act/re/act

Conversation with Mark Chalfant

In this, the third episode of act/re/act, I have a conversation with Artistic Director of Washington Improv Theater Mark Chalfant. We discuss a multitude of elements of improv theater and WIT, as well as seek to find some common ground between theater improv and dance improv. I loved this conversation and I'm sure you will as well! 
Find out more about Mark Chalfant here: http://witdc.org
Find out more about me here: http://www.danielburkholdertheplayground.org
Find out more about the podcast here: https://actreact.podbean.com
 
Mark's Bio: Mark Chalfant is the artistic & executive director of Washington Improv Theater (WIT), a mission-driven not-for-profit performing and teaching throughout DC and based at Source (14th & T, NW). Since helping to refound the company in 1998, Mark has spearheaded WIT’s robust growth into a teeming community of collaborative creativity and transformative impact for people throughout the DMV. WIT serves over 23,000 audience members and the company’s comprehensive longform improv classes enroll nearly 1,600 students each year. Mark is a founding cast-member of WIT company ensemble iMusical (now in its 11th year) and regularly directs, teaches, and facilitates workshops for WIT@Work, WIT’s organizational training arm. Twice honored with an Artist Fellowship Grant from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Mark is a member of Leadership Greater Washington’s Class of 2017. Mark lives in Columbia Heights with his partner David Steib.

Conversation with Sharon Mansur

In this, the second episode of act/re/act, I have a conversation with long-time collaborator and friend Sharon Mansur. We discuss a range of subjects from why and when Sharon started exploring dance/movement improvisation as a performance form, to our collaborations, and her current projects. It was a wonderful conversation I'm sure you'll love!
Find out more about Sharon Mansur here: http://www.mansurdance.com
Find out more about me here: http://www.danielburkholdertheplayground.org
Find out more about the podcast here: https://actreact.podbean.com
NOTE: This interview was recorded before Sharon's recent project, Dreaming Under A Cedar Tree, and my intention was to release it before or during that project. Unfortunately that did not happen - consequently we talk about the project in the future tense, when, in fact, it is not in the past. You can find more information about it, as well as a short video, at https://www.outpostwinona.org/portfolio/cedar-tree/
 
Sharon's bio: 
Sharon Mansur is a Winona, MN based contemporary dance and visual artist, movement architect, experimentalist, educator, curator, mover and shaker. Originally from Boston, MA, Sharon’s creative practice and research integrates improvisational techniques, somatic (body/mind) practices, and interdisciplinary collaborative approaches. She has a keen interest in site responsive art, weaving the visual and visceral, body and space, internal and external landscapes. She is also committed to dance as a transformational and healing catalyst for individuals and communities. 
Her performance projects as well as dance films have been presented throughout the United States and abroad. During 2017 she's been awarded a Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council Established Artist grant, presented at the Inverse Performance Art Festival in Arkansas, and selected for a Springboard for the Arts- Hinge Arts Residency in Fergus Falls, MN. She has taught as a full-time dance faculty member at Winona State University and the University of Maryland-College Park, and recently as a guest dance artist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Luther College. Sharon is also a therapeutic bodyworker at Infinity Chiropractic Wellness Center. 

act/re/act interview with Stephen Nachmanovitch

Joint host Daniel Burkholder for the primier episode of act/re/act, a podcast exploring improvisation through conversations with improvisationaly based artists. 
In this first episode, Daniel is joined by musician and author Stephen Nachmanovitch, who you may know through his excellent book, Free Play. Daniel & Stephen discuss improvisation, the role of contraints and experience, as well as how an improvisational artistic practice relates to one's everyday life. 
Find out more about Stephen Nachmanovitch at http://www.freeplay.com 
Find out more about Daniel Burkholder at http://www.danielburkholdertheplayground.org
You can also follow actreact on Twitter @actreactpodcast  
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