Stepping into summer: guest choreographer brings opportunities to UA dance students

Summer is not a time to slow down for dance students – there are new steps to be learned from an award-winning dance artist. Choreographer Stephanie Martinez will lead auditions, classes and shows on The University of Akron campus as she joins the UA Dance Program in collaboration with the Dance Institute (DI) and Neos Dance Theatre.

Martinez, a Chicago native, has traveled the country doubling as a master teacher and professional performer for more than 30 years. From June 27 to July 9, she will use her talents to generate awareness of the arts and a passion for dance to UA students and the Akron community through multiple events.

Varied experiences for students

Martinez is creating a new work of choreography with Neos Dance Theatre to premier at the 2016 Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival, a 42-year tradition that honors the founder of Ohio Ballet. For UA dancers, Martinez will lead a choreographic intensive, giving students the opportunity to collaborate with her in staging the new work. It will be performed as part of the UA Dance Company Fall 2016 Concert in November.

“This type of project helps to build the reputation of UA as an incubator of original art and dance, and this summer project is additional evidence of our commitment to make UA a destination for dance,” says Cydney Spohn, associate professor of dance in the School of Dance, Theatre, and Arts Administration.

Additionally, Martinez will serve as a guest artist with Dance Institute (DI), UA’s nationally recognized pre-professional dance program for elementary and high school students. She will develop and teach a short contemporary ballet for the students in the Advanced Repertoire class to perform at the completion of the summer intensive. Professional choreographer and dancer Hannah Brictson will assist Martinez in creating this piece, and will also teach Advanced and Intermediate II ballet classes to the summer intensive students.

For any students across disciplines, connections to the industry and opportunities to grow their skills are extremely important, notes Spohn.

Opportunities to grow as artists

“Giving our students the opportunity to work with guest artists is important for their learning and development as interpretive and generative artists,” Spohn explains. “Exposure to guest artists’ perspectives and approaches to dance-making fosters versatility, adaptability and collaborative skills in our dance students.”

As a dance teacher of more than 20 years, Martinez has had numerous residencies with professional companies and universities, including Columbia College and Northwestern University. As a performer, Martinez has been featured on stage, film and television, and even the 2006 World Cup opening ceremonies. Her choreography has been performed on Broadway, and she received a “Winning Works: Choreographers of Color” award in 2014. Learn more about Martinez online.

Media contact: Lisa Craig, 330-972-7429 or lmc91@uakron.edu.