Ballroom

Beginning/Intermediate

Instructor Denise Gibson

The Ballroom Dance Class will cover all the traditional ballroom and latin ballroom dances such as Cha Cha, Waltz, and Swing to name just a few. Join us in learning one of the most popular dance forms in the world! Students will learn leading and following skills, music timing, footwork and styling in this class. Come with a partner or on your own.

What To Wear: Ballroom dance shoes or character dance shoes are ideal. Smooth leather soled dress shoes, street shoes or boots are acceptable for both men and women. Low to medium/high heels are recommended for ladies but not required. Not allowed for safety reasons are slip on shoes with no closed in heel/heel straps, flip flops, ballet slippers, and bare feet. Athletic shoes not recommended. See instructor for shops and website information if you wish to purchase dance shoes.

Flamenco

Flamenco consists of three artistic elements: the cante (singing), the guitarra (guitar) and the baile (dance). The dancer physically interprets the emotion of the singer and guitar is through his or her movements, which include percussive footwork and intricate hand, arm, and body movements. The relationship between the artists is similar to that of jazz where there is a basic structure that one must follow, but at its heart, it is an improvised form.

Basic class – Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.

Instructor Solange Gomes

Technique: Beginning braceo (arms), footwork, palmas, body postures, rhythms for 4, 6 and some 12 count songs.

Choreographies taught in this class are: Tangos (lively song and dance featuring great movement and footwork) and one of the four verses of Sevillanas (partner dance, but there is no need to bring a partner)

Registration required.

Intermediate class – Wednesdays at 7:05 p.m.

Technique: Intermediate technique including turns, remates, footwork, hand gestures, palmas, and upper body work. Rhythms for intermediate level 4, 6 and 12 count songs. Depending on the choreography taught during the session, it includes instruction on the use of castanets, shawls and fans.

Registration required.

What to wear

SHOES: Hard heeled shoes or boots, preferably flamenco shoes, “folklorico” shoes or boots, or character shoes. For flamenco shoes and boots from Spain check www.flamencoshoes.com , www.menkes.es , or www.esflamenco.com/subhomes/enshoes.html

CLOTHING: Women: A long, full, flowing skirt. You can buy practice skirts at http://www.riversedgedancewear.com/flamdan.html , http://www.onstagedancewear.com/CAT-Flamenco-22.aspx or in our local store http://dancewear-unlimited.com/

Men: Long pants, and flamenco or “folklorico” boots.

RDT Company Class

RDT company class is open to all professional and semi-professional dancers. Class schedules and times vary. Individuals must make advanced arrangements to attend.

Please email RDT (rdt@rdtutah.org) or call the RDT office for details at 534-1000.

RDT Community School Open House

Our next Open House Saturday, July 31, 2010

Try a new class or an old favorite for only $10 all day (8 classes for less than the price of one), or free with purchase of a 10 class punch card. If you buy a 10 class punchcard at the open house pay the special price of $90 (regularly $100- $30 savings overall). Stay until the end of the open house to see an informal showing of RDT dancers performing Zvi Gotheiner's upcoming choreography for the season.

9:00 am Prime Movement
9:45 am Modern Technique I/II
10:30 am Contemporary Jazz
11:15 am African
12:00 pm Zumba
12:45 pm Brazilian
1:30 pm Ballroom
2:15 pm Flamenco

Philosophy

The RDT Community School began in 1994 as an extension of Repertory Dance Theatre's mission of dedication to the creation, development, awareness and understanding of the art of modern dance.

* Dance is a total experience involving the physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual and aesthetic dimensions of an individual.
* Dance helps us to perceive and communicate who we are and what we aspire to become.
* Every human being is endowed with the ability to Dance regardless of talent or experience.
* Dance develops distinct ways of seeing, thinking, discovering, and communicating ideas and feelings.
* Dance is expressive movement that has the power to enrich lives.

Registration

Students may register with payment at each Session's Open House, or you may bring registration information with your payment to the first day of class. Contact RDT at 801-534-1000 with questions.

Policy

RDT reserves the right to cancel a class due to low enrollment and/or attendance. RDT reserves the right to substitute instructors as necessary.

Class cards for Modern Dance Technique, African, Hip-Hop, Brazilian, Prime Movement, Ballroom, and Contemporary Jazz may be used interchangeably.

Class cards are valid for six months from the date of purchase.

RDT does not offer refunds or exchanges on class registrations or on class cards.

Faculty

SARAH DONOHUE

Sarah Donohue holds a B.F.A. in Dance from the University of Arizona and an M.F.A in Modern Dance from the University of Utah. Sarah is a Certified Laban Movement Analyst and integrates these studies into her teaching and choreography. Sarah is currently a company member of RDT. She is co-founder of My Turkey Sandwich, an independent dance-theatre company who performed their evening-length concert “Between the Bread” last March. She is also a member of Sternworks, a dance-theatre company who presented the work Demolition Derby: When a Mind Loses its License to Drive in Utah and New York last fall. In addition to dancing, Sarah enjoys bicycling, hiking, climbing, and camping in beautiful mountains of Utah.

SOLANGE GOMES

Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, dancer and choreographer Solange Gomes has over 25 years of experience as a dancer and dance teacher. Solange began her fine arts training at the Royal Ballet Academy and continued to study other dance techniques such as jazz, modern, contemporary, ballroom and Brazilian. She has a Bachelors Degree in Physical Education and a Degree in Piano. Solange started her flamenco studies in Brazil with Sonia Castrioto, Lola Montejano, and Christiane Boullosa y Alban. She also studied with flamenco modernists such as Yara Castro, Omayra Amaya, Alejandro Granados, among others. She has performed with flamenco guitarists such as Mariano Manzella, Antonio Andrade, Santiago Martin, and Humberto Sales.

Solange teaches at the RDT Community School and Weber State University, directs Pasion Flamenca Dance Group and Tablado Dance Company (www.tabladodance.com). She also serves on the Utah Arts Council‘s Dance Arts Advisory Panel.

DENISE GIBSON

Denise Gibson has been dancing since the age of 5 when she began her formal training with the Virginia Tanner Creative Dance Program at the University of Utah. She trained in classical ballet for 11 years with Jean Renee in Salt Lake City and 1 year as a 3rd year ballet major at the University of Utah before attending the Hartford Ballet Teacher Training Program in Hartford, Connecticut. Her ballroom dance training began as a summer job to earn tuition to return to the Hartford Ballet. She was hired to teach ballroom dance at Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Salt Lake City. She loved it so much she never returned to ballet and taught for Arthur Murray for 2 years before joining with her partner Kevin Ikola and dancing professionally for 8 years. She was principal dancer and choreographer for Susan McCarty Fashion Dance Reviews for 8 years, JJ Olsen Fashion Dance Reviews for approximately 5 years and the Organization for 1 year. She is Adjunct Faculty at Salt Lake Community College and teaches for RDT.

LORIN HANSEN

Lorin Hansen is a passionate student, teacher, and performer of Brazilian dance and percussion. Lorin earned her BFA in modern dance from the University of Utah in 2005, and has been studying Brazilian and Afro-Brazilian dance for the past seven years. Along with her husband Mason Aeschbacher, Lorin runs Utah’s premier Escola de Samba (Samba School), Samba Gringa Brazilian Rhythm & Dance, and teaches Brazilian drumming and dance at the University of Utah. Lorin also plays percussion in local Brazilian pagode band Jinga Boa, and you will occasionally see Lorin performing fire dancing at local events. Lorin is the Artistic Director of Samba Fogo, a local dance company that fuses Brazilian music and dance with fire dance and capoeira. Lorin is very excited to be teaching at RDT. She loves what she does and loves to share it with the Salt Lake community!