Hallo Vorname, 

Aaron Watkin and I graduated the same year from Canada’s National Ballet School.  Our dream of him running the Company any myself the School would actually turn into a reality 18 years later in Dresden.

Here, I have been joined by two classmates from my time at the Vaganova Academy, Olga and Tim. After having our career all gone separate ways, we are reunited today by our passion of discovering and assisting the next generation.  So is the micro-cosmos of the dance world. 

I feel very closely connected to this years’ graduating class, as I too will graduate from my role as Rector and start as the Head of Dance at the Zurich University of the Arts - and there, I look forward to reuniting with other fellow classmates. 

The beauty of an Alumni Network is not only to reminisce and celebrate the past but to see how connected our relationships are and how they continue to grow and develop over the years and decades even.

2025 with the 100-year Jubilee is just around the corner and I already look forward to returning to hopefully reunite with many of you and many of the current staff and students too. 

Incredible how the years fly by and the bonds grow even stronger and new connections are made.  We hope you enjoy this edition of the Alumni Newsletter and look forward to many more reunions and sharing of our passions in the future.

Prof. Jason Beechey

Rector and Head of MA Dance Teacher

"PROSKENION NACHWUCHSFÖRDERPREIS FÜR DARSTELLENDE KÜNSTE 2023” FOR THE PALUCCA UNIVERSITY OF DANCE DRESDEN

For the first time, the Palucca University of Dance Dresden will be honored as an institution with the “proskenion Nachwuchsförderpreis für Darstellende Künste 2023” ("proskenion Young Talent Award for Performing Arts 2023"). At the award ceremony during the premiere of the "Palucca Tanz Studio" on November 24, the audience was able to experience the outstanding achievements of the University and its students up close.

Every two years, the proskenion Foundation awards the "proskenion Young Talent Award for the Performing Arts" to exemplary institutions, facilities or projects that are committed to artistic education in the field of promoting young talent. Award winners are characterized by an artistic concept that focuses on targeted work with young talent in drama, dance or music theater for children and young people up to the age of 21. This year, the prize will be awarded to the Palucca University of Dance Dresden.

MASTER INFO DAY - MASTER DANCE TEACHER

Do you want to develop your dance teaching skills and be inspired by an interdisciplinary environment? Then our Master's degree programme Dance Teacher could be the right programme for you. Learn more about the Master's degree programme Dance Teacher at our online Master's info day on 22 January 2024, 7-8:30 pm. There you will learn everything about the structure and content of the Master's degree programme Dance Teacher and the admission requirements.

You will also have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the Master's programme. 

We look forward to seeing you there (virtually) 🥳.

INTRODUCTION TO THE ARCHIVE

Everything covered in dust and lots of old documents? The University Archive has much more than this to offer! Do you want to look at your school records or your final project? Do you work in dance science research and are you looking for significant historical material regarding the University as an institution and its predecessor institutions? Or are you interested in the over 2,600 film recordings and 10,000 photo units which document the diverse creative dance work at the Palucca University of Dance Dresden? If so, then register yourselves at the Archive:

Dr. Bianca Gleiniger

Head of the University Archives

☏  (0351) 25906-55

✉ archiv(at)palucca.eu

Dr. Bianca Gleiniger has been the head of the archives since 2021. One of the main focuses of the future archival work will be a digital strategy on how documents about Gret Palucca’s influence, the development of the University up to the present day, and the archive’s unique collection can be digitally organised. One of the first steps in this direction will be the menu “Archived Material of the Month” which will inform you on a regular basis - also online - about interesting finds in the archive.  Stay tuned!

ALUMNI NEWS

MELANCHOLIC MARATHON - go plastic

With a walk-through and interactive solo-dance performance, the go plastic company invites you to a collective melancholy session in an relaxed atmosphere. Based on emotional practice and emotional culture, go plastic explores artisticpositions on the melancholy state of mind.  Under the theme of “being in-between”, the collective is interested in the concept of melancholy in which the various facets and shifts are made visible and describable - rather than following the motto: it’s all or nothing. In doing so, the focus shifts to the remarkable relay (race) of this elusive, but very gripping emotion in the prism of various disciplines such as philosophy, art, aesthetics, sociology, and pop culture. Melancholy-Experts from the fields of art, media, philosophy, and science have been invited to share their viewpoints and experiences in the form of artistic contributions and interviews. Integrated audio description and tactile guidance are also components of the evening. The result is called MELANCHOLIC MARATHON and it is a bittersweet and sadly joyful tactile performance, rather slow, padded, resounding in minor key, characterized by dark hues and pensive discourses, multimedia,and one that is to be experienced with all the senses.

January schedule:

Date: 27/28/29 January 2024
Location: HELLERAU - European Centre for the Arts

More information can be found at https://www.goplasticcompany.de/melancholic-marathon & https://www.hellerau.org/de/event/melancholic-marathon

Photo credits for the MELANCHOLIC MARATHON images: Jana Mila Lippitz

Other performances by go plastic in January: mind the rage / Date: 25 January 2024
Location: HELLERAU - European Centre for the Arts

More information can be found at https://www.hellerau.org/de/event/mind-the-rage-2 & https://www.goplasticcompany.de/mind-the-rage

INTRODUCING OUR EXPERT FOR 2024: MICHAEL TUCKER
(MADT 2021)

Dear Palucca Alumni,

My name is Michael Tucker and I am pleased to announce that in the 2024 Palucca University of Dance Alumni Newsletter I will be contributing a monthly article on the topic of choreography, creativity and creation. First, a little bit about me and my work. I was born in Austin, Texas and began my early ballet education at Ballet Austin. Later in 2005, I attended the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center and in 2008 joined the New York City Ballet as an apprentice. In 2009 I joined the Dresden Semperoper Ballet where I danced a diverse repertoire of classical, modern, and contemporary works for 10 seasons. During this time, I was fortunate to rise to the rank of first soloist and work directly with prominent choreographers such as William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin and Jiri Kylian. In 2015, I joined the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company for one season under the direction of Jacopo Godani. In 2021, I completed my Master’s degree in Master Dance Teacher at the Palucca University of Dance Dresden and have been actively teaching in Dresden in both professional schools and in the dance outreach program “Tanz Mal!”.

In addition to my time as a dancer and pedagogue, I have choreographed for the New York Choreographic Institute, the Dresden Semperoper Ballet, the Palucca University of Dance Dresden and most recently for opera productions at the Semperoper. These opportunities have afforded me insight into working with populations outside of just professional dancers and have enriched and deepened both my understanding and curiosity of what defines a choreography. I consider myself a storyteller and my works share the common thread of being narrative in format. I like to think of my works as visual poems, and I love using imagery to create a choreographic story board. I’m excited to give you, the readers, a glimpse into my work and share all the considerations and decisions that go into creating a choreographic work from its inception to its final moment on the stage.

Contact: mic.j.tucker@gmail.com

 Inclusion and Diversity in Dance

Diversity in the dance industry presents a range of styles, each brimming with meaning, emotion, and history. Dancing has the captivating power to bring people together by fostering appreciation and understanding of one another's individuality. Inclusive dance is for dancers who have disabilities or encounter difficulties in accessing mainstream dance classes and/or events.

But it is more than just creating accessibility for all. It is about nurturing the environment where everyone feels welcome, acknowledged, and respected. One of the most crucial aspects of offering dance classes is providing an open atmosphere that offers a secure space for everyone wishing to express themselves artistically and physically. How can we make dance lessons more inclusive and which teaching practices should a teacher be aware of?

• Use gender inclusive teaching practices
• Consider the use of props if being included in the lesson (e. the mirror)
• Be aware of the choreography - can it be easily adapted for all situations?
• Understand the impact of your voice and words
• Understanding concentration issues

A common problem which dance teachers are faced with is concentration issues. Is this due to discipline problems which the student hasn’t learnt? Is it from a non-diagnosed/diagnosed ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)? Concentration issues can come in many different forms but just as an example here are some issues which a dance teacher can be confronted with. Students with ADHD may have:

• Difficulties on focusing on one activity or task (inattention)
• A short attention span for their age group
• Impulsive and often interruptive traits
• Demonstrate the need to be in constant motion (hyperactive)

Students with ASD may display:

• A tendency to overfocus and may be unable to move on to the next task
• Some inflexibility if the routine of the running of the class changes
• A sensitivity towards sound, noise, and touch
• A special skill of remembering the smallest of details over a long period of time

We also do need to be aware that just because a student may constantly interrupt others, find it difficult to wait their turn, or have a short attention span doesn’t mean that they are on the spectrum. It can very simply be that they have never had to cope with having to wait or that they are always the centre of attention at home and therefore may appear as attention seekers.

Generation Alpha (2010-2024) do struggle to stay focussed on one task as they are constantly being interrupted by gadgets, online time and they expect immediate answers. Not only the short attention span is a trait of this generation but also the heightened need for instant gratification.

While teaching practices/strategies need to be adapted, in reality, effective inclusive teaching is and should only be an extension of effective teaching. One of the most important teaching skills is knowing which teaching strategies work and how to utilize your voice and choice of words effectively. Here are a few tips:

• Offer a safe multisensory environment with social interaction away from social media and technology.
• Provide clear understandings of what is wished for and limit the amount of feedback given at any one time. Their brains are constantly working overtime due to the amount of input they receive throughout the day.
• Work around situations and explain why instant success cannot always be achieved. One thing that gen alpha people have is resilience, and if explained to, they understand what is expected.
• Encourage hands-on activities using props. Fine motor skills are often underdeveloped in this age group.

One last point I would like to make is that giving feedback is a learned skill. The choice of words is imperative. Make sure that the feedback is about the demonstration and not the performer; that it is time relevant and definitely not a source of negativity.

Contact: info@dancepedagogy.com | www.dancepedagogy.com

Dear Alumni.

We have had an eventful and exciting time and it is wonderful to see the real faces behind the many phone conversations, letter and Emails. The team here at Palucca has been literally infected by your joy at seeing each other again and we hope that you enjoyed the afternoon on our campus as much as we did. For us, the lively exchange was very important and broadened our horizons.

I would like to thank you and also my colleagues for the great networking over the past few weeks and for your support in helping to make this year's alumni meeting such a wonderful experience.

I would now like to share the images of the day with you and wish you all memorable celebrations and a healthy New Year!

Cordially,

Minh Huyen Pietruske
Student Marketing & Alumni Coordination
Department of Strategic University Development/Communication