Akram Khan Workshop

Beginning with a warm-up developed through Akram’s movement vocabulary, participants will be able to explore exercises and tasks focusing on rhythm, speed, cycles and silence. The workshop will develop into learning choreographic phrases from AKC Repertoire. Taught by company member, Lani Yaminaka

Artist BIo

Inspired by Akram Khan’s early training in the Indian classical dance form Kathak, and the hybrid language that organically emerged when Akram’s kathak training encountered contemporary dance in his teens, a vision began to form, fuelled by a desire to learn and create through collaboration with the very best people across all the disciplines in the arts.

The rules were simple: take risks, think big and daring, explore the unfamiliar, avoid compromise and tell stories through dance that are compelling and relevant, with artistic integrity.

Lani Yaminaka grew up in San Diego where she honed her technical skills in Dance while training and competing nationally in Judo, Lani Yamanaka graduated from UC Irvine with BFAs in Dance Performance and Choreography and had the honor of working closely with the late Donald McKayle, whom she continues to draw inspiration from.

She was in the original cast of Pearl, directed and choreographed by Daniel Ezralow, which premiered at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theatre. She was a Company Dancer with Entity Contemporary Dance, co-founded by Will Johnston and Marissa Osato Moreno, for 3 seasons before joining ODC Dance Company in San Francisco. After 2 seasons she felt the urge to discover more versatility and joined the cast of Dragon Spring Phoenix Rise, a multimedia production designed for The Shed NYC, by award winning director Chen Shi-Zheng. She worked as Dance Captain with choreographer Akram Khan, and assistant choreographer, Joy Alpuerto Ritter to manipulate movement while coordinating with Martial Arts choreographer Zhang Jun, and Aerial Director Lisa Giobbi.

Before Covid-19 lockdown she spent 5 weeks in Dhaka, Bangladesh with Akram Khan Company training 25 local dancers and ultimately performing Father: Vision of the Floating World. A piece featured in MOVE, a dance doc-series by Falabracks on Netflix.

Contemporary Jazz

Hanna's Contemp Jazz combines jazz precision with contemporary grooves to create a unique style. Technique forward warm up, combining improvisational tools into combination work makes this high energy class complete. Learn a variety of styles, speeds, and musicality with Hanna, like no other. From the heart, this passion filled power class, will challenge you and inspire you.

Artist BIo

Ms. Brictson grew up training outside of Chicago. Just after graduating high school in 2004, Hanna was offered a company position dancing for River North Dance Chicago. Spending 12 years as a dancer with RNDC, Ms. Brictson was able to choreograph on the company and be rehearsal director.
In 2016 Hanna joined Visceral Dance Chicago, where she danced and rehearsal directed for another two years. Hanna has taught all over the world and choreographed throughout the country. Her work can be seen on Professional dance companies nationwide, along with television, universities, and competitive dance studios. Recognition for her craft has been shared in Dance Magazine on two separate occasions, along with a Princess Grace Dancer Nominee and Choreographic Nominee. She also has spent the last few years creating a dance and fitness program that fuses ballet, yoga, and personal training together, called BalleX.
From Workouts, to choreographing, she continues to grow and share her passions for dance.

Hubbard Street Contemporary Repertory

This class is geared to those who are interested in learning choreography from one of Chicago's pivotal dance companies, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Each week, students will experience a contemporary-based warm up followed by phrase work from Hubbard Street’s current repertory, led by a rotating roster of teachers including: Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell (Artistic Director), Jessica Tong (Associate Director), Jonathan Alsberry (Rehearsal Director), and Kevin Shannon (HSDC Dancer). Students will develop the way they learn & remember material and translate it to a performative mode. They will also gain insight into the broader context for each work and the company's creative process. 

Artist BIo

The mission of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is to bring artists, art, and audiences together to enrich, engage, educate, and change lives through the experience of dance.

For 45 years, Hubbard Street has been one of the most original forces in contemporary dance – bringing top choreographers and works to Chicago and beyond. Hubbard Street’s ever-evolving repertory, created by today’s leading choreographic voices, makes us a company that dancers aspire to join and performance venues all over the world are eager to present. To date, the main company has performed globally in 19 countries and 44 US states.

At home in Chicago, Hubbard Street performs 20 times a year and delivers renowned education programs in 50 classrooms across 17 Chicagoland schools. HSDC Education utilizes the choreographic process to teach essential problem-solving skills, creativity, and collaboration - expanding our reach beyond traditional concert dance audiences, ensuring that everyone has access to world-class dance and instruction.