MASTER CLASSES
William Charles Crowley
GRAHAM-BASED MODERN CLASS
Sunday, June 7 | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
At Ballet Hawaii’s Honolulu Studios
In celebration of the 100-year anniversary of the Martha Graham Dance Company!
Enrolled BH Student: $35
Non-BH Student: $45
Open to dancers 12+ with at least 1 year of dance experience.
Minimum of 6 students to confirm class
BIOGRAPHY
William Charles Crowley, received his MFA in Dance from The University of Michigan. He received additional dance training while on scholarship at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York City. William has performed with numerous dance companies both domestically and abroad receiving positive reviews, including Dance Gallery/Peter Sparling & Co., in which he was featured in the title role of Martha Graham’s masterwork, El Penitente. Dance Magazine wrote, “That… Crowley seems to share [his] magic with us makes this universe ultimately reassuring.” In April 2000, he moved to Miami, FL where he accepted a three-year teaching position at the prestigious New World School of the Arts. William then served as adjunct faculty at Miami-Dade College (2002-04), Part Time Lecturer at Barry University (2006-09), and Lecturer of Dance at the University of Miami (2006-11). In March 2004, William became Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Next Step Dance, a modern dance company in Fort Lauderdale, FL. In April 2004, the company held its premiere performance in a studio space at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The Miami Art Exchange wrote, “William Charles Crowley… [an] accomplished dance maker.” In August 2004, William became Artistic Director of Next Step Dance (DBA Still Point Productions), and relocated the company to its current home in Bay Harbor Islands, FL. Starting in 2012, he has been invited to teach annual summer Graham Technique Intensives at the Centre de Danse du Marais in Paris, France, as well as intensives/stages in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.
CLASS DESCRIPTION
Students will gain an awareness of the human body and its potential with special focus given to centering, coordination, and flexibility. Students begin seated on the floor, utilizing their lower abdominal muscles and corresponding lower back muscles in a series of exercises (called ‘contraction and release’) to strengthen their core. Once this is established, students then begin to incorporate the entire length of the spine to manipulate the back muscles by lengthening and ‘spiraling’ the torso. The same principles are applied in a series of exercises lying flat on the floor working in an isometric manner, eventually arriving to a standing position continuing through a series of exercises at the center and traveling to find your body’s proper alignment, placement, and balance. A short phrase of original choreography will also be taught in order to demonstrate how all of these principles can be applied in a practical and useful manner.
Email hnlfrontdesk@ballethawaii.org to register!
BH ALUMNA OPEN CLASS
Kendel Martin
OPEN CONTEMPORARY
Wednesday, June 17 | 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
At Ballet Hawaii’s Honolulu Studios
CLASS FEE: $25 per student
Open to dancers 11+ with at least 1 year of dance experience.
Minimum of 5 students to confirm class
DRESS CODE: Ballet attire (leotard, tights are optional) or Yoga attire (fitted leggings and fitted athletic top). Socks are required for this class.
CLASS DESCRIPTION
This workshop is centered on learning a contemporary combo and is focused not only on learning the choreography but embodying the movement quality and finding the pocket. The class will begin with a warm up designed to prepare for the choreography and is meant to ensure safe execution of movements. Guidance will be provided throughout on how to use breath as a tool in learning choreography, especially for finding the movement quality and dynamics. The goal of the class is to get familiar with working with a new choreographer quickly and paying attention to specific elements that bring the choreographic vision to life.
BIOGRAPHY
Kendel Martin, originally from Oahu, Hawaiʻi, trained with Ballet Hawaiʻi from 2015 to 2024, graduating at Level 8 and as a senior member of the performing ensemble. In the Performing Ensemble, she performed a variety of classical ballet pieces, including excerpts from La Bayadère, as well as contemporary choreography. During her time at Ballet Hawaiʻi, Kendel choreographed a contemporary work titled Rippling for the Performing Ensemble in 2023. She performed at outreach events, including at Kalihi Kai Elementary school and at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol building. Kendel also performed with professional dancers Megan Fairchild, Lucien Postlewaite, and many more in Ballet Hawaiʻi’s production of The Nutcracker 2023. She worked as a teacher’s assistant between Spring 2022 and Fall 2023, and as a rehearsal assistant for Ballet Hawaiʻi’s Summer Intensive 2024.
Kendel has relocated to Los Angeles, California to pursue her Bachelor of Arts in Dance, with a focus in Performance and Choreography at Loyola Marymount University. In addition to training in contemporary, modern, jazz, ballet, street, and commercial styles at LMU, Kendel also got the opportunity to perform in an original contemporary work by Gianna Burright. This summer she will train under the Whim W’him Contemporary Dance Company in Seattle, Washington, where she will expand her understanding and range in contemporary dance as well as learn repertory pieces.