June 12/14/16: Ted Littlemore
Photo by Andi McLeish
Class Description:
This class will focus on finding a harmonized practice of technical dance and outrageous persona. We will draw upon elements of foundational contemporary technique, ballet, and straight-up exercise, including a sweat-worthy warmup, some improvisation, animal flow, and short combos. In some of this exploration, we will begin to challenge the dance by infusing it with character, giving the body one unified task by creating a character motivation. Inspired by the character work utilized in drag and live theatre, we will work on scaling our theatricality to the point of exaggeration and cartoonishness. And then we will finish class with some choreography to tie this all together! Expect to do some very stupid things, with the utmost seriousness, and vice versa.
Ted Littlemore is a freelance dancer, choreographer, musician, and drag artist. Ted grew up dancing on Vancouver Island, and received his professional dance training in Vancouver, New York City, Shanghai, London, and Berlin. He graduated from Modus Operandi in June 2018, and has continued his training in various intensives and workshops, including Arts Umbrella, Gaga Intensives, and Springboard Danse Montréal.
Since graduating, Ted has worked with Action at a Distance, Compagnie Vision Impure, The Edmonton Opera, FakeKnot, Joshua Beamish/MOVE THE COMPANY, Kate Franklin, Kinesis Dance Somatheatro, Ne.Sans Dance Company, NVX and Guests, Tara Cheyenne Performance, and the Vancouver Opera. Recently, he has been working en pointe with Finnish choreographer Tomi Paasonen in Berlin, Germany. Ted is also a co-founder, choreographer, and dancer in the company, CAMP.
In addition to his work with other companies, Ted teaches and choreographs for studios and professional training institutions across the Lower Mainland, often fusing contemporary dance with his accompanying career in drag. Ted started drag in 2013 to explore the intersection of his musical, theatrical, and dance backgrounds. Performing as Mila Dramatic, he (/she!) took the title of Vancouver’s Next Drag Superstar in 2016. Follow Ted/Mila at @MilaDramatic, or at tedlittlemore.com.