Dancirque Physical Therapy’s DanceWise class is an open-level class aimed at helping dancers understand their bodies and safe movement practices. Through a combination of functional anatomy presentations, volunteer demonstrations, and active exercises, participants will learn about how to identify individual movement patterns and how to correct these patterns if they are faulty. This class will cover topics including best warm-up practices, flexibility training, nerve tension, basic care for new injuries, and principles of recovery. Participants are encouraged to come with questions.
Lexii Alcaraz, Dancirque Physical Therapy
Lexii Alcaraz (she/her) is a licensed physical therapist who is passionate about all aspects of performing arts. She has many years of experience as a professional circus artist, dancer, coach, choreographer, and director. When Lexii decided to pursue her degree as a Doctor of Physical Therapy, she knew she wanted to use this knowledge to help advance the training and performance careers of artists. Lexii is passionate about educating artists about best practices for taking care of their bodies through workshops, injury screens, and treatment sessions. She integrates her knowledge of circus acrobatics, music, theater, and dance to create custom treatment plans for individuals to help reach their goals and address any underlying injuries that may stand in their way. Lexii continues to perform and create work in her hometown of San Diego. Professionally, she has toured across North America performing and is the artistic director of San Diego-based circus company Lighthouse Circus Theatre. Lexii looks forward to her next opportunity to be onstage and help others do the same.
Intermediate/Advanced Countertechnique Description:
The Countertechnique® class is a contemporary dance technique class. It stretches, coordinates and strengthens the body, making the dancer sweat, build stamina and really move. The class starts with a recurring set of exercises, allowing dancers to investigate the Countertechnique® principles in detail. The second half of the class consists of changing components, working towards luscious movement combinations and jumping at the end. The Countertechnique® class results in dancers using less energy, losing their fear of taking risks and gaining speed in changing direction.
Countertechnique® provides tools for body and mind to deal with the demanding dance practice of the 21st century. It is a movement system to help the dancer think about the dancing body, focusing on the process of incorporating information into action. Within a clear structure of exercises the Countertechnique® class thoroughly prepares the body for rehearsal and performance, enabling dancers to move bigger, more fluidly and more spatially, while becoming stronger and more flexible. Dancers are encouraged to be pro-active in discovering connections and solutions, to be less concerned with judging themselves and to work in a healthy way with regard to body and mind. Countertechnique® makes daily training a valuable investment in the dancer’s own development, as well as interesting personal research. Countertechnique® was created and developed by Dutch choreographer, dancer and teacher Anouk van Dijk, former artistic director of Australian dance company Chunky Move.
Sophie Allen
Sophie Minouche Allen is a dance artist who imbues playfulness and nuance in all her endeavors. She performs, choreographs, and teaches throughout Chicago and nationally. As a performer, Sophie has recently worked with Al Evangelista, Anna Caffarelli/Crimson Moeller, Darling Shear, and Ayako Kato/Art Union Humanscape among others. As a choreographer, her work has been presented by FACT/SF, Thodos Dance Chicago/DanceWorks Chicago, Midwest RAD Fest, COMMON conservatory, Detroit Dance Exchange, Going Dutch Festival/Side Street Studio Arts, and Periodance/Performance Lab Showcase. As a teacher, Sophie offers open classes at The Rooted Space, closed curriculum classes at The Joffrey Academy of Dance, and co-facilitates the Chicago Countertechnique® Community class series throughout the city. Sophie is a certified Countertechnique® Teacher and holds a B.F.A. in Dance and B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) from the University of Michigan. www.sophieminouche.com
Karina Wilson (she/her) is a San Diego-based mover with roots in Los Angeles. Her dance journey began with a foundation in Balanchine ballet, which she expanded by studying at Miami City Ballet before transitioning into contemporary styles. Karina furthered her exploration at Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Alonzo King LINES Ballet, where she encountered movement styles that felt both freeing and empowering.
This year, Karina made contributions to the San Diego dance community, featuring in Motions and Emotions: Asian Women Speak Out and the Move American Campaign. Her teaching philosophy centers on empowering dancers to explore their own movement choices, fostering a deeply personal and liberating experience. Karina’s journey is a testament to her dedication to both classical and contemporary dance, as she continues to evolve as an artist and educator.
Karina’s POP IN / POP OUT class description: Karina’s class will emphasize phrase work and improvisation, encouraging dancers to make choices and reflect on what makes them feel most free. It aims to foster playfulness while pushing dancers technically and building confidence in their dance development.
Kimie Parker (she/her) is a San Diego native dance artist based in Brooklyn, NY. Kimie holds a BFA in Dance from Point Park University. In 2019, she joined Sidra Bell Dance New York as a company artist, has since been appointed Rehearsal Director, and has taught on behalf of the company at numerous academic institutions including NYU Tisch, SUNY Purchase, University of the Arts, Marymount Manhattan College, Harvard University, and more. As her own creative entity, she has been invited to teach for the Limon Dance Company Summer Intensive, BigKid Summer and Winter Create+Connect, and Gibney Dance Summer Studies. Her choreographic work has been featured in “THAT SHOW,” presented in NYC.
Kimie’s Intermediate/Advanced Contemporary Description:
This improvisation-forward dance practice encourages somatic awareness, unveiling the form and function of the body. A durational warmup consisting of conditioning, kinesthetic imagery, and contemporary dance techniques will culminate in movement research/dismantling.
