Dance West 2020 in its second year brings significant, influential artists to Utah to share their unique artistic perspectives, diverse aesthetics, and approaches to dance. Dance West Summer Fest is a three-week workshop/festival committed to the exploration of the creative process, contemporary and traditional techniques, and repertory work. It represents the collaborative efforts of three established artistic entities each with rich histories, Repertory Dance Theatre, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company and the University of Utah’s Salt Dance Fest.  With participants from around the world, the workshop/festival nurtures and supports experimentation, exploration, curiosity, and collaboration with varied perspectives that span historical to contemporary points of view.

 

Participants work intimately with acclaimed artists and educators, as well as company directors and dancers, to develop and explore diverse movement and choreographic practices, pedagogy, somatic modalities, and repertory works. The workshop is housed at the University of Utah and the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center – both hubs of performance and choreographic creation for the American West. 

 

Participants of Dance Summer West Fest select their own unique schedule, engaging with the artists in: Contemporary and/or Traditional Techniques, Improvisational and Physical Practices, Composition/Choreography, Creative Process, Repertory, Dance Writing, and Media Engagement. The workshop/festival additionally includes lectures, panel discussions with the guest artists, an improvisation jam, social events, opportunities to informally present work, and a concert of faculty work. Dance West also has a choreographic mentorship project in which participants are provided free space to work on the creation of one’s own choreographic project.  The work is regularly viewed by Dance West artists, in which input and mentorship is provided through one-on-one artist/participant dialogue about the work (see further details under course descriptions).

 

Workshop participants are expected to be mature, self-motivated dancers and professionals interested in further developing choreographic, creative, performance and movement investigative skills. Participants must be 18 or older and are expected to dance at an intermediate or advanced level. Enrollment is limited, providing more individual attention for each workshop participant. Housing and meals are available at an additional cost. College credit is also available.