Choreograph Your Life: Movement, Improvisation and Intentional Living
Session Description:
This workshop will use elements of choreography and improvisation as metaphors for designing and living the life you desire. Participants will explore movement-based exercises that correlate to decision-making and adaptability in the many ebbs and flows of life. The goal of this workshop is to empower artists and arts educators to apply these techniques in their personal and professional lives and encourage them to appreciate and embrace the moments of redirection.
Presenter: Frances James
Frances James is a visual artist, choreographer, Liturgical dance facilitator and dance educator dedicated to amplifying Black voices through movement and art. She holds a BS in Dance from Coppin State University and an MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University. Her choreography has been featured in productions with Unified Voices, including Smokey Joe’s Café and Q-The Legend, as well as Dance & Bmore’s Black Music Fest. Frances is a former member of Trajectory Dance Project, and her work has appeared at Artscape, BMore Free’s Juneteenth Festival, and the Rocketpalooza Digital Extravaganza. Her solo, For John, a tribute to her late father, was featured at the Black College Dance Exchange in Chicago.
Frances has taught dance and theater in Baltimore City Public Schools through the Bring Da Noise Network and led the summer dance program at Pierce Camp Birchmont in Wolfeboro, NH. She has facilitated masterclasses for the Baltimore County Schools Dance Festival and guest choreographed for the Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts Dance Company. As part of her graduate studies, Frances participated in a Global Mentorship Workshop, where she taught a master class on African Sacred Dances at the Institute of Classical and Modern Dance in Mumbai, India.
A reflective and passionate educator, Frances infuses her teaching with personal experience and cultural storytelling. She is excited to be the newest member of the Dance Faculty at Coppin State University, where she continues to inspire the next generation of artists to discover their unique voices through movement.
Date, Time, and Location
Tuesday, June 17th
Breakout Session 3: 2:45 – 3:45 PM
Room: CPA 214