Teaching
INTENSIVES
MICHIYAYA leads an annual intensive in both New York City and Pittsburgh combining class, creation, choreography, improvisation, performance art, and discussion into a four to five day rigorous, exploratory, and expansive experience for participants. MICHIYAYA intensives are geared towards pre-professional and professional dance artists ages 18+, and the size is contained to a small group to provide an intimate experience.
“The environment that Anya and Mitsuko cultivated with this cohort was very warm and inviting. There was an expectation to be curious and work hard which encouraged a sense of focus and camaraderie in the room. My body was sore and I was full of inspiration by the end of the final day!”
Contemporary
Artistic Directors Anya and Mitsuko lead a dynamically physical and cerebral Contemporary class rooting from their expertise in contemporary dance, performance and visual art. They begin with an anatomically mindful warm-up inspired by Pilates and Yoga practices. Warm-up bleeds into improvisational research, both individually and collectively. MICHIYAYA Dance repertoire is fused into class providing rich material for one's investigation; students are encouraged to make the choreography their own. Anya and Mitsuko Clarke-Verdery establish context, build dialogues, and encourage the embrace of individuality.
“Class with MICHIYAYA dance is revolutionary for the contemporary mover, engaging physical virtuosity, creative making, and connective practices in a space activated with physical materials. Together, Anya and Mitsuko build a space for simultaneous anatomical attention, serious phrase work, and communal play. Class does not feel like “class.” Rather, class transforms into a limitless playground, where individuals meet, envision, and practice a crucial dance future in MICHIYAYA’s highly innovative “now.””
IMPROVISATION
Our Improvisation Classes are experimental and inclusive movement sessions guided by the Artistic Directors. They start with anatomical and imagery-driven prompts to center and warm-up participants. They then build with conceptual themes, prompting practices of: embodiment, theatricality, partnering/collective communication, dynamics, and more. These sessions serve as a safe space for risk-taking, finding comfort in discomfort, and exploration.
Panel Discussions
We offer a close look into how we’ve developed our artistry; built our company structure; and sustained ourselves through COVID-19 both financially and creatively.
Let’s connect
For information on our offerings, please email info@michiyayadance.org.
Learn about our community engagement→
