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DISCO RIOT’s POP IN/POP OUT series offers community workshops from trusted teaching artists to promote a culture of sharing, exploration, diversity, expanding perspectives, and building community. We learn more from one another. We grow together. Join us!

 

POP IN/POP OUT! classes are on a tiered payment scale ($10/$15/$20) so that we can offer the highest quality experience for the community and support for the Teaching Artist. No one is turned away for lack of funds. Please reach out to education@discoriot.org for assistance.

Giving Way

 

Giving Way is a dance/practice from Anne Gehman’s interest in collective dance-making, spontaneous ritualism, and folk-ing. Anne’s secret agenda for Giving Way, is to create a global hoe-down of collective remembrance calling on the dream spaces which overlay this reality, that are teaching us how to use love to fly…in the face of…

 

In this workshop, Giving Way: re-imagining boundaries, we will move & explore:

 

dancing-heart-anatomy (physical and imagined)

 

traveling through space with a partner & beyond… (synchronizing???)

 

practicing taking risks together… (trust-making???)

 

navigating desire, urge, immediacy and care in duets, in space… (agendas???)

 

flying in the face of…(???)

 

This practice involves contact with a partner, mostly while standing and walking. It does not ask participants to share-weight. We’ll practice various ways of participating and listening for consent. Giving Way is NOT contact improvisation. However, Giving Way borrows concepts from the world of contact improvisation, such as challenging hierarchies of leader-follower roles and using the ground as your first partner.

Anne Gehman (she/her)

 

Anne Gehman (she/her), an educator, dance-maker and producer has left an indelible mark within the community. She has had the honor of dancing in works by Yolande Snaith’s IMAGOmoves, Blythe Barton Dance Co., somebodies dance theatre, and the renowned Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theater. Anne’s career has led her to collaborate with esteemed choreographers such as Mark Haim and Jesse Zaritt through the platform she co-founded, youTurnArts. This year she is premiering Best Worst Advice, a collaborative experimental dance theatre show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2025 with Emily Aust and Erin Tracy.

In 2017 she staged One Hundred Giving Way with an ensemble of 50 dancers from diverse movement backgrounds and ages at the Potiker Theater in La Jolla, pushing the boundaries of community dance-making and improvisation in San Diego. Anne has served as Dance Faculty at University of California San Diego and San Diego State University, nurturing the next generation of movement artists. She holds an M.F.A from University of California San Diego and B.F.A from Jacksonville University, Florida.

Interactive Dance Visuals with TouchDesigner

 

Tell a story through movement and media.

 

In this hands-on workshop, we explore the intersection of dance and real-time visuals using TouchDesigner, a powerful node-based visual programming tool. Learn how to create interactive visual effects that respond to your body in motion, from feedback loops and edge detection to video and real-time signal processing. Whether you’re a dancer, media artist, or curious creative, this workshop invites you to move, play, and build immersive environments that transform performance into a visual language. We’ll spend time both moving together and building interactive systems, culminating in the creation of a live installation that reacts in real-time to your presence.

Milana Aernova (she/her)

 

Milana Aernova is an interdisciplinary artist working at the intersection of dance and interactive media. With a background in both movement and computer science, she specializes in creating real-time performance environments that respond to the body through tools like TouchDesigner, code, and camera-based interaction. Her work explores the fusion of digital and physical expression, inviting audiences to experience dance in dynamic, responsive ways. In her workshops, Milana guides participants through building poetic, movement-driven visuals, bridging the gap between choreography and creative coding to reimagine what performance can be in a digital age.

Dance Injury Prevention

 

An informative and movement-based workshop designed for dancers of all levels and abilities. This session included a brief lecture on common dancer injuries, pain management, and return-to-dance readiness tests. With a guided warm up, students practiced tools and resources will be provided for injury prevention and sustainable dance practices.

Desiree Cuizon (she/her)

 

Desiree Cuizon is a multidisciplinary movement artist, certified Pilates instructor, and student physical therapist. She holds a BFA in Dance from San Diego State University, a Holistic Health Practitioner and Massage Therapist certification from Mueller College, and is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at USC (Class of 2026). With over 15 years as a professional dancer with various local companies, and more than 20 years of teaching experience, she is also a producing artist with DISCO RIOT and Co-Founder of Queer Mvmnt Fest. Desiree aims to give back to her community by providing future free and affordable physical therapy to the professional dance community. She integrates dance, therapeutic massage, and Pilates to support wellness, with a focus on orthopedics, sports therapy, pelvic health and gender affirming care.

Countertechnique®

 

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.

 

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.

Ariel Scott (she/her)

 

Ariel Scott is a dancer, choreographer, and certified Countertechnique teacher. She holds a BFA in Dance Choreography from the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and an AA in Dance from Santa Monica College (SMC). Ariel performs with Kybele Dance Theater, a Los Angeles-based contemporary dance company under Artistic Director/Choreographer Seda Aybay. Ariel teaches frequent open classes at Stomping Ground LA and TheSpace_LA, where she delights in sharing Countertechnique with the LA dance community. She has guest taught for institutions including California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), UCI, MashUp Contemporary Dance Company, Choreographer Collection LA (ChoCoLA), and Hyphen Art House. Ariel’s choreography has been presented across LA, including by SMC, Stomping Ground LA’s “VOICES,” and The Electric Lodge’s “High Voltage.” Her screendance work “All a Blur” has been presented in multiple festivals, including ScreenDance RoadShow and Black Lives Rising Virtual Dance Film Festival, where it was awarded Best Experimental Film.

ChoreoLAB – Merging Influences

 

ChoreoLAB: Merging Influences dives into how we can take the cultural influences of our own individual heritage, which may differ from our practiced dance forms, and bring that into our dance making. Through a cultural lens, we’ll explore movement generation, using various tools and prompts. We’ll discover and play with ways to manipulate our own movements. We’ll create short phrases and share them, and then discuss our outcomes and learnings. Together, we can connect with our unique heritage through our dance making, even if our practiced dance form is disconnected from our heritage.

Joyce Lien Kushner (she/her)

 

Joyce Lien Kushner is a second generation Taiwanese-American dance artist, teacher, and maker, trained in modern, contemporary, ballet and jazz, and certified in Progressing Ballet Technique®. As a dance teaching artist, Joyce has trained dancers of all ages and has performed and collaborated with artists throughout California – Modern City Repertoire, Strong Pulse Dance, Epiphany Dance Theater, Surhabi Suraf, Sarah Bush Dance, Amy Lewis, Five Feet Dance, and Chris Black Dance. In 2015, Joyce founded TILTshift Dance in San Francisco. Now in San Diego, Joyce continues to teach, make work, and holds open space for other dance artists to create and work. She also serves on the board of Disco Riot. Through TILTshift Dance, Joyce will be presenting AADF2025 this August, San Diego’s first Asian American Dance Festival, providing a platform for AAPI dance artists. Joyce works to build community among dance artists, uplift their voices, and create opportunities.

Authentic Movement open s p a c e l o n g circle

 

What might happen when we weave the somatic wisdom practices of Contemplative Dance and Authentic Movement? In the 70s, Barbara Dilley (Naropa Institute) created the Contemplative Dance Practice, merging Buddhist teachings of presence and meditation with movement, a form which she described as a “dancer’s meditation hall and a meditator’s dance hall”. This multipart form begins with an opening circle and sitting meditation, then transforms from stillness to a Personal Awareness Practice with self-oriented attention and movement, and then evolves into a community oriented Open Space where relationality between self and other is foreground.

The Long Circle, a form developed by Janet Adler within the profound, eyes-closed practice of Authentic Movement, a discipline involving inner-initiated movement that connects us to the truth of the body, supports the development of self-compassion, nonjudgmental clear seeing, and insight. In this form, movers and witnesses move freely in and out of the circle.

What if we bring the deep inward listening and sensitivity of Authentic Movement, to an open s p a c e  l o n g circle where movers can choose to have eyes closed or open as they navigate being deeply connected to self while in community, connected to authenticity, agency, responsivity, and creativity? After moving we’ll share reflections in a closing circle.

Further reading for inspiration and research: Barbara Dilley: Conscious Moving, an interview.

Jane Blount (she/her)

 

I am a holistic bodyworker, dance artist/educator, Qigong teacher, embodied anatomy geek with an HHP in Integrative Somatics from the International School of Professional Bodywork (IPSB), and founder of Art Of Massage: Holistic Bodywork. I was introduced to Authentic Movement in 1993 and have been practicing this form more deeply since 2007 when I co-founded a San Diego Authentic Movement Peer Group. In addition to my deep engagement with Authentic Movement, I had an extensive career as a dancer, choreographer, and dance educator. I was a co-founder of Lower Left Performance Collective.

Resume & CV Building Workshop

 

This Resume & CV Building Workshop will provide dancers and artists some guidance on building, personalizing and maintaining the documentation often needed for applications and proposals. Please come with a resume and/or CV you’d like to work on (can be a draft version). Having hard copies of your resume/CV might be useful for editing purposes; you can also bring your laptop for edits.

Aisha Reddick (she/her)

 

Aisha Reddick (she/her) is the Education & Outreach Coordinator and Teaching Artist with DISCO RIOT. After receiving her BFA in Dance at California State University, Long Beach in Fall 2021, she returned to San Diego with fiery inspiration to reconnect and uplift her dance community. Aisha is passionate about dance education, community engagement, social justice and giving back to the spaces that she grew up in.

Intermediate/Advanced Contemporary

 

A contemporary class with a release technique flare, we will focus on surrendering and yielding into our own momentum while attending to specifics in musicality and textures. You can expect a moment of stillness/drop-in, a full bodied warm up, and a combo.

Dani Burd (she/her) & Indigo Dance Company

 

Dani Burd is a multifaceted artist, choreographer, producer, and educator from Los Angeles, CA who has had a colorful career in both the music and dance industries. She is the founder and director of Indigo Dance Company est. 2024. Indigo strives to empower its company artists in their authenticity and personal stories, cultivating an experience of a return to oneself for both the mover and the viewer. Blurring the lines between the performer and the human—seeing the dancer as a full person—is one of our greatest priorities. Musicality, storytelling, and the cinematic lens serve as the compasses for our creative choices. Dani has dedicated the past few years on her collection of works presented as both live performances and dance films titled “HOME” and “Closer to…” Her newest work with Indigo titled “The 7th Plane” premieres August 2025 and will be the final installment of this series.

Teaching & Pedagogy

 

Through lectures, discussions, and practice teaching exercises, we will explore dance teaching and pedagogy. We will dive into the practicalities of teaching, such as basic class structure, building curriculum, and how to get jobs. With curiosity, we will approach dance pedagogy, questioning what is pedagogy? What does it mean to hold the space as a teacher/facilitator? In small groups, we will practice teaching and have the opportunity to receive feedback from our peers. Let’s share and explore together what dance teaching and pedagogy can be

Aisha Reddick (she/her)

 

Aisha Reddick (she/her) is an African American/Filipino movement artist and instructor based in San Diego, California. She obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at California State University, Long Beach in Fall 2021. Since graduating, Aisha has made work that has been presented across the west coast for various concerts, festivals and sharings. Aisha has had the pleasure of working with various independent artists and companies between San Diego and Los Angeles, whose influence has helped shape her own craft. In her practice, Aisha finds real fulfillment in moving between juxtaposing gentle and aggressive powers to create a flow into and through the body to find ways, basically, feel good. Presently, Aisha shares this way of moving at DISCO RIOT, Culture Shock San Diego, Helix Charter High School and San Diego Dance Academy.

Nicole Oga (she/her)

 

Nicole Oga (she/her/hers) is a radical thinking dance artist, educator, and pedagogue who approaches her work through an intersectional lens that is influenced by abolition, collective liberation, anti-racist, black feminist praxis. In June 2024 she graduated from the University of the Arts Helsinki with a Master’s in Dance Pedagogy. Nicole is a constant student who believes life is a continuous journey of learning, growing, and evolving. In her work she regularly questions and evaluates her practices and methodologies to ensure she is inclusive and in true solidarity with her community – listening to, collaborating with, and following the lead of those who are most impacted. Nicole cultivates genuine empathy, compassion, and kindness, which she knows will transform the world into an equitable society where all are truly free.

Absolute Beginner Contemporary Ballet

 

COVID-Safe(r) beginner/intermediate contemporary ballet dance class taught by Clarisa. This will be a mask-mandatory class, [K]N95 or better. Air purification and masks provided by Fan Favorite San Diego. The class is open to all levels but geared toward the beginner level. Alternative exercises can be provided for more advanced movers.

Clarisa Bautista (she/her)

 

Clarisa Bautista (she/her) is a dance artist from Sacramento, CA, who is now based in San Diego. She holds a B.S. in Chemistry with minors in Dance and Classical Studies from UC San Diego. At UCSD, Clarisa founded Aequora Ballet Company. She has presented and performed in work at UCSD and Ballet Counterpointe showcases.

Drop In, Spiral Out – Advanced Contemporary Modern

 

Zaquia’s class is aimed at supporting the development of dynamic and functional physicality through explorations of weight, momentum, attention, anatomy, and play. We’ll use technical exercises, improvisation, phrase-work, and partnered feedback to probe beyond the mechanics, think critically about the tools, make connections, and deepen sensory awareness as a means for honing artistry and efficiency. Come explore space, dance fully, and challenge your edges while staying curious in community with others!

Zaquia Mahler Salinas (she/her)

 

Zaquia Mahler Salinas, is a Chicana/Palestinian dance artist invested in movement-art as an act of reclamation and world-building. She dances at the intersection of performance, social practice, education, and advocacy; Zaquia finds joy in cultivating community, and lives for the magic inherent in collaboration. In 2018, Zaquia co-founded DISCO RIOT, a nonprofit organization that supports radical dance and creative possibilities in San Diego. She has been awarded various artistic residencies, including a 2019 residency in Bethlehem, Palestine with Diyar Dance Theatre where she deepened her understanding of dance as a form of cultural, embodied resistance. In 2023, Zaquia was awarded one of San Diego’s inaugural Far South/Border North grants for artists working in socially engaged practice. In 2024, she relocated to Boston, and is currently serving as Resident Curator with ODC Theater in San Francisco.

Intermediate/Advanced Contemporary Modern

 

In Giovanna’s class, we will explore fluidity and play through sensory informed improvisation and phrasework. Sequencing movement with intention and full body awareness informs the basis of the material within her class where movers are encouraged to be present with themselves and one another.

Gio Francisco (she/her)

 

Giovanna Francisco (she/her) is a San Diego-based movement artist originally from Palm Springs, California. She holds her BA in Dance, BA in Sociology, and a minor in Education Studies from the University of California, San Diego. Giovanna’s formal training in contemporary, modern, and ballet is met with her love of improvisation in her artistic process. Her movement practice and teaching philosophy centers dance as a tool for exploration and connection. In June 2023, she choreographed and directed her first evening-length performance inspired by insects in the garden space of Art Produce as an Artist in Residence. In 2024, she took part in an artistic mentorship program and residency through DISCO RIOT. Giovanna has had the pleasure of working with Connect Arte, Rachel Catalano, Isabel Desmet, Terry Wilson, Brianna Pilkinton, and Yolande Snaith. She has created choreography for events brought to the community through DISCO RIOT and San Diego Dance Theater.

Intermediate/Advanced Floorwork

 

Throw it Back! is an intermediate/advanced energetic floorwork and momentum based movement class. There will be a warm up, across the floor passes, and a big phrase. We will continue to explore downstage traveling, anatomical alignment inconsideration to directionality, and softening in the body to move more efficiently. All of this will be accompanied by our FAV 2000s banger playlist to drive momentum!

Chelsea Roquero (she/her) & Krystal Masteller (she/her)

 

Founded in 2022, hasten dance is an emerging Los Angeles based female dance theatre duo. Both receiving their degrees in dance from CSULB, Chelsea Roquero (BA Dance, 2019) & Krystal Masteller (BA Dance Science, 2021) separately are artists with their own ambitions and ideologies; together they culminate an entity that explores all aspects through physicality, intricacy, & constantly inviting play.

 

hasten dance has presented work at MashUp’s International Women’s Day Festival (2023) & Disco Riot’s Choreo & Fly festival presented at La Jolla Playhouse’s WOW Festival with collaborator Kaia Makihara (2023). They have been invited to teach at Genesis Studios, Emerging Artist Class Series (2023), Stomping Ground LA’s Community Free Day of Dance event, See Yourself (2023 & 2024), and Renaissance Art’s High School (2023 & 2024). Their debut evening length with Kaia Makihara, “Bounded by Intervals” (2024) was presented this past July at the “Dance at the Odyssey Festival: Summer Edition” in Santa Monica, CA.

Dancirque Physical Therapy’s DanceWise

 

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 (she/her)

 

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

 

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 (she/her)

 

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.

Contemporary Modern

 

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.

Karina Wilson (she/her)

 

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.

Intermediate/Advanced Contemporary

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.

Kimie Parker (she/her)

 

Kimie Parker 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.