SMASH#9 Morning Training
physical practice for contemporary dancers
Shannon Stewart

Shannon Stewart is interested in physical practices that increase our ability to persevere and thrive in disorientation, transitions and unknown territories. Her classes include somatic tuning, guided improvisation, technical, endurance and strengthening exercises that focus on increasing range of motion, physical capacity and generating alternative virtuosities. By focusing on sensation, the energetic body and attention, Shannon challenges the notion that there are fundamentally different approaches to improvising versus doing set material or taking a “technique class” versus doing any intentional physical practice. Her training encompasses classical forms, somatic practices, martial arts and breakdancing. She is a certified Gyrokinesis®, and Gyrotonic® instructor and has trained abroad in Forsythe improvisation, gaga, and Counter Technique.

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Shannon Stewart is a choreographic artist, dance filmmaker and writer based in New Orleans, US. As a performer and choreographer she has toured internationally, including interpreting the works of Deborah Hay, Tino Sehgal, Joan Jonas, zoe | juniper, tEEth, and many others. Her work has been supported through numerous awards and residencies including a national touring award for her evening length work An Inner Place That Has No Place.  Multiple dance films have been officially selected for international film festivals (Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, New Orleans and Berlin). Shannon is a certified Gyrokinesis and Gyrotonic® instructor and is a teaching artist with the Mark Morris Dance for Parkinson’s program. She teaches internationally at festivals and universities.  Shannon has a Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Dance Performance with a specialization in Gender and Sexuality Studies.

website:
www.shannonstewart.org

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photos
Sarah Cass
Sarrah Dazinger