Rachel Thorne Germond has been teaching, creating dances and performing for the past 19 years. A graduate of Cornell University, she achieved her MFA in Dance and Choreography at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2000) where she was awarded a Fellowship and was a Teaching Associate. She taught all levels of modern dance and jazz to non - dance majors and Contact Improvisation to dance majors as well as Dance Improvisation and a Dance History Survey Course. Rachel has taught in Chicago at Silverspace Studios, the Division Street Dance Loft, Hedwig Dances at the Chicago Cultural Center, the University of Chicago, the Chicago Semester, and has taught workshops at Links Hall and in festivals such as IDKE and the Estrogen Festival. Since 2003 she has taught dance as arts integration in the Chicago Public Schools as an artist-in- residence through CAPE. In 2004 she formed her Chicago-based pick up company, RTG Dance. In 2008, Rachel completed a two year teacher training mentorship with Barbara Mahler to teach Klein/Mahler technique. Currently she teaches ongoing classes and private sessions in Stretch/Alignment (Klein Mahler technique) and workshops in contemporary dance technique. The form and structure of her technique class is rooted in the principles of Release technique and her studies of Contact Improvisation. Her movement is rooted in her studies of somatic work with such notable teachers as Nancy Topf, Susan Klein and Barbara Mahler and also Alexander Technique. The underpinnings of the work lie in the understanding of anatomical function as it relates to dynamic and free flowing movement, while stylistically she runs the gamut of styles and forms of dance ranging from classical to the highly idiosyncratic.
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Teaching Philosophy
As a teacher of dance, I think it is important to foster an environment that facilitates individual growth and communal spirit. Our common goal in the classroom is to delve into the possibilities of the combined movement of the body with the engagement of the imagination in order to fully embody dance's potential for personal expression. I aspire to apply creative solutions to a technical training that incorporates principles of somatic work with a knowledge of the canon of modern dance's vocabulary and principles of moving. I seek to bring those basic principles of moving to my students, employing them in complex and multi-dimensional movement combinations, while drawing attention to their functional aspect. Through demonstration, experiential partnering work, and the tangible use of the skeleton for anatomical visualization and specificity, I aim to inform dancers of the possibilities available to them for moving in a free manner that is rooted in the concrete connections of the pelvis, tailbone, and legs. I apply the principles of Bartinieff fundamentals such as body halves, core-distal initiation, and "carving" figure eights so that the simple and organic stimulus and logic of movement can be developed. I believe that a dance class is not just a place to dance but to grow, to improve yourself through the process of dancing. The body and its reflex mechanisms can learn so much faster and wholistically when the mind is engaged and specific in its goals. The intelligence and instinct of the body is what I would like to teach my students to find for themselves; to engage their minds and bodies in such as way as to inspire them to push beyond what they know and leap into the unknown. We are investigating the possibilities together, I learn as much if not more than they learn for me. The process of this interaction fascinates me and I find it to be a continual source of inspiration and discovery.
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TEACHING RESUME (for full CV click here)


Rachel Thorne Germond
Artistic Dir. RTG Dance
Chicago, IL/Brooklyn, NY

EDUCATION
1998-2000 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, Urbana, IL
College of Fine and Applied Arts M.F.A.-Dance/Choreography
1981-86 CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Ithaca, NY
College of Arts and Sciences-BA (Comparative Literature)
College of Architecture, Art and Planning-BFA (Studio Art) Dual Degree awarded (honors)
1984 UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (at Ann Arbor, MI) Semester Abroad in Florence, Italy - Italian Studies
1983 BOSTON MUSEUM SCHOOL-Boston, MA- Painting

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING: DANCE
(NYC)
1994-present Klein Technique-Susan Klein and Barbara Mahler
1987-2001 Ballet-Broadway Dance Center w. Finis Jhung, Liane Plane,
1995-2000 Jazz- Broadway Dance Center w. Cecilia Marta, Danspace -Lynn Simonson
1990-92 Nancy Topf- Dynamic Anatomy
1989-91 Merce Cunningham Studio
1993-95 Contact Improvisation- Andrew Marcus Other teachers/Influences Elizabeth Streb, Sara Rudner, Janie Brendel
1987-89 Mary Anthony Dance Studio, Scholarship student
1987-98 Composition - Tere O'Connor, Anna Sokolow, June Finch, Pedro Alejandro
1984-86 Cornell University Department of Dance- Nancy Gaspar/Joyce Morgenroth
(Chicago)
2003- Present Ballet-Natalie Rast, Asimina Chremos

GRANTS/ AWARDS
2007 Dance USA - Chicago Conference grant
2006 CAAP grant, City of Chicago, IL - for Tragic Dance
2005 CAAP grant, City of Chicago, IL - for Wonder
2003 CAAP grant, City of Chicago, IL-for 5 Marilyns
1994-2001 Harkness Choreographic Space Grant at SUNY Purchase, NY
1999-2000 Dance &Technology Assistantship, UIUC Computing for the Arts, Urbana, IL
1999-2000 GraduateThesis Grant , UIUC College of Fine & Applied Arts, Urbana, IL
1995 Manhattan Community Arts Fund (Lower Manhattan Cultural Council), NYC
1994 Gowanus Arts Exchange Space Grant, Brooklyn, NY

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS/MEMBERSHIPS
2004-2006 Chicago Music and Dance Alliance, Chicago, IL
1994-present Dance Theater Workshop, New York, NY.
1989-2007 The Field
2005-present Fractured Atlas

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2009
Klein/Mahler technique- Mondays 10-12 & Private Sessions- Albany Park Studio- Chicago, IL
CAPE- SCALE program at Kinzie Elementary School Chicago, IL - www.capeweb.org

2008
CAPE- SCALE program at Kinzie Elementary School Chicago, IL
CAPE- Disney II Magnate School- Chicago, IL
Klein/Mahler & Contemporary Technique classes 4x weekly at the
Division Street Dance Loft- 735 W Division Street - Chicago, IL


2007
Silverspace-Chicago, IL - Klein/Mahler & Contemporary tech. class
Links Hall-Chicago, IL workshop in Klein/Mahler tech.
Hedwig dances - the Chicago Cultural Center-Chicago, IL - RTG dance tech/Klein/Mahler workshop
IDKE -International Drag King Extravaganza- Chicago, IL - Moving like Elvis workshop
Estrogen Festival- Prop Theatre, Chicago, IL- Moving Like Elvis workshop
Barbara Mahler- taught classes for Barbara Mahler at her Williamsburg studio in Brooklyn, NY & completed teacher certification program in Klein/Mahler tech. Aug. 2007.

2006
RTG Dance Workshop- Sept. 16 & 23 at Links Hall, Chicago,IL. Moving from Dynamic Alignment.
CAPE (Chicago Artists Partnerships in Education) Artist in residence at Roberto Clemente H.S.-www.capeweb.org
The Chicago Semeseter- Chicago, IL -Introductory dance workshops for new students. www.chicagosemester.com
Chicago Klein Mahler Study Group moderator/teacher* - Silverspace- Chicago, IL
Links Hall- workshop in Klein/Mahler tech. in conjunction with joint concert with Barbara Mahler
RTG Dance Technique- workshops & classes at Happydog- 5142 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL

2005
CAPE - Chicago, IL - Artist in Residence at Roberto Clemente High School.
The Chicago Semester-Chicago IL- Movement workshops for new students.
Chicago Klein Mahler Study Group
RTG Dance Technique- workshops & classes at the Division Street Dance Loft - 735 W. Division St., Chicago, IL.

2004
CAPE- Chicago, IL - Artist in Residence at Roberto Clemente High School.
The Chicago Semester- Chicago, IL -Movement workshops for new students. Chicago Il
Chicago Klein/Mahler Study Group - Chicago, IL
RTG Dance Technique- workshops & classes at Workspace -at Division Street Dance Loft- 735 W. Division St., Chicago, IL.
IDKE (International Drag King Exhibition)- Moving Like Elvis workshop Columbia College, Chicago, IL

2003
Chicago Klein/Mahler Stugy Group - teacher/facilitator
University of Chicago-Chicago, IL. Dance Series Presentation. Combined Lecture/Movt. Lab classes. Icons and Fantasy: finding an authentic movement experience, and Gender and Sexuality in Modern Dance.

2002
Chicago Klein/Mahler Study Group - teacher/facilitator
10 Marilyns Workshop (with performance) at Links Hall. The workshop was offered as part of being produced by Links Hall- set a piece on 10 performers about Marilyn Monroe.

2001-2002
Carol Nolte/Dance Collective-New York, NY Teaching initiative- program funded by LMCC to teach dance in New York City public high schools and juvenile detention centers incorporating AIDS related topics. Chelsea Vocational High School, New York, NY.

1999-2000
Graduate Teaching Assistantship (@ UIUC)
Modern Dance -Intermediate/Advanced level
Jazz Dance Improvisation
Contact Improvisation
Dance History (Asst. Teacher) Lec/Dem & Movement Labs

MASTERS DEGREE COURSE WORK (MFA - Dance 1998-2000 - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
Dance Technique
Modern and Ballet: Renee Wadleigh, Walter Kennedy, Rebecca Nettl-Fiol, Luc Vanier, Linda Lehovec. Guest artists: Doug Elkins, Lynn Simonson, Gabe Masson, Kathleen Hermesdorf, Joe Goode, Margie Jenkins.

History
History and Theory History of Dance I & II
Socio-Political Issues in Dance
Contemporary Directions in Dance

Administration
Problems in Teaching and Administration
Professional Seminar

Anatomy
Anatomy/ Kinesiology/Somatics
Anatomy and Kinesiology for Dancers
Somatics and Teaching Dance
Alexander Technique I & II

Dance Production
Production Practicum- Lighting Design, Costume and Makeup, Sewing, Set Design, Production and Budget
Video and Technology
Choreography for Camera

Acting/Voice
Fundamentals of Acting and Voice
Musical Theater Dance
Composition for the Musical Theater

Dance Composition
Advanced Composition/Independent Studies

PREVIOUS TEACHING (NYC)
1997
Henry Street Settlement House- New York, NY (NY International Fringe Festival) Workshop: Technique and Repertory

1995, 1997
Cochise Dance Umbrella - Bisbee, AZ. Workshops in Technique and Improvisation taught to the dance community of Bisbee.

1995-1996
Performance Mix - New York, NY Artists in NYC Public Schools Program- Modern Dance- children age5-10

1988-1989
Mary Anthony Dance Studio- New York, NY -technique class

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