Le Mondo Summer Dance Class Series: Countertechnique

This summer, Le Mondo presents a month of drop-in dance classes on Monday nights from July 11 - August 1. Each week will embody a different dance technique and be led by Baltimore-local dance professionals. 

Classes are $15 a session. More on all classes in July here. 

July 25th, 7-8:30pm | Countertechnique with Kelly Hirina

ABOUT THE CLASS

Level: Pre-professional/Professional Countertechnique

Countertechnique, created by Anouk van Dijk, provides tools for body and mind to deal with the deman­ding dance practice of the 21st century. It is a movement system to help the dancer think about the dancing body, focusing on the process of incorporating information into action. Within a clear structure of exercises, the Countertechnique class thoroughly prepares the body for rehearsal and performance, enabling dancers to move bigger, more fluidly and more spatially, while becoming stronger and more flexible.

ABOUT YOUR TEACHER

Kelly Hirina, originally from Michigan, moved to the Netherlands as a Fulbright scholar and continued to live and work there as a professional dancer for twenty years. While there, Hirina worked with many different choreographers such as; Emio Greco & Pieter C. Scholten (EG|PC), Krisztina de Chatel, Suzy Blok, Nicole Beutler, Liat Waysbort and Dylan Newcomb in companies such as ICKamsterdam and Dansgroep Amsterdam. Hirina also worked in mime/theater onstage with Jakop Ahlbom and Compagnietheater (Theu Boermans) and in films with directors such as Arno Dierickx and Noud Heerkens. 

Hirina is a certified teacher of both Countertechnique, created by Anouk van Dijk and Double Skin/Double Mind, created by Emio Greco and Pieter C. Scholten. She has been teaching these methods at the Lucia Marthas Institute for Performing Arts (Amsterdam) and in her role as the artistic coordinator of ICKamsterdam’s academy. These methods offer healthy approaches to the dancing body while stimulating their personal creativity. Hirina also incorporates methods from ICKamsterdam, the Sensorium Toolkit and Pre-choreographics, in choreographic development.

She acquired her M.F.A. in Dance from the University of Michigan with research based upon the link between mind and body in dance training, rehearsal and performance. Her specific interest is in pedagogical methods that enhance intrinsic motivation, appreciation for learning (a process-oriented approach) and goal setting. Photo Credit: Jubal Battisti