About this Event
HEDWIG CONTEMPORARY DANCE INTENSIVE
Hedwig Dances company artists guide participants through contemporary technique, partnering, repertoire, and dancing with objects. This intensive emphasizes the exploration and growth of individual physical capabilities, and accessing creativity, energy and dynamic quality.
Dates: Monday, January 4 through Thursday, January 7
Time: 10:00 AM-3:00 PM (30 min. break for lunch each day from 12:30-1:00 PM)
Location: Ruth Page Center, Studio 2 | 1016 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610
Price: $385 ($335 early bird until 4/15/26)
CONTEMPORARY TECHNIQUE
Milo Sachse-Hofheimer guides participants through improvisational structures and choreography, readying the body to release, move into the floor, and tap into a range of performative qualities. Throughout the class, emphasis is placed on consciously pushing endurance to understand the potential of one’s body. Each class concludes with a choreographed sequence utilizing class tools and performative decision making.
Folks of all ranges of experiences and identities are welcome to participate. Accommodations to the class are possible so that everyone can fully participate.
Milo’s movement practice is inspired by release-based techniques, contemporary floor work, as well as somatic practices.
PARTNERING
Through specific movement practices, this class applies principles of physics (gravity, momentum, leverage, center of mass) to partnering techniques. The class creates multiple partnering opportunities with a focus on safety, navigating real-time decision making, and fine tuning body awareness and the physicality of listening to oneself and others.
OBJECT STUDIES
Object Studies focuses on the bodily experience of dancing with objects. Dancers also explore how objects lend metaphor to movement and build a visual field for dance. The class is divided into two parts:
Part One: Repertoire with Objects
Dancers participate in object studies by learning sections of Hedwig Dances’ object-rich repertoire. Through learning this repertoire, dancers develop a relationship with an object, experience its properties, and learn “hands-on” how to work with an object.
Part Two: Object Exploration and Movement Development
Each participants chooses their own object.* Through playful engagement with this chosen object, dancers explore and reflect on thematic possibilities, the object’s inherent properties and their relationship to the object. This exploration leads to movement development with the object and the creation of a short object study.
*Dancers can bring their own object or Hedwig Dances can provide objects.
CLASS SCHEDULE
MONDAY
10:00-11:30 AM - Contemporary Technique with Milo
11:30 AM-12:30 PM - Partnering with Milo
12:30-1:00 PM- Lunch break
1:00-3:00 PM - Repertoire and Objects Exploration with Kelly
TUESDAY
10:00-11:30 AM - Contemporary Technique with Milo
11:30 AM-12:30 PM - Partnering with Milo
12:30-1:00 PM - Lunch break
1:00pm-3:00 PM - Repertoire and Object Exploration with Kelly
WEDNESDAY
10:00-11:30 AM - Contemporary Technique with Milo
11:30 AM-12:30 PM - Partnering with Milo
12:30-1:00:PM - Lunch break
1:00pm-3:00 PM - Repertoire and Object Exploration with Kelly
THURSDAY
10:00-11:30 AM - Contemporary Technique with Milo
11:30am-12:30 PM - Partnering with Milo
12:30pm-1:00 PM - Lunch break
1:00pm-3:00 PM - Repertoire and Object Exploration with Kelly
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTORS
Kelly Kosiek is an artist born and raised in Chicago where she began her early dance training. Her furthered training and education led her to attend Point Park University where she graduated
with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance. Her performance experiences include works by Rennie Harris, Jessica Lang, Daniel Herman, Noelle
Kayser, Jan Bartoszek, Natasha Adorlee, Rigo Saura, and Sarita Smith Childs. Her experiences have led her to perform on stage, in film work, and in site-specific work in museums, festivals and retreats throughout the United States and on an international level including Hedwig Dances’ 40th anniversary tour to Germany in connection with The Bauhaus as the institution celebrated their 100th anniversary. Additionally, Kelly really values freelance work, the freelance community and the collective creative energy she has had the joy to participate in throughout Chicago as well. Apart from performance, Kelly has choreographed work during her time at Point Park University and around the Chicagoland area. Previously a member of Inaside Chicago Dance, Kelly is currently dancing with Hedwig Dances, Khecari, and Wreckage Dance Project.
Milo Sachse-Hofheimer is a movement artist born and currently based in the Midwest. They graduated with a BFA in dance from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities in 2023 where they performed new creations and repertoire from Gallim Dance, Robert Moses, BRKFST, Black Label Movement, Elayna Waxse, Leila Awadallah, Annie Hanauer, and Brother(hood). In their final year of school, Milo performed as a guest with The Limon Dance Company and self-produced an evening-length show at the Red Eye Theater.
Since moving to Chicago, Milo has grown a creative network with Drew Lewis (House of DOV), Jan Bartoszek (Hedwig Dances), and Carl Flink (Black Label Movement), as well as with choreographers Jessi Stegal, Rahila Coats, Hannah Marcus, and Erin Killmurray. These collaborations have resulted in works presented at the American Dance Festival, Bauhaus Dessau, Springboard Danse, the MCA, Schaübuhne Lindenfels, Steppenwolf Theater, DePaul Art Museum, the Arts Club of Chicago, Links Hall, Chicago Cultural Center, and Chicago Live!
Event venue & nearby stays
Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 North Dearborn Street, Chicago, United States
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