Phone: 814-404-1652
Email: vandanceinc@gmail.com
Ann makes and performs dance pieces, both solo and ensemble, inspired by literary works, historical events, people, tales, the environment, or current issues, to cast a new dimension to who we are as human beings.
Exploring movement is how their process in the studio begins. Ann collaborates with the dancers to create moments of imagery, and then weave them together, fashioning the experience-in-motion into a unique story of living. She believes that dance communicates with our senses—yes, it can put us into a mood—happy, peaceful, agitated, sorrowful, etc.—but it can do much more, by delving deep into our awareness. Ann is drawn to the dark and mysterious side of human nature, to the romantic poets, to fairytales, and is constantly seeking parallels between the world of times long past and the world of today. Such parallels are the inspiration for many of their pieces. Sometimes, within the trials of their own life, Ann sees their way through the disarray in the story of another, in the dilemma of a romantic character, or the new-found power or inspiration of a heroine. These are the situations of life that Ann symbolizes in her pieces, so that others find meaning and movement in their own lives.
Ann is a modern dancer and choreographer. As a dancer in two modern dance repertory companies, Ann has had the opportunity to perform in significant and original pieces by more than twenty-five choreographers. These have afforded Ann the opportunity to study the creative process and choreographic technique of some of the most innovative and highly respected choreographers working today, and to absorb this information into their own process (as a choreographer). Ann's work is influenced by the Humphrey-Limon tradition and contemporary choreographers, Colin Connor, who was recently the artistic director of the Limón Dance Company, Bebe Miller, Doug Varone, and David Dorfman. She continues to train and take classes to stay current from the Limón Company School, Luigi Jazz Centre, and Zena Rommett Floor-Barre©, where they have a teaching certificate.
Ann founded VanDance Inc, a contemporary modern dance repertory company, in 2001. In 2020, she received a Teaching Artist Certification from The University of the Arts.
Educational Philosophy
The exposure to dance as an art form provides young people through senior citizens with a greater understanding of their individuality and an ability to express themselves with creativity and skill. A thorough exploration of the elements of dance serves to widen a person’s options for creativity, whether applied to other creative endeavors such as music, theater, and writing, or to athletic or intellectual activities. Ann’s goal in sharing the art of dance is to provide students with varying degrees of exposure to dance, an understanding of the wide range of movement, and creative options available for expression. Ms. Van Kuren endeavors to provide the experience of self-realization, self-expression and satisfaction that results from the exploration of movement. More specifically, her goals in a movement exploration with students and teachers encompass: (1) goals for the mind, such as counting, direction, design, concentrating, remembering, verbalizing, imagining, problem solving, and understanding the laws of motion; (2) goals for the spirit, such as involvement, enjoyment, feeling, expressiveness, and socialization; and (3) goals for the body, such as improving flexibility, strength, energy, posture, rhythm, articulation, opposition, and locomotor activity.
Ann's Art Forms
Dance/Choreography
