MIT: Independent Activities Period: IAP

IAP 2017 Activities by Category - Theater and Dance

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Folk dancing in time signatures you've never heard of, with live music!

Prashant Vasudevan

Jan/29 Sun 08:00PM-11:00PM Lobdell, W20 2nd fl

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up

At the 8 pm teaching session, learn to dance in time signatures you've never heard of! Then practice your dancing to live music by the Cambridge Folk Orchestra at 9 pm!

By the end of the first hour, you'll be dancing in rhythms such as 7/8, 5/4, 15/8, and more!  Our repertoire includes circle dances, and a few couple dances, from Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia, Hungary) and around the world (Quebec, Sweden, China, South Africa, Scotland, and the U.S.)

No partner needed and absolutely no experience necessary. Come by yourself or bring friends. Beginners are encouraged to arrive on time for introductory teaching in each session.

These dances continue throughout IAP and as a regular series on Sunday nights, so you can keep coming once you get hooked!

Sponsor(s): Folk Dance Club
Contact: MIT Folk Dance Club, fdc@mit.edu


Folk Dancing, in time signatures you've never heard of!

Prashant Vasudevan, Valarie Rosen

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions

Learn to dance in time signatures you've never heard of! 

By the end of the first hour, you'll be dancing in rhythms such as 7/8, 5/4, 15/8, and more!  Our repertoire includes circle dances, and a few couple dances, from Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia, Hungary) and around the world (Quebec, Sweden, China, South Africa, Scotland, and the U.S.)

No partner needed and absolutely no experience necessary. Come by yourself or bring friends. Beginners are encouraged to arrive on time for introductory teaching in each session.

These dances continue as a regular series on Sunday nights, so you can keep coming once you get hooked!

Sponsor(s): Folk Dance Club
Contact: MIT Folk Dance Club, fdc@mit.edu


Folk dance beginner's class

Jan/15 Sun 08:00PM-09:00PM Sala de Puerto Rico
Jan/22 Sun 08:00PM-09:00PM Lobdell, W20 2nd fl
Feb/05 Sun 08:00PM-09:00PM W20-491 (4th floor)

Beginner teaching from 8 to 9 pm. Open dancing will follow until 11 pm.


Intro to Contra Dancing, with Live Folk Music

Prashant Vasudevan, Ann B. Cowan

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: none

Banjos + group theory + twirling your partner = FUN!

Contra dancing is a high-energy American folk dance, using easy walking steps, set to exciting, LIVE folk music from New England, Ireland, and Quebec. Dance with a partner and other couples, then change partners. A caller teaches the sequence of moves and prompts you during the dance, making it accessible to all. No experience necessary!

Free snacks will be provided. Come alone or bring friends! Website lists Tuesdays later in semester.

Sponsor(s): Folk Dance Club
Contact: MIT Folk Dance Club, fdc@mit.edu


Dancing with live Quebecois folk music!

Jan/10 Tue 08:00PM-10:30PM Lobdell, W20 2nd fl

Tonight's dance features live Quebecois folk music by science journalist and Montreal native Eric Boodman and Friends!


Dancing to live English/Scottish music!

Jan/24 Tue 08:00PM-10:30PM W20-491 (4th floor)

Tonight's dance features live folk music by Alex Cumming (accordion, from Somerset, England) & Friends!


Israeli Folk Dancing

Prashant Vasudevan, Valarie Rosen

Jan/11 Wed 08:00PM-09:00PM Sala de Puerto Rico
Jan/18 Wed 08:00PM-09:00PM Sala de Puerto Rico
Jan/25 Wed 08:00PM-09:00PM Lobdell, W20 2nd fl
Feb/01 Wed 08:00PM-09:00PM W20-491 (4th floor)

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions

Dance to music ranging from last week's Israeli pop hit to folk songs from the days of the pioneers. Come learn the newest, hottest dances in Israeli folk dancing.

Lots of teaching! Lots of fun! Beginners are most welcome! No partner needed and absolutely no experience necessary. Come by yourself or bring friends.

Beginner teaching until 8:30 pm, followed by mixed-level dancing until 11 pm. These dances continue as a regular series on Wednesday nights, so you can keep coming once you get hooked!

Sponsor(s): Folk Dance Club, Hillel
Contact: MIT Folk Dance Club, fdc@mit.edu


Lindy Hop Swing Dancing Lessons

Lindy Hop Society

Jan/11 Wed 07:30PM-09:00PM W20 Lobdell Dining
Jan/18 Wed 07:30PM-09:00PM 50 Walker Memorial
Jan/25 Wed 07:30PM-09:00PM 50 Walker Memorial
Feb/01 Wed 07:30PM-09:00PM W20 Lobdell Dining

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Repeating event, participants welcome at any session

Learn to Lindy Hop!  Lindy Hop is very popular form of swing dance done to jazz music, with emphasis on musicality and improvisation.  This class is open to beginners, no previous dance experience required, and you do not need to come with a partner.  After the lesson will be an open dance for practice.

Contact: Lindy Hop Society, swing@mit.edu


Meditation, Aesthetics, and Expression

The Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi, Media Lab's Director's Fellos, Karole Armitage, Media Lab's Director's Fellow

Jan/24 Tue 03:00PM-05:00PM E14-240

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/23
Limited to 20 participants
Prereq: Sign-up in advance

The Creative process continues to be a mystery to many of us. For some, it has to do with self-expression and communicating with the world around us. For others, it is an intimate and meditative path that guides them through life. Join Media Lab's Director's Fellows Karole Armitage and Tenzin Priyadarshi in an open conversation as they share their thoughts on creativity, meditation, self-awareness, the role ego can play in the creative process, and the transcending values of art.

This is an interactive conversation (not a lecture). Participation from the attendees is encouraged.

Max. number of participants: 20

SIGN-UP here

Contact: Claudia Robaina, E14-245, 917-573-8682, robaina@media.mit.edu


MIT Ballroom Dance Club IAP Camps

Yivan Jiang

Enrollment: No limit
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: None

MIT Ballroom Dance Club is providing two dance camps this IAP.  Each camp day consists of four 45-minute sessions, each one building on the previous one, with breaks in between.  Expect to begin by learning some basics in the earlier sessions, progressing to a dance routine incorporating some intermediate figures by the end of the day.  New and experienced dancers alike are welcome to attend for all or just part of the day!

Saturday, January 7, 2017, at Lobby 13, International Cha Cha, taught by Alan Stamper and Taylor Chau

 Sunday, January 29, 2017, at Lobdell, International Tango, taught by Anatoli and Irina Gorolevici

Each camp day is from 10:15AM to 2:50PM

10:15AM - 10:30AM Registration

10:30AM - 11:15AM Session 1

11:15AM - 11:25AM Break

11:25AM - 12:10PM Session 2

12:10PM - 1:10PM Lunch Break

1:10PM - 1:55PM Session 3

1:55PM - 2:05PM Break

2:05PM - 2:50PM Session 4

We will collect the payment at the door:

MIT Students: Free

Other Students: $15 /$8 (Full Day/Half Day)

MIT Affiliate: $20 /$10 (Full Day/Half Day)

General Public: $25 /$13 (Full Day/Half Day)

Contact: MIT Ballroom Dance Club Officers, bdc-officers@mit.edu


Open sing & orchestra playthru: Ruddigore, or The Witch's Curse, a Victorian comic opera

Phil Arevalo

Jan/21 Sat 02:00PM-05:00PM W20 3fl Mezz Lounge

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up

This is a great opportunity to get to know Gilbert and Sullivan in a fun, low-stress environment. For seasoned fans, it's a chance to sing that role you've always wanted to in front of an enthusiastic and supportive crowd. This singthrough will include all the dialogue and a full orchestra. There is no rehearsal; it will be a sightreading "concert."

We are seeking choristers, soloists, and members of the orchestra.

About the show:

Robin Oakapple discovers he is the heir to a cursed baronetcy, doomed to commit a crime every day on pain of a horrible, agonizing death. Can he break the curse and win back the girl of his dreams? Or is he doomed to be trapped in a waking nightmare?

To apply for a role, please email gsp-ec [at] mit.edu with the subject line 'Ruddigore Singthrough' with the role(s) you are interested and a little bit about yourself (voice part, singing experience, etc.) We try to give a role to everyone who requests one, giving priority to MIT/Wellesley students.

Or just show up and sing in the chorus of bridesmaids, city gentlemen, and ghosts!

If you would like to play in the orchestra, please email your name and instrument to crossana [at] mit.edu and opusonethirtytwo [at] gmail.com by Thursday 1/19 if possible. All orchestra instruments are welcome.

Pizza will be provided.

Sponsor(s): Gilbert and Sullivan Players
Contact: Gilbert and Sullivan Players, gsp-ec@mit.edu


Shakespeare Ensemble 24-Hour Show

Megan Goodell, Tal Scully

Jan/14 Sat 08:00PM-09:00PM 6-120

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up

What’s a 24 hour show?

Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT a show performed for 24 hours. It’s a show that’s written, cast, blocked, and rehearsed – all within 24 hours!

 

Wait, what?

Yes, sir - we'll start writing the script at 8 PM the night before. Actors start rehearsing at 8 AM the day of. Everything is wrapped up in time for our performance at 8 PM – just 24 hours after we started!

 

So, what is the show?

We haven't chosen a title yet! Come see it and find out!

 

Sponsor(s): Shakespeare Ensemble
Contact: Megan Goodell, GOODELLM@MIT.EDU


Shakespeare Ensemble IAP Show

Tal Scully, Megan Goodell

Jan/26 Thu 08:00PM-09:00PM Wong Auditorium
Jan/27 Fri 08:00PM-09:00PM Wong Auditorium
Jan/28 Sat 08:00PM-09:00PM Wong Auditorium

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Repeating event, participants welcome at any session

The MIT Shakespeare Ensemble's IAP show. This description will be updated when we have chosen what show we're doing!

Sponsor(s): Shakespeare Ensemble
Contact: Megan Goodell, GOODELLM@MIT.EDU