Sarah Council is a contemporary modern dance choreographer and teaching artist. She is the artistic director of Sarah Council Dance Projects (SCDP); a dance company founded in 2007. SCDP has performed and taught extensively though out New York City and the east coast region. In 2014, Council, relocated from NYC to Charlotte, North Carolina where she continues to develop and create new works.
As a dance educator, Council believes that the creative process is empowering and transformative for individuals and communities. Sharing this process is a passion and priority for SCDP.
In this effort, Council has conducted residencies, presented lecture demonstrations and taught master classes and dance-making workshops to people of all ages and abilities throughout New York City, New Jersey, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Florida. She has worked with arts education organizations such as Together in Dance (NYC), The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJ), The Wolf Trap Institute of Early Learning for the Arts (DC/NJ), American Dance institute (DC), Dance Place (DC) and Joy of Motion (DC).
What participants and teachers are saying:
“It was so interesting to see my students completely involved in the creative process…What a wonderful experience.”
–Classroom teacher participant; elementary school dance-making residency
“Sarah did a wonderful job working with all my students! She allowed them to be creative, but guided in the right direction while using positive responses.”
-Classroom teacher participant; elementary school dance-making residency
“…Dance-making, when generous and community minded can be stress-less.”
-Dance-making workshop participant
SCDP has received support from the Queens Council on the Arts, The Puffin Foundation and The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Council’s choreography, described by the Washington post as “…uncommonly honest and expressive”, has been presented in numerous venues in NYC including: The Green Building, The 92nd St. Y, The LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, Times Square Arts Center.The Flea Theater, The Secret Theater, The LABA Theater, The Riverside Theatre, Green Space, Triskelion Arts, Topaz Arts, Merce Cunningham Studio, Dance New Amsterdam, Gowanus Arts, Times Square Arts Center. Council’s work has also been presented at the following venues in Washington, DC, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Florida: Dance Place (DC), The Jack Guidone Theater (DC), Franklin Marshall University (PA),Glema Mahr Center for the Arts (KY) and Jacksonville Episcopal School (FL).
Council holds a BFA from the University of Oklahoma where she performed nationally and internationally
skcouncil@gmail.com
http://www.sarahcouncildance.com
5000 Elder Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28205
202-236-9176
Over the course of this residency students will:
– Read a work of children’s literature; observing the narrative style, descriptive or repetitive language, characters, sequence of events and form (beginning, middle and end).
– Explore these ideas through movement utilizing the elements of dance (shape, time, space and quality).
– Work independently and collaboratively to create original choreography inspired by these explorations.
– Perform and observe these small group dances in an informal sharing with another classroom or invited guests.
This program will meet for a total of 3-5 days. The exact residency duration and schedule can be determined to meet the needs of each individual school. The program will also include a collaborative planning meeting between the teaching artist and classroom teachers before the residency begins to identify objectives. The residency will culminate in an informal classroom sharing.
Dancing the Story aligns with the following Arts and Science Council’s funding priority area: Developing Third Grade Reading Skills (vocabulary development and comprehension).
Sarah Council
202-236-9176
skcouncil@gmail.com
September through May
school hours
Multipurpose room or classroom with desks pushed to the side so students can have space to move freely.
schools
3-5 day residency = $900 per classroom
R 2 Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. (Dancing the Story participants will determine the central themes and sequence the main events of a work of children’s literature. These observations will serve as the framework for dance-making.)
W 5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Dancing the Story participants will apply this same process of creating and revising in dance-making; working individually and in collaboration.)
SL1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. (Dancing the Story participants will develop collaborative team building skills while creating duets and small group dances inspired by a work of children’s literature.)
NC essential standards
Dance K-8
DM.1 Understand how to use movement skills in dance.
CP.1 Use choreographic principles, structures, and processes to create dances that communicate ideas, experiences, feelings, and images.
K.R.1 Use a variety of thinking skills to analyze and evaluate dance.
CP.2 Understand how to use performance values (kinesthetic awareness, concentration, focus, and etiquette) to enhance dance performance.
50% of the total engagement fee if cancelling within 30 days of the booking
100% of the total engagement fee if cancelling within 7 days of the booking
In case of inclement weather or other unforeseen situations SCDP will work with the school to reschedule residency activities.