Long Legs and Fat Heels

Abstract:

Long Legs and Fat Heels – through applying Alexander Techniques’ postural framing while cultivating the space for the trunk to lengthen back and off of the legs, dancers/participants will experience increased availability for movement inside the hip sockets. A brief overview of the skeleton and of Alexander technique’s principles will shape the opening before physical movement research. In the class demonstration, we will work through various standard exercises while playing with different entry points working with rotation in relation with physics and the skeleton to allow for a dynamic postural frame without gripping that will accompany dancers throughout various class and choreography sequences in their own autonomy. Lastly, a question and answer follow up will close the session allowing for participates to individualize their experience into a personal application for their pedagogy.

Bibliography:

• https://alexandertechniquescience.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEdzYtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHWEqgsaS4kh6mbPyJNfIS6aL5tB_GO6YFmqo2c0sgEl7HPpu8YaPZKiw_A_aem_muTJNnzPqDiiGnTRvaNmGg
• https://www.countertechnique.com (Anouk Van Dijk, founder of Countertechnique)
• https://www.tomsterdam.com (Tom Koch, Alexander Technique)

Presented by Carolyn Pampalone Rabbers, Instructional Assistant Professor; Texas A&M University

Biography:

Carolyn Pampalone Rabbers is the Executive Artistic Director and founder of CPR Dance: Inhale Movement. She holds an MFA from the University of the Arts and graduated as a Presidential Scholar with a BFA from Western Michigan University. A versatile dance artist and actor, she has performed on stage and on camera in New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, and throughout Michigan.
Her choreography has been presented nationally and internationally, recognized as a finalist for Michigan’s Maggie Allesee Choreography Competition, and supported by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo and Texas A&M University. Recent creative projects include an evening-length work, THAW, developed with the Virtual Production Institute at Texas A&M in collaboration with Lynn Vartan, Stewart Ziff, and Michael Brunner, as well as the short film Chase Your Dreams with Red Productions LLC. She was recently named an artist-in-residence at res arts Atelier in France.

Carolyn appears as “Abby” in Moondance (2020) and has performed with companies and artists such as Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, Coldplay, Omi, Diavolo EdCo, Clairobscur, LACDC, Nickerson-Rossi Dance, and Vox Lumiere. She has danced works by Cori Terry, Erik Hawkins, Yvonne Rainer, Loïe Fuller, Gerald Arpino, Antony Tudor, Randy Duncan, Laurie Eisenhower, and John Lehrer.

An educator dedicated to excellence in training, Carolyn is an Instructional Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University and a faculty member at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. She has also taught at Grand Valley State University and Western Michigan University, and judges for CRU National Dance Competition. Certified as an ABT Affiliate Teacher (Pre-Primary–Level VII & Partnering), she additionally holds certifications in Non-Profit Leadership, Graham Technique Levels 3–5, Progressing Ballet Technique, Progressing Contemporary Technique, ISTD Contemporary, Reiki, and Yoga.