About this project
Dance is a powerful source of expression and means for building community in my life. My passion to move and experience of the diverse groups brought together through dance has led me to practice the Gaga movement language. Due to its unique focus on finding pleasure and awareness through the moving body, Gaga connects to a wide range of people. Currently, I am one of thirty individuals from around the world participating in the first official Gaga Teacher Training program in Tel Aviv, Israel. Together, we represent Belgium, Germany, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United States. I want to complete a video dance project of our inaugural class and each individual’s experience of Gaga!
Ohad Naharin, the artistic director of the world-renowned Batsheva Dance Company, is the originator of the Gaga movement language. In recent years, his sensory-based, improvisational movement language has been recognized as an innovative practice for professional dancers and those who have not formally trained. The Gaga Teacher Training program is the result of the increasing global interest in Gaga and the demand for classes abroad.Raising funding through Kickstarter will allow me to continue in the Gaga Teacher Training program, and to begin my video dance documentation of its participants. Beginning in February 2012, I will start filming each of us in a location of our choice in Tel Aviv to showcase our unique environment, the breadth of our backgrounds and our signature movement identities.
To realize this project, I am asking for your support to cover the costs of an external hard drive to store video footage (244.08 USD), tuition to complete the Gaga Teacher Training program (5000 USD) and living expenses in Israel from February through May (3052 USD). In order to receive any contributions, I have to meet the goal of the amount requested. Any contributions exceeding my request would be applied toward living expenses in Israel from June through August.
My project will provide a creative documentation of the students in the first Gaga Teacher Training program and will also serve as a means to better describe Gaga when I return to the United States and apply it to my teaching, choreographing, performing and daily living.
I really appreciate your consideration and hope that you can contribute to this project! Please scroll down and look under "rewards" to see my bio, links to my websites and more information about Gaga...
Some details about the Gaga Teacher Training:- it is 3 semesters (October 2011-September 2012) with an intern period that will be completed between 2012-2013
- we receive personal mentoring from Ohad Naharin and the artistic directors of the Gaga Teacher Training program
- our classes are taught by Ohad Naharin and members/former members of the Batsheva Dance Company and Batsheva Ensemble
- we take daily Gaga Dancer classes which are geared toward professionals in the field and dancers in training
- we learn Ohad Naharin’s original choreography
- we research in depth principles of the movement language in Gaga Methodics classes
- we consider information for teaching in a weekly Toolbox class
- we take weekly Gaga People classes which are open to the public and have a loyal following in Israel
- we will take anatomy and physiology
- we will participate in a teaching practicum with members of the Tel Aviv community
Here is an excerpt from Tomer Heymann's, Out of Focus, which documents Ohad Naharin's residency with Cedar Lake Dance Company and offers a brief description of Gaga.
Special thank you to Russ Seligman for dance photo, Heymann Films for video excerpt on Gaga and James Graham, Michael J. Morris, Teoma Naccarato, Dan Shellenbarger, Rashana Smith and Jamie Taucher for tech support.
FAQ
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This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on February 10.
Pledge $5 or more Pledge $5 or more
My heartfelt appreciation and a listing under "acknowledgements" on my website.
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
My heartfelt appreciation, a listing under "acknowledgements" on my website and a digital image from a video still.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
My heartfelt appreciation, a listing under "acknowledgements" on my website, a digital image from a video still and a password to view more images taken from video stills of the individuals from the program in select locations in Tel Aviv that will be updated periodically throughout the year.
Pledge $75 or more Pledge $75 or more
My heartfelt appreciation, a listing under "acknowledgements" on my website, a digital image from a video still, a password to view more images taken from video stills AND a password to view select entries of my notes from Gaga class, Gaga methodics, Repertoire and Toolbox which will be updated periodically throughout the year.
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
My heartfelt appreciation, a listing under "acknowledgements" on my website, a digital image from a video still, a password to view more images taken from video stills, a password to view select entries of my notes from classes AND a 1 minute teaser of selections from the work in progress of the video project!
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
My heartfelt appreciation! A listing under "acknowledgements" on my website, a digital image from a video still, a password to view more images taken from video stills, a password to view select entries of my notes from classes, a 1 minute teaser of selections from the work in progress of the video project AND a handwritten letter describing the creative process of the video project, PLUS a listing under "acknowledgements" in the credits of the completed video.
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
My heartfelt appreciation!!!! A listing under "acknowledgements" on my website, a digital image from a video still, a password to view more images taken from video stills, a password to view select entries of my notes from classes, a 1 minute teaser of selections from the work in progress of the video project, a handwritten letter describing the creative process of the video project WITH a hard copy of an image of a video still, PLUS a listing under "acknowledgements" in the credits of the completed video AND after the project is complete you will receive a personal invitation to an online sneak preview of the video as well as a personal invitation to any scheduled live screenings.
Pledge $2,000 or more Pledge $2,000 or more
My heartfelt appreciation!!!!!!!!!!! A listing under "acknowledgements" on my website, a digital image from a video still, a password to view more images taken from video stills, a password to view select entries of my notes from classes, a 1 minute teaser of selections from the work in progress of the video project, a handwritten letter describing the creative process of the video project WITH a hard copy of an image of a video still, PLUS a listing under "acknowledgements" in the credits of the completed video, a personal invitation to an online sneak preview of the video as well as a personal invitation to any scheduled live screenings AND after I have received my Gaga certification I will facilitate a Gaga class for a group of your choice within 200 miles of Pittsburgh, PA! If the location is further than 200 miles if you cover travel expenses and accommodations I am happy to come!
Project By
Connected as Maree ReMalia (753 friends)
I am a choreographer, performer and teacher. Currently, I am participating in the first official Gaga Teacher Training program in Tel Aviv, Israel and studying to become a practitioner of the Ilan Lev method. In June 2011, I earned my MFA in Dance through The Ohio State University where I also taught Improvisation and Modern technique. I received my BA in Education for Social Change and Cultural Studies from Prescott College and taught through the Teach for America program in San Francisco.
In my creative process, I draw inspiration from Ohad Naharin’s Gaga movement language and improvisational studies I experienced at Moving on Center School for Participatory Arts; I have been deeply impacted by Bebe Miller’s emergent style of dance-making and John Giffin’s approach to Dance Theater. I am interested in the significance of using improvisational, sensory-based explorations as a way to cultivate self-awareness, build community and make new discoveries through movement. It is my intent to choreograph work that is reflective of diverse groups of individuals and a collaborative process. My original choreography has been presented in Cleveland Public Theatre’s Big Box and Dance Works series, MegLouise Dance Sneak Reviews, Movement Research at the Judson Church, 60x60 and the Williamsburg Free Fest.
As a performer, I have had the pleasure of dancing with Cleveland-based companies MorrisonDance and MegLouise Dance and previously with Southern Ballet Theatre and the Richmond Ballet. Recently, I performed in the work of Bebe Miller, Ming Shen Gu and Noa Zuk. I enjoyed collaborations with Heather Baur, Kalindi Stockton, and OSU Dance colleagues. Through these associations, I performed in the CinciFringe Fest, Cleveland Public Theatre’s Dance Works series, DUMBO Dance Festival, Ingenuity Festival, New England Dance Project showcase, Ten Tiny Dances and the Yitzhak International Arts Gathering in Acco, Israel.
