Last week I had the opportunity to attend the IACD (International Association for Creative Dance) Congress for the first time, and what a wonderful time it was. I had not studied with Barbara Mettler since 1976 except for 1 or 2 brief workshops. When I did study with Mettler, it was for 5 weeks one summer and 7 weeks the next. I knew that Mettler's words and aesthetic were a very strong influence on me, but was surprised to see how much. The workshops at the Congress were led by some very experienced Mettler inspired creative dance teachers and some less experienced. Regardless of who led the workshops, Mettler's commitment to the basics of creative dance was entirely present.
My introduction to the week long Congress was a free dance the first evening. With no verbal introduction to the concepts, we began to dance. I was amazed to find how easy and how beautiful it was right from the start. It was clear that we were speaking the same language and that we knew how to find common focal points and themes. The Congress mostly provided us with the opportunity to hone our small group and large group dances. Given the brief length of time we had to dance with one another and the fact that I have the opportunity to hone my solo dances with other improvisation teachers, I appreciated the focus on group dance. I do not believe that anyone teaches the sensitivity to the group that the Mettler based teachers teach.
If you are interested in the basics, I would highly recommend studying Mettler-based Creative Dance.
Creative Dance for Adults 1 week Summer Course
Taught by Griff Goehring and Mary Ann Brehm
Tucson
Creative
Dance
Center
Monday –
Friday July 27-31, 2009
9:30 am to 4:30 pm
Contact: (520) 323-6711 or (802) 380-0068
Find out where you can learn Mettler-based dance.
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