After a long and successful career, modern dance master soloist and teacher Daniel Nagrin passed away in 2008.  I had the pleasure and honor to work with Daniel for over 25 years as his student, dancer and friend.  Under his mentorship I studied Daniel¹s methods of teaching, choreography, improvisation and performance, and learned 6 of Daniel's solos that I perform in a concert entitled "The Nagrin Project".

During the last five years I have worked with the The Nagrin Theater, Film and Dance Foundation to create a structure to share Daniel's teaching philosophy, choreography and solos in residency projects with university dance programs.  In 2011 I completed my second reconstruction residency at Connecticut College, staging the classic solos from his first 1948 solo concert "Strange Hero" and "Spanish Dance".  I worked closely with David Dorfman (Director, Dance Department at Connecticut College) and Roxane D'Orleans Juste (Associate Artistic Director of the Jose Limon Dance Company) to develop a 5-day residency to teach these solos to student performers. The solos were the  highlight of their spring concert. In 2015 I set Daniel’s solo ”Path” on San Francisco dance artist Christy Funsch. In 2018 I had the pleasure of setting Daniel’s solo “Indeterminate Figure” on solo performer and former Jose Limon Dance Company member Paul Dennis.

Daniel had a strong desire to leave a legacy of his teaching philosophy and performances. The Nagrin Foundation is committed to encourage dissemination of Daniel's teaching philosophy, and to stage Daniel's solos “only within the university dance arena.”  Master classes in technique, improvisation, and choreography, and formal and informal performances of Daniel’s solos can be arranged as part of specific school academic year or as part of  a summer dance festival designed for student dancers.

DANCES AVAILABLE FOR RECONSTRUCTION
STRANGE HERO (1948)

SPANISH DANCE (1948)

MAN OF ACTION (1948)
INDETERMINANT FIGURE (1957)

SOMEONE (1957)

PATH (1965)
WORDGAME, A Cartoon (1968)

RESIDENCY OFFERINGS / MASTER CLASSES

 THE NAGRIN PROJECT CONCERT (Formal Concert)

THE NAGRIN PROJECT PRESENTATION (Informal Studio Concert)

DANIEL NAGRIN: The Great Loner of Modern Dance (Dance History/ Dance Appreciation)

THE SPECIFIC IMAGE IN PRACTICE (Dance Composition master class)

DANCE IMPROVISATION:  The Nagrin Approach (Master Class)