Classes

THE FIELD is courses founded by movement artist, Annie Parr, who is an eclectic guide and expert in dance arts. Annie developed these practices over a lifetime to bridge post modern dance with yoga asanas, authentic movement, body/mind centering techniques and the art of choreography. Annie splits her time between Baja and New York where teaches master classes in person and online.

MDRNYGA

MDRNYGA developed by Annie Parr is a dynamic mat-less class bridging vinyasa flow yoga, mind-body fitness modalities and floor based modern dance principles. Paced to a playlist ranging from Classical to Alternative, the sequences are artful movement patterns to stretch, tone and ground the body. All of the sequences are choreographed and clearly guided similar to a yoga class but with the personality of a dance class. Dancer or not, yogi or not, this is not a traditional dance or yoga class. It is for the athletic and artful minded individual that is looking to creatively expand their practice. This class will open up ones approach to transitions, musicality and flow. Ultimately, MDRNYGA enables a strong, and efficient body, stimulating grace and fun through motion to connect to your authentic self.
We begin class standing or on the floor with breath and movement meditation. We transition onto deeper muscle release work using the principles of the Bartinieff Method which involves X’s and spirals to unwind the spine and then warm up the core and arms. With breath, placement and grace, we progress into a musically charged standing vinyasa series introducing both traditional and untraditional vinyasa series transitioning in and out of the ground. By layering asanas, paced and vigorous sequences and moving intensionally with music, the feeling of a dance emerges. Class resolves in deeper floor stretching and savasana. This class does not use props and there will be no hands on adjustments. Therefore it requires an intermediate to advanced foundation in yoga and/or dance class experience. A strong chaturanga will help..

SHIFT

SHIFT designed by Annie Parr,  is a musically inspired, non-choreography movement lab. Annie offers prompts and suggestions to explore sensation, receptivity, transitions and texture. The class is to unlock stale movement habits to arrive into fresh pathways. This movement class is driven by music, energy and tone. No class is the same because Annie guides intuitively. There is no learned choreography. Each song inspires a different place in the body. These places include the many dualities of physicality: quiet movement meditations, small articulate dances, big expressive range, locomotion/stillness, effort and release, grace and abandon, angles and curves. Find your motion potential. Flow, de-tox, and play.

CONTACT/PARTNERING

Annie’s background in postmodern dance informs the format of her contact/partnering exercises and teachings. Students learn the principles of giving/receiving weight, leading/following, listening with your body and spacial awareness. Learning to connect with other bodies in motion deepens ones ability to connect more deeply to their own body. The class setting is playful and with reverence to safety.

CONTEMPORARY TECHNIQUE/PERFORMANCE

Annie’s teaches all levels of contemporary technique from the beginner to the professional. Although class is rooted in “release technique” her aesthetic is unique to her many years of studying numerous styles of American dance. Her classes encourage and teach multi-dimensional movement that emphasizes efficiency of movement, the use of explosive power, sensitivity, texture, phrasing and clarity. The material presented is a progression of physical challenges that inform and builds onto it. The phrases are musically inspired and paced to safely warm up the body and maximize strength and placement. Her approach to teaching is accessible to a broad audience and she holds 30 decades choreography that has been brought to the stage for youth and adults - beginners to professionals.