The Big Mess, or Practices for Returning to a State of Wonder...

May 15 (Thursday evening) - May 18 (Sunday afternoon)

What if we don't divide the experience of investigating our work as dance artists into the neat categories of “technique,” or “improvisation,” or “composition?” What if we accept the totality of our abilities and deficiencies and know that our work is defined by both of these things (and more and more) and what if that is perfect? What if trying to do something that you don't understand is the best idea that you could possibly hope to have for one week? What if it doesn't matter what “level” you are at as a dancer/creator/performer? What if we call this experiment The Big Mess and see what the hell that means?

Miguel Gutierrez is a dance and music artist from Brooklyn, NY who has created several evenings of work: enter the seen (2002), I succumb (2003), dAMNATION rOAD (2004), Retrospective Exhibitionist and Difficult Bodies (2005) myendlesslove (2006) and Everyone (2007). His emotionally driven work concerns itself with the phenomenon of existence and the body's ability to move between the mundane and the transcendent. He is interested in how the presence of the audience creates a space of attention and extraordinary perception. His work has been presented in venues such as Dance Theater Workshop (New York), ImPulsTanz (Vienna) and the Springdance Festival (Utrecht). He recently created a new work entitled (I HATE OUTSIDE) for BalletLab, a Melbourne, Australia based company. Miguel worked as a curator for The Kitchen's Dance and Process program, and the infamous but now defunct SHTUDIO SHOW. He has worked with a wide variety of contemporary dance artists, such as John Jasperse, Jennifer Lacey, Jennifer Monson, Ann Liv Young and Deborah Hay. He is currently working with Alain Buffard. He teaches workshops in technique, composition and creative process around the world. www.miguelgutierrez.org

Total Workshop Fee = Tuition + Room & Board.

Tuition (3 Tiers Available):
   Student Rate: Economically challenged students and the unemployed: $185
   Regular Rate: Employed but struggling (teacher, librarian, lots of kids, etc.): $210
   Professional Rate: Actually contributing to your retirement plan (support the arts!): $235

Standard Room & Board: $140
(For commuting or alternate housing options, click here)
Early Registration Discount: $25 off if registered by April 1
Deposit Required: $75

Arrival Thursday, 5/15, after 5 p.m.
Last session ends Sunday afternoon 5/18

Partial Scholarships are sometimes available for Earthdance workshops. Please click here for more information.