OBOC Los Angeles 2024 - Countertechnique

APPLICATION DEADLINE 4 FEBRUARY

One Body, One Career (OBOC) Intensive Los Angeles 2024

June 3 - 14 - organised in collaboration with CalArts

We're very excited to let you know that OBOC returns to the USA, with the inaugural West Coast OBOC in Los Angeles! In collaboration with our partner, CalArts, we're presenting the OBOC in Los Angeles from June 3rd – 14th. Working for ten full days with Countertechnique Founding Artistic Director Anouk van Dijk, Senior Teachers Countertechnique Joy Davis and Rosanna Tavarez, and Teachers Countertechnique Francesca Dominguez and Samuel Melecio-Zambrano, and Alexander Technique expert Tom Koch, the OBOC offers a wealth of information and lots of lush dancing, to both first time and returning participants.

The OBOC Intensive is for professional dancers and senior dance students interested in pursuing a long, healthy and successful career in dance. First time participants will gain a detailed introduction to the distinct elements and methodology that form Countertechnique, while returning participants will have the opportunity to deepen and expand their understanding. Through physical practice, theory, discourse and creative workshops, participants will gain a set of practical tools that they will be able to draw from and apply in their daily dance practice, other movement styles and through performance seasons.

The 2024 OBOC will run for ten full days in sunny Los Angeles, and this year we expand our program to offer spots for more dancers, including pathways for introductory level Countertechnique, as well as for advanced Countertechnique practitioners and OBOC regulars. Daily Countertechnique classes and Practical Tools sessions will be run by Countertechnique Founder Anouk van Dijk and Senior Teachers Joy Davis and Rosanna Tavarez. Countertechnique Teachers Samuel Melecio-Zambrano and Francesca Dominguez will run additional Countertechnique classes in their own distinct styles, and Alexander Technique teacher Tom Koch will introduce his specific approach of Alexander Technique for dancers, in both plenary and individual sessions. The afternoon program will include sessions on various aspects of Countertechnique, repertory studies and improvisation, and in the second week three creative elective workshops, where you can explore aspects of Anouk van Dijk’s artistic process, improvisation and creative tasking, agency in performing and strategies for composition and creation. The OBOC will conclude with a sharing of the various workshops.

OBOC LA 2024 takes place in the spacious and sunny studios of CalArts in Santa Clarita, Los Angeles, and offers spots for maximum 90 dancers, working in three to four groups simultaneously in intimate settings. Previous editions have drawn a mix of participants from all around the world. The OBOC is the ultimate opportunity to immerse yourself in Countertechnique, and also an amazing event to meet other dance artists, teachers and dance makers who are interested in pursuing long, creative careers and who love dancing!

DATES

Mon June 3 – Friday June 14, 2024 (days off: Sat June 8, Sun June 9)
All days: 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
Applicants must be able to attend the entire period

PROGRAM FEES

The full cost for the intensive is 1.475 USD. A one-time Application Fee of 25 USD is required for all applicants.

Applications close on Sunday February 4th 2024 at midnight. Applicants will be notified by Monday February 19th 2024.

HOW TO APPLY

The number of program participants is limited to ensure that each dancer can receive individualized attention. Please submit a personal motivation statement and CV for consideration in PDF format, together not exceeding two pages. An additional online dancer's reel is required (only one link), which should include footage shot in a studio (improvisation or choreography). Applications are considered based on motivation and entrance level.

Applications are open from January 4-29. Find the registration form here: Apply Now
For any additional questions and all the conditions that apply to the program, please consult our FAQ page before applying.

LOCATION

The OBOC will be held in the sunny studios at CalArts, School of Dance, located 30 miles north of Los Angeles, at 24700 McBean Pkwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91355. We will be using four spacious and high ceilinged studios, measuring between 36’ x 50’ and 50’ x 70’, plus a smaller studio for Alexander Technique classes only. All participants are responsible for arranging their own housing and travel.

FURTHER QUESTIONS & CONDITIONS

The Countertechnique Team will do our best to answer your questions, but we encourage you to review our extensive FAQ page before reaching out or submitting your application. This page will also provide you with all relevant conditions applicable to the program. All participants are expected to have read the information on this page prior to applying. Find the FAQ page here

OBOC LA 2024 FACULTY

Anouk van Dijk

Anouk van Dijk is a choreographer, artistic director and the creator of the movement system, Countertechnique. From 2012 - 2019, she was the Artistic Director of renowned contemporary dance company Chunky Move in Melbourne, Australia. Currently Anouk van Dijk works internationally as a freelance choreographer and is the Artistic Director of Countertechnique.

Anouk van Dijk spent the first ten years of her career as a lead soloist for Rotterdam Dance Company and Amanda Miller’s Pretty Ugly Dance Company. From early on, she was attracted to choreography and from the late nineties committed herself exclusively to the conception, creation and performance of her own work. In 1999, Van Dijk founded her own company, anoukvandijk dc, dedicated to creating work that sought to provide an insight into the many facets of the human experience through the lens of contemporary dance.

During her tenure of Artistic Director of Chunky Move in Melbourne, Australia, she created several large scale productions, amongst others An Act of Now (2012), Complexity of Belonging (2014, with Falk Richter), Depth of Field (2015), Rule of Thirds (2016), Common Ground (2018). In recent years, she created Distant Matter for Staatsballet Berlin, followed by the multi-disciplinairy show TOUCH with writer/director Falk Richter at the Münchner Kammerspiele in Germany, and created Out of the Blue for Skånes Dansteater / Malmö Opera in Sweden, a large-scale work on music from Bach to Björk with the Malmö Opera Orchestra and Children's Choir.

In her career Anouk van Dijk has created more than thirty full-length works that toured to the world’s leading festivals and venues including Adelaide Festival, Sydney Opera House, Schaubuehne Berlin, Dance Triennale Tokyo, American Dance Festival, Theater der Welt (Hamburg), SPRING International Performing Arts Festival and Festival d'Avignon.

Rosanna Tavarez

Born in the USA, Rosanna is based in Los Angeles. Rosanna received an MFA in Choreography from The Ohio State University and a BFA in Choreography from University of Michigan. She has a diverse background as a performer/entertainer and has had the honor of working with Marina Abramovic, Ryan Heffington, Travis Payne, Tony Michaels and Rosanna Gamson/Worldwide. She also toured with N’SYNC and Jessica Simpson as one-fifth of the girl group Eden’s Crush and covered the Emmys, Grammys and Oscars in addition to hosting her own shows as a television personality for FOX, E!, TVGuide Network, and Telemundo/NBC.

As a dance educator, Rosanna Tavarez is on faculty at CalArts Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance. She has taught as faculty and guest artist at numerous institutions including USC Kaufman School of Dance, University of Michigan, Loyola Marymount University, Scripps College, CalState Long Beach, Studio School, University of Southern Mississippi, Texas State University and Cal State LA. She has been studying Countertechnique since 2011, including two One Body, One Career Intensives. In 2016 she became a certified Countertechnique teacher and attended her second CTTT in 2021 and became a Senior Teacher in 2023. Since 2016, Rosanna has had the pleasure of teaching Countertechnique nationally and internationally.

Rosanna also creates her own work under the moniker LA DANSA DANSA. This work has been presented at The Broad Museum, ODC Theatre, REDCAT, Dance Camera West, The Odyssey, Breaking Ground Dance Festival, LA Department of Cultural Affair’s LA Dance Platform, Sarasota Contemporary Dance and Highways Performance Space.

Joy Davis

Joy Davis is a dance artist and educator steeped in the practices of Countertechnique®, improvisation, and performance. She began studying Countertechnique® with founder Anouk van Dijk in 2005, became one of four Americans certified as Teacher in 2012, and as Senior Teacher in 2021. She teaches in the US and Canada including classes/workshops at the American Dance Festival, Bates Dance Festival, Gibney Dance Center, and One Body One Career Countertechnique® Intensive, amongst many others.

joyproject (est 2006) creates collaborative dance theater performance, receiving residencies/commissions and grants around the US and Canada; most recently in residence at Goodyear Arts and NC Choreographers Residency Project in Charlotte. Joy collaborates with partner Eric Mullis worldwide, with performances featuring dance and technology; and together with Alexander Davis, The Davis Sisters (est 2017), were awarded a Schonberg [Boston] Fellowship residency at The Yard, followed by numerous presentations and touring including Dance|Now, Boston Center for the Arts, and Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Joy has the honor of dancing in works by Heather Stewart, Claudia Lavista, Shaina Cantino, and Erica Mott; she works with Megan Payne|Payne Dances in performance and production of LadyFest CLT; and is currently pursuing Alexander Technique Teacher Training at Boston Conservatory.

Joy received an MFA in Choreography and Performance from Smith College, and has since taught as visiting faculty at Smith College, Wesleyan University, and UNC Charlotte; as Visiting Lecturer at Harvard University in Theater, Dance & Media; Associate Professor & Dance Liaison with Alumni Affairs and Career Services at Boston Conservatory at Berklee (2016-present), and is Visiting Assistant Professor at Davidson College (2023-present).

Samuel Melecio-Zambrano

Born and raised in Florida, Samuel Melecio-Zambrano is currently based in San Francisco, California. They first encountered Countertechnique in 2017 and were so thrilled they continued training extensively across the globe. After attending three One Body, One Career intensives (2018, 2019, 2021) they completed the Countertechnique Teacher Training in 2021.

In 2018, Samuel received a BFA in Dance from the University of South Florida (USF). Following graduation they worked as a member of Tampa City Ballet, and then relocated to Melbourne, Australia to study Countertechnique with founder Anouk van Dijk and other certified teachers. Now in San Francisco, Samuel has danced with BANDALOOP, Robert Moses’ Kin, Jennifer Perfilio Movement Works, and Mark Foehringer Dance Projects, among others. They have taught Countertechnique for Bates Dance Festival, Hollins University, Utah Valley University, Alonzo King LINES Dance Center, and more.

Francesca Dominguez

Raised in Sebastopol, CA, Francesca is a movement artist based in New York City. She first came into contact with Countertechnique while transitioning from college into her professional career, and it has since become an indispensable resource for herself as a dancer. Having nurtured her relationship with Countertechnique and its vibrant community since 2016, she has attended three One Body One Career Intensives, and in 2021 completed the Countertechnique Teacher Training Program (CTTT), followed by her second CTTT in 2023. Francesca honed her artistic voice as a choreographer and performer during her time at California State University Long Beach, where she graduated with a BFA in dance and a BA in Spanish language. She furthered her training at the Alonzo King Lines Ballet Training Program, while also working as the executive coordinator of the non-profit educational outreach organization, Dance Repertory San Francisco. She has performed professionally with companies GRAYSCALE and Keith Johnson/Dancers in Los Angeles. Francesca currently dances with SOLUQ Dance Theater NY, completed her MFA at Hunter College, New York in 2021, and is a part of the dance faculty at Gibney-Pro and the Juilliard School, New York.

Tom Koch

Certified Teacher of the Alexander Technique

Tom Koch pursued his Bachelor of Arts in Theater, with a minor study in History of Science, at University of Missouri-Kansas City. After being certified to teach in 1987 by the American Center for the Alexander Technique in New York, he was a pioneer in integrating the Alexander Technique with ballet movement and education, particularly for resolving chronic pain and repetitive injuries. He was for years the Alexander Technique teacher for William Forsythe’s groundbreaking Ballet Frankfurt (later the Forsythe Company). He has also taught group and private lessons for Netherlands Dance Theater, Tanztheater Wuppertal (Pina Bausch), the Dutch National Ballet, Sydney Dance Company, Chunky Move, La Biennale di Venezia College Danza, Codarts University, L’Artère, Studio 303, Henny Jurriëns Studio in Amsterdam, and many others. For seventeen years, he has collaborated with his former student Anouk van Dijk to teach the annual One Body, One Career Intensive (OBOC) for dancers, in Amsterdam, Melbourne, Montréal, New York and now in Los Angeles. His work is not limited to dance, but includes a wide range of artists in all forms of dance, music and theater. He also has taught the technique to doctors, writers, scientists, secretaries, architects and police agents. Although now retired from private practice he still enjoys teaching his own workshops focusing mainly on helping those with chronic pain to find improved movement and living strategies.

TESTIMONIALS FROM PREVIOUS OBOCs

“I’ve gone beyond what I thought was possible for myself” – Erica Brandell

“Dance finally feels like I’m doing it for me again.” – Nicole Smith

“The program was so amazing. … I haven’t smiled whilst dancing in so long.” – Ashley Allen

“I feel like a completely different dancer” – Kristen Ahring

“It will have a tremendously positive impact on my dancing in all forms.” – Emily Hansel

“it has been lifechanging for me as a dancer” – Madeline Burr

“The [Countertechnique] toolbox will change how I approach all movement forms” – Sidney Ramsey

“Countertechnique’s way of communicating can aid the dancer to feel comfortable, safe, empowered in one’s body” – Jennifer Sydor

“These tools are a way for us to trust in ourselves, the process + the overall beauty of movement.” – Madison Elliott

“will help me stay healthy and happy for years to come” – Samuel Melecio-Zambrano

“these tools could allow for dancers to stay in it longer while embracing the process of the aging body” – Elise Jumes

“This program has helped me realize that I have more years of dance left in me than I thought.” – Travis Cooper

“new hope for the future of dance” – Shelley Cochrane

Photography by Pippa Samaya, Jubal Battisti, Gregory Lorenzutti, and others / Video footage Pippa Samaya, Anouk van Dijk, Corneliu Ganea, Jerry Remkes