Contemporary Dance
Class Description
The course starts with simple combinations on the floor, which focus on breathing and exploring the body. These combinations are followed by exercises that isolate different zones of the body in order to stabilize the flexibility of the muscles and joints. Through the repetition of these exercises, the dancers develop an inner discipline that will enable them to control their movements and become one with their environment. Continuously concentrating on their own center (dan tian), the dancers also learn to develop a steady flow of energy (chi) as well as strengthen their awareness of their senses in space. Essentially, students will learn to use their bodies in a variety of ways, and they focus on breathing, posture, and emotional states to establish a mind-body connection. Based on Limon and Cunningham techniques and combined with the instructor's own style, the course will encourage you to express your creativity and increase your body consciousness and self-confidence.
Instructor
Shiu-Chin Yu
Shiu-Chin Yu danced in Lan-Yang Dance Troupe for over 10 years, which she toured over 300 performances in Europe and Asian. Yu held a BFA in choreography from the National Institute of the Arts, Taiwan (the then Taipei National University of the Arts), and an MFA in dance from Sarah Lawrence College. In 1992 and 1993, she received the ICRT Young Star Scholarship for Excellence in Artistic Achievement in Taiwan. Also, in 1993, she was the recipient of a J. William Fulbright scholarship.
Yu founded Somatic Theater Company in 1991. The company has been actively performing every year with full-lengthproduction since 2012. From 1997 to 2009, Yu worked in Germany. She was invited to many renown dance festivals such as “Tanztage im Pfefferberg“ and “Tanzwoche“ at Theater am Halleschen Ufer. In 2002 she received commissions to choreography for Cloud Gate Dance Troupe; Lan Yang Dance Troupe and in the same year she was a guest choreographer for Playbox Ensemble Theater, Taiwan. In 2004, Yu was invited again to create a large scale and evening length dance performance for Lan Yang Dance Group. Yu has choreographed more than fifty dances in Taiwan and internationally. She writes dance critic for Performing Arts Review in Taiwan since 1995. She was also a co-writer for the book of Pina Bausch “Dance for the World” in 2006. Since August 2009, she is a full-time faculty member for Department of Performing Arts at Shu-Te University as Associate Professor. She is the Director at Performing Arts Department since 2017.
