After class, when I went up to thank her, she asked if I was a dancer. My answer: Yes, sort of. (I now sit in the office next to the dance studio more often than I take class in there!)
I was impressed that Marianne could recognize dance training in one of her gym students, and even more impressed when she agreed to teach pilates at the Malashock Dance School . She decided to offer Pilates Flow, a pilates class for dancers and for us sort-of-dancers, want-to-be-dancers, and total-non-dancers. Pilates is a great way for anyone to get fit, and as a certified pilates instructor, Marianne is a great teacher to work with.
Join us on Thursday for the first class of the semester—I plan to be there, too!
PILATES FLOW
with Marianne Olsson
Thursday, 7-8:15 p.m.
Try the class once for $15 or purchase a class card now !
Malashock Dance School
Dance Place San Diego
2650 Truxtun Road, Studio 200
San Diego, CA 92106
For three years in a row, we have put on an incredibly fun fundraiser, Malashock Thinks You Can Dance! This year, we are welcoming one of the professional dancers from our fundraiser to teach the rest of us how to dance!
Irina Chalkevitch , ballroom champion and a great teacher with an electric personality, will be teaching a series of ballroom dance classes at the Malashock Dance School . This 6-class series will include Cha Cha Cha, Salsa, Foxtrot, Rumba, Swing, and Waltz . Couples and singles are welcome to learn these ballroom dances in a fun, relaxed, social environment.
You can watch Irina performing at Malashock Thinks You Can Dance! with her partner, John Selby:
Today’s blog comes from Jaami Waali, who teaches Hip Hop at the Malashock Dance School every Monday, 5-6 p.m., for ages 13 & up. Jaami is also founder and co-director of Kruciaal Element, which offers a drop-in, all levels Hip Hop class at the Malashock Dance School every Tuesday, 6-7 p.m.
The more I teach, the more I realize it is less about the subject matter and more about the people involved and how I can inspire them to learn more about themselves. The subject matter becomes more of a way for me to connect with people. I wonder if most people wouldn’t be as open to change or another person’s opinion if it wasn’t aligned with something they were already interested in.
Dance is also something that is so personal because it involves our own bodies, people watching our bodies move through space, and how we connect (in sometimes a very vulnerable way) to music. These elements, and more, are different for every single person and, ultimately, define us. I love teaching dance because I can help people define themselves more and more, and in the process, I do so as well.
Jaami’s students performing in the Malashock Dance School Winter Showcase 2009:
In 2010, we resolve to continue to put emotion in motion . As a premier California dance company, we create, educate, and collaborate . For those of you who aren’t familiar with our mission statement, there it is! You can learn more about our mission and programs on our website .
How can you get involved in our mission this year?
1. Take a dance class! Each class at the Malashock Dance School helps you put emotion in motion. Classes for kids and adults, beginners through professionals, help students grow as dancers and as people.
2. Attend our Studio Series in April and May! The “On The Spot” Studio Series in April is an opportunity to witness the actual creative process of new choreography being made by John Malashock, while the “Work in Progress” Studio Series in May unveils the first round of choreographic “sketching” with Company dancers.
3. Join our mailing list! We provide monthly newsletters and occasional announcements to make sure you know what’s going on at Malashock Dance.
4. Volunteer with us! Volunteers help us in the office, at performances, around town, and even by serving on our Board of Directors.
5. Donate! As a nonprofit organization, Malashock Dance relies on your generosity to provide new artistic creations, professional performances, and high-quality dance training and education outreach programs. You can also directly support our Scholarship Program .
Whatever your level of involvement, we look forward to seeing you at Malashock Dance this year!
Free Day of Dance 2009 was a blast! We had over 150 students in Malashock Dance’s classes, and San Diego Dance Theater and San Diego Ballet had full classes, too. It gives a whole new meaning to the word "turnout"! (If you are groaning at that joke, you can thank Molly, our Education Director. She thought up that gem!)
Michael Mizerany, Associate Artistic Director at Malashock Dance, had 65 students in his class! Check out these video clips from Saturday:
Michael will be teaching Company Class this semester at the Malashock Dance School. Company Class is open to the public every Tuesday and Thursday, 10-11:30 a.m., starting January 12. It is the perfect class for an advanced or professional dancer looking for a challenge. I have taken Michael’s classes, and they are definitely a challenge—but they are fun, too! Michael is a very dynamic and encouraging teacher.
If you missed the Free Day of Dance, mark your calendar now for next year—December 26, 2010! And check out our classes for Winter Semester at the Malashock Dance School, starting January 11, 2010 . Download the brochure (pdf) or sign up now!
Congratulations to all of the Malashock Dance School students who performed in the Winter Showcase this weekend! We enjoyed the choreography of Malashock Dance School faculty John Malashock, Molly Puryear, Erica Buechner, Matt Carney, Julianne O’Brien Pedersen, and Jaami Waali. Congrats to all of them, as well as faculty members Katie Griffin and Diana Nicastro, for a great semester of dance classes!
Take a look at a slideshow of photos from the Malashock Dance School Winter Showcase here:
When I started working at Malashock Dance, I only had a vague idea of what “Education Outreach” meant. What really happens when the teacher walks into the classroom? Talking with Molly Puryear (our Education Director and an AMAZING teacher!), I began to get a sense for what goes on in the classroom. After visiting a couple Education Outreach classes, I got a much better picture of the scope—and the variety—of our outreach activities. So I started thinking, "How can I explain these outstanding programs to everyone else who supports Malashock?"
I am now working with Molly to get our brand new Flip cameras (woohoo!) into the classrooms, so that we can literally show you what is going on in our incredible dance education programs: The Malashock Dance School, Emotion in Motion at Balboa Park, Academics in Motion at Freese Elementary, Dance at La Jolla Country Day School, and the Liberty School here at NTC Promenade. But I want to share a few opportunities for you to take a peek right now:
• Turn on your TV Saturday morning to KUSI! Some of our students from Freese Elementary will be sharing what they have learned about dance and the solar system Saturday at 8:50 a.m. on KUSI/Channel 9!
• Visit the SDUSD Arts Magnet Fair Saturday afternoon: Our Freese Elementary students will be performing at 1 p.m. at the Recital Hall in Balboa Park.
• But before you go, watch this video to get an idea of what Academics in Motion is all about!
I am looking forward to sharing even more great photos and video of our Education Outreach in the coming days!
Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010
