A Class Every Dancer Needs to Take

As dancers, we all understand the need to know anatomy. Our internal knowledge directly translates to external expression. The goal is to reach the audience through movement and we achieve that by being aware of our body; how the different systems interact, how the joints move, how to engage and relax muscles.

But let's face it, dancers aren't great at sitting still. What we need is a class that doesn't tell us how the knee works but a class that guides our movement as we explore the joint; learning from the inside out.

Say hello to Julie Nathanielsz, Austin dancer since 1996, veteran movement instructor and MFA graduate from UT. Julie's anatomy for dancers class is just that - an anatomy class designed for dancers by a dancer! Julie explains, "we will integrate experiential information with anatomical terms and concepts, using text, touch, movement, writing and drawing as routes to learning."

Students in Julie's class explore the spine.

Forget falling asleep in a desk while trying to memorize Latin names for the body. Julie takes anatomy into our world with guided improvisations and hands-on learning. Even if you're not a dancer, this class helps you experience a whole new level of self-awareness. As Julie puts it, "kinesthetic awareness of muscles and joints and the felt sense of our boney, nervous and fluid body allow us to move with more creativity, sensitivity, confidence and safety."

Students in Julie's class discuss the tongue.

Spring registration is already open - don't wait until the last minute, which is January 14 for the procrastinators out there that need a deadline. 

The class meets once a week on Fridays at the Rio Grande Campus from 2:00-4:30 pm. Here's the information for registration: DANC 2325 Anatomy for Dancers, Section 23887.

For more information about registration at ACC, click here. 

Pictures by Julie Nathanielsz.