I Am Here Now: a Two Can Do Virtual Summer Immersive (Apply before May 31)
Company:
Two Can Do / Bianca Paige Smith and Eimear Byrne
How do we embrace our wholeness and nourish ourselves as dance artists?
“Two Can Do, a duet exploring the deep connection between two supportive and trusting performers, has provided a practice and a way of life for us as artists. We are committed to distilling and sharing the tools of this practice with others to support them in holistically embracing their artistry and humanity.” - Bianca Paige Smith
Bianca Paige Smith and Eimear Byrne have worked together since 2015, when they met at the University of Limerick, Ireland. Eimear has been a collaborator and performer in Bianca’s work “Two Can Do” since its inception in January 2017. Bianca and Eimear have been working to deepen their understanding of how Two Can Do allows them to connect to the infinite creative energy that exists between performers. Their relationship and friendship has supported Two Can Do to extend beyond performance tours to community workshops and offerings that draw from Bianca's influences of yoga, meditation, neuroscience, contemporary dance, and somatic practices.
Together, these two artists will lead and facilitate a weeklong immersive virtual program centering a holistic approach to creative practice, for emerging professional dance artists as well as movers and makers of all mediums, in any stage of their careers, wishing to explore new ideas in community.
During this virtual immersive, participants will be introduced to and examine ways in which to recognize and nurture creative practice in their daily lives. We have developed this immersive experience specifically in response to the impact of the pandemic we have witnessed on our immediate creative communities, and to the needs that we are seeing in the current and next generation of artists.
Utilizing the principles of Two Can Do, an award-winning post-dance duet, we will examine themes of support, connection, listening, vulnerability, and surrender. Through the lenses of yoga, meditation, neuroscience, and contemporary dance, we will guide and encourage artists to ask questions, to trust their instincts, to explore their vulnerability, and to allow themselves to receive what is already there.
PROGRAM COST: We are offering a sliding scale fee range for this program, ranging from $222-$555.
Please review the enrollment form for details. We are also offering 1 full scholarship to this program for an individual in dire financial need.
TO ENROLL: Please have your CV/resume ready as you will be asked to upload it
TIMELINE:
Enrollment closes: May 31st
Scholarship closes on May 7th
Scholarship applicant will be notified on May 10th
Program Dates:
June 6-10, 2021 (Sunday through Thursday)
10am-3pm EDT daily via Zoom
Your Facilitators:
Bianca Paige Smith: Bianca Paige Smith (BS Neuroscience, MA Contemporary Dance Performance) born in NJ, is a multi-disciplinary artist, visionary, and creator currently creating work that draws from principles of post-modern contemporary dance along with her experience with meditation and background in neuroscience. She earned her Masters in Contemporary Dance Performance at the University of Limerick and proceeded to perform throughout Ireland and the UK, including the prestigious Step Up Dance Project in 2017 with the award-winning choreographer Gary Clarke. Bianca created “Two Can Do” in 2017; the duet premiered at the Limerick Fringe Festival and won Most Innovative Show. Since then she has been invested in the development of Two Can Do through performances in Ireland and the US, including an NYC soft premiere at Gibney and an Irish tour. Two Can Do’s accompanying community workshops, SUPPORT and MANTRA, have provided opportunities for Bianca and Eimear to connect the community more deeply to the process behind Two Can Do. Two Can Do has influenced every creative endeavor in Bianca’s artistic journey and she is committed to bringing Two Can Do to new communities through tours, workshops, and performances post-pandemic.
Eimear Byrne: Eimear Byrne(BA hons Dance, MA Contemporary Dance Performance) is a dance artist from Ireland. Eimear works professionally as a dancer and teacher at the Bray Institute of Further Education (BIFE), and as an independent choreographer for the past 10 years in the dance industry. She was chosen to dance the female role in the repertoire of ‘Coupled Reflections’ by Robert Connor and Loretta Yurick in 2016/17 as a part of the ‘Live Archive Project’ curated by Emma Meehan. Eimear’s work “Renewal” was performed in Ireland and the UK. Eimear has been a performer and collaborator in Two Can Do, under the direction of Bianca Paige Smith, since January 2017. This work has brought her to NYC and NJ to perform as well as allowed her to continue her artistic and creative practice throughout the pandemic through virtual workshops, documentary screenings, and rehearsals.
