SMC's Spring 2019 “Masters of Dance” Series

SMC's Spring 2019 “Masters of Dance” Series Presents Free Master Classes and Talks with Renowned Dance Professionals

Spring Workshops will be Taught by Dancers Ching Ching Wong, Sarah Anindo Marshall, and Denise Leitner

SANTA MONICA, CA — The Santa Monica College (SMC) Dance Department continues its Masters of Dance series of master classes and learning workshops on March 28 with “Contemporary Modern Dance,” presented by globally recognized dancer and teacher Ching Ching Wong. The series offers a unique opportunity to experience the SMC dance studios in a small-group setting.

The Masters of Dance events are free, and the public is invited to attend as participants or as observers. Classes and talks are held in the SMC Core Performance Center (CPC) on the main SMC campus, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. Seating is limited and on a first-arrival basis. Participating dancers should wear appropriate black on black dancewear.

The spring 2019 Masters of Dance lineup is:

• March 28 at 10:15 a.m. (CPC 304 & 308): Ching Ching Wong: "Contemporary Modern Dance." Ching Ching Wong will lead a class that explores the tools artists use in the creation process, including physicality, theatrical components, choices, sensations, and partnering. Winner of the 2015 Princess Grace Award in Dance and named by Dance Magazine in its “25 to Watch” in 2017, Wong danced seven seasons with Northwest Dance Project, performed on Season 15 of “So You Think You Can Dance,” and recently returned from a 10-month world tour. If participating, dancers should wear appropriate black on black dancewear.

• April 24 at 3:45 p.m. (CPC 304 & 308): Sarah Anindo Marshall: "African Dance." Kenya-born Sarah Anindo Marshall will lead a class that explores the richness of African Dance traditions, focusing on West African Djembe and Central African. She has taught at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Dance Dimensions, University of Southern California, Lula Washington Dance Theater, and Dallas Black Dance Theater, among others, and is also a vocalist and a percussionist. If participating, dancers should wear appropriate black on black dancewear.

• May 23 at 12:30 p.m. (CPC 304 & 308): Denise Leitner: "Contemporary Lyrical." Denise Leitner will lead a Contemporary Lyrical class that demonstrates the process of dance from the inside out by embodying various aspects of dance forms, including jazz, ballet, and modern. Internationally known as a choreographer for stage, screen, television, and music videos, Leitner is the founder of critically acclaimed Dancer’s Voice, which performs at dance festivals worldwide. She trains dancers to work in a variety of entertainment media, has worked with Bjork and Nona Hendrix, and privately coaches performing artists such as Kate Hudson and Topher Grace. If participating, dancers should wear appropriate black on black dancewear.

The Masters of Dance series is sponsored by the SMC Associates, a private organization that funds speakers and special programs on the Santa Monica College campus. Additional support for the series is provided by the SMC Dance Department.

For information, please go to smc.edu/dance or call 310-434-4100 or 310-434-3467.

Santa Monica College is a California Community College accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).