Jaan R Freeman's choreography has been presented in India, Sri Lanka, Poland and the United
States. He has also been a student of Bharatanatyam since 1995, studying both in New York and
Chennai under Kamala Cesar and Nandini Ramani in the style of T Balasaraswati.
In association with THEJAS, Arangham Trust organised a one week Movement Workshop in Modern
Dance with Jaan Freeman from August 20 - 28, 2001 at Russian Cultural Centre, Chennai. The
primary focus was on teaching different exercises to strengthen the body and how to avoid injury
during dance. Most dancers complain of lower back pain and Freeman trained ADT dancers as well
as showed them how to balance pressure while dancing.
Modern Dance thro' Technique & Choreography
Jaan R Freeman, a member of the Battery Dance Company since 1995, toured India, Sri Lanka,
Poland and the United States with Battery Dance. He has also performed with the Murray Louis
Dance Group, Martha Graham Ensemble and from 1992 - 1997 with the Carolyn Dorfman Dance
Company. In the United States, he has performed at Lincoln Centre, Kennedy Centre, Brooklyn
Academy of Music and Carnegie Hall. He has been studying Bharatanatyam in New York for 3
years under Kamala Cesar and is the Artistic Director of his own Freeman Dance Company.
In a three week extensive movement laboratory, in Chennai (Madras), for dancers from the ages
of 8 to 40 in three different sections, Freeman converted modern dance vocabulary into technique
and choreography.
Classical dancers had the opportunity to have a 'hands on' experience on the choreographic
process of the Graham and Norton techniques of American modern dance.
The workshop culminated with a 12-minute dance called Episodes created by Freeman on ADT
members.
Click here for details on other Workshops with visiting artistes
