C O N T E M P O R A R Y
I N T E N S I V E

* * for movers 13 - 17 * *

July 8 - 12
Monday - Friday
9:30am - 3:30pm
Centennial Performing Arts Studios

ABOUT THE INTENSIVE

Movers ages 13-17 are invited to join professional dancers and choreographers, Rebecca Steinberg, James Barrett, and Phylicia Roybal for a weeklong exploration of contemporary dance and collaborative creative process in a fun, supportive, and inspiring environment.

Dancers start each day studying some of the contemporary dance methods used by professional dance artists around the world to strengthen their bodies and create new movement language, new dialects.

In the afternoons dancers will use these tools in a collaborative choreographic process led by our teaching artists, where participants practice using their voices, making choices, and creating dances as a team.

The week culminates in an informal showing and discussion with the artists.


$250 for 5 days

Click the REGISTER link to sign up via Metro Parks Dance


S C H E D U L E

Gyrokinesis
9:30 - 10:30am

Contemporary Technique
10:30am - 12pm

Lunch Break
12 - 1pm

Improvisation
1 - 2PM

Creative Process research
2 - 3:30PM


T E A C H E R S

Phylicia Royal

Phylicia is a Nashville-based dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist, who has collaborated with several local artists and initiatives including Metro Parks Dance, Animata Arts, Kindling Festival, mauve taupe, Enactor Productions, and New Dialect.

She enjoys connecting to people of all ages through movement and finds inspiration in improvisation and body-mind centering practices. In addition to creative process sessions, Phylicia will be guiding classes in the Gyrokinesis Method.

Gyrokinesis is a movement method that addresses the entire body: opening energy pathways, stimulating the nervous system, increasing range of motion, and creating functional strength through rhythmic, flowing movement sequences.

  • Phylicia Roybal, a native of Santa Fe, New Mexico, began her passion for movement at age 10. She went on to receive a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts at the University of Arizona in 2011. Upon graduating, Phylicia also received the Gurtrude Shurr Memorial Award in Modern dance.

    In her professional career she has had the privilege of working with, Novel.dance, New Dialect Dance company (Nashville), under the direction of Banning Bouldin, Ronn Stewart and Cocodāco Dance Project (Chicago), Kibbutz contemporary dance company (Israel), Catherine Cabeen - Hyphen (Seattle) and Moving People Dance (Santa Fe).

    Throughout her dance career she has had the opportunity to also work with artists such as Roy Assaf, Rami Be’er, Donald Mckayle, Robert Moses, Gail Gilbert, Kevin Iega Jeff, and Bobby Mc Ferrin. Phylicia has taught at renowned programs such as The Nashville Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet Academy Chicago, The Youth American Grand Prix, Northwestern University, The Hispanic Family Foundation Baila program, Foster Dance Studios, Ensworth High School, Stage Right Performing arts, American Academy of Dance, Studio Arts for Dancers, Ann Carroll School of Dance, Nashville School of the Arts and Metro parks dance division.

    Phylicia is currently residing in Nashville as a freelance artist. Performing and creating solo and collaborative works in process. She is a certified Gyrokinesis®️ trainer and is building a freelance career in the Nashville area. She enjoys connecting to people through movement, and continues to find inspiration through experimental and somatic based movement and improvisation.


James Barrett

James is a Brooklyn-based dancer, choreographer, and teacher. He graduated from Point Park University with a BA in Dance and promptly began his professional career dancing with Visceral Dance Chicago, performing in works by Ohad Naharin, Marguerite Donlon, and Banning Bouldin.

He joined New Dialect as a dancer in 2016, where he continued working with artistic director Banning Bouldin and several other acclaimed choreographers throughout his tenure as a company member. He is currently collaborating with Obie award winning director Faye Driscoll on the international tour of her production Weathering.

His dancing is most influenced by his time with New Dialect, where he performed works by Rosie Herrera, Yin Yue, Roy Assaf, Banning Bouldin, Idan Sharabi, and Joy Davis.

James has choreographed works for Visceral Dance Chicago and New Dialect and has shared his solo work at Centennial Performing Arts Studios (TN), the Barn at Lee (MA), Green Space (NY), and Pageant (NY).

Most recent experiences include projects with Lauren Edson, Dolly Sfeir, Kayla Farrish, Ben Green, and Faye Driscoll. He has worked independently and through companies as a rehearsal assistant and teaching artist, instructing at various programs including Jazzgoba Dance Academy (Costa Rica), Perry- Mansfield, Tulane University,  and The Juilliard School.



Rebecca Steinberg

Rebecca is a choreographer, director, dancer, educator, and arts advocate. She is a Choreographic Associate and Education Liaison with New Dialect, a Nashville-based dance company with whom she performed from 2015 to 2021.

Her work has been presented by Park Avenue Armory Avant-Garde, Metropolitan Opera Club, Soho House New York, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, OZ Arts Nashville, And Artists, Room to Room, Nashville Ballet, and New Dialect.

She is a 2021 Tennessee Individual Artists Fellow and a 2019 Jacob’s Pillow Choreography Fellow. She has recently acted as creative collaborator, thinking partner, and/or performer with Kendra Portier, Falcon Dance, and Tristan Koepke.

As an educator, Rebecca leads workshops, master classes, and programming for young dancers, adults of all abilities, and professionals worldwide. She has held faculty and guest artist positions at numerous universities, companies, and dance programs.

She works as a Curriculum Design Consultant, currently on a National Science Foundation research grant exploring the educational potential of dance for STEM learning. Rebecca graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a B.F.A. in Dance and a B.A. in Psychology. She is currently an M.F.A. candidate at the University of Maryland, College Park.


New Dialect’s Contemporary Intensive is made possible by the generous support of