DARCY NAGANUMA Contemporary

Darcy Naganuma is the Artistic Director/ Founder of Naganuma Dance, a Manhattan-based contemporary dance company. Born and raised in Lihue, Hawaii, Darcy holds a B.F.A. and Dance Education certification from the University of Utah. Her choreography, ranging in theme from human diversity to gender dynamics in Japanese culture, has been presented in Hawaii, Salt Lake City, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New York. She has appeared in commercials and dance specials on both the MTV and VH1 networks, and was invited to perform at the UN Headquarters in May 2007. Critics describe her work as “physical and explosive”, “powerful,” “riveting,” “lush and vibrant,” and “utterly absorbing.” Naganuma Dance was recently awarded an exclusive contract with Global Talent Associates, joining such esteemed companies as Rennie Harris Puremovement and Step Afrika. Visit http://www.naganumadance.com/ to learn more.

Class Description: Intermediate/Advanced

Fusing elements of release technique, ballet, street dance, martial arts, and Japanese dance, Naganuma’s students enjoy full-bodied movement that is at once aggressive, sensuous, virtuostic, and spirited. Approaching movement from a skeletal level, students are challenged to move with less tension and greater efficiency-without losing the dynamic bite that has become her trademark. Naganuma encourages a warm, friendly classroom community, where students feel comfortable taking risks and pushing themselves to their own outer limits. Her classroom is a place where solid technique and artistic invention exist in active interplay.