Workshops
“Ms. Cobb’s teaching style transcends the traditional, and accomplishes the highest form of learning – the unlocking of the creative potential of the individual. As a presenter she possesses a strong ability to make dance accesible to a wide audience, while still conveying the depth and rigor of the discipline.”
Marete Wester, Director of Arts Policy, Americans for the Arts
Dance is the kinetic and poetic expression of our bodies – accessible to all of us. Making a dance is filled with discovery and disorder, confusion and awe, a riddle compelled to find its answer. I hope to demystify the artist and bring out the mystery inherent in the creative process, returning students to the activity of play, the realm of the imagination, and an authentic relationship to movement.
My studies in visual art, music, and writing have inspired the use of image, text, and sound-collage as elements to enhance the process of choreographic expression. I teach dance as an investigation into the energy and physicality available to us through our bodies. From ordinary pedestrian behavior and gestures, to athletic activities and routine tasks, the physicality of everyday lives can be a source of physical language and dance vocabulary. Improvisation is a tool to delve deeper into the unexpected uncovering one’s personal voice. I draw attention to the absurd, the surreal, the reverent and irreverent demonstrating that seemingly unrelated moments make curious connections. The most inexperienced student can create the beginnings of choreographic material and trust the creative process.
Dance as Ritual – Dance as Performance
DRDP – a laboratory dedicated to exploring the ritualistic nature of movement and performance. Co-taught with dance -artists Susan Osberg and Mireille Feyzeau in the vineyards of Bordeaux (Nerigean) France: Jardin D’Alice.
Modern Dance/Creative Movement
Dance is a global art form, a meaningful and communicative medium essential to the educational process of young children. Through improvised movement activities and the practice of dance skills, students become more secure in their bodies while engaging their imaginations. Creative and co-creative aspects of dance are addressed with an emphasis on individual expression. I encourage students to present, share, and become helpful reflective observers. Workshops are designed to integrate areas of academic study.
Movement/Text/Image/Sound
Choreographic skills are developed while exploring the physicality of movement as it intersects with language, image, and sound. Working independently and collaboratively, participants examine various approaches to making a phrase and forming dance sequences. Integrating the use of visual elements and text with movement activities reveals the possibilities that evolve from influencing movement with elements of theater. A selection of audio-scores are used to demonstrate the potential and intention of sound as it combines with kinetic studies.
Creating Relationships /A Multidisciplinary Workshop
A professional development workshop for teachers designed to illuminate the connections between dance and various academic and/or art other forms – how different disciplines share similar strategies, structures, and objectives.