Ballet/Pointework

Classes are influenced by Joan's highly disciplined, classical upbringing under RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) Testing. Specifically for students newer to Ballet, she places emphasis on understanding the spirit of the task while the body works toward what the brain wants it to do. 

Objective

Joan aims to cultivate a safe space for learning where risk taking, curiosity, and testing one's own boundaries is encouraged. By valuing proper alignment and correct patterning, the student will become a more efficient mover with more access to their body. Students will also develop a critical eye able to identify nuances in movement. Through questioning, students will exercise problem solving skills ultimately developing individual and proactive thinkers and movers. 

Modern, Contemporary, & Improvisation

Classes are informed by Joan's extensive training in contemporary, improvisation, and Modern (Horton, Laban/Bartenieff, Limón, release technique) that she received from The Boston Conservatory (associate alumni) and California Institute of the Arts (BFA Choreography & Performance). Her classes work toward clarity and specificity of movement, and using the most efficient pathway. Through imagery cues, students are more easily able to access specific points of initiation and find greater range of motion.