Lecturer of Dance, Swarthmore College
Bethany Formica uses her multi-company performance experience and eclectic skill base in classes designed to build up ideas and break down her contemporary/modern dance technique. One need not be afraid to sweat, laugh, or fall over. These classes are accessible and aerobic, so humor and high energy are all that is required.
Warming Up: Performing Ecology: This new interdisciplinary course, was initailly developed with Tara Webb and then taught by Bethany Formica and K. Elizabeth Stevens at Swarthmore College. It was crossed listed in Theater, Dance, and Environmental Studies. This class provides creative opportunities for students of any discipline wishing to explore performance creation and design within the broad context of ecology/environment, exploring climate grief and hope within natural and created environments. The class incorporates photography, visual art, dance, multi-disciplinary solo work and group collaboration within the broad envelope of eco-performance.
Contemporary Modern I: This introductory dance class is designed to put participants in touch with their bodies, help them focus, connect, and collaborate, while allowing every individual’s voice to be heard. This course encourages a sense of playful humanism, evoking new ways of thinking and moving, problem-solving and multitasking. The dance playing field is leveled, and the value of play and laughter enlivens the body in completely unexpected ways.
Contemporary Modern II & III: These intermediate/advanced level contemporary dance courses build on skills developed in Modern I & II. Additional vocabulary and increased floor work will be introduced with a focus on building physical and mental stamina, increasing technical proficiency, and beginning to work on personal movement style and performance quality. With an emphasis on musicality and athleticism inside a contemporary dance vocabulary, students will continue to work on strength, full range of movement, dynamics, endurance, and accuracy and explore new partnering and improvisation skills. We will also be viewing a variety of contemporary dance artists to deepen and discuss our relationship with dance.
Contemporary Ensemble: This dance ensemble is an exercise in synergy. This contemporary work will utilize and encourage the creativity of the dancers to build upon a choreographed framework, bringing together dancers that are excited by the possibility of creating collaboratively, and who strive to meet the piece at its most intense points. This class fosters a unique ensemble with intentional artistry that transforms with each group that circulates within it.
Dance Lab I: Making Dance: This course will explore how you might use dance to tell a story, express an emotion, respond to music or sound, or make a political statement, just to name a few possibilities. Students will use movement assignments as a way to challenge their ideas about texture and rhythm, experiment with improvisation as a way of generating material, and engage with a research-based approach to choreography. This course will feature special guest artists. All are welcome, including students with dance experience, and those without any movement experience whatsoever.
