Dance Classes

Susan is available to give online classes and workshops for application of the Mitzvah Technique to dance technique and performance. 

Is all the screen time resulting in a stiff neck and back? Headaches and pain? Tension buildups? Forward head and neck? Contact Susan Green for ways to improve your postural alignment during dance technique classes and rehearsals.

Dance Classes
Susan Green’s dance classes are designed to develop mobility, freedom of movement and fluidity for dance technique and improvisation/composition. The Mitzvah Technique’s total body action approach to postural alignment supports flow of motion, spiralling and refinement of movement qualities for the fine tuning of creative and performance expression during classes, workshops, rehearsals and performances.

The Mitzvah Technique, a dynamic and gentle discipline, uniquely taps into our body’s innate ability to spring upward to reinforce it’s balance with gravity. An upward rippling  wave like motion is triggered that extends from the base of the feet, through the top of the neck (occipital joint) to the skull. This complete follow through of a total body action spawns spirals, flow of motion, postural alignment improvements and deeper breathing. It is a subtle yet powerful motion that can also be used as a movement motif for choreography.

The Mitzvah Technique and Dance Technique Class
Dynamic Postural Alignment Classes for Dancers are taught using the Mitzvah Technique. The Mitzvah Exercises undo tension build ups to support and encourage efficient and symmetrical use of body mechanics and spine lengthening. A selection of chair, stool, barre, floor, wall and postural alignment exercises are applied to dance studio practice. Dancers are taught self care to align the skeletal framework and rebalance their musculature to physically undo tension buildups and stimulate a deeper breathing. Postural alignment and movement patterns are reeducated for more effective dance technique practice. Tools are given to help heal dance injuries and prevent future problems. The Mitzvah Technique’s practical applications are utilized before, during and after dance classes, rehearsals and performances. The Mitzvah Exercises can be practised on their own or directly applied to dance exercises. Dancers are able to rehearse longer and take more classes with less tension, fatigue, muscling and strain.

Susan Green has a B.Sc. in Honours Dance through the Department of Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. She studied and workshopped Lulu Sweigard’s Ideokinesis and Carol Bogg’s Effort/Shape. She danced professionally as a modern dancer and continues to perform, choreograph and teach. Susan was Certified as a Teacher of the Mitzvah Technique by the founder/developer M.Cohen-Nehemia in 1990.

Susan Green Co-supervised with Dr Vicky Galea, a 4th year independent study course. “The power of movement to heal. Explorations of dance and the Mitzvah Technique.” 2017 and 2018 McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Dance Conferences
Susan gave 2 presentations at the International Association of Dance Medicine & Science – IADMS Conference in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, October 2019
The first one was a poster presentation:  “Integrating the Mitzvah Technique into dance technique class to help reduce fatigue and dance injuries”

Key points: When we are tired, we tend to drop down and “slouch” resulting in poor alignment of the spine. Integrating fatigue and slouching posture prevention before, during and after dance technique and during daily activities has many benefits. Prevention includes; pausing, pacing and productive rest and relaxed slouch-free approaches.
The second was an interactive movement session with Sarah Kenny assisting: “Port de bras solutions for fixated upper back and shoulders through the Mitzvah Technique”

Key points: Our body’s innate, upward rippling wave-like motion expands the upper chest, widens the upper back, frees the neck and head and lengthens the spine. The shoulders are given the support to drop down and mobilize freeing arm, shoulder, upper body, neck and head movements.

Healthy Dancer Canada Conference. Online workshop – The Mitzvah Technique: Chair and Floor Exercise Introduction, 2022.

Key points: Introduced and instructed the Mitzvah Exercises and application to dance technique class, rehearsals and performances.   

 

The Mitzvah Technique Dance Improvisation/Composition Class
A selection of Mitzvah Technique exercises are taught through solo, partner and group work. Students explore the Mitzvah Mechanism as a stimulus for improvisation and composition. These exercises explore activating the Mitzvah Mechanism at various spatial levels to mobilize their spines through the rippling and spiralling motion. This flow of motion also helps to work through creative blocks to stimulate creativity. The students explore this new found freedom of movement, expanded range of movement quality , expressive movement.and self expression through dance improvisation and composition. Dancers find gently powerful connections using the forces of gravity and momentum.

“I utilize the Mitzvah (Mechanism) Technique during choreography, performance, classes and teaching. It has helped my posture and greatly improved my dance technique and movement quality. I use it before dance activities, to increase range of motion and warm up, during, to maintain freedom and quality of movement and after dance activities, to undo tension build up and prevent problems. I use the Mitzvah Mechanism as a choreographic stimulus to develop movement themes.” – Susan Green