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Michael Wright
Contemporary
Biography:
Michael Wright is a professional dance artist living in New York City. Since moving to New York, Wright has worked with the New York Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Satellite Collective (choreography by Manuel Vignoulle), Exit 12 Dance Company, The Chase Brock Experience, and currently with Shen Wei Dance Arts, Steeledance, and Julia Ehrstrand. He also worked as a dancer at Tokyo Disneyland from 2008 until 2009, and again in 2012. While in Tokyo, Wright was featured in both television and print ads for Disney. As a dance educator, he has had the privilege of teaching at Peridance, Steps on Broadway, and Gibney Dance Center. He has also held master classes at the University of Stockholm, Manhattan College, and at other studios and universities. Wright has assisted Julia Ehrstrand in the composition and execution of her choreographic workshop for The Next Stage Project. Wright holds a BFA in Dance Performance from Southern Methodist University (2008).
Class Description:
Class is divided into three equal parts: improvisation, technique, and phrase work. The improv and technical portions are ultimately used to inform the phrase work portion of class.
Class begins on the floor with a simple movement phrase designed to encourage the dancer to move skeletally and become aware of the connection between their breath and the movement. Upon its completion, the class is led through a structured improvisation, focusing on one movement task completed in three different relationships to the space. The prior floor work is woven throughout to encourage softness of energy, even when executing difficult or fast movements. After the conclusion of the improv, the technique portion of class begins. This includes three sets of exercises which utilize principles from both classical and contemporary vocabularies. The principles of both and the ideas focused on in the improv are used to inform the phrase work, the final third of the class.
The class draws upon Wright's own experience as a professional dancer, working with Shen Wei, Steeledance, et al, as well as his own explorations in the studio.