Florence Summer Dance is an opportunity for students to dive into themselves as dance artists. Throughout the 3 week intensive, students are able to network with international artists, develop character, and release their artistic expression. “It’s such a valuable experience for students to go international and see what’s going on in their field,” said faculty director Jenny Mair.
Up to 7 hours of work 5 days a week is put forth by each dancer for the entirety of the trip. The all-encompassing days taught the students how to create with people from different cultures.
Utah Tech student, Taylor Taft, learned how to navigate this exact situation. One of the instructors, Monica, spoke little to no English causing a language barrier. Luckily, dance has the ability to tell a story. “Through her movement, we could speak with one another,” Taylor said.
Aside from the time in the studio, days off were spent exploring nearby cities and visiting historical artifacts. Jenny has participated in the Florence Summer Dance both as a graduate student as well as a faculty member. By doing so she has established a good understanding of the best places to visit. A few from this year were the Statue of David, Boboli Gardens, and Venice.
By the end of the trip, Jenny had seen dramatic changes in her students. “They all came back with a much stronger foundation and character of themselves and as dance artists,” Jenny said.
If you’re interested in participating in Florence Summer Dance visit the Study Abroad Florence webpage.