Dance, intentional movement through space, shares with giving-care-to-an-elder, the need to deal with the ubiquitous presence of gravity and the passage of rhythmic time. Choreographed performance dance expresses feeling and tells a story to viewers. Perhaps dance is a mode to express the caregiving experience when written and spoken words fail. Join us in our exploration of reflecting experience and sharing the caregiving journey through dance.
Choreographer Teresa "Te" Perez-Ceccon is a professional dance artist, educator and choreographer who specializes in Simonson Technique having earned her certification at the original Dance Space in 1997. She teaches Simonson Jazz and Contemporary classes at Gibney Dance and Peridance. Teresa works closely with Lynn Simonson conducting the Simonson Method of Teacher Training in New York City, Rockport Massachusetts and in Barcelona. She travels nationally and internationally to teach Simonson pedagogy and technique workshops in English, Spanish and some French.
A native New Yorker, Teresa earned a BA in Theater/Dance from Queens College and is an MFA candidate Montclair State University. She also taught Jazz Dance as an adjunct professor at Hofstra University and was a movement teacher at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Teresa has been invited as a guest artist to many dance institutions, including Montclair State University, Barnard College, University of Tennessee, Sarah Lawrence College, Centenary University, Middlesex County College and Manhattanville College.
Teresa identifies with a caregiving familial heritage starting with her grandmother seamlessly continuing to parents.
Choreographer-Dancer V.S. Kemanis is a novelist and attorney for whom dance has been essential from the age of seven. Classically trained, she performed in ballet companies in her native California, then expanded her training to modern jazz, Simonson technique, and contemporary styles in New York, where she has performed and taught in many venues. With The Caregivers’ Project, Ms. Kemanis is expressing through dance-story an experience as a sandwich-generation caregiver, responsible for the care of her young children and an ailing parent.
Rochelle Rice
Dancer Rochelle Rice earned her BFA in Dance from UMASS, Amherst and performed with the San Francisco Jazz Dance Company, and Jazzdance: The Danny Buraczeski Dance Company. She became a certified Simonson Technique teacher in 1986. In 1990, she founded In Fitness & In Health. Her passion is Body Based Leadership – the role of the body in effective leadership. Rochelle holds an Accredited Speaker designation from Toastmasters International and Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association.
Rochelle is grateful to have learn so much about life, love and the art of transition from both Bob and Ellen, neighbors for whom she was the hospice caregiver.
Jomarie Zeleznik
Dancer Dr Zeleznik is a home visit geriatrician in New York City and co-founder of The CareGivers' Project. Dr Zeleznik has been studying contemporary ballet and old fashion modern dance techniques for over 40 years. She fulfilled her medical school humanities requirement by choreographing and performing a solo about the experience of medical school. She is often heard to proclaim, "I know more caregivers than anyone on the planet." Personal credentials for caregiving include Leonard who lived and died in a nursing home and Mary who lived and died in her daughter's home.
Kerry Milliron
Dancer-Adviser Kerry Milliron heads the Brand and Title Management team at Random House Children’s books. On his better days, he is also a dancer and actor, currently appearing in The Independents at the Virginia Film Festival this weekend.
Kerry is pleased to help the caregivers he knows financially plan for their own futures as informed by doing the same for his parents.
Kerry is currently on the Advisory Panel for In Time & Space, but may come back to creation and rehearsal soon.
Photographer-Videographer Mickey's first job was as a home health aide in his family's homecare agency in Salt Lake City. He went on to do marketing, consulting for a variety of homecare providers in New York City. Mickey has a BA in photography from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
He currently lives in Salt Lake City after his sister made "the call" that she needs his help caring for their father.
Portrait photos by Mickey Hoelscher NY Creative
Premiere Performance Audience Talk Back
The conversation at our Reception on October 25, 2018
Caregivers get something, which is transformation.
Caregiving may not have a start date.
Caregivers sometimes need to do their giving of care surreptitiously.
When dancing caregiving, the audience needs time to realize the story.
