Mystic Fountain: Legacy of Expressive Gesture Embodied from the Baroque to Denishawn.
Mystic Fountain Class Descriptions
Come and Join Us at Gibney Dance
This Summer in NYC from June 20-23rd!
What do early modern dance and early ballet have in common? The expressive body, of course!
In our American legacy, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, and Ted Shawn explored the expressive body in a surprisingly similar fashion as their baroque counterparts, John Weaver, Marie Sallé, and Jean-Georges Noverre. Their commonality lie in a study of expressive gesture and a tradition of teaching that goes back to the Greco-Roman aesthetic. What was their aim? Truth. Beauty. Persuasion.
The lineage is clear. Ted Shawn’s book, “Every Little Movement,” (1954) uses the system of François Delsarte, a famous 19th century teacher of gesture, as its base. Delsarte’s teaching, in turn, relates directly to the gestural practices promoted by orators and dancers of the 18th century as seen in the writings by Gilbert Austin and John Weaver.
Description of Workshop: In order to perform the early works of Duncan, Denishawn, and Sallé one must combine physical and scholarly research. This workshop addresses both areas by offering practice classes, sources of research, as well as presenting lectures.
Our workshop, guided by a team of expert teachers, performers and historians, will take students from 18th century expressive and mimetic dance to classes on Delsarte and repertoire of Duncan and Denishawn. Lectures will present the influence of Delsarte on choreographers and dancers both past and present.
Shedding light on an important aspect of the early dancer’s training in performance for both ballet and modern, we will offer solutions on how to study expressive gesture and integrate these principles in today’s practice.
Join the workshop and join in our evolving discussion about the expressive body and what it meant past and present and what it may mean in the future!
Works of Art in classes and Faculty:
Turocy, by Alexis Silver
The mornings will begin with specialists Catherine Turocy and Caroline Copeland of NYBDC teaching a Baroque warm-up and then focus on choreographer Marie Sallé (1707-1756) and her pantomimic solo from Handel’s Terpsichore (1734), “La Gelosia,” as reimagined by Ms. Turocy. The choreography is inspired by specific period dance writings from French and English sources including Weaver, Gallini, Noverre and Austin and sources will be shared with the students.
Copeland, photo by Russ Rowland
Joe Williams, one of the few experts on François Delsarte still teaching, will lead the late morning Delsarte exercises which were concurrent with Austin. Delsarte never wrote a book explaining his method. However, Genevieve Stebbins did write a book in 1885 titled “The Delsarte System of Expression.” Williams will draw his exercises from this book as well as Shawn’s “Every Little Movement.”
Catherine Gallant and a company member will teach Saturday and Sunday afternoons, her version of the Allegretto section from Isadora Duncan’s untitled work to Beethoven’s Symphony No.7 Op.92. Performed between the years 1904-1909 in the US, France and the Netherlands, this dance is an important representation of Duncan’s musical intelligence and marks her primary foray into abstraction. Gallant’s “reimagining” of the dance is a significant historical and educational undertaking and reanimates the work by enlivening the extant fragments. Gallant will discuss the cultural context of Duncan’s work and her innovations.
After the Denishawn warm-up, Livia Vanaver will teach Thursday and Friday afternoons, St. Denis’s 
“White Jade.” This solo from 1926 shows a statue of Kuan Yin, the Chinese goddess of mercy, coming to life. The Oriental figure’s gentleness, serenity and compassion bring to mind a Western Madonna. The use of the arms and the stillness of the body with an economy of movement beautifully portrays the mystic and spiritual side of Denishawn. Vanaver will discuss what was revolutionary about the style of St. Denis.
In addition to our faculty…Michael Novak, Artistic Director for the Paul Taylor Dance Company, is one of our lecturers. Norton Owen, dance historian for Jacob’s Pillow is helping us with our content for lectures and classes. Michelle Mathesius (click for bio) internationally known for her work on Ruth St. Dennis and Ted Shawn is an advisor for this workshop.
Short Bios for Faculty 2019 Workshop at Gibney
TUITION : 4 days of classes from morning until night in a friendly, supportive environment suitable for all levels. (Students are responsible for finding their own housing. Hotels, hostels, airbnb, vacation rental by owner…there are many options.)
$425 – Standard rate (age 26 and up) includes $25 non-refundable registration fee
$350 – Student rate (age 18-25) includes $25 non-refundable registration fee
$350 – Teacher rate for teachers bringing at least 2 students.
Please direct questions to Catherine Turocy: cturocy@gmail.com or call 214-563-8978
For more information on Catherine Turocy, Artistic Director, please click Here
