Open Adult Pre-/Professional Contemporary

Saturdays 10-11:30 AM

Saturday, November 8: Contemporary Release with NICHELE WOODS

Class Description: This class explores functionality and articulation of anatomy for greater expressivity, and the play of/between release and clarity. My approach is particularly informed by my postmodern / modern lineage, with personal study in various somatic modalities. Class begins with a guided somatic experience, improvisation, and guided movements to warm the body and tune into an internal, sensorial experience. After this, class often gets pretty structured, with phrasework of varying lengths to a curated playlist, building toward dynamic material that will take you off-center, upside-down, and encourage both specificity and interpretation.

NICHELE WOODS (she/her) is a dance artist based in Salt Lake City where she directs The Woods Dance Project and is a current Lecturer of Dance at Utah Valley University. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Nichele worked as an artist and administrator throughout the Bay before relocating to SLC in 2016. While in the Bay, she had the honor of working with choreographers Christine Cali, Kristen Daley, Joe Goode, Nancy Lyons, Virginia Matthews, and Mo Miner, among others.

Since her arrival in Salt Lake City, Nichele has been actively engaged in the community. The winner of Repertory Dance Theatre's 2017 Regalia competition, Nichele was honored to receive the opportunity to create a new work for the company's 2017-2018 season. Nichele was also thrilled to spend the summer of 2017 studying with Doug Varone through his DEVICES4 mentorship program in New York City, through which she premiered Stranger Kin at Gibney Dance Center (NYC). Stranger Kin was reset for the ACDA Northwest Region conference in 2018, where it was selected for the Gala concert and as the alternate selection for the National Conference.

In December 2018, Nichele premiered her first evening-length work, The End of Sisyphus, and in 2019 was awarded her M.F.A. from the University of Utah alongside the School of Dance’s L. Scott Marsh Mentorship Award, acknowledging her outstanding leadership and mentorship of others through example and encouragement. From 2019 to 2023, Nichele taught on faculty at Ballet West Academy, where she developed and served as the inaugural resident choreographer for Current, the academy’s contemporary performing group. Recent commissions include new creations for Westminster University, Sonoma State University, and Utah Valley University, where she has served as a Lecturer since Fall 2024 and is currently Co-Director of both Contemporary Dance Ensemble and Synergy Dance Company. In February 2024, Nichele founded The Woods Dance Project and premiered two new works through the company’s first production, REDUCER, presented by RDT’s Link Series.

Nichele is a student of Body-Mind Centering® through Sonder Movement Project and Moving Within in the Somatic Movement Educator program. She is also pursuing a master’s degree in Arts Administration through Southern Utah University.

Image by Marissa Mooney.

When: 10:00-11:30 AM

Where: Performing Dance Center: 3310 S 2700 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84109

Cost: Venmo, check, and cash are accepted

• Drop-Ins: $15

• 5 class cards: $60

• Special Sliding Scale Rate: For those in financial need, a sliding scale is available of $9-14. No questions asked.

• Work Study: Work Study is offered for one to two people each season. Work Study is intended for those in financial need who intend to take classes regularly. Please contact Nichele if you are interested!

Logistics: Preregistration is not required. Please arrive early to complete payment and sign liability waivers. Class will start and end right on time! New-to-class dancers, please allow at least 10 minutes to complete paperwork and settle in.

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