Jazz Dance

 Annika Wolf's courses are marked by the fact that improvisation and creative impulses from the children form the central artistic element. After training as a dance teacher, she continued her training in New York, Los Angeles and Cologne. Since 2008 Annika has been working as a choreographer in numerous schools in Düsseldorf, and since 2013 as a teacher at tanzhaus nrw. In January 2020, she took over the artistic supervision and coordination for the dance department of the Kulturamt NRW. "For me, it's about the children getting a feeling for themselves and their movements. I accompany many children and young people over the years and it makes me particularly happy when I notice the progress they make and how proud they are of themselves," says Annika.

Bridget is a longtime member of the teaching staff of tanzhaus nrw, as well as a working choreographer for german theater. She is the movement and dance trainer for the acting students at the Schauspielstudio at Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus. She has recently choreographed such productions as "Cabaret" und "Zauberberg" for Düsseldorf, "Liebe, Mord und Adelspflichten" for Krefeld, and "Shockheaded Peter" for Thalia Theater Hamburg. She has more than 35 years dancing, teaching, and choreographing experience. Her workshops and classes are characterized as well-rounded, fun, high-energy, and challenging. 

Carlo Melis is among the most longstanding teachers at tanzhaus nrw. He has been teaching modern and jazz dance at the house since 1989, integrating influences from contemporary dance. “Contemporary dance’s freedom challenges standardised techniques in modern and jazz dance, turning the gaze inward.” Accordingly, Carlos’ classes focus less on learning a technique but rather on rediscovering a strategy we have been carrying within from our earliest childhood movements: Being curious, experiencing oneself and one’s body, feeling one’s own emotions. The participants work on movements, but also always on their origins. “We only start dancing when emotions drive movements.” Carlo entered vocational training to become a construction engineer for the sake of his parents, yet he has been fascinated by the arts early on in his youth, playing in physical theatre and in Living Theatre. Following a workshop with Bob Curtis, a pioneer in Afro contemporary dance, Carlo discovered dance: “I had never experienced such intensity. From that moment on, I knew that I wanted to dance.” So, he started studying classical ballet, modern and jazz dance in his homeland of Sardinia at age 26. Later, he also graduated with a degree in theatre and dance education from several Italian universities. During a dance scholarship at the Folkwang University of the Arts, Carlo received tuition by great Wuppertal choreographer Pina Bausch, an experience that influenced his subsequent dance works. He contributed to TV productions, worked with numerous companies and taught at Arnhem University as well as elsewhere.

Colin Sinclair is a creative multi-talent. The Londoner is not only a dancer, choreographer and lecturer, he is also the designer for his own fashion label and the artistic director behind Theater Company Sinclair Arts. He was active as a model for name brands, later founding a creative talent agency. He also won a number of awards as a screenwriter and graduated from New York Film Academy. His most formative dance experiences were gathered in London underground clubs. He was selected by the judging panel at a Covent Garden dance event, and they invited him to study at the Urdang Academy of Ballet and Performing Arts in London. Following this, Colin worked as a singer and dancer in numerous TV shows and musicals, among them Peter Maffay’s “Tabaluga und Lili” with a stint from 2000 until 2003. As a choreographer, Colin also worked for one of the largest US-American broadcasting and film production companies. Colin now teaches throughout Europe and has been a tanzhaus nrw instructor since 2005.

Emma Valtonen studied dance and dance education in Finland and Portugal. After many months of performing her graduation work in Finland, she now works as a teacher and choreographer in Finland, Italy and China, among other places. She loves travelling and has trained internationally in various dance styles - always curious and connected with the desire to explore new, unusual paths and movement languages. Various dance styles from urban dance, modern and jazz dance as well as different bodywork techniques shape Emma's style. Her way of teaching is very approachable and open, and her participants are enthusiastic about her “creative, focused, loving and humorous way of teaching”. Emma herself says of her classes: “I want my students to be challenged without pressure or competition.”

Gabriela Santos holds a BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, where she was able to dance numerous works by American choreographers such as Bill T. Jones, Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor and many more. Gabriela also taught at the Ballet Academy East in New York, gave numerous workshops, and took every opportunity to complete internships with prominent teachers while dancing in professional projects. Beyond New York, Gabriela worked as a dance teacher, choreographer, and dancer in Peabody Preparatory of Dance in Baltimore. Very soon after completing her studies, Gabriela was contracted as a stage dancer by TUI Cruises Mein Schiff 1, where she performed daily in several theatre productions. She is currently working towards her master’s in dance pedagogy at the Palucca University of Dance. Gabriela has been teaching dance in Germany since 2019.

Ivans Unterrichts besteht aus einem technisch anspruchsvollen Training, welches den Teilnehmer*innen ermöglicht, ihren Körper und ihre Bewegungen zu „kontrollieren und gleichzeitig loszulassen“. Ivan hat seine Kurse für das tanzhaus nrw im Januar 2021 angefangen. Laut ihm „Die Motivation und Leidenschaft jeder Gruppe zu erkennen berührt mich immer! Es gibt viel positive Energie, die jede*r einzelne in den Kurs mitbringt.“ Ivan Keim ist in Mendoza (Argentinien) geboren und aufgewachsen. Er erhielt seine Ausbildung zum Tänzer an der UNA – National Art University und am National Ballet & Modern Dance Konservatorium in Buenos Aires. Auf sein erstes Engagement beim Argentine National Ballett folgten weitere als Tänzer in verschiedenen Bereichen und Stilen – von Modern Dance Companies über TV-Shows bis zu Werbeaufnahmen. Nach seinem Umzug von Südamerika nach Europa tanzte Ivan u. a. für die Deutsche Oper am Rhein, die Oper Köln, das Theater Bonn, die Oper Dortmund, die Oper Wuppertal und das Saarländische Staatstheater in Saarbrücken. Seit 2018 arbeitet er auch als Choreograf - Produktionen für Balletts und Dance Companies (Estland / Deutschland), sowie für Musicals, Operetten, Galas und unterschiedliche Produktionen. Heute arbeitet Ivan hauptsächlich als Tänzer, Tanzdozent und Choreograf und folgt dem Credo: „Ich habe das Bestreben meine Expertise im Tanzbereich stetig weiter zu entwickeln.“

Ivana Kisic is a freelance dancer and dance pedagogue with Croatian roots. She started out doing classical ballet in her youth, later dancing in shows and taking part in numerous competitions. Following her studies at ArtEZ University of Arts in Arnhem to become a dance pedagogue, she was in charge of the children, youth and adult sections of several dancing schools in Düsseldorf and the Ruhr Area. Ivana has also been teaching at tanzhaus nrw since 2007. She was part of the tanzhaus project “Take-Off: Junger Tanz” and took the stage as a performer in the production “the common people” by Belgian choreographer Jan Martens, also at tanzhaus nrw.

Dance educator Joseph P. Cooksey deploys Zena Rommett Floor-Barre Technique®, modern dance, modern ballet and jazz in his classes. He taught at the Juilliard School, at the Dance Theater of Harlem, at the Alvin Aily American Dance Center and at the Philadelphia College for the Performing Arts. He is a certified Zena Rommett Floor-Barre Technique® teacher as well as a Master Teacher at their respective annual certifications.

Moris arbeitet seit mehr als 25 Jahren als Tanzdozent und hat bereits in zahlreichen europäischen Ländern unterrichtet. In den Urban Styles umfasst seine Arbeit HipHop, Street Jazz, Commercial Dance (Pop/Show/Girly), sowie Afro/Latin. Zu seiner Profession zählen technische Stile wie Jazz Dance, Contemporary, Modern und Lyrical Dance. 2018 gründete er zusammen mit Iván Keim die Tempecy - Modern Dance Company in Estland, wo er als Choreograf für die Produktionen „Dreams“ und „#TALKTOME“ arbeitete. Seit 10 Jahren arbeitet Moris mit der in Estland gegründeten Kompanie Tartu Tantsuuakademia zusammen. Sein Unterricht ist voller Energie, Kreativität und Inspiration. Seine Leidenschaft für Tanz, die er mit seinen Schüler*innen teilt und vermittelt, spiegeln sich in seinen kraftvollen und ausdrucksstarken Bewegungen wieder.

Nora Pfahl graduated from her dance studies at ArtEZ University of Arts in Arnhem. She passionately danced ballet, modern and jazz dance from an early age. Since her graduation, she has been working internationally as an instructor, dancer and choreographer. Apart from her numerous freelance artistic works, she is also in demand as a choreographer for TV station KiKa, Junges Schauspielhaus, Tonhalle and tanzhaus nrw in Düsseldorf. Since 2006, Nora has been an instructor at tanzhaus nrw. “I am very happy to be able to do exactly what I love.” Her acting debut – following her childhood’s second dream job – was as the Red Riding Hood in Düsseldorf theatre collective Pièrre.Vers’ production of “Rrr.käppchen”. The collective also takes part in Düsseldorf’s Asphalt Festival and düsseldorf festival! annually. Additionally, Nora choreographs and hosts the “Plutino” series at Tonhalle Düsseldorf, a work within the frame of “Take-off: Junger Tanz”, initiated by tanzhaus nrw.

Svenja Schulte received her dance education at A.M. Rodriguez’ ballet school. Since then, she has been active for numerous productions, among them ones for German TV channel ZDF. As a coach and choreographer, she has been working for Movie Park Germany, Part Six, Toyota and many more. She has been employed as a dancer and singer at Cologne’s Scala Theater since 2010. Svenja received further education at several schools, among them the Iwanson School in Munich. She enjoys being able to pass on her love for dance while teaching and seeing her students’ development throughout her courses.

In this course participants will be introduced to various contemporary dance techniques mixed with urban elements. The elements learned will be combined and linked to choreographies to modern songs. This will help the children to establish a dance foundation for themselves. Let's dance, have fun and learn together! 

Miro aka Zero zählt zur ersten Generation der Voguing Tänzer*innen hierzulande und ließ sich u.a. von Wegweiser*innen des Genres wie Archie Burnett weiterbilden. Zu seinen Inspirationsquellen zählen Tänzer*innen wie Leiomy Maldonado, Dashaun Wesley und Danielle Polanco. 2018 entschied sich Zero, The House of Melody (heute House of Saint Laurent) zu verlassen, eines der ersten deutschen Tanzkollektive des Voguing, zu dessen Gründungsmitgliedern er zählte. Zero wirkte in diesem Zusammenhang in TV-Produktionen und auf Events in Düsseldorf, Berlin und Paris mit, dort sogar im legendären Moulin Rouge. Miros Leidenschaft gilt nicht nur dem Voguing. Er tanzte schon früh HipHop und House und bewegte sich in verschiedenen Communities und Battles. Seine Ausbildung absolvierte er an der Tanzakademie für zeitgenössischen Tanz „Balanche 1“ in Berlin. Als Tänzer und Choreograf ist er deutschlandweit tätig, arbeitete für das Junge Schauspiel Düsseldorf, die Deutsche Oper am Rhein und u. a. für Künstler*innen wie Zebra Katz und Jennifer Rostock. Er choreografierte während der Berlin Alternative Fashion Week 2017 für Patricia Field, die vor allem für die Kostümausstattung der US-amerikanischen Serie „Sex and the City” bekannt wurde. Seit 2016 ist Zero Mitglied der Urbanatix Streetart Artistic Crew. Bei den Brit Awards 2019 wirkte er als einer der Haupttänzer*innen der Performances von Calvin Harris, Rag’n’Bone Man, Sam Smith und Dua Lipa mit.