VALERIE WILLIAMS
 CHOREOGRAPHER    DANCER    MOVEMENT SPECIALIST

                                                                         Email for more info



                          Kids' Co'Motion

The Children’s Dance Theater is an annual program designed to train children ages 8-18 in modern dance technique, composition theory and practice and production. Each day students spend an hour on technique, an hour on composition and improvisation and two hours rehearsing for a final, fully produced dance performance.

This finished production can be set on your students by Valerie Williams and members of Co'Motion Dance Theater in one week. From two to four hours of rehearsal are needed each day for a quality production. Rehearsal can take place during school hours or after school.

Ideally, this residency is for a small group of students (20-30) who are highly motivated. It can be done with up to 50 students who can rehearse at different times for shorter periods.

Costumes and set are provided for the production; rental is included in the residency fee.


Productions:

*SUPERHEROES (1998)
Our interpretation of Homer's great epic: The Odyssey. Director Valerie Williams, assistant director Lana Lyddon Hatten and company member Amy Snoddy assisted with the dances for scenes including the sailing boat, the giant Cyclops, Circe and her wine, the Sirens, Odysseus and the shades, Euryclea recognizing the disguised Odysseus by the scar on his leg, Penelope and Odysseus reunited, and Anthena preventing war with the suitors families. These scenes among others formed our version of Odysseus' travels.

*ONCE UPON A... (1997)
Fables with a twist. Thurber, Aesop, our own. Music by Nuclear Whales, Us3. Design by Lonna Nachtigal.

*IMPACT! IOWA HEROES (1996) 70mins
Dances inspired by Iowans of note: James Van Allen, Kate Shelley, Victor Atanasoff. Music by Beethoven, Adrienne Torf, Dvorak, Bach, Vivaldi. Set and costumes designed by Valerie Williams.

*IOWA TALES (1995)
In preparation for Iowa’s Sesquicentennial celebration, dances with made with an Iowa connection: all composers and visual artists are from Iowa or Iowa based. Music by Dan Hunter, Jerry Owen, Robert C. Fuller, Greg Brown, Meredith Willson, Glenn Miller, Peter Schickele, Traditional. Sections were entitled: Land and Pioneers, Picture Postcard Musicale, Basketball, Whooping It Up. Set by Ted Lyddon Hatten.

*THE RING (1994)
An epic dance based on the epic The Ring of the Niebelungen. Music by Richard Wagner. Set designed by Paula McArthur.

*GAMES (1993)
Four types of games inspired dances: Games of Skill, Games of Chance, Games of Childhood, Games of Ego. Music by Bizet, Faure, Debussy, Satie. Set design by Lonna Nachtigal.

*BEE’S KNEES (1992)
Nonverbal communication was the theme for dances choreographed by students and director. Music by Hamish Moore and Dick Lee. Set by Steve Brownless.

*WATERWORKS (1991)
Water above ground, at sea level, and below the waves inspired dances with images from nature, Botticelli, and water sports. Music by John Adams, Handel. Set by Steve Brownless.

*PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION (1990)
Dances based on the music of Rimsky-Korsakov and the paintings that inspired him. Design by Steve Brownless.

*SORCERER’S APPRENTICE (1989)
Magical dances opened the program which included Fireworks and spooky dances. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice concluded the program. Music by Stravinsky, Saint-Saens, Bach, Dukas. Set by Steve Brownless.