Book now to become part of the MAP community and our special brand of movement classes.
Term Dates:
Term 1: Mon Feb 5 & Tues Feb 6 - Mon April 8 & Tues April 9
Term 2: Mon April 30 & Tues May 1 - Tues July 3
Term 3 Mon 23 July & Tues 24 July - Mon Sept 24 & Tues Sept 25
Term 4: Mon 15 Oct & Tues 16 Oct - Mon Dec 17 & Tues Dec 18
Registration is now open for Term 1.
Prices:
1 class per week $160
2 classes per week $240
Term Bookings only - no casuals.
Email to book your term card.
Email: Venue:
Mondays - AGA Studios, 76 Hawdon St, Sydenham
Tuesdays - Hagley Dance Studios, Stewart St, Hagley Community College
Class Descriptions
Contemporary Dance Technique
Beginners
Mondays 7.00 - 8.15pm at AGA Dance Studios, 74 Hawdon Street
Intermediate
Tuesdays 5.30 - 6.45pm at Hagley Dance Studio, Stewart St, Hagley Community College
These are open level class for dancers of all ages. Class will begin with body work, followed by floor exercises that gradually build to integrate skills in full-bodied movement phrases. Class is tailored to meet individual participant's need and level.
Choreographic Sessions
These sessions are collectively run by some of our long-term members and participants. It is an opportunity to work together to explore your collective choreographic interests. If booked for a technique class, attending this session is included in your term fee. All welcome!
Contemporary Dance Technique
Beginners
Mondays 7.00 - 8.15pm at AGA Dance Studios, 74 Hawdon Street
Intermediate
Tuesdays 5.30 - 6.45pm at Hagley Dance Studio, Stewart St, Hagley Community College
These are open level class for dancers of all ages. Class will begin with body work, followed by floor exercises that gradually build to integrate skills in full-bodied movement phrases. Class is tailored to meet individual participant's need and level.
Choreographic Sessions
These sessions are collectively run by some of our long-term members and participants. It is an opportunity to work together to explore your collective choreographic interests. If booked for a technique class, attending this session is included in your term fee. All welcome!
Class Tutor
Julia Harvie
Julia graduated from UNITEC in 2003 with a BPSA in Contemporary Dance. Julia’s particular focus is on collaboration, live music and improvisation. She was awarded the Tup Lang Scholarship as the CNZ Emerging Choreographer of 2008. Her work has toured throughout New Zealand and has been presented in Taiwan and Australia. Julia studied with Magpie Music Dance in Amsterdam and was selected for the WDA Choreographer Project in Brisbane with Lloyd Newsom (DV8). She has been awarded Most Outstanding Performer of the NZ Fringe, Best Dance at the Dunedin Fringe and NZ Best Female Contemporary Dancer in 2008. Julia has worked for acclaimed artists such as, Michael Parmenter, Shona McCullagh, Kristian Larsen, Zoe Scofield, Riki von Falken, Pichet, Raewyn Hill, Malia Johnston, Oliver Driver, Andrew and Sarah Foster-Sproull, Emma Willis and Leila Adu.
Julia Harvie
Julia graduated from UNITEC in 2003 with a BPSA in Contemporary Dance. Julia’s particular focus is on collaboration, live music and improvisation. She was awarded the Tup Lang Scholarship as the CNZ Emerging Choreographer of 2008. Her work has toured throughout New Zealand and has been presented in Taiwan and Australia. Julia studied with Magpie Music Dance in Amsterdam and was selected for the WDA Choreographer Project in Brisbane with Lloyd Newsom (DV8). She has been awarded Most Outstanding Performer of the NZ Fringe, Best Dance at the Dunedin Fringe and NZ Best Female Contemporary Dancer in 2008. Julia has worked for acclaimed artists such as, Michael Parmenter, Shona McCullagh, Kristian Larsen, Zoe Scofield, Riki von Falken, Pichet, Raewyn Hill, Malia Johnston, Oliver Driver, Andrew and Sarah Foster-Sproull, Emma Willis and Leila Adu.
Testimonials
After graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts last year, I wanted to keep my practice up so my body and creative mind are in peak condition for when I venture overseas shortly. MOVEMENT ART PRACTICE provide an array of classes catering to both the physical body and creative mind, by tutors who are talented and up to date with their practice. MAP is an environment to learn, improve, and get creative!"
Nicola Collie, Fresh Graduate from Victoria College of the Arts
MAP has been my first introduction to contemporary dance and it's made me realise how shallow my previous dance training has been; repeating curriculum approved steps by rote. Even after 2 years I still find it strange and uncomfortable but I keep coming back week after week because at MAP dancing is more than just making interesting geometric shapes with your body. It's about exploring the thoughts, feelings and sensations that inform the movement. The teachers promote a body positive atmosphere: whether you are a beginner, over sixty, recovering from an injury or pregnant you can be a dancer. You don't have to force your body to fit the steps, you make the steps fit your body and your ability. I feel privileged to dance along side professionals who welcome me into their art form and spoiled by the opportunity to train with visiting international artists. MAP is a unique gem in the Christchurch arts scene.
Joanna - Museum Curator
I was introduced to Movement Art Practice a few years ago now and haven't looked back. Luckily I heard from about it from fellow dancers/teachers at other dance classes in Christchurch. The news was that a new dance opportunity would be available to the community, this would be organised and taught by some of Christchurch's and New Zealand's finest and most distinguished teachers, dancers and choreographers and the best part of all....it was open for anyone to attend and even wholeheartedly welcomed dancers from all walks of life with various levels of training. For me being someone from the UK with no formal dance training, it was an exciting and wonderful opportunity to learn from the best! I soon discovered that Movement Art Practice was more than a dance class, it was a philosophy and shift in mind-set on dance and movement. This at first to me seemed quite radical but has become intuitive and almost a way of life with regards to thinking about movement and the creative process behind it. Movement Art Practice removes the barriers from conventional dance and does not apologise for it, within this a sense of freedom and complete inhibition allows the person participating to explore and discuss techniques, dance and the creative process in general. This honest and openness permeates through all levels of dance experience and everyone's thoughts and opinions are welcomed with great fervour. This creates not just a dance class but a dance family, a growing community that receives the most amazing opportunities to train and develop skills with other New Zealand and International choreographers. This is a unique experience and unheard of in the UK and should be encouraged to continually grow and develop, not just the skills but the minds of up and coming young dancers as well as older ones.
Leaving each class or workshop I leave contemplating what had transpired and what could be. These classes are truly a journey and for me they have allowed me to discover things not just about how I move but how I think and I feel a better person for it and look forward to the next one..!!
Jacqueline Coia - Technical Manager
I think Christchurch is very lucky to host such an avant-garde creative organisation like MAP. I really enjoy taking part in the fantastic dance classes of all levels, dance workshops and dance events organised by MAP. It is a great platform for dancers and dance lovers to mingle in the dance and artist community, always welcoming new members. MAP is unique in New Zealand, organising choreographic series both in Auckland and Christchurch with a diverse range of national and international guest artists. I love taking part in these choreographic research processes to exchange ideas and creative concepts with others.
Thank you MAP for making Christchurch an exciting artistic platform of learning and exchange for contemporary dance.
Celine Cattoen - Scientist
After graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts last year, I wanted to keep my practice up so my body and creative mind are in peak condition for when I venture overseas shortly. MOVEMENT ART PRACTICE provide an array of classes catering to both the physical body and creative mind, by tutors who are talented and up to date with their practice. MAP is an environment to learn, improve, and get creative!"
Nicola Collie, Fresh Graduate from Victoria College of the Arts
MAP has been my first introduction to contemporary dance and it's made me realise how shallow my previous dance training has been; repeating curriculum approved steps by rote. Even after 2 years I still find it strange and uncomfortable but I keep coming back week after week because at MAP dancing is more than just making interesting geometric shapes with your body. It's about exploring the thoughts, feelings and sensations that inform the movement. The teachers promote a body positive atmosphere: whether you are a beginner, over sixty, recovering from an injury or pregnant you can be a dancer. You don't have to force your body to fit the steps, you make the steps fit your body and your ability. I feel privileged to dance along side professionals who welcome me into their art form and spoiled by the opportunity to train with visiting international artists. MAP is a unique gem in the Christchurch arts scene.
Joanna - Museum Curator
I was introduced to Movement Art Practice a few years ago now and haven't looked back. Luckily I heard from about it from fellow dancers/teachers at other dance classes in Christchurch. The news was that a new dance opportunity would be available to the community, this would be organised and taught by some of Christchurch's and New Zealand's finest and most distinguished teachers, dancers and choreographers and the best part of all....it was open for anyone to attend and even wholeheartedly welcomed dancers from all walks of life with various levels of training. For me being someone from the UK with no formal dance training, it was an exciting and wonderful opportunity to learn from the best! I soon discovered that Movement Art Practice was more than a dance class, it was a philosophy and shift in mind-set on dance and movement. This at first to me seemed quite radical but has become intuitive and almost a way of life with regards to thinking about movement and the creative process behind it. Movement Art Practice removes the barriers from conventional dance and does not apologise for it, within this a sense of freedom and complete inhibition allows the person participating to explore and discuss techniques, dance and the creative process in general. This honest and openness permeates through all levels of dance experience and everyone's thoughts and opinions are welcomed with great fervour. This creates not just a dance class but a dance family, a growing community that receives the most amazing opportunities to train and develop skills with other New Zealand and International choreographers. This is a unique experience and unheard of in the UK and should be encouraged to continually grow and develop, not just the skills but the minds of up and coming young dancers as well as older ones.
Leaving each class or workshop I leave contemplating what had transpired and what could be. These classes are truly a journey and for me they have allowed me to discover things not just about how I move but how I think and I feel a better person for it and look forward to the next one..!!
Jacqueline Coia - Technical Manager
I think Christchurch is very lucky to host such an avant-garde creative organisation like MAP. I really enjoy taking part in the fantastic dance classes of all levels, dance workshops and dance events organised by MAP. It is a great platform for dancers and dance lovers to mingle in the dance and artist community, always welcoming new members. MAP is unique in New Zealand, organising choreographic series both in Auckland and Christchurch with a diverse range of national and international guest artists. I love taking part in these choreographic research processes to exchange ideas and creative concepts with others.
Thank you MAP for making Christchurch an exciting artistic platform of learning and exchange for contemporary dance.
Celine Cattoen - Scientist