Note: This article was first published in Stance on Dance’s fall/winter 2024 print issue. To learn more, visit stanceondance.com/print-publication.

I had the honor of being a guest at a think tank recently in London at the headquarters of TEAM LEWIS Foundation. This foundation has been supporting my registered charity Move into Wellbeing® as well as directors and founders of other charities from all over the world. During one session at the think tank, we were asked, “How do we continue to lead in such a fragmented world?” This question really struck me. The way I work and lead is by pulling together and uniting during the chaos, fragmentation, and adversity that may surround me. I reflected on this topic and thought more about how my two dance organizations help to continually maintain a sense of belonging, structure, motivation, and inclusion for people. These important ingredients and assets to society also reinforced in my mind the value and necessity of dance organizations to be accessible for all.

Beginning ballet class, Photo courtesy Ballet4Life

I am the founder and director of two well-established dance organizations in London, England: Ballet4Life and the nonprofit Move into Wellbeing®. Originally, I hail from Rochester, New York, and I received my comprehensive dance training at the prestigious Enid Knapp Botsford School before training in New York City under full scholarships with the David Howard Dance Center and with Melissa Hayden, Bobby Blankshine, Wilhelm Burmann, and Marjorie Mussman at Melissa’s studio (yes, the one where the elevator opened directly into the studio, and no one warned me of that awkward entrance). My professional dance career embarked with Cleveland Ballet and later I expanded and explored modern dance, working with Robin Staff’s Colloquium Contemporary Dance Exchange, Milton Myers, and later the Michael Mao Dance Company, plus a lot of freelance work with individual choreographers. I also worked on, strengthened, and expanded my portfolio of skills with my own teaching, choreographing, and taking on roles of rehearsal director and assistant to the director. My performance career-ending knee injury provided a bridge to the other side of the performing arts world. I was able to eventually create a self-sustaining life and to finally be in a position of self-leadership. This huge transition is something that gave me great joy, a sense of civic duty, gratitude, and inspiration! My heart and soul go into every endeavor I approach and create. I try to utilize all the decades of my professional dance experiences, both from my home country and from my work abroad, to bring dance to thousands of people in an attempt to enrich, bond, reduce anxiety, and empower others.

Ballet4life celebrates its 20^th anniversary this year. The strength, growth, and longevity of it is a direct reflection of needs I see in society. When I founded Ballet4Life here in the UK, dance classes for adults were not common nor respected, and I was met with skepticism from many. “Why? How? This will never succeed,” were pointed remarks I fielded. I had a vision and a strong idea of what I wanted to attempt to create, build, grow, and nurture. This goal included providing authentic dance classes in proper dance studios with highly qualified and caring teachers, and to provide a warm, welcoming, and nurturing environment in which people would experience the classes.

Our classes at Ballet4Life are offered for adults from age 16 upwards, and our most senior dancers are in their 80s. Due to the sudden restructuring during COVID-19 and the implementation of daily online classes, which I offered free of charge, we also still maintain an online dance program. Ballet for adult learners from complete beginners up to advanced and retired professionals is the main focus, but in addition, regular classes in modern, character dance, pointe work, repertory, and jazz dance are offered. We also hold special masterclasses and workshops throughout the year and focus on different dance styles and techniques such as contemporary ballet and Argentinian tango.

Thirteen years ago, I created a program for dancers age 50+ to enjoy dancing with us in specialized classes, and this became a very popular innovation here! Many other dance organizations in London and throughout the UK followed suit, starting up classes and courses for dancers over 50.

The 50+ ballet class, Photo courtesy Ballet4Life

The team of teachers at Ballet4Life comes from all over the world and have very different backgrounds and training. They are all excellent teachers, they genuinely enjoy their work, they are inspired by working with adults, and they help to keep the balance and grounding for the shifting times we live in and the changing needs of the dancers.

Teaching and working with older people who have more mature bodies requires a greater understanding and sensitivity. Movements that might be very easy to execute, maintain, learn, and deliver for younger bodies can potentially be very difficult, stressful, and even harmful for older bodies. I am particularly aware of joint issues and balance problems. And a grand plié is always optional in my plié exercises and is never given in fourth position even as an option. I work a lot on core and ankle strength and balance in incremental and gentle ways such as relevés at the end of barre for ankle strength and fall prevention, but this is not overdone, and these elements are always introduced at the start of a term and are built upon.

My aim is for the group to feel joy and freedom by dancing in a structured class, so although my exercises are dynamic, play with the music, and are good for the mental acuity and memory, they do not overwhelm and try to outsmart anyone. Another important component is to be sensitive to energy levels with older dancers, as this differs a lot from younger dancers. I try to impart a feeling of accomplishment, endurance, and challenge without leaving anyone so winded that they give up on an exercise.

It is a fine balance, but awareness is key in terms of taking care of older dancers’ bodies and minds. I am always open to questions, and I provide alternatives in any barre and center floor exercises. If we do get to an allegro exercise, it is petit allegro, and again, I provide options for using a bouncing action or a chug/slide in place of leaving the floor in a jump. Once I get to know the dancers, I can very easily provide them with a good range of choices to work with that they use as a tool in the classes.

My related dance and movement-based charity Move into Wellbeing® is nearly nine years old. The drive behind forming this was to provide some joy and relief using dance and movement for people living with Parkinson’s. My father lived with this neurological condition for nearly 30 years, and as a result, I longed to utilize my knowledge and experience as a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and director to establish my own movement system and a healthy welcoming place for people to attend classes. The structured classes are with specialized dance teachers who use dynamic music throughout. All material can be adapted for individual needs. The first section of the class is done seated. Creative tasks and exercises are also an integral part of this class, as is a prevailing sense of equality and belonging.

Move into Wellbeing® class, Photo courtesy Move into Wellbeing®

The program was first directed at those living with neurological disorders and mobility issues, but due again to changing times and needs of people, we have expanded and now have attendees who live with a range of challenges. These include myalgic encephalomyelitis, multiple sclerosis, long COVID, dyspraxia, joint replacements, arthritis, post-stroke, balance problems, weakness and stiffness, and early-stage dementia.

Our classes at Move into Wellbeing® very much mimic the setup of a modern or ballet class. There is the teaching of set exercises, and each is done to specifically chosen music for the different qualities and dynamics provided. The class builds in challenge and intensity. It is done seated for the first three fourths of the class and those who can stand move to a standing position using either ballet barres or sturdy chairs for support.

Improvisational play and creative tasks are used in each class, and these provide greater freedom, enjoyment, laughter, and imagination to be on display. One favorite exercise is done seated in a very large circle, and we “pass a movement” around the circle. A theme is usually assigned and it goes free-form around the circle with music in the background. The dancers love this! We also have mirroring exercises, which are also a wonderful part of class. It gives a chance for people to choreograph, bond with each other, be fully in the moment, and let their creativity and self- expression flow full force.

All structured and set dance and movement exercises are fully adaptable. Our classroom helpers can assist with this and/or show different variations on the themes. We demonstrate the options and usually one helper shows an adapted version of an exercise which might have lower arms or lower legs bending less than what the teacher sets. We also encourage everyone to work at a pace comfortable to them, to take breathers when needed, to ask questions, and to feel free to change anything that might feel uncomfortable.

When the standing and moving through the space section comes, we still provide a seated version of the exercises. An assistant teacher sits with those who remain seated, and does the seated version with them. There is the sense of unity and inclusion throughout. No one is singled out as not being able to do something.

The weekly in-person classes held all over Greater London (and livestreamed and online) provide a safe place for all; a place to talk with others, have a giggle, get the endorphins going, and leave feeling refreshed and uplifted. We also have social events on a regular basis and all the coming together, solidifying as opposed to fragmenting, brings forth positivity and unity.

I have been privileged to witness over the past two decades how dance is like a tonic, a soothing, enriching, and unifying experience that all who participate benefit from. This is quite a beautiful thing to witness and facilitate for hundreds of people. As a former professional dancer, to be a founder and leader in this part of my life and career has been hugely gratifying, empowering, and joyful!

At Ballet4Life and Move into Wellbeing®, we have come together in a very fragmented world to take care of ourselves, each other, our communities, and the related families and circles of dancers, colleagues, and caregivers. If we as dancers and dance teachers do this wherever we are located, it will help sustain us through difficult and challenging times.

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To learn more, visit www.ballet4life.com and www.moveintowellbeing.org.uk.

The post Dancing In/ Inside of/ With/ Around/ Through a Fragmented World appeared first on Stance on Dance.

I’ve been running Stance on Dance as an online publication for 12 years and publishing a print edition for three years now. In that time, I have never tired of discovering new corners of the dance world. I am honored to continue that vein in this issue.

In these pages, you’ll discover more of dance’s incredible richness as a practice and form of expression: Snowflake Calvert describes Queering Cultural Forms, a program of the Queering Dance Festival that provides a platform where traditional cultural dances are explored and enriched through a queer lens. Julia Allisson Cost details the process of painting a picture book, and how she experienced the process as similar to choreographing. Bonnie Eissner profiles Bobby “Pocket” Horner, a street-dancer turned Broadway star who asks difficult and important questions about the nature of working on Broadway. Erin Malley shares the ways in which the Argentine tango world is in flux after the pandemic. Jessie Nowak reflects on the agony of artmaking as she created the sci-fi dance film Emerging. And Donna Schoenherr makes the point for better aging in dance opportunities through her work at Ballet4Life and the nonprofit Move into Wellbeing®.

Additionally, I interviewed Zazel-Chavah O’Garra, director of ZCO/Dance Project, about how her brain tumor surgery catalyzed her passion for integrating dancers with disabilities, and Vicky Holt Takamine, master hula teacher of Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima and the executive director of PAʻI Foundation, about how she is working to preserve and perpetuate native Hawaiian arts and cultural traditions for future generations. Finally, Erica Wilson renders raw and surrealist moments in dance in her quest to capture gesture and flow.

I learn something new every time I edit a story or interview a dance artist, and I feel I’m just getting started understanding the breadth and depth of this field. If you have a stance on dance, please get in touch at emmaly@stanceondance.com. I look forward to learning from you too!

GET YOUR COPY OF THE Fall/Winter 2024 PRINT ISSUE NOW!

Illustration by Erica Wilson

The post The Fall/Winter 2024 Print Issue! appeared first on Stance on Dance.

The Fall/Winter 2024 print issue features the following:

Snowflake Calvert describes Queering Cultural Forms, a program of the Queering Dance Festival that provides a platform where traditional cultural dances are explored and enriched through a queer lens. Julia Allisson Cost details the process of painting a picture book, and how she experienced the process as similar to choreographing. Bonnie Eissner profiles Bobby “Pocket” Horner, a street-dancer turned Broadway star who asks difficult and important questions about the nature of working on Broadway. Erin Malley shares the ways in which the Argentine tango world is in flux after the pandemic. Jessie Nowak reflects on the agony of artmaking as she created the sci-fi dance film Emerging. And Donna Schoenherr makes the point for better aging in dance opportunities through her work at Ballet4Life and the nonprofit Move into Wellbeing®.

Additionally, Emmaly Wiederholt interviewed Zazel-Chavah O’Garra, director of ZCO/Dance Project, about how her brain tumor surgery catalyzed her passion for integrating dancers with disabilities, and Vicky Holt Takamine, master hula teacher of Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima and the executive director of PAʻI Foundation, about how she is working to preserve and perpetuate native Hawaiian arts and cultural traditions for future generations. Finally, visual artist Erica Wilson renders raw and surrealist moments in dance in her quest to capture gesture and flow.

If you donate $25 or more to support dance journalism, you will receive two issues of Stance on Dance’s print publication. Stance on Dance is a 501c3 and your donation is tax-deductible.

Get your copy now!

We will only be able to ship our print publication to readers within the United States. International donors will recieve a PDF of the print publication. However, all content in our print publications is eventually made available online. Follow us on  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn to stay up to date on all the stances on dance!

Stance on Dance sends free copies of our twice-a-year print publication to college dance programs and other dance learning spaces. To date, we have partnered with dance faculty at Antioch University New England, Arizona State University, A:shiwi College, Austin Community College, Bennington College, California State University East Bay, California State University Long Beach, Colorado State University, Cuyahoga Community College, Davidson College, Florida International University, Keene State College, Kent State University, Loyola University Chicago, Old Dominion University, Ohio State University, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, Skidmore College, Sonoma State University, Texas Christian University, Texas State University, Texas Tech University, University of Akron, University of Arizona, University of California Irvine, University of California San Diego, University of Florida, University of Illinois Chicago, University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign, University of Kansas, University of Maryland, University of Nevada, Reno, University of New Mexico, University of Richmond, University of San Francisco, University of Silicon Andhra, University of South Florida, University of Southern Mississippi, University of Utah, University of Washington, and Utah Valley University. If you work in a dance department or other dance learning spaces and would like to learn more about this program, email emmaly@stanceondance.com.

The post Stance on Dance IN PRINT! appeared first on Stance on Dance.

BY EMMALY WIEDERHOLT

Donna Schoenherr is the founder and director of Ballet 4 Life and Move into Wellbeing® in London. In this interview, she discusses her belief that anyone can benefit from dance at any age and stage, and details how she makes dance – and specifically ballet – available to a broad range of adults.

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How did you come to found Ballet 4 Life?

I had been a professional dancer since I was a teenager. I landed in London with my husband, and was working as a freelance dancer, rehearsal director and choreographer, but I wanted to have a family. I was tired of traveling, so I researched what was lacking in London. I saw they didn’t have any adult ballet classes like they do very readily in America. I had a friend who had worked at Rambert Dance Company, which was also located in my neighborhood, so I looked to see if they would hire me space. That’s how Ballet 4 Life started. I wanted something local, as I didn’t want to spend over an hour on a train. I wanted to spend time with my young child. And I wanted to do something with vocational adults after working with professional dancers. It felt like the only thing I hadn’t done yet, and I could share dance with people who wanted to learn just for their own growth, exercise and wellness. That was 14 years ago.

How is Ballet 4 Life organized?

I’m the director, and I have an assistant and six teachers. We offer three to four classes per day, per week. I oversee everything, but we work collectively. We’re very prominent in the community, as we do a lot of outreach and teach free classes for schools and charities.

We function as an open studio, and we now have three locations in West London and one location in East London. People can buy class cards and attend on a drop-in basis, but we also have beginner courses. If someone comes to us as a novice, we help them climb the ladder of learning in a supportive environment. We also offer class that people can pop in to at all different levels. We have over 200 people enrolled in the program, with about 15 people on average in a class.

We offer more than ballet; we teach modern, character dance, ballroom, Latin, as well as other special master classes and workshops by different colleagues of mine. We also offer ways for our clients to connect to massage, Reiki and Feldenkrais practitioners. I bought the “Ballet 4 Life” copyright, but I also owned the “Dances 4 Life” URL rights, which was supposed to be the umbrella for everything. “Ballet 4 Life” caught on more, but it’s really a misnomer. Ballet is the core of what we offer, but we teach so much more depending on the season, the needs of our clients, and availability.

Since ballet is the crux of the program, how do you modify ballet technique so it’s approachable?

I will be very honest; I’ve done it by trial and error. I’ve created the program, and taught my teachers the methodology. We discuss what works and what doesn’t work, and modify as we go along. The loose formula I’ve come up with is gentle to the joints, and always provides a couple tiers of options for any given combination. For example, I have a 50+ ballet class in which many of the students can’t jump at all. I show them how to do the combination both without the jumps and with the jumps. I give them options. It gives people the knowledge and right to be responsible for their own bodies, and to trust their intelligence. They can stay flat if they can’t go on relevé; they can do a single frappé instead of a double; they can do a preparation instead of a pirouette. It’s never condescending with “A” groups or “B” groups. It’s just presented as different ways to approach the steps.

We stress an awareness of joints, and are also careful of avoiding mental fatigue. If something is too tricky, people clam up. We want to stimulate and challenge within boundaries, and keep the class healthy. It’s tricky, but it’s a system that works fairly well.

We offer intermediate, advanced and professional open classes as well where we have adults who have a high skill level. The 50+ ballet or beginning courses are very different from these classes. Because we don’t work with people under 16, we don’t have many dancers who are training to become professional in the classes, but we do get students on breaks. If you’re a dancer and you want to just get a good class, we can offer that. We can embrace everyone.

Because of the way the classes are offered – from complete beginner to retired professional dancer – there is a class for everybody, and we help people if they arrive at the wrong class for them.

What changes would you like to see in the professional ballet world?

This is such an ongoing challenge, but things have progressed since I was a dancer. For instance, cross training is encouraged now. When I trained, we were admonished for riding a bike because we were told it would build the wrong muscles. That’s obviously backward thinking because the best dancers understand good cross training. All the major dance companies now have cross training, like Pilates, Gyrotonic, swimming, weights, etc.

I think dancers are still too subjugated and don’t have enough rights as artists in comparison to musicians and actors. There are unions, but there could be a lot more power invested in company members instead of just the directors and stars. It is still quite male dominated too. I wish there were more female directors and choreographers.

We’re getting better with cultural diversity in ballet, but we have a long way to go. It’s starting to change, but it should have happened 20 years ago.

You also offer classes to seniors with dementia and Parkinson’s. How are those classes structured?

Move into Wellbeing® is a registered charity, which is a pretty difficult thing to get here in the UK. The government had to approve what we do. My lead teachers studied with David Leventhal of the Mark Morris Dance Company who founded Dance for PD®. I really respect what he’s doing. From there, we’ve made our own version based on the people we are and the people we work with.

We offer a dance-movement-exercise class. It’s not dumbed down, and it’s not easy. Half the class is done seated, and every exercise is choreographed to the music, just like a regular class. My lead teacher is a modern and ballet teacher, but she’s Italian, so she’s brings an Italian opera flavor with lots of gestures. You warm up the body using rhythm, patterns, clapping and voice, using the feet, legs and arms. When we get to the standing part of the class, there is another version available for those who cannot stand. They do a seated version of all the dance sequences, while those standing use a ballet barre or the back of a chair as a support. There’s always a free movement sequence through the space at the end for an expiration challenge. The classes are very dependent upon who comes and what their capabilities are, as there can be extreme differences in ability.

In thinking about all the classes you offer in both the Ballet 4 Life program as well as the Move Into Wellbeing® program, what does success look like for you and your participants?

For me, it’s just continuing to provide some sense of joy, relief and wonderment for that time we’re together in the studio. It’s a truly magical thing, and it carries on into the person’s day and week, and how it affects their self-confidence. Success for me is being able to provide that, as well as getting funding to do so. We’re always fundraising, which is hard work in the midst of teaching and developing programs. We just want to carry on doing what we do. Success can be very subtle, from a small comment about how good somebody feels after class, to a whole change in attitude, to making new friends.

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To learn more, check out Ballet 4 Life or Move into Wellbeing®.

The post Dancing Throughout Life with Ballet 4 Life appeared first on Stance on Dance.

Meet our director and editor:

Emmaly Wiederholt is a dance artist and arts journalist based in Albuquerque, NM. She founded Stance on Dance in 2012. Emmaly earned her MA in Arts Journalism from the University of Southern California and her BFA in Ballet and BS in Political Science from the University of Utah. She further trained at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and performed extensively around the Bay Area. Her first book, Beauty is Experience: Dancing 50 and Beyond, was published in 2017, and her second book, Breadth of Bodies: Discussing Disability in Dance, was published in 2022. Emmaly is also a master DanceAbility instructor and facilitates movement groups at the UNM Hospital adult psychiatric ward, as well as is a founding member of the dance advocacy nonprofit ABQ Dance Connect. She continues to perform throughout the Southwest.

Photo by Allen Winston

Our contributors have included:

Snowflake Arizmendi-Calvert, a performance artist and organizer in the Bay Area.

Gregory Bartning, a photographer in Portland, OR.

Liz Duran Boubion, the director of the Festival of Latin American Contemporary Choreographers in the Bay Area.

Liz Brent-Maldonado, an artist, writer, educator, and producer in San Francisco, CA.

Michelle Chaviano, a ballet dancer with Ballet North Texas.

Bradford Chin, a disabled dance artist and accessibility consultant in Chicago, IL, and San Francisco, CA.

Shebana Coelho, a writer and performer currently studying flamenco in Spain.

breana connor, an interdisciplinary artist, facilitator + healer in Albuquerque, NM.

Lauren Coons, an interdisciplinary artist, performer, healer and educator in Albuquerque, NM.

Julia Cost, a painter, textile designer, sewist, and dancer in Maui, HI.

Sophia Diehl, a dancer in New York City.

Bonnie Eissner, a writer in New York City.

Katie Flashner, a.k.a. The Girl with the Tree Tattoo, a World Champion ballroom dancer and author in ME.

Micaela Gardner, a dancer and choreographer in Baja, Mexico.

Sarah Groth, an interdisciplinary artist from Albuquerque, NM.

Cherie Hill, a dance educator and choreographer based in the Bay Area.

Lorie House, a dancer, choreographer, and lawyer in NM.

Silva Laukkanen, a dance educator and disability advocate in Austin, TX.

Mary Elizabeth Lenahan, the director of Dance Express in Fort Collins, CO.

Shannon Leypoldt, a dance artist, teacher, and sports massage therapist in Berlin.

Erin Malley, a dance artist and tango teacher based in West Michigan.

Julianna Massa, a dance artist in Albuquerque, NM.

Aiano Nakagawa, a dance artist, educator, facilitator, writer, and event producer in the Bay Area.

Jessie Nowak, a dance artist and filmmaker in Portland, OR.

Kevin O’Connor, a multidisciplinary artist in London, Ontario, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Bhumi B Patel, an artist/activist based in the Bay Area.

Stephanie Potreck, a sports nutritionist and health advocate who currently resides in Germany.

Jill Randall, artistic director of Shawl-Anderson Dance Center in Berkeley, CA.

Kathryn Roszak, a choreographer, filmmaker, educator, and activist in the Bay Area.

Donna Schoenherr, director of Ballet4Life and Move into Wellbeing in London, UK.

Maggie Stack, a dancer and teacher in Reno, NV.

Camille Taft, a CO front range-based mover and visual artist.

Mary Trunk, a filmmaker, choreographer, and multimedia artist in Altadena, CA.

Diana Turner-Forte, a teaching artist, healing arts coach, and writer in NC.

Ana Vrbaski, a body music practitioner in Serbia.

Nikhita Winkler, a dancer, choreographer, and teacher from Namibia who currently resides in Spain.

Erica Pisarchuk Wilson, a dance artist, visual artist and poet in Albuquerque, NM.

Rebecca Zeh, an interdisciplinary artist in Sarasota Springs, NY.

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Our board:

Snowflake Arizmendi-Calvert

Cathy Intemann

Alana Isiguen

Courtney King

Malinda LaVelle

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