Dance Essentials | Study Program
Our Yerba Buena Art Dance Essential educational program is a study program for all dance enthusiasts that wish to explore dance in depth. It is open to everyone, no matter your age or previous experience with dance. This program will help you to build a solid understanding of different techniques that are the backbone of many styles today. The Dance Essentials Program is designed to teach you the fundamental concepts of the art of dance. We focus on basic concepts from Ballet, Contemporary, Technica Cubana, Modern Dance & Contact improvisation to strengthen your understanding of the mechanics of your body. The goal is to create more consciousness in your body, have an orientation inside the map of commonly used dance techniques and, with that, help you to connect to your preferred style with more clarity and depth. Over the course of 4 months, we will explore different dance techniques in depth and enrich your knowledge about and your connection to your body. We will explore different techniques such as the basic concepts of Ballet, Contemporary and Modern dance, but we will as well dedicate some Weekend Laboratories to Somatic Practices such as Body Mind Centering, Contact improvisation and other techniques that help to widen your perspective and give you a map of the world of dance.
We believe that professional dance education is a great way to equip yourself with amazing tools that will enrich your life in many ways. Here are some of the tools you will collect that are applicable to everyday life and its challenges:
Improving attention span
Expressing yourself non-verbally and improving body awareness
Create a loving relationship with your body and celebrate your body and its abilities
Learn to name, identify and direct emotions and feelings
Moving in time and space with more awareness and therefore creating better relationships with our surroundings
Awareness at every level
Solving complex problems and how to approach them
Getting to know yourself and creating self-esteem and agency through mastering challenging tasks
We don't agree with these formats!
They are both exclusive in their own way.
We want to create something better!
We want to democratize professional dance education.
Normal hobby dance classes and even education-based classes do not address basic concepts in depth. The result is that we find ourselves searching in the dark for a long time. Accompanied only by corrections that we don’t understand. And while it’s important to do your own personal search, it still helps a lot to get guidance on what I can work during my exercise, in order to make it a fruitful experience and to leave my class with a sense of accomplishment.
The study program focused on this. It introduces concepts that are the building blocks of dance as a general form of expression and helps you to understand it in your own body. The class is based on many years of detailed research and experience in professional dance education as well as work with many different body types throughout the years. It does not focus on "one technique for all" solutions and instead celebrates the unique ways bodies can create art. It’s not just about talent, everyone can, with the right strategies and a professionally crafted curriculum, learn to find these concepts in their bodies.
This process will not just transform your body, but will change the way you approach life in general.
The benefits are too many to name them all here.
THE QUICK FACTS
Dance Study Program for all dance enthusiasts that wish to explore dance in depth, no matter their age or previous experience with dance.
4-month Intensive
September 10th - December 17th
Every Tuesday
7.30-9.00 pm | Berlin time
This class is located at Vivace Dance Studio
Berlin Schöneberg
Or online from wherever you are.
4-MONTH EDUCATION PROGRAM
DANCE ESSENTIALS
STUDY PROGRAM
Join a group of like-minded and passionate people and connect with others. Join a space of exchange, personal growth guided by experts in the field.
September 10th 2024 - December 17th 2024
Every Tuesday
19.30-21.00
50€ / month
+ 100€ in Advanced
inkl. 19% MwSt
YOUR TEACHER | Sarah K. Balzat
A Bachelor's degree in classical, modern and contemporary dance and a Master's degree in choreography and dance education from Palucca School Dresden helps me to build a bridge between the arts and education and to find the best method for every student. My BA studies in Psychology and Philosophy at Humboldt University Berlin enrich my classes with depth and sensitive guidance.
My goal for this study program is to help students to create organized and meaningful knowledge about their body, approach dance from a space of love in connection to their own bodies, understand the esthetics of the art of dance and to create a class that opens the door for a more authentic and free artistic expression for everyone.
CURRICULUM
The Backbone of all Dance Studies. Studying the basic concepts of ballet will be a great enriching experience for your dance and artistry. Studying ballet can provide a well-rounded and enriching experience that goes beyond the physical aspects, encompassing mental and artistic dimensions as well. We will not only follow the protocol of a typical ballet class. We will instead aim to get an understanding of what every exercise asks from our bodies. You will learn how to execute a "plié" or other typical movements of the style, instead of just learning an exercise that includes the movement. We will dive deep into body mechanics and discover personal ways of creating a loving friendship with this challenging technique. You do not need any prior ballet experience, but even if you do, you will experience yourself in a new way after this deep dive.
Modern dance is a diverse and dynamic dance form that emerged in the early 20th century as a reaction against the rigid structures of classical ballet. It focuses on self-expression, freedom of movement, and the exploration of new and innovative choreographic ideas. We will get in touch with the most well-known concepts of this very broad landscape. The Graham & Horton Technique are two of the most beneficial techniques that help you to gain more control and artistic freedom with your instrument the body. We will explore concepts like contraction and release, flat backs and release swings to equally develop strength, flexibility and coordination.
Building up on the traditions of Modern Dance and in search for even more freedom from rigid forms, contemporary dance has presented itself as a free exploration of the body in all its possibilities. Contemporary dance is a genre that encompasses a wide range of styles and approaches, often characterized by its versatility, fusion of different dance forms, and emphasis on self-expression. We will explore concepts such as fluid and continuous movement, with an emphasis on seamless transitions between different steps and positions, as well as movements close to the floor, utilizing grounded positions and floor work. This connection to the earth enhances a dancer's sense of stability and allows for a diverse range of movements. Different improvisation techniques will be introduced to explore movement spontaneously and learn to respond to the immediate environment. This will foster a sense of freedom and creativity within the dance process.
The Study Program includes Laboratories in which we will get in touch with other movement techniques to enrich our perspective. You will learn about Contact Improvisation, Laban Movement Analysis and Body Mind Centering. All these techniques offer a unique view of the body and of dance itself. Enriching for more than just your dance.
YBA STUDY PROGRAM
THE PROGRAM
A small overview of all the important details of the program
WEEKLY TRAINING
Tuesdays September 10th till December 17nd
from 7.30-9.00
at Vivace Berlin
ONLINE AVAILABLE
You have the possibility to participate in the program from all over the world through our Yerba Buena Online Academy
FOR EVERYONE
You do not need any prior dance experience. The Study Program is an inclusive space to connect you to the art of dance in the depth.
FOR ALL STYLES
We all love dance, whatever style your heart beats for, enrich your dancing through a strong base. Widen your perspective and knowledge.
EXCURSES
Next to the weekly class, there will be different excurse laboratories that will explore topics such as contact improvisation, Laban and others.
EXPERIENCED TEACHERS
Study with experts that are not just professional dancers but also experienced and trained pedagogues.
sarah@yerba-buena.de
Berlin, Germany