Dance Therapy with Emily Van Nelson

On Monday, I had the privilege to listen to a lecture by Emily Van Nelson who previously graduated from UWM in 2004 with a Dance BA. Then she continued her education at Columbia College where she earned her masters degree in dance therapy. She now works in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin at Rodgers Memorial Hospital as a dance therapist who helps a wide range of people.

For those who have never heard of dance therapy, it is the "psycho therapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration of individuals" as defined by the American Dance Therapy Association.

One of my confusions about dance therapy was the differences between a dance therapist and a physical therapist. Within the lecture, Emily cleared up for me the fact that in physical therapy they try to help fix body ailments due to physical injury where as in dance/movement therapy the focus is on the body and mind connection to help patients dealing with mental health disorders and addictions along with a number of other issues.

I have always had in the back of my mind an interest for dance therapy. A lot of my work with people in the community is geared in a very similar fashion. My goal for all of my programs with Pilgrimage Dance is to help people build their self esteem. Dance can be very challenging for people to participate in because of their own self doubts, but it can be a great physical, mental, and emotional change that can be very rewarding.

The reason why I couldn't call my work dance therapy is because I don't have research and science to back up what I do. All I know is what I observe that works and doesn't work for me, and how it can apply to helping other people feel more comfortable in their own skin.

Picture taken from the ADTA website

In the lecture, Emily also discussed that one of the biggest challenges facing her in the field is explaining and validating her work. It is a growing field that has a lot of room to develop and catch on, but people have a hard time really understanding the full extent of the benefits from dance therapy without experiencing it first hand.

Maybe somewhere in the future, I will pursue dance therapy, and run with it. I am learning a lot of concepts about dance therapy also in my Laban Movement Analysis class which deals with how movement is connected to how a person is feeling or thinking.

If you are interested in learning more about dance therapy, please click on the links highlighted above.

Interview with Elizabeth Johnson - Artistic Director of Your Mother Dances

As I am a dancer and not a journalist, I am going to take some creative liberties, and I am not going to write as though I were writing up an interview for a magazine. I won’t be showing our dialogue, but I will be describing what I took away from the experience of sitting down with Elizabeth Johnson to discuss her performing company, Your Mother Dances.

First of all, if you have never heard of Your Mother Dances, it is an inappropriate and hilarious dance company that has performed in Milwaukee, WI along with the Minnesota Fringe Festival. Johnson told me that the company is everything that you’re not supposed to be. She described for me her final year as a graduate student, and how the idea came from mentors such as Sara Hook and Cynthia Oliver who influenced her approach to dance and to her identity.  Johnson mentioned that Cynthia Oliver was someone who pushed her to think about things in different ways, and influenced the way Johnson identified herself as someone inspired by African culture, pop culture, feminism, and motherhood. Sara Hook taught her extensively about Laban Movement Analysis, and further developed Johnson’s view on movement and the human body. The title of Your Mother Dances was coined from a company Sara Hook started called Sara Hook Dances. Also, Your Mother Dances was titled because of African cultural influences and pop culture. It’s a grammatically correct version of “yo mama” jokes which make fun and games out of embarrassing each others’ mothers. In my own observations of Your Mother Dances performances and Johnson’s choreography, I find that I can feel embarrassed sometimes watching the dancers and it makes me laugh at myself and feel connected to the work. The company showcases real, human vulnerabilities, and they can be challenging and riotous to watch because Johnson’s choreography often has really punchy movement with a lot of attitude.



Picture taken fromYour Mother Dances on Facebook



When Johnson first entered the Milwaukee community, she met some trouble having her work recognized so she brought it on herself to create her own dance company. With Your Mother Dances first show in Milwaukee, there was a huge turnout with a packed audience. As time has gone by since that first performance, the company has had more challenges with the economy and finding financial support. There are very few opportunities to receive grants for dance in Milwaukee, and most grants go to large nonprofit dance organizations. Johnson helped explain to me that nonprofit means that there is a committee board that has final say in decisions for the company, and there is always a possibility that the board might have different ideas from that of the artistic director. Nonprofit has strength in numbers, and can be a powerful attribute. It can also have too many voices blurring the concepts of the artist. Being successful in business economically while still being true to artistic aspirations is probably the largest challenge to face an artistic entrepreneur. Elizabeth Johnson has dug into her own pocket on many occasion to put together performances, and support is not always consistent for Your Mother Dances shows. The company has had some luck with fundraisers, but it takes time to prepare and get the word out. For a teacher, wife, and mother, Elizabeth Johnson has other important values that also demand her focus and time. She is an incredibly busy woman with some large responsibilities.

Business is taking a risk on a very uncertain future. In my opinion, it is very scary, and I understand why not everyone starts a business. Realistically, dance and art are even more frightening because its support is subjective on the openness of others. Personally, I have a large amount of faith invested in others; I think people have more in them than they know. Plus it is the scariest thought of all to think of a world void of dance.

I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to Elizabeth Johnson for letting me peek into her company and her life. She gave me some great points to think about, and it was worth it all to sit with someone so interesting. I have high hopes that Your Mother Dances will be around for years to come.

Dance Exchange

I thought I would leave you a quick blog today about what's out there in the world of dance.

I've got to say I'm jealous! A friend of mine, Liz Zaztrow, is working with the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange. For those who may not know, Liz Lerman is a dancer/choreographer who skillfully brings people together to create dance and community. She finds dance in everyone, and her work has soared with people of all ages. Her company based in Takoma Park, MD has been to Wisconsin a few times over the past year, and I still have not seen them in action. Come back to Milwaukee; I promise to make every effort to attend! It would be wonderful to see "The Matter of Origins" which is one of their latest creations.

Check out the Dance Exchange blog for more details!

Dance Exchange on the road: "The Matter of Origins" Opened Last Night!: "And the University of Maryland's campus newspaper has an article about it. Check out what The Diamondback is saying about The Matter of Orig..."

Marketing and Website

It's been a very productive week for me as far as putting together brochures and flyers for my budding business. I also have set up a website http://pilgrimagedance.weebly.com/.
My aim is for comprehensible, professional information in all of these. If anyone out there has any advice, I am open to tips. Please visit, and leave feedback!
It's all a learning experience for me!
There's also a facebook fan page...
Facebook Page
Check it all out!

Missed Connections



Last Weekend Gal Friday Films was shooting their short, independant film "Missed Connections". They needed dancers, and I said, "me,me!"



In Busby Berkly fashion, us dancers were doing cutsey choreography by the brilliant Kelly Anderson to some kick butt music. For anyone who doesn't know of busby berkly here's a great example of his work Busby "Dames".

I never thought it would be so hard to work in a film. I thought because it isn't live it should be easier.... I was confused.



We had to do everything 10's of times, and played the waiting game a lot. I have a new found respect for actors/actresses and film makers along with the whole crew that comes along with them (costuming, makeup, and hair). I don't know how many times I had somebody poking at my face or fixing up my hair over the course of the day.... Probably more than I fix my own hair or makeup in a month.

I can't wait to see the whole picture! It should be hilarious. I loved it even through the soreness and bruises.



Photo Taken from Missed Connections on Facebook



Surviving my classes!

I have started to freak out that I'm in over my head with my senior project, but I am excited about my other courses. This semester I am taking...
Laban I which can be described as an analyses of how and why the body moves in connection to mind and emotions  Link to the Laban Institute of Movement Studies
Dance and the Digital Arts: a class that focuses on collaboration of movement and media that works towards a show at the Milwaukee Art Museum
Digital Media Portfolio for Dancers: a class that teaches how to put together a dvd resume along with a wordpress.com web page that has all our information for future employers to view
T'ai Chi Ch'uan: I feel that this class is going to be very difficult for me because I'm going to really have to break some of the bad habits I have physically picked up over the years to be able to move in the proper form. I was told the first day to watch Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

So between dancing, filming, making a detailed dance resume, and T'ai Chi, I will be trying to start a business that involves dance, literature, and the community.

We shall see....

End of Summer; Back to School

I am excited!!!! I know most students dread those three words "Back to School", but I love the start of a new semester. It is filled with new classes, and feels fresh even though I've had almost all the teachers before with most of the same students. As it is my final semester, I am a little nervous about keeping the fire burning especially since there are more and more responsibilities in my life. I have big goals for the next four months.

1) I want to take control of my finances. Meaning that I know exactly what I owe the government back from student loans, I have a way to document my everyday finances, and I have a start to how to document business transactions.

2) I want to take more chances and throw myself out there. I'm realizing that I've been taking it really safe and comfortable as far as dance is concerned. I need to try more auditions and try more teaching opportunities.

3) I need to rely more on my own self awareness rather than on other people's inputs and opinions. Not saying that other people aren't helpful; they are too helpful. I need to do for myself what I hope to do for others.

So.... as with anything, I hope to just always keep growing and learning with dance!