Sept 15-November 7, 2020

Virtual Fall Quarter LIVE via ZOOM.

Join us dancing with world acclaimed artists from around the country – along-side Kanopy’s Artistic Directors and Faculty. Deepen your dance technique and artistry. Engage in creative activities. Learn, and learn about, these modern dance techniques, their different foundations toward the physical art of movement, their beginnings, and how artists through time create and find inspiration.

Faculty:

• Darwin Black, Kanopy faculty and company dancer; former dancer TU Dance and RIOULTDANCENY, Madison WI.
• Robert E. Cleary, Artistic Director, Kanopy Dance, Madison, WI.
• Georgia Corner, Kanopy faculty; former principal dancer Erick Hawkins Dance Company, Madison, WI.
• Luis Gabriel Zaragoza, master teacher, principal dancer, Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble, New York, New York.
• Samantha Geracht, artistic director Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble, New York, New York.
• Maya Finman Palmer, former Kanopy2 dancer; Professional Program, Alvin Ailey Dance Company, New York, New York.
• Lisa Thurrell, Artistic Director, Kanopy Dance, Madison, WI.

Darwin Black, started dancing as a teenager. In 2006, he graduated from Newark Arts High School, under the direction of Ronnie D. Carney and Kim Richardson. Black furthered his training under Nancy Turano, at the New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble. After a year of training at Alvin Ailey American Dance, he began his professional career with the Miami Contemporary Dance Company, performing repertory by Ray Sullivan. Black later joined the Sacramento Ballet, performing works by George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, Trey McIntyre, and Matthew Neenan. After three years with the Sacramento Ballet, he joined Rioult Dance NY, dancing and touring throughout the United States. Black danced for Alaska Dance Theatre, Lustig Dance Theatre, Montgomery Ballet, and Nimbus Dance Works. He also toured throughout Europe with Momix. Black later joined TU Dance, under the leadership of Toni-Pierce Sands and Uri Sands. Black is now spreading his wings as a choreographer. His first original work, Off the Base, was performed by the Saint Paul Ballet in 2017. He has danced for Kanopy Dance Company since 2019.

Robert E Cleary, Co-Artistic Director Kanopy Dance (director, choreographer, teacher, dancer) was company member and soloist for Minnesota Dance Theater, danced for Bebe Miller, Bill T. Jones, Danny Ezralow, Paula Mann, Carolyn Brown, Susan McGuire, Maria Cheng, Wendy Hambidge; and was a Principal Dancer for Ballet Minnesota, among others. In 1995 he took directorship of Kanopy Dance with his partner, Lisa Thurrell. He has toured, performed, choreographed, and taught throughout the U.S. and in Denmark. Influenced by ballet, postmodernists as well as the modernists, he is in constant exploration of relevant dance expression. An extraordinary movement artist, physical theater fits him like a second skin. Critics call him “fiery and riveting, Inspired, wicked dancing, an astonishing performance…” As a choreographer, his work has been called by critics “quirky… oozes nonlinear narrative… classic gut-centered. 20th century modern dance” and “riotously pleasurable… intense, richly satisfying.”

Mr. Cleary received his Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography and a Bachelor of Arts in History, 19th Century Europe, from the University of Minnesota. He trained intensively at American Ballet Theatre and with Susan Klein in Klein Release Technique in New York. Some of his mentors include David Voss, Mary Hinkson, Frank Bourman, Loyce Houlton, Bonnie Mathis, Susan McGuire, Maria Cheng, and Tisha Von Burpee, and others. Cleary has been awarded numerous government grants, foundation, private grants and awards for Kanopy.

His most recent commissioned choreography, This is Not America, was performed in March 2019 by the Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble in New York City.

Examples of his teaching alongside his role at Kanopy include: Faculty in Dance at Idrætshøjskole, Oure, Denmark (1997), guest faculty Illinois State University, Normal, IL (2005.); Mankato Ballet, Ballet Minnesota (1991-2004) Minnesota; guest faculty Southwest Texas State, Texas (1998), among others.

Examples of his performance and choreography presented: as co-director of Kanopy Dance in its Seasons from (1995-2004) in Madison WI theaters, and since 2004 as Resident Company of the Overture Center for the Arts in Kanopy’s home theatre in Madison WI (2004-date). His choreography has been presented in Denmark at several Arhus and Copenhagen Dance Festivals (1997). In Chicago at the Ruth Page Center (2010, 2013) and Links Hall (2017). In New York City at Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble’s Season (2019). He was soloist in Nini Theilade’s Ballet Schubert, created originally for Massine’s Ballet Russe (1997) Copenhagen, Denmark. He annually performs as guest soloist for Ballet Minnesota in Nutcracker (1994 to date), as well as High Brahmin in La Bayadere (2008), and most notably, lead role created on him for Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (2008, 2018).

Georgia Corner, former Principal Dancer in the Erick Hawkins Dance Company and Kanopy faculty, is a dancer and teacher with over twenty years of experience performing, teaching, and producing dance. She performed for five years with the Erik Hawkins Dance Company; for two years with Douglas Dunn and Dancers, and New York based companies of Lise Brenner, Kriota Willberg, and Karen Bernard. She also performed throughout Minnesota with Ballet Harren, and performed domestically and internationally for eight years with Ballet Mink Colbert. In 1998, she founded and went on to co-direct and dance in The Wellspring Project, a repertory company based in the Hawkins technique. Over six years, Wellspring commissioned and premiered over a dozen new dances, produced five New York seasons, performed throughout New England, and appeared in Toronto and Montreal. Corner developed a lecture demonstration about modern dance for Wellspring and grants which were funded by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and the Bossak Heilbronn Foundation. In 2002 Wellspring produced the Erik Hawkins Legacy Forum in conjunction with Hunter College, which drew teacher and students from across the country and abroad. While in New York, Corner taught modern technique at the Erik Hawkins School of Dance and at the 92nd Street Y, both cradles of modern dance. For twelve years she directed the Broome Corner Studio, which offered classes, rehearsal and performance space to the New York dance community. She has been a guest artist at the University of Nebraska-Las Vegas, and has taught workshops and master classes for groups of every age and experience level.

Luis Gabriel Zaragoza was born in Mexico City. He received his BFA, Cum Laude, from the National School of Dance of Mexico (NSDM). He also has a BA in Philosophy, an MFA in Dance Education, and has specialized in Dance Philosophy. He has studied with Anna Sokolow, Jeff Duncan, Tim Wengerd, Jim May and Betty Jones, among others, and attended the Merce Cunningham Studio as a scholarship student. Gabriel was a teacher at the NSDM for eight years. He received the award of Best Dancer of the Year in 1990 Best Choreographed Solo (for Nijinsky, El Ojo de Dios) in 1999 from Asociación Danza Mexicana. In 1991, La Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico granted him the Artistic Creative Award. As a choreographer he has created over 64 works, which have been performed worldwide. He was a member of the Martha Graham Ensemble and has danced with several companies in France and Mexico. He was a member of Anna Sokolow’s Players’ Project for four years and a member of the Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble since its founding. Gabriel teaches company class and assists with rehearsals.

Samantha Geracht, Artistic Director of Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble, was a member of Anna Sokolow’s Players’ Project for eleven years, and when the name changed, became a founding member of Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble (2004). As a Sokolow authority, Ms. Geracht reconstructs Sokolow works on students and professional companies as well as teaching Sokolow technique classes. Recently she reconstructed Ms. Sokolow’s Ride the Culture Loop on the Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble, a suite from Rooms at Franklin and Marshall College and The Unanswered Question on the students studying in the Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble classes. Ms. Geracht danced extensively with Deborah Carr, Theatre Dance Ensemble, performing the works of Charles Weidman, Doris Humphrey and Ms. Carr. She has performed with Jim May, Gail Corbin, Richard Biles, Claudia Gitelman, David Parker and The Bang Group, Rae Ballard’s Thoughts In Motion; and performs and presents her own choreography. Ms. Geracht holds a BS in dance from the University of Wisconsin. After graduating from UW she studied extensively at the Nikolais/Louis Dance Lab in New York City. Over the course of her 25-year career she continuously trains under Betty Jones, Fritz Luden and her mentor Jim May. Anna Sokolow (1910-2000) began her career as a dancer with Martha Graham. The work of Ms. Sokolow has had and continues to have a profound effect on the course of contemporary dance throughout the world. Called the “Solzhenitsyn of twentieth-century dance,” she consistently and uncompromisingly reflected the realities of society through her work.  

Maya Finman Palmer, Alvin Ailey Dance Center NYC, Kanopy2 alum, studied at Kanopy Academy of Dance from age 6-19. During her years of intense training at Kanopy, studying under its Artistic Directors and faculty, she also studied under Kanopy’s guest artists: Martin Lofsnes, Sandra Kaufmann, Donlin Foreman, Pascal Rioult, Miki Orihara, Samantha Geracht, Virginie Mecene, Kevin Predmore and Lone Kjaer Larsen. At Kanopy she was also fortunate to study under guest physical theater artists Amit Lahav, Gecko Theatre, UK, and Steve Wasson and Corinne Soum, Theatre l’ange Fou. At Martha Graham Center in NYC she studied with Steve Rooks. Currently she is in the Advanced 3 year Professional Program at Alvin Ailey Dance Company in New York City. At Alvin Ailey School she has trained under Amy Hall, Bradly Shelver, Matthew Rushing, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Judine Somerville, and others.

Lisa Thurrell, Co-Artistic Director Kanopy Dance (director, choreographer, teacher, dancer) trained and danced with Martha Graham Dance Company 1987-1995. Honored to be among those who reconstructed some of Martha’s early works, she performed Graham’s NYC City Center Gala, Season and the Spoleto national and international Festivals 1991-1994. In 1995 she became co-director of Kanopy Dance with her partner Robert E. Cleary. She has worked extensively, performing, choreographing and teaching in companies, schools, and universities throughout U.S. and Denmark.

Embracing modern founders’ philosophies, she has also studied and performed Asian theater and physical theater. Nominated for Bonnie Bird International Choreography Award, her choreography has been described by critics as “…a Hieronymus Bosch painting, spilling onto the floor of the theater . . . stresses fragility of the human body and self-reflection.” As a performer, critics call her “…pure power and vulnerability at once.”

Thurrell holds postgraduate certificate from Professional Trainee Program, Martha Graham Dance Company, NYC. (3yr full time, technique, repertory, history, composition, pedagogy, performance) She holds an MFA-Dance & Asian Theater from University of Wisconsin-Madison (1987). Mentors include Yuriko, Carol Fried, Denise Vale, Ethel Winter, Peggy Lyman, Pearl Lang, Zena Rommett, Phyllis Lamhut, Sankaran Namboodiri, Hanya Holm and others. Thurrell has been awarded numerous government grants, foundation, private grants and awards for Kanopy.

Recently, Ms. Thurrell’s choreography has been presented in curated showcases: [email protected](Martha Graham Dance Company), NUVU Festival(Miki Orihara); and she has performed in Modern Rebels (Sokolow Theatre Dance Ensemble)in NYC May 2018. She is invited regularly as guest faculty to teach at Martha Graham Dance Center in NYC (9/18,1/19, 8/19); and was choreographer for Wozzeck for the Des Moines Metro Opera Festival July 2019.

Examples of her teaching alongside her role at Kanopy include: Chair of Dance at Idrætshøjskole, Oure, Denmark (1997), faculty at Academy of Russian Ballet, Denver, CO (2001-2004); Illinois State University, Normal, IL (2005.); Ballet Minnesota, (1998 – to date); Visiting Professor, University of Nebraska Lincoln, NE (1992,1994), guest teacher University of Wisconsin Madison ( 2004, 2017, 2019), guest faculty at the Martha Graham School (2018 to date), New York City.

Examples of her performance and choreography presented: as co-director of Kanopy Dance in its Seasons from (1995-2004) in Madison WI theaters, and since 2004 as Resident Company of the Overture Center for the Arts in Kanopy’s home theatre in Madison WI (2004-date). Her choreography has been presented in New York City at The Field, Dance Space, Laban Center, Goodson Theatre (1989-1994), Jazz at Lincoln Center (2013-2016), [email protected] (2018), NUVU Festival (2018), Modern Rebels (2018). In Chicago at the Ruth Page Center (2010, 2013) and Links Hall (2017). In Minneapolis at Minnesota Dance Festival. (2014, 2016) among others. Special Projects include choreographer for Madison Opera’s Florencia (2018) Madison, WI,  and Des Moines Metro Opera’s Wozzeck (2019) Des Moines IA.