Sarah Council Dance Projects

Sarah Council Dance Projects

Sarah Council is a contemporary modern dance choreographer and teaching artist with 20 years of experience. She is the artistic director of Sarah Council Dance Projects (SCDP), a contemporary modern dance company currently based in Charlotte NC. SCDP is focused on dance research, creation and performance and works to share these experiences with others through presentations, workshops and residencies.

As a dance educator, Council believes that the creative process is empowering and transformative for individuals and communities. Sharing this process with others is her passion and priority. SCDP’s education program Move Create and Collaborate: k-12 arts-integrated and PD movement residencies and workshops has been implemented in several Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Schools and featured at Wake County Arts Council’s Arts Integration Institute. Council is an A+ Fellow with A+ Schools of North Carolina and is celebrating her 10th year as dance teaching artist with the Wolf Trap Institute of Early Learning Through the Arts (DC, NJ, NC, VA). She also has experience teaching dance and dance-making in community spaces in person and virtually (centers, libraries, ZOOM etc.). SCDP’s Dancing the Poem Workshop Series had been supported by of the Arts and Science Council (NC) Culture Blocks programs and Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Libraries. Additionally, she has had the opportunity to teach in numerous studio settings over her extensive career: Dance Place (DC), Joy of Motion (DC), American Dance Institute (DC), Glen Echo Park (DC), Ebb and Flow (NC).

SCDP has received support from the Queens Council on the Arts, The Puffin Foundation and The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and Arts and Science Council. 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), Meredith College (NC), Bennett College (NC), The Duke Energy Theater (NC), Goodyear Arts (NC), Stephen Hyers Theater (NC) and BOOM Charlotte at Petra’s Bar (NC). She has performed with Gesel Mason, Deborah Riley, Helanius Wilkens, Cynthia Word and Citydance Ensemble. Council Is also a Certified GYROTONIC® and GYROKENISIS ® instructor and loves introducing people to this powerful system. She invites her clients to experience the joy of moving while building strength, flexibility and range of motion! She is offering classes online and in person. Find out more: www.sarahcouncil.com Council has a BFA from the University of Oklahoma

EDUCATOR CONTACT INFO

skcouncil@gmail.com

http://www.sarahcouncildance.com

  5000 Elder Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28205

202-236-9176

Dancing Outside of the Box

Program description

Dancing outside of the box is 3-5 day dance residency that explores the practice of performing in unconventional spaces. This dance making residency will consider the history of site specific dance in the context of dance history and will challenge students to create a series of performances in unusual spaces throughout their schools. This residency will culminate in a final site specific sharing that takes place at an outdoor on-campus location..

Over the course of this residency students will:

– Study the history, motivations and methods of creating site specific dance.

– Begin an exploration of the material within the classroom/dance studio space; experiencing selected site specific methods as individuals and in small groups.

–  Identify several potential site specific performance locations within the school (hallways, foyer, gym, and auditorium). Discuss the architectural elements of these spaces and the potential challenges and opportunities each of the environments present.

– Work together in the classroom to create a framework, or performance score, for each space.

– Perform a series of site specific dances over several weeks, using the planned scores for each location.

–  Engage in a discussion after each experience to consider what worked and what could be done differently next time.

–  Design and perform a final sharing for another classroom or invited guest that takes place outside on the school grounds. This informal sharing will include several methods of creation and a combination of improvised and choreographed material.

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.

Booking / scheduling contact

Sarah Council

   202-236-9176

 skcouncil@gmail.com

Program detail
Artistic discipline: Dance
Cultural Origin: Multicultural
Program type: Residency, Workshop
Population served: Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9
Subject: Dance, Theatre Arts
Bilingual: No
Available dates:

October through May

Available times:

school hours

Length of program: 50 minutes per session
Space / technical requirements:

Dance Studio/ Multipurpose room or classroom with desks pushed to the side so students can have space to move freely; as well as permission to use other spaces within and outside the school in accordance with guidelines for safety and decorum set by the school.

Location(s):

schools

Fees / Ticketing:

3-5 day residency = $900 per classroom

EDUCATION STANDARDS

NC Standard Course of Study:

R 4 Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
(Dancing Outside of the Box participants will interpret movement phrases, determining meaning and analyzing how specific movement choices and the application of dance concepts, [i.e.: shape, time, space, and force] shape meaning and tone.)

W 5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
(Dancing Outside of the Box 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 Outside of the Box participants will develop collaborative team building skills while creating duets and small group site specific dances and improvisations.)

NC Essential Standards:
NC Essential Standards
 

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.

Qualifications

Conducts educational programming for 2 or more years: Yes
Performs criminal background checks on staff with youth contact: Yes
Maintains general liability insurance (Individuals and organizations listed in this Directory can provide proof of insurance upon request. ASC does not hold copies of current documentation for providers): Yes
Three letters of recommendation / references available: Yes
Connects to State and or Common Core Curriculum Standards: Yes
Conducts ongoing assessments of program quality: Yes
Cancellation Policy

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.