Rachel Straus - Dance Writer

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Juilliard Dance

 
Published: June 1, 2012
Category: history

Hanya Holm: Bringing German Expressionism to America

By Rachel Straus

Hanya Holm

In 1931, a tiny German woman disembarked from an ocean liner onto a Manhattan pier to open a modern dance school based on principles of German expressionist dance. It was a risky move during the Great Depression, especially with America’s growing anti-immigrant sentiment. But the intrepid Hanya Holm would […]

Published: June 1, 2010
Category: profile

New Artist of the Month: Kyle Abraham

By Rachel Straus

It’s not enough to describe the work of choreographer Kyle Abraham as possessing chameleon charms. The 32-year-old dancer’s ability to instantaneously channel a hip-hop gangsta’s bravado, a cross dresser’s hyper-femininity, and an elderly person’s fragility feels real, as though he is these people. Abraham’s emotional identification with these characters gives […]

Published: May 1, 2010
Category: composition

Dancing to Write, Writing to Dance

This is an excerpt from Writing About Dance.

By Rachel Straus

Class: Dance composition or any studio dance class

Objectives: To make connections among seeing, writing, and moving; to improve self-awareness, critical thinking, and descriptive writing

Overview: Two assignments that involve teaching and learning movement, watching movement, and writing about it

At some point […]

Published: September 1, 2008
Category: trend

Your Body: Overwork Syndrome

By Rachel Straus It’s an understatement that dancers are hard workers. The profession demands drive, discipline, and perfectionism. But along with these qualities comes a tendency to burn out. Though it’s a term that gets thrown around a lot, burnout is a real syndrome with physical and psychological symptoms. Not only can it cause biological […]

Published: February 20, 2008
Category: technique

Teacher's Wisdom: Eric Franklin

By Rachel Straus “If you want to change your body, first you have to change your mind.” Eric Franklin helps dancers to improve their technique by applying scientific principles, anatomical understanding, and the power of the imagination. The Swiss-born movement educator teaches workshops around the world, both at Pilates studios and at major dance institutions […]

Published: March 1, 2006
Category: career talk

Starting out: Dance program grads make the leap to professional life

By Rachel Straus Some call it tunnel vision. Others speak of good timing. Many describe it as a matter of hedging one’s bets. Bellamy F. Eure’s journey from student at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts to professional dancer with Philadanco involved all of the above. Raised in a business minded family, Eure began weighing her […]