PERIDANCE FACULTY
Guest / Past
Chris Masters
Contemporary
BIOGRAPHY
Chris Masters has been making dance work for over ten years, and is currently director of ChrisMastersDance. His work has been presented at Judson Memorial Church (NYC), Detroit Opera House, Music Hall Performance Space (Detroit), Boll Theatre (Detroit), 100 Grand (NYC), Dixon Place (NYC), Triskelion Arts (NYC), and Irondale Center (NYC), as well as held creative residencies at Public Space One (Iowa City) and 555 Gallery (Detroit). Masters has performed the work of Martha Clarke, Jeff Rebudal, Colleen Thomas, Stephanie Liapis, Jana Hicks, Keith Thompson, Doug Elkins, and Jan Erkert, among others. Currently, Chris is performing with Third Rail Projects' Then She Fell, recipient of a 2013 New York Dance and Performance (Bessie) Award. As an educator, Masters has served on the faculties of The University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Wayne State University, The University of Iowa, the American College Dance Festival, Dance New Amsterdam, 100 Grand, Gibney Dance Center, and American Ballet Theatre's Summer Intensive. Chris holds a BA in Finance/BS in Dance from Wayne State University and a MFA in Choreography from The University of Iowa, where he was an Iowa Arts Fellow.
CLASS DESCRIPTION
In my technique class, we will spend time together investigating and experimenting with the body. With an aperture open to the limitless potential inside each of us, we work through both traditional and non-traditional movement patterns luxuriating in our curiosities, testing our own hypotheses, and hopefully, finding some truth. The vocabulary makes strong reference to principles of Laban and Bartenieff, elements of classical ballet and release technique, and lots and lots of wiggling. In a warm environment, we free ourselves to take risk, value both our talents and our restrictions, and celebrate being part of a community. The class stacks upon itself, and culminates in a lengthy phrase that is friendly to the mind and feels great on the body. You will sweat, a lot.
Photo Credit: Brett Lindell
Watch video of Chris Masters below