Ashleigh Leite returns to SPDW Dance Theatre for August Dance Workshop.
Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre (SPDW) welcomes back G.A.P. 2007 (Guest Artist Project) choreographer Ashleigh Leite, who will be teaching a Master Class in advanced modern dance technique Monday, August 25 from 10-11:30am.


    /Illinois News Articles/ - Chicago, IL, August 02, 2008 - Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre (SPDW) welcomes back G.A.P. 2007 (Guest Artist Project) choreographer Ashleigh Leite, who will be teaching a Master Class in advanced modern dance technique Monday, August 25 from 10-11:30am. The class, co-presented by SPDW Dance Theatre and the Chicago Moving Company, is $15 and will be held at the Hamlin Park Field house, 3035 N. Hoyne, 2nd floor, in Chicago 60618. Please visit www.spdwdance.org for more information, e-mail info@spdwdance.org or call 773.506.8730 to reserve your place in class.

Ms. Leite joined SPDW Dance Theatre last summer to create Drift League, which they premièred at "10" the company's 10th anniversary performance in November 2007. The piece was then performed to critical acclaim in SPDW's Vintage Modern at Links Hall this past June 2008. This past fall, Ms. Leite was an Artist-in-Residence at Dance New Amsterdam and premiered her new work, flawed, at DNA in December 2006. For the 2006-2007 year, she was also be an Artist-in-Residence at Joyce SoHo and will premiere a complete evening of work at Danspace Project at St. Mark's Church for their 2007-2008 season.

Ms. Leite is originally from Scottsdale, Arizona. She graduated (cum laude) from SUNY Purchase with a BFA in Dance Performance in 1997. Upon graduation, Ms. Leite joined Stephen Petronio Company where she served as Assistant Director/Rehearsal Director and a dancer for over eight years (1997-2005). She is a current member of Pavel Zustiak's Palissimo and has performed in the works of other choreographers including Jamie Bishton, David Allen Harris, and Jeremy Nelson. Ms. Leite has taught technique and repertory at conservatories all over the world and guest teaches regularly at Dance New Amsterdam in New York City.

For ongoing intermediate/advanced instruction, SPDW Dance Theatre periodically opens their Company Class to the public. All classes in intermediate/advanced modern dance will be taught by SPDW's Artistic Director Joanna Rosenthal. Classes cost $12 per class or $10 per class with purchase of a class card. Please visit www.spdwdance.org for more information, e-mail info@spdwdance.org or call 773.506.8730 to reserve your place in class.

~ARTIST BIO~

ASHLEIGH LEITE is originally from Scottsdale, Arizona. She graduated (cum laude) from SUNY Purchase with a BFA in Dance Performance in 1997. Upon graduation, Ms. Leite joined Stephen Petronio Company where she served as Assistant Director/Rehearsal Director and a dancer for over eight years (1997-2005). Ms. Leite served as Assistant to Mr. Petronio for several international commissioned projects, most notably, the world premiere of Petronio's Underland (Sydney Dance Company) in Australia, The Human Suite (CandoCo) in London, U.K., and La Presa (A Quo Danza Contemporania Dance Company) in Morelia, Mexico.

Ms. Leite is a current member of Pavel Zustiak's Palissimo and has performed in the works of other choreographers including Jamie Bishton, David Allen Harris, and Jeremy Nelson. She has taught technique and repertory at conservatories all over the world and guest teaches regularly at Dance New Amsterdam in New York City. This past fall, Ms. Leite was an Artist-in-Residence at Dance New Amsterdam and premiered her new work, flawed, at DNA in December 2006. For the 2006-2007 year, she was an Artist-in-Residence at Joyce SoHo and premiered a complete evening of work at Danspace Project at St. Mark's Church for their 2007-2008 season.

Ms. Leite premiered her most current evening-length work, AUTOPSY, at Joyce SoHo in New York City (2006), for which she was selected for a Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Swing Space Award. Recently, she premiered two other works: Noon (Kaleidoscope 3, Shaw Center for the Arts, Baton Rouge, LA) and One Tall Blonde (Dancenow's DancmOpolitan@Joe's Pub, NYC). In addition, Ashleigh was commissioned by Of Moving Colors Productions (Baton Rouge, LA) to create an excerpt for their spring 2006 production of Lilac Magenta (The Shaw Center for the Arts, Baton Rouge, LA). In 2002, Entreaty (with collaborator, Elizabeth Haselwood), was presented through Danspace Project's "Out of Space" series in New York.

~DETAILS FOLLOW~

Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre's
Company Class: Intermediate/Advanced Modern
Taught by Artistic Director Joanna Rosenthal

Session II: July 11-August 1, Fridays 12:00-1:30pm
Rast Ballet, 1803 W. Byron, #201, Chicago 60613

$12 per class/ $10 per class with purchase of class card

and

Co-presented by SPDW Dance and the Chicago Moving Company
Master class with Ashleigh Leite
former member of Stephen Petronio Company

Monday, August 25, 2008, 10-11:30 am
Hamlin Park Fieldhouse, 3035 N. Hoyne, 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60618

$15 per class

Please make reservations as space is limited,
773-506-8730 or info@spdwdance.org
www.spdwdance.org

Hamlin Park Fieldhouse is located at 3035 N. Hoyne, Chicago, IL 60618, at N. Hoyne Ave. and W. Barry St., just west of Damen Ave. and north of Wellington - the theatre is located on the second floor. Street parking is usually available. CTA: Brown/Red/Purple Lines to Belmont and BUS #77 West to Hoyne or Blue Line to Damen BUS #50 Damen Northbound to Wellington.

Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre is dedicated to presenting the most perfect embodiment of dance—dance that is evocative, and that is at the same time both challenging and enjoyable.

SPDW Dance acknowledges that the audience is as important to the dance as the movements and steps themselves. The company presents work that is inspiring, vibrant and relevant. SPDW's intriguing repertoire consists of work from formidable Chicago artists as well as choreographers from across the nation, with styles that incorporate classical and contemporary modern dance, jazz and improvisational experimentation.

"Same Planet rocked my world!"
~Asimina Chremos, Time Out Chicago 11/07

"...a beguiling celebration of wit and stark wisdom."
~Sid Smith, Chicago Tribune 11/07

"Outta This World"
~ Dance

Further Related Resources:


Press Release Contact Information:

Linda Solotaire
SOLOROHM Associates
Media Consultant
1322 Main St., Suite 203
Evanston, IL
US 60202
Voice: Evanston
Fax: 847.556.0837
Website: Visit Our Website