Annual Summer Workshop...What's It All About?

Since 2006 the Tiffany Mills Company has held an Annual Summer Workshop, giving dancers a week-long investigation of movement, ranging from technique to partnering to repertory. It's always a fun and exciting week, filled with new discoveries and new friends. Don't just take our word for it! Here are our students’ first-hand impressions of our Annual Workshop:

Megan Moore attended the 2011 Annual Workshop. Here’s what she has to say:

I just wanted to thank you again for a most amazing experience during the TMC workshop. I learned a great deal about myself as a mover, your collaborative process, the intersections between modern dance and other body practices, and of course partnering! This was an extremely valuable experience for me, and I thank you for all of your sharing and insight. I really respect and admire the way you create and run your Company, and it was a fantastic environment for learning. I will recommend your work to all of my colleagues and students. It was so refreshing to be in the company of teaching artists who are so open and willing to give of themselves!  

Aubrey Kupstus attended the 2010 Annual Workshop. Here’s what she has to say: 

Attending your partnering workshop last June was a really great experience for me. It was one of my first encounters with dance after graduating from college, and it was a comforting introduction to the professional world. There was a vast variety of people there, ranging from current college students to experienced professionals, and despite varying levels of experience with contact improvisation, everyone was very accepting of each other.  

The most important feedback I got was to take my time and ease into partnering…That both partners needed to be in tune with each other and that it doesn’t have to happen fast.  The whole experience made me think of every day relationships. You have to ease into them, and just like it takes time to get to know someone’s personality, it takes time to get to know the way someone dances. As the partnership develops, there is a level of give and take—listening and responding. The more you listen to your partner’s impulses and invest in the relationship, the richer your experience will be. You’ll discover that working together will bring you places neither has imagined before.