Friday, September 13, 2024 | 9:30 - 11:00 am
Friday, October 11, 2024 | 9:30 - 11:00 am
Location: The Ruth Page Center for the Arts | 1016 North Dearborn St. Chicago, IL 60610
Contemporary Movement Practice – Suspend, Release, Fall, Recover is a fusion of modern, (Graham, Horton) and ballet techniques to discover oppositional energies, weight transfer, off-balance to recovery, and floorwork. Work with specifics in articulation and find movement originating from the skeletal frame.
About the teacher:
Todd Rhoades received his BFA in Dance from Point Park University and his MFA in Dance from the University of Iowa. Todd has danced professionally across the US with various dance, theater, and opera companies. He started his professional dance career as a guest artist at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, moving on as a company member at Ballet Austin. He relocated to Chicago, where he danced with Luna Negra Dance Theater, Danzloop Chicago, The Seldoms, and Ron de Jesus Dance Theater. Todd was a Principal Dancer with the Lyric Opera of Chicago for twelve years and performed at many of the Chicago theater houses, including the Marriott Theatre, Drury Lane Theater, The Paramount Theatre, and the Goodman Theatre. He was seen onstage at the Tennessee Williams Festival in Provincetown, MA, and the MUNY in St. Louis. Todd’s choreographic credits include Nomi Dance Theatre, Inaside Chicago Dance, Project Bound Dance, Chicago Dance in the Parks, Trifecta Dance Collective, Finger Lakes Opera/New York State Ballet, New Orleans Opera/New Orleans Ballet, Des Moines Metro Opera, Paramount Theatre (Aurora, IL), Music Theater Works (Wilmette, IL), Lifeline Theatre (Chicago, IL), The Theatre School - DePaul University, University of Michigan (Opera, Theater, Dance Departments), and The University of Iowa (Department of Dance). His works have been presented at the Trifecta Dance Festival (Chicago, IL, in 2020), MADCO – Dare to Dance (St. Louis, 2022), and the Iowa Dance Festival (The James Theater - Iowa City, IA, in 2022; Grinnell College - Grinnell, IA, in 2023).
As an instructor, Todd has taught movement in various forms, including dance (ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary), Pilates, Yoga, and functional exercise/injury prevention for over twenty years. He has been on faculty at Hollins University, The Theatre School – DePaul University, the University of Iowa - Department of Dance, Ballet Austin Academy, The Youth Ballet at the University of Iowa, and a guest instructor for Ballet Des Moines, Roanoke Ballet Theatre, Inaside Chicago Dance, Thodos Dance Chicago, and Chicago School of the Arts. Todd also served as the private yoga and Pilates instructor for the touring cast of Cirque du Soliel’s Luzia. Todd is a proud member of SDC, AEA, AGMA, and a member of Director’s Lab Chicago.
Join us at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts for Open Technique Classes with the Ruth Page Professional Dance Training Program*, on Fridays at 9:30 am. The class will feature rotating guest artists and Ruth Page School of Dance faculty. Method and technique will vary by teacher.
*Ruth Page Professional Dance Training Program (PDTP) serves as a bridge between studio training and a professional dance career. Dancers train and rehearse daily 9 am - 4 pm, from August – June at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts focusing on refining ballet and contemporary technique in an international environment of performers, educators, and mentors. PDTP is designed for dancers between the ages of 17-25 who have completed high school and are preparing for a professional career. Trainees receive individualized coaching from accomplished faculty and curated international guest choreographers. The Ruth Page Professional Dance Training Program also offers international travel* (when available), limited need-based scholarships, and affordable housing. For further information reach out to the Artistic Associate, Maray Gutierrez at pdtp@ruthpage.org