The Real Shannon Stewart

c / l / a / s / s / e / s
(Starting September 20th - December 21st)

Int/Adv Contemporary Technique
Wed 9:30 - 11:15am (no class Wed Oct 5th)
$12 Drop-In | $50 Five Class Card

GYROKINESIS®
Tues 5:00 - 6:15pm
$10 Drop-In

The mOuth Studio
810 SE Belmont, Studio 2
PDX.

i / n / f / o

Int/Adv Contemporary Technique
My technique classes are focused on maintaining and strengthening technical fundamentals of contemporary dance while providing space and opportunity to unleash each person’s informed and uninhibited potential.

Warm-ups focus first and foremost on generating heat, turning on the core and expanding the spine with principles and exercises sourced from GYROKINESIS®, Countertechnique, release techniqe and Qi Gong. Class shifts to focus on the building blocks of dance technique from plies to swings to floorwork before moving across the floor and into phrasework. While focusing on the fundamentals, this class calls on your imagination and willingness to take risk in order to deepen your experience of full-bodied movement and push yourself into a new physical realm. Weaving together codified technique with risk taking and imaginative improvisation, this class will give you the strength and tools to follow your desire and understand your body's own movement system.

GYROKINESIS®
Developed by a professional dancer for dancers seeking long and healthy careers, Gyrokinesis deepens our understanding of core strength to include qualities of suppleness, length and expansion. We will move through the fundamental exercises of Gyrokinesis--including the seven natural elements of spinal movement while also addressing all other joint articulations and ongoing deep abdominal engagement. It is helpful to bring a mat or something soft to use as padding for work on the floor.

b / i / o

With degrees in Urban Planning and Dance, Shannon Stewart has a rich history as a contemporary dancer, music organizer, and activist on the West Coast. Since 2001, Shannon has been performing professionally as a dancer locally, nationally and internationally for stage and film and began making her own work in 2008.

Having cross-trained in ballet, contemporary, release, breakdancing, yoga, capoiera, qigong, improvisation, GYROTONIC® system and somatic awareness, Shannon currently dances with tEEth and Salt Horse (2010-2011), and has danced for Dayna Hanson (2010), zoe | juniper (2005, 2008-2010), Ricki Mason (2003-2006), Kathleen Hermesdorf (2006-2008) and many others. She is certified in Gyrokinesis®, teaches contemporary technique, improvisation,, and Dance for Parkinson’s with the Mark Morris Dance For Parkinson’s program.

Shannon co-founded the Vera Project, the All-ages Movement Project, and wrote and released a history and how-two guide for all-ages music organizations in 2010, and acted as Velocity Dance Center's Development and Interim Executive Director from 2008-2011 . Her deep connection to the PNW music and dance scene and activist background impacts her approach to making contemporary performance work, finding unique ways to open up the creative process, choosing collaborators, and feeding the desire to deepen the exchange between performer and audience.