Renowned mentor, choreographer, Horton technique teacher, and artistic voice for The School, Milton Myers was joined by Associate Director Francisco Martinez and an internationally acclaimed Artist Faculty to engage the 2022 Contemporary Performance Ensemble.
From their very first moments at the Pillow, the dancers experienced the wisdom of the Artist Faculty. Dancer Meredith Brown reflects on the first class with Milton Myers as the highlight of her time. “[I remember] the moment when Mr. Myers spoke to us in the Perles studio for the first time on our very first day at the Pillow. He reminded us of our worth and value as dancers which is more than any artist could ever ask for,” she says, “[I have] so much love for this faculty and staff!”
Alongside Myers and Martinez, Artist Faculty including Sidra Bell, Rena Butler, Ronald K. Brown, and Studio Wayne McGregor led by Antoine Vereecken pushed the dancers to hone the skills and creativity required to become collaborators and leaders in the field of dance.
The Contemporary Performance Ensemble dancers speak highly not only of the Artist Faculty, but of their fellow dancers as well. Dareon Blowe remarks, “My peers inspired me the most. Getting to witness their love and passion for dance everyday in the class made me work harder than ever before.”
Francesca Levita shares a story: “One time that specifically felt monumental was during one of our night rehearsals. We had been let out 30 minutes early, but we, as a company, stayed in the Perles Studio for another hour just playing music and dancing. I loved this moment because we had been dancing a twelve hour day, and at the end, we still wanted to dance more. All of the pure drive and love for dancing that my peers had was truly inspiring, and I will never forget each and every beautiful moment we all shared.”
Looking forward, the dancers will carry with them these friendships alongside the skill they developed as artists. Emily Masia notes, “I learned so much about Wayne McGregor’s method of choreographing from Antoine Vereecken, and I am so excited to add these new ideas to my toolbox as I move forward in my career! I sometimes get stuck when I try to choreograph. Whenever I’m stuck, I will use Wayne McGregor’s methods to generate material more easily!”
Watch an excerpt of the dancers in process with Studio Wayne McGregor led by Antoine Vereecken here.
Jeremy Villas shares, “This experience will truly change your life and give you a brief moment to recharge, soak in all the information, and grow as an artist.”
Alicia Pak notes a special Pillow moment: “One of the many sweet highlights was getting to witness a shooting star for the first time.” To future dancers, she advises “Stay fierce and hungry for knowledge.”
As alumni, the dancers will imbue their communities and futures as artists with moments and takeaways from their time at the Pillow. Brown talks about how she will carry with her “the idea that being an artist is about so much more than you. It’s about the world that surrounds you and all that it encompasses. As an artist citizen, you should work to give back to dance what it has given to you, and further should use your gift as a dancer to give back to others.”
Watch the Contemporary Performance Ensemble show excerpts of their work with Sidra Bell here and Rena Butler (part 1 and part 2).
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Written by Gillian Ebersole. Published July 2022.