Improvisation Lab with Olivia Gonzalez
Friday, February 21, 2025 | 9:30-11:00 am
Friday, February 28, 2025 | 9:30-11:00 am
Location: The Ruth Page Center for the Arts | 1016 North Dearborn St. Chicago, IL 60610
This class will delve into individual and collective improvisation elements in low-flying floor technique, while working to improve and acquire skills to strengthen presence in space. We will work on improvisational elements by isolating parts of the body and exploring different qualities of movement. The class will continue to explore floor technique through the execution of phrases and group work.
Olivia Gonzalez graduated from Escuela Nacional de Arte in Cuba. Following graduation, she danced for four years with Retazos Dance Theater with whom she participated in many international festivals in Canada, Uruguay and the United States, and performed in ‘Transits – Havana’, an international dance collaboration between Sweden and Cuba. Since moving to Chicago, Olivia has danced with Concert Dance, Inc. and Hedwig Dances, and is a regular guest artist for the Ruth Page School of Dance and the Ruth Page Civic Ballet Training Company, teaching modern classes and workshops, and Afro-Cuban technique.
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 about the Professional Dance Training Program (PDTP), reach out to the Artistic Associate, Maray Gutierrez at pdtp@ruthpage.org