Texas Woman’s University Department of Dance hosted the first Texas Dance Improvisation Festival on October 9-11, 2009. The festival, facilitated by Profs. Jordan Fuchs and Sarah Gamblin, was an opportunity to celebrate improvisational dance in Texas and beyond, by coming together as a community of dance artists to share, inspire and challenge. 

More than a 115 students, faculty and professionals attended the festival from Austin, Northwest Vista College - San Antonio, Rice University - Houston, Richland College - Dallas, Texas Christian University, Texas State University – San Marcos, Texas Woman's University, University of North Texas, and the University of Texas - El Paso.

Classes were taught by guest artist K.J. Holmes from New York City and by Texas- based dance artists Nina Martin, Jordan Fuchs, Sarah Gamblin, Ellie Leonhardt, Emily Morgan, Leslie Scates and Lauren Tietz.

The festival included three wonderful jams bringing together 60-70 dancers each night with improvisational musicians from the TWU Department of Dance, UNT and the Denton community.

Saturday night featured a performance of improvisational dances by Pat Stone, Claudia Queen, K.J. Holmes, Leslie Scates, and Brandon Gonzalez, and concluded with a scored dance by Nina Martin for the festival faculty titled And Go.

The festival was a great success with many wonderful memories, images, insights, new friends and colleagues, as well as an expanded and strengthened network of dance improvisers. There is great momentum for repeating the festival next year in the fall of 2010.

If you registered for the festival then you are already on the mailing list for next year. To be added to next year’s mailing list, please send an email to dance@twu.edu. Also if you have great photos from this year’s festival, please forward them.

Many thanks to all those from near and far who helped to make the festival such a great success! We look forward to dancing with you again next year!

Regards,

Jordan Fuchs and Sarah Gamblin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday night jam in Dance Studio 208