Emily Berry, MFA - Department of Health, Physical Education, and Dance
Emily Berry, MFA - Department of Health, Physical Education, and Dance
Title: Associate Professor
Office : RFK room 216L
Telephone: 718- 281-5277
Email: EBerry@qcc.cuny.edu
Education:
Master of Fine Arts: George Mason University
Bachelor of Dance Arts: University of Michigan School of Music
Bachelor of General Studies in Women’s Studies and Political Science: University of Michigan School of Literature, Science, & Arts
Classes taught:
Intermediate Modern Dance
Intermediate Ballet
Advanced Beginning Ballet
Beginning Modern Dance
Beginning Ballet
Dance Workshop
Improvisation
Theory and Practice of Modern Dance
Dance Foundations
African/African-Caribbean
Latin Dance
Introduction to the Art of Dance
Teaching Philosophy:
I strive to create a safe space for students to learn, explore, question, and become independent thinkers and movers. In technique courses, I address each individual student’s unique body in order to help them develop their technique through muscle re-patterning. Students learn anatomical awareness and tools to help them move past road blocks.
In theory, improvisation and composition courses my main goal is to help student’s find their own voice. Creating a judgment free space is essential so students are not afraid to explore new movement possibilities.
Research Interest:
Berry’s choreography has been tackling such issues as race, the glass ceiling, domestic violence, women in prison, and war since 1995. B3W stands for beyond third wave. The third wave refers to the third wave of the women’s movement. While the work is mostly coming from a feminist perspective, the work is not limited to feminist issues, which add “beyond” to the title of the company. The company has a history of and strives to continue to work collaboratively with other artists, including new media scenographers, composers, actors, writers, and the community. We work from a place of intent, hoping that the intent takes the audience on a journey that becomes reflective of personal change, societal change, or a simple comforting of the soul.
Publications:
Emily Berry is the Artistic Director of B3W Performance Group, which has performed in the US, England, Greece, and Mexico. B3W has performed throughout New York City, including Henry Street Settlement, DNA, The 92nd Street Y, Manhattan Movement Arts Center, Dixon Place, and the Irondale Center among others. The company has also premiered two dance films in Maryland and in Switzerland. B3W has received the Mondo Cane Commission from Dixon Place for their evening length work, Confined in 2010. Berry’s work has also been commissioned by Ann Arbor Dance Works. B3W's latest evening length work, Spin Art, premiered January 30th, 2014 at the Irondale Center in Brooklyn as part of FLICfest. Forgiveness, the company’s next evening length, will premiere at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center in spring of 2016.
Eva Yaa Asantewaa (Infinite Body) describes Berry’s work as “Memorable, intelligent, strong”. “Violent but engaging” are the words attached to Berry’s work by Clare Croft in the Washington Post. Maura Donahue (Culturbot) writes about Confined as, “Clear expression of idea in movement”.
Presentations:
Emily is currently performing with danceTactics Performance Group/Keith A. Thompson, and Darla Stanley. She has performed with Boris Willis Moves, Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh & Company, Restless Native Dance/Tamieca McCloud, Lesole’s Dance Project, and Ashe Moyubba/Alafia Afro-Cuban Folkloric Dance Ensemble. With danceTactics Performance Group she has performed throughout New York City; Miami, Florida; Pennsylvania; Edinburgh, Scotland; and New Jersey.
Academic and Professional Organizations:
Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies
Grants:
Emily recently received a grant from the Queens Council on the Arts for the premiere of Spin Art in 2014. She also received a grant from the Queens Council on the Arts to attend the Americans for the Arts Conference in 2013 as well as a LEAP Dance Artist in 2012. She was commissioned to set a piece on Ann Arbor Dance Works in 2010. She received a PSC-CUNY Grant for her project Forgiveness in 2013. In 1997 she received a grant from the Washtenaw Council on the Arts for a production by her dance company in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Confined was commissioned by Dixon Place with the following support: "Confined was commissioned and first presented by Dixon Place in New York City with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency, and the City of New York Department of Cultural Affairs, and with private funds from The Greenwall Foundation, the Mertz Gilmore Foundation and the Jerome Foundation.”
Program: Dance
Certifications: Emily is a Certified Movement Analyst through the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies
