PERIDANCE FACULTY

Guest / Past

Tiffany Mills

Contemporary

BIOGRAPHY

Tiffany Mills is a choreographer and artistic director of the NYC-based Tiffany Mills Company. Mills moved to NYC in 1995, and formed Tiffany Mills Company in 2000, earning praise from The New York Times: "Mills is making a name for herself as a young modern-dance innovator." Recent highlights: Season at The Flea Theater as an "Anchor Partner" (2018); 15th Anniversary Season at LaMama in their La MaMa Moves! Dance Festival (2016); BAM's Professional Development Program, which culminated in a NYC Season at the BAM Fisher (2013). The Company's past collaborative work has been presented at: PICA's TBA Festival (OR), Wexner Center (OH), Contemporary Dance Theater/NPN (OH), Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival Residency (MA), Dance Place (DC), Guggenheim Museum Works & Process Series, Duke on 42 Street, Symphony Space Dance Sampler, Lincoln Center Out- of-Doors, Dancing in the Streets, Joyce SoHo, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Danspace Project's City/Dans Series, Dance Theater Workshop Fresh Tracks, PS 122 Avant Garde Arama, Movement Research at Judson Church, Tribeca Performing Arts Center, HERE, and in Russia, Italy, Mexico and Canada. Mills' guest teaching includes: Trisha Brown Studios, Dance New Amsterdam, Gibney Dance Center, The Playground, Earthdance (MA), Velocity (WA), Conduit (OR), ACDA, universities nationally, and festivals internationally. Mills has received awards, and residencies: NYU's Tisch Summer Dance Festival (15), CUNY Dance Initiative Residencies (14- 15, 17), BAM/DVIAM PDP (12-13), Joyce's Mellon Anchor Tenant Program (11-16), Baryshnikov Arts Center Residency (10), Dance New Amsterdam Residency (10), Joyce Residency (07-08), Field Residency (08), LMCC Swing Space Residency (08-09, 12), Bogliasco/Jerome Robbins Foundation Fellowships (Italy 07), Help Desk (05-06), HERE's Artist Residency (02-03), Dance/NYC Artistic Advisory Board (02- 03), ACDFA Adjudicator (04, 07, 16, 18), Tribeca Performing Arts Center/LMCC Space Grant (05-06), University of Oregon Alumni Award & Boekhelheide Creativity Award (05 & 06), Bates Dance Festival Emerging Choreographer Award (98). Funding includes: Asian Cultural Council, Mertz Gilmore (via La MaMa), Evelyn Sharp, Harkness (via HERE), LMCC/FFCC, DCA, BAC/JPMC, BAC/DCA, BAC/NYSCA, BAC/Destination Brooklyn, Bossak/Heilbron, Sorin Charitable Trust, Puffin, MCAF, Meet the Composer, American Music Center, O'Donnell Green, and New Music USA. Mills hails from Eugene, Oregon (BA University of Oregon, MFA Ohio State University). www.tiffanymillscompany.org

CLASS DESCRIPTION

I begin by bringing attention to our internal environment, working primarily with imagery and breath. From here we focus on tools to access weight, space, gravity, and momentum. We hone and sensitize ourselves to various qualities and states by bringing awareness to the layers of our body (skin, bone, muscle, organs, etc). Special attention is directed to our senses, heightening all five, to become better at listening and dialoguing through movement. I demystify partnering by looking at the structural basics in the roles of basing and flying. Our progression into weight- bearing duets includes delving further into anatomical structures, destabilizing movement habits and assumptions, while recognizing and nurturing different personalities and individual predispositions. I encourage risk-taking and welcome unfamiliarity. Class culminates with physically robust partnering improvisations where students can draw upon their experiences throughout the class. I actively straddle the line between conscious, intellectual engagement, and abandonment, making space for movement and interactions that surprise and resonate.

Take a look at Tiffany's work here