Jane Comfort and Company conducts on-site short and long-term master classes and workshops in performance, movement and text, and company repertory. The company also teaches modern dance technique master classes of all levels.
Residency Activities
Lecture/Demonstrations offer live performance or various scenes from the repertory, including video showings. This is followed with an informal discussion with the audience about the genesis of the work, how certain scenes were built, how a particular movement vocabulary became a metaphor for a social issue, how the text is laid into the movement, etc. A lecture/demonstration can be combined with an extended workshop in which participants develop their own performance piece based on social issues.
Performance Workshops focus on how to make a performance piece that deals with social issues. Warm up activities include acting and movement improvisations which are followed by discussions of structural options for performance and the social issues involved. Small groups or individuals develop short pieces which are shared with the group.
Movement Text Workshops introduce students to simple compositional techniques for voice and body. Students are given basic breath and vocal techniques to open up emotionally. The class then explores movement and text modules which are built into quick study structures.
Repertory Workshops introduces students to extended segments of the company’s work, with an emphasis on scenes that include both speaking and movement.
Question and Answer sessions and open dialogues are available with the audience after performances.
The company is available to meet with women’s groups, gay alliances, women’s shelters, and student organizations to discuss the gender and race issues involved in our work. The lecture/demonstration and performance workshop combination is particularly successful with high school and college students. Contact us for more information.
