The Ritual
A training course created by Toniah Pedersen specifically for young dancers
The Ritual is training & community. Each season we have a specific focus and direction which together create the framework for the selected dancers to their specific needs.
Toniah has a special focus on foreign and local teachers who has the skillsets to inform and educate with knowledge that can otherwise often be lost due to age and/or origin. With a focus on the origins of the cultures and foundations, the students get a course built over three periods.
Toniah’s Vision
Toniah’s wish for this program is first and foremost a safe community in and around training. With a respect and curiosity for each other and our differences. We want to create a brave community where there is room to learn more than just steps, but also Foundations within history, cultures and the people the cultures originate from. It also means that we have a zero-tolerance policy for racism, homophobia, transphobia and general discrimination. We wish to provide and create an open forum where there is room to learn without guilt or shame. The Ritual is a mixed group within ages and identities and we want to protect that. Community comes first.
Teacher as: Chry Baby Cozy (Lite Feet) USA, Bruce Ykanji (Popping) France, Khalifa (Passinho Foda) Brazil, Inxi (Popping) Sweden, Marie Kaae (House) Denmark, Damon Frost (Popping) Sweden, Marie Gumdrop (House ) Denmark, Boris (House, Hip Hop, Floor), Ibrahim (Popping) Anastasija (Hip Hop/Choreography) Nellie Bethel (Choreography) etc. are all teachers who have been part of the Ritual.
The program is dedicated to young dancers who are interested in developing their technical skills, their musical understanding, their step language and their choreographic skills. Everything with respect and understanding for the cultures that genres derive from. Foundations are taught as more than just steps, historical and cultural aspects are included.
The Ritual is structured over 3 periods:
Each periode has a focus and a theme. The team meets one weekend per month. Here they receive intensive training to improve technical as well as creative skills within Street and Club Styles in a safe learning environment. Toniah gives space to strengthen the social network, since that is just as important.
First term, we focus on technique and foundations. Toniah has selected the best in the industry and invites people from home and abroad to teach, Hip Hop, House and Popping which remain the main lines. Included are visits from specially invited teachers with other unique input from other dance genres and cultures. The purpose is to improve skills, to be challenged, to be allowed to immerse oneself, repeat, discover and develop further within the various genres.
The second period is built around freestyle and own creations, developing a dance language and expression, learning to use one’s freestyle in different settings and becoming comfortable expressing oneself freely within different music genres. In addition to Freestyle, own creations and building sequences are part of this period, creating from one’s own Freestyle is an important element and characteristic of having as a dancer. Each dancer will be met at their level.
Third period, here we will work on choreography and expression. Our starting point is that the students are tested through different ways of delivering choreography, different ways of working with choreography and working with expression and technique within the choreographic expression. We pick up on the course and include already learned techniques and skills.
Guided free-training with invited teachers who help you further or in the process of training freestyle. This is a unique offer for you who are at The Ritual, including former participants from previous years of The Ritual are also welcome. A great way to get dancing in a community and safe setting.
Sign up for Ritual 6 here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfUUqUfOEeWJoikLbVfA53QMXDRe2g0kzyGeBK-2Enu9Zjfwg/viewform
Trial class is held May 4th on Hotstepper dance studio, 11.00 -12.30 pm
