Open ARENA

Open ARENA returns! 10 sessions with a brand new round of community dance classes for Summer to Fall—and you’re invited! Whether you’re a working artist, a dance lover, or looking to move your body in community, we’ve got something for you. Spread the word, mark your calendars, and get ready to dance with us! July 13 - September 18 Monday-Friday, 9:30-11:00am NO CLASS Sept. 3rd, 4th or 7th in celebration of Labor Day weekend MONDAYS– JAKE NEHRBASS Get ready to challenge your body and elevate your movement in Contemporary: Take Off. This dynamic class focuses on traveling in and out of the floor with power and control, building the strength and agility needed for expressive, athletic dancing. Dancers will explore momentum, weight shifts, and release techniques while pushing physical limits. TUESDAYS – SARAH McCULLOUGH The core themes of practice include spaciousness and efficiency in movement, sensory exploration, and engaging with the body’s intuition. We will move through guided improvisation and phrase work to engage the senses and awaken the body with a focus on aliveness. We will spend time on the floor, upside down, on one leg, moving through space. Both improvised and set material is approached with curiosity, with room to engage with the material as individual artists. Clothing that covers the limbs (particularly the legs) is recommended. WEDNESDAYS – NIEYA AMEZQUITA Nieya’s contemporary class is designed for intermediate to advanced dancers looking to deepen their physical and creative practice. We’ll explore momentum, breath-driven movement, and the body’s connection to space through combinations, floorwork, and improvisation. Drawing from a mix of traditional modern techniques, the class invites dancers to take risks, trust their instincts, and find new pathways in motion. THURSDAYS – NON EDWARDS Somatics, Sensation, and Improvisation Dance from the inside out! This class explores alignment through imagery, exercise, and hands-on partner work. Individually, in partners, and as a group, we will investigate a range of physical and experiential proposals. FRIDAYS – ALEX ARCE Class begins with a brief mindfulness practice to arrive in the room and in the body. That attention carries directly into the warm up which is not separate from the movement or material for the class. Exploring between guided improvisation, collective grooves, and set movement practices to explore weight, momentum, and musicality. As well as the sensations that each energy level brings. The warm up builds the physical language for the day's choreography or research so your body is already familiar by the time you are learning material. When the flow and pathway is found we transition into the phrase being built or into deeper understanding of what has already been given with improvisation. The constant is listening to the music, curiosity, and the body's needs in real time valuing efficiency, vulnerability, and presence.