NEXUS: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING SERIES

TESTIMONIALS

"Graham Technique classes with William were delightful! His pedagogic method was welcome and clean and he was able to bring an uplifting and empowering energy to the class. His enthusiastic personality created a positive climate and made the dance lessons both a joyful and enriching experience.  Even though the Graham Technique was new for most of the participants, they were able to comfortably follow every move. Students were greatly inspired, challenged, and motivated by his teaching style and professionalism. He explained all the necessary basics, components and movements thoroughly and the pace of the lessons was ideal for all levels.  Simply stated... amazing coaching, exercises, and choreographies!“ -Irene Kuzatko - Founder - Danz’Art Studio Zagreb - Zagreb, Croatia 

“William’s Graham Master Class was a wonderful challenge for my beginning modern dance class at Oxford College of Emory University. Most of my students have very little (to no) formal dance training. He was prepared and thoughtful in his approach/delivery of the material, yet he also found a way to keep the integrity of the form while pushing my students outside of their comfort zone to help them understand the beauty in the rigor of Graham Technique. One student commented on how William’s explanation/demonstration of the relationship of the breath to the contraction was very clear and helped him (the student) better conceptualize and realize the movement.” -Alejandro Abarca - Dance Instructor - Oxford College at Emory University - Atlanta, GA

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“The two workshops that William taught for our students here at NSU were very challenging and enjoyable. It gave our non-dance majors an excellent look at the a professional dance class, as well as challenged those students who have a strong dance background! Thank you for coming and sharing your expertise with us here at NSU. We hope you will return on your next Educational Tour. Praying for continued Blessings to you and your Company.” -Tarin Hampton - Dept. Chair: Health Physical Education & Exercise Science - Norfolk State University - Norfolk, VA

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“We had a wonderful class with William Crowley. Our eclectic mix of classical ballet and contemporary-modern dancers was inspired by his clear introduction to Graham Technique. Using demonstrations, imagery, specificity and humor, Mr. Crowley made the class an adventure for some and a renewal for others.” -Liza Deck - Roanoke Ballet Theatre - Roanoke, VA

“As we all know, the Graham Technique is intense, intricate, and extensive. It takes a great deal of time, effort, and discipline to fully comprehend the scope of this particular form. However, I must attest that William did an exceptional job of introducing the material in a way that allowed our dancers to grasp the basic concepts and gain a fundamental understanding of the class elements. They were fully engaged, even inspired to learn more about the technique. I am pleased that we invited Mr. Crowley to our campus and we look forward to future collaborations with him, if the opportunity presents itself.” -Susan Panek - Chair of Dance - Madonna University - Livonia, MI

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"William Crowley led an engaging and extremely informative master class for our pre-professional students.  Though the dancers all have various levels of experience with Graham Technique, William managed to articulate the material in a way that helped them grasp the essence of the movement.  He used language and imagery that inspired our young artists through the duration of the class.  He was an absolute joy to work with!" -Kirven Douhit-Boyd, Co-Artistic Director of Dance - Center of Creative Arts - St. Louis, MO.

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"William's class was engaging to all skill levels.  For students who had never experienced Graham Technique before, he broke down the steps and explained them in a way so that students could embody the movement.  For the students who were familiar with the technique, he challenged them to move deeper in their body and understand the initiation of movement.  William kept the pace lively and moved through exercises, while still allowing students to feel accomplished.  His enthusiasm for the technique excited the students and pushed them outside their comfort zones.  I highly recommend William."  -Jennifer Florey, Director of Dance - Kofa High School - Yuma, AZ

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"William's lecture [regarding] Graham was beautiful, thorough and well structured.  The students were very engaged and enthusiastic during the technique class which was simultaneously accessible and demanding.  William is an approachable and consummate teacher and we were so thrilled to have him!"  -Rosanna Tavarez, Instructor - Dance Department - California State University Los Angeles - Los Angeles, CA

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"William was a consummate professional when we hosted him for master classes in Graham Technique.  He worked with varying levels of dancers throughout the day.  He has great attention to detail, and an inspiring delivery that left our students inspired, well informed, and clearly interested in furthering their Graham Technique.  Many of our students have studied Graham across the nation and commented that Mr. Crowley's class was indeed the most versed in communicating the actions, justifications, and specifics of the Technique.  I look forward to having him return."  -Jay Jernigan, Chair - Dance Department - Savannah Arts Academy - Savannah, GA

"William Crowley's master class and lecture/demonstration provided such an enriching, valuable and unique experience to our dance majors at Radford University.  William was not only informative, but challenging, motivating and really inspiring!  Great artist and educator!"  -Inessa Plekhanova, Chair, Director of Ballet Program - Department of Dance - Radford University - Radford, VA

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"William Crowley joined us... to teach Graham Technique master classes to our dance majors.  The dancers truly enjoyed his class and learned more about the Graham Technique.  William worked so well with our dancers and really articulated the movement and quality of Graham Technique.  What a joy to have someone traveling the world to educate and teach about a pioneer like Martha Graham; keeping the technique and purity of modern dance alive."  -Jennifer Verba, Director of Dance - Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School - Midland, PA

"William Crowley was extremely knowledgeable of Graham Technique, but taught in a way that even a beginner could be fully engaged and enthusiastic.  Each of my students thoroughly enjoyed William's class.  He was upbeat, structured and encouraging.  We look forward to working with him again."  -Brooke Pocan, Owner and Director - The Dance Conservatory - Charlotte, MI

"Our master class with William Crowley was excellent in every way! Mr. Crowley is articulate and engaging and his knowledge and understanding of Graham technique is evident. The majority of students in the dance program at the University of Richmond also have majors and minors in other academic disciplines and Mr. Crowley’s pedagogical strategies that engaged them on every level was impressive! William Crowley’s master class in Graham technique provided a unique and very valuable component to our student’s education." -Anne VanGelder, Director of Dance - Department of Theatre and Dance - University of Richmond- Richmond, VA

"Crowley gave both a lecture demonstration and master class to my students and they enjoyed both thoroughly. His lecture demonstration was very interesting and included parts of Graham’s life that are not widely known. The master class was safe for non-dance majors and provided an authentic Graham experience. Overall we were happy to have brought Crowley to our University to teach our students about a legend all should know." -Marianne McAdam, Chairperson - Dance Department - Eastern Kentucky University - Richmond, KY

"Our dancer’s experience with William was motivational and inspiring. He was kind and encouraging while at the same time keeping his expectations for them high. I think the entire weekend gave them a glimpse at what may be expected of them in the future and inspired them to focus on their dance education in a way they hadn’t previously." -Patricia Villanueva, Artistic Director - Happendance - East Lansing, MI

"Students new to dance had the unique opportunity to be introduced to Graham Technique by a gracious expert in the field. William not only taught the form authentically, but his method of pedagogy was such that he inspired as he informed. William's approach drew students in, and this assured that they walked away with an understanding and appreciation of one of the most important figures of modern dance on both physical and intellectual levels."

-Daniela Wancier, Assistant Professor of Dance - Visual and Performing Arts Department - Broward College - Fort Lauderdale, FL

"William Crowley taught an extremely articulate master class in Graham Technique for our dance majors. For most of our students at SRU, this was their first experience moving in this style of modern dance, and William made the specifics of the technique both accessible and challenging throughout the progression of the class. William also clearly demonstrated each exercise with passion, precision, and humor, while offering wonderful imagery. He also encouraged the students to use critical thinking skills during each task."

-Teena Marie Custer, Instructor - Department of Dance - Slippery Rock University - Slippery Rock, PA

"William Crowley embodies the strength and power of Graham Technique. In addition to his physical facility, he clearly instructs and coaches student dancers in understanding the virtuosity of technique, and the dance students at UNC Greensboro enjoyed his systematic and fun approach."

-Janet Lilly, Chair - Dance Department - University of North Carolina - Greensboro - Greensboro, NC

"William made an authentic Graham Technique class innovative... while bringing the persona of Martha Graham herself back into the studio. He was very informative... extremely personable and made learning such a specific and strict technique a fun experience. The class was very comfortable for someone who had no prior experience with Graham Technique. It was a great learning experience."

-Student reviews compiled by Heidi Echols, Chair - Department of Dance Studies - Salem College - Winston-Salem, NC

"William gave us an amazing class! His approach was thorough and challenging for those new to the technique and those with experience. [He] was thoughtful, knowledgeable, and professional, and pushed us both physically and intellectually. We hope he comes back to see us soon! We got so much out of his teaching. Thank you....!"

-Student reviews complied by Talani Torres, Director of Dance - Dance Department - Florida State College at Jacksonville - Jacksonville, FL

"When William returned to the UK in 2015, we jumped at the opportunity to have him come and impart his passion for dance and in particular Graham Technique to our specialist Dance students. Our students - who can be quite difficult to please - loved the experience and got so much out of the sessions, leaving with a really good understanding of the key aspects of the Graham style. We were impressed with how William was able to respond intuitively to the group, providing a challenging workshop to all the abilities within the class; he drew out the best in all of our students. He was positive, encouraging and instructive, effectively combining good discipline with a sense of humour. He had a lovely manner with both students and staff and I would not hesitate to recommend him."

-Nikki McKnight, Head of Dance - New College Swindon - Swindon, England

"William is an amazing teacher! It is always a pleasure to have him here at Miami Arts Charter School Dance Program sharing his passion and knowledge for dance to our young dancers. His approach to teaching the Graham Technique is nor only informative but ground-breaking. Our students love the fact that he uses contemporary or pop music in different occasions to engage them in class and get their attention. His motivation and knowledgeable teaching practices make it enjoyable for students to achieve maximum success in class."

-Valerie Barreiro, Dance Director - Dance Department - Miami Arts Charter School - Miami, FL

"Mr. Crowley was one of our most successful resident guest artists we have had at Dean College. He was able to impart the Graham Technique to our dance majors with a contagious reverence for the material; a lived embodiment, strength, and clarity; and a refreshing mixture of strict standards and delightful warmth. I believe it is a rare teacher who can teach traditional Graham to a variety of levels and inspire them to want to learn more, and I believe we found him in Mr. Crowley. His students know they can enjoy learning, and simultaneously, that they are accountable."

-Julianne O'Brien Pedersen, Dean - Palladino School of Dance - Dean College - Franklin, MA

"During our summer stage in Brugge, Belgium, I observed the advanced Graham class William was teaching. He is a great teacher for this difficult, but so important technique in a dancer's education. Very clear in his approach, with constant concern to help students discover this challenging technique and getting the right feeling in the exercises. William's choreography was inspiring and challenging, but through his good teaching, accessible for the students."

-Eliane DeGendt, Stage Advisor - FEDES - Brugge, Belgium

"...William Crowley provided information on modern dance history and led a wonderful Graham technique master class at our school. A passionate teacher, William was able to challenge our students both technically and artistically and inspired our students to bring their best selves to their work."

-Adam McKinney, Chair - Dance Department - New Mexico School for the Arts - Santa Fe, NM

"William Crowley's presentation on Graham was engaging, accessible and informative, leaving the audience in the best way possible: wanting more. His adjudications of the student choreography were insightful, articulate, and supportive. Never condescending, his masterful teaching approach left them feeling positive and purposeful, prepared to go back into the studio to continue their process having been heard, understood and guided. The audition class was likewise appropriate to the various levels, challenging and inspiring all who attended."

-Mary Linda Graham, Chair - Department of Dance - Hope College - Holland, MI

"William's master class was challenging yet accessible to the students of various skill levels who participated. Having studied Graham myself, it is my opinion that William presented the Graham material clearly and with respect and care for this important historical technique."

-Marilyn Marloff, Associate Professor and Dance Advisor - Dance Department - Old Dominion University - Norfolk, VA

"Students speak of William as a ‘passionate’ and ‘excellent’ teacher who knows how to ‘discover and appreciate’ the Graham Technique, and describe his classes combining ‘rigorous training and patient understanding’ as ‘entertaining and enjoyable.’ He helps to ‘raise the quality’ of the courses being taught at the Centre, and he is a benefit to our summer program."

-Antoine Carrance, Director - Centre de Danse du Marais - Paris, France

"During three weeks of intensive courses with William, Paris Summer Academy students had the opportunity to experience one of the most important dance techniques of our era; Graham Technique. Besides introducing the aforementioned technique, William presented his own choreography, which is rich enough to be taught as an independent technique. His powerful presence in the dance studio, together with the friendly atmosphere he creates with his students and his rich background as a professional dancer, offers a unique experience to the students, which is surely unforgettable."

-Mehdi Farajpour, Artistic Director - Oriantheatre Company and Paris Summer Academy - Paris, France

"As Artist in Residence, William managed to cater for a wide range of ages and dance experience. Attendees appreciated his depth of understanding of the Graham Technique. William is brilliant at communicating essential aspects of the Technique to his pupils. He takes his teaching seriously, yet manages to insert regular doses of humour, which helps dispel fear and creates a wonderful warm feeling amongst all participants.... who left class 'walking tall' in more ways than one!"

-Licette Gus, Artistic Director - Chipping Campden Contemporary Dance Festival - The Cotswolds, England

"William Crowley presented a lecture/demonstration titled Beyond the Labyrinth: The Dance Legacy of Martha Graham to our dance students. They were enthralled with the insightful and informative lecture and had the unique opportunity to observe a demonstration of the technique by William himself. This is a valuable opportunity for young dance students to gain an understanding of this most influential choreographer from a talented and experienced practitioner. We are keen to have William back and would thoroughly recommend him to other educational institutions."

-Desmond Deehan, Headteacher - Townley Grammar School - London, England

"William's lecture on Martha Graham, consisting of a power point presentation, performance footage, and a live demonstration of the Technique, left the audience in complete awe. It was both educational and enjoyable."

-Ruth Rosenberg, Vice President - Culture Vultures - Pembroke Pines, FL