This past summer, Emory dancer Patsy Collins spent her summer attending American Dance Festival's Summer Intensive at Duke University. At Emory she is a double major in dance and movement studies and business. At ADF she spent almost six weeks attending daily classes, attending performances by world-renowned companies, and taking master classes from dance professionals. To find our more about her experiences, please read on!
*Responses have been edited for clarity
What was your class schedule at ADF?
Each student is able to enroll in three courses while at ADF, and I chose to take Gaga, Modern-Rooted Technique, and Site-Specific Composition. I first connected with Gaga last summer, and knew that I wanted to continue to study and investigate this beautiful Israeli form of movement research. Our instructor, Saar Harari, pushed us both mentally and physically to find our limits, and then extend beyond them. My other courses were taught by Nia Love, who was an incredible role model for me. Her modern class was influenced by her training in Cuba, Ghana, and many other countries. Not only did we learn poly-rhythms and intricate steps from these cultures, but we also discussed the implication of our bodies performing these actions. My third class of the day, site-specific composition, was something completely new for me. Rain or shine we were outside every day, investigating our bodies' connection with the environment around us. Nia is one of the most influential people that I have ever worked with, and she taught me so much about how to create and cultivate powerful work.
What were some of your favorite experiences/memories during your time at ADF?
One memory that I am very fond of, was when Eiko Otake passed by our site-specific class one day. I remember her passing by, and all of us as students were kind of awestruck. She's a dance celebrity! I was talking about how much I admired her work, and my instructor Nia Love said "Patsy, why don't you go find out why she's here?" I was so nervous, normally I would never have the confidence to go up to someone like Eiko Otake and introduce myself. But I went in to the studio to find her, and ended up having a wonderful conversation with a true icon in the world of modern dance. I don't think I stopped smiling the entire rest of the day.
I also had the opportunity to be cast in work by international choreographers from Latvia and Italy, as well as participate in work by other ADF students. Being able to perform multiple times while also training intensively is one of the best things about ADF.
What were some of your favorite performances?
We saw so many incredible performances, it's difficult to pick a favorite. Ronald K. Brown's EVIDENCE was absolutely phenomenal. He was being given the Scripps Award while at ADF, which made his work feel especially personal. His company does an incredible job of involving the local community in what they do, even to the extent of bringing them onstage to join. Kyle Abraham's A.I.M was another favorite of mine. I had the opportunity to see a dress rehearsal, which was a very intimate experience. His work deals with inequalities of race and gender, the intimacy of human connection, and what it means to call something home. These in addition to Anne Plamondon, Rosie Herrera Dance Theatre, Shen Wei Dance Arts, and L-E-V Dance were some of my absolute favorites.
What are some of your major takeaways?
One takeaway that I will apply to my work in the future, is the importance of movement research. Though I've taken courses about this subject, and been in collaborative processes with professional artists, I feel I now better understand the value of movement as a source of gathering and processing information. Being in Gaga and site-specific courses gave me wonderful outlets to explore my body as it relates to those around me, and I cannot wait to apply these new skills to my senior year at Emory.
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