Julianne O'Brien
Professor, Chair, Department of Dance College
of Performing Arts Chapman University
Department of Dance Expertise: Dance Pedagogy Choreography
Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst
Janeane spoke with Julianne about her recent intergenerational program between
Chapman University's dance students and older adults.
The recent article in the Orange County Register is below.
Here is the recent Orange County Register article about
Julianne's intergenerational program between Chapman University's
dance students and older adults.
From the Orange County Register:
Chapman University dancer Lauren Leung, 19, top, is lifted up by fellow dancers with Chapman University’s Department of Dance during a performance for residents at Emerald Court, a senior living community, in Anaheim on Monday, May 17, 2021. Chapman dance students in a Dance Education and Outreach course were assigned a project to pair up with a senior at Emerald Court. The student/senior pairs communicated via weekly calls where the student learned about the lives and experiences of the seniors. The project culminated with a dance performance choreographed based on the lives of the seniors.
ABOUT JULIANNE O'BRIAN
Julianne O’Brien has a background in the field of dance as a performer, choreographer, academic leader, and dance educator. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Connecticut College, a Master of Fine Arts from the Ohio State University, and is certified yoga instructor and Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst.
Prior to joining Chapman University, she served as the Dean of the School of Dance at Dean College in Massachusetts and as program director and professor at Eastern Michigan University. She teaches modern techniques, pedagogy, dance history, career seminars, yoga, Bartenieff Fundamentals, Laban movement analysis, improvisation, and choreography.
Julianne performed as a founding member and soloist for fourteen years with the Peter Sparling Dance Company. While with Sparling, who was a member of both the Limon Company and the Graham Company, she had the opportunity to train deeply in two foundational modern techniques. She has also had the privilege of performing with William (Bill) Evans, and in repertory by Isadora Duncan set by Lori Bellilove. She has choreographed more than fifty works that have been seen in venues across the states and in El Salvador and received numerous grants and awards for choreography including funding from the US Embassy in El Salvador, and selection for the 2016 American College Regional Dance Festival.
An interest in K-12 movement integration curriculum has spanned two decades: receiving multiple grants from the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children to work with under-served K-3 students in science and history classes; developing math in motion curriculum with the Malashock Dance School in San Diego, CA; multiple year teaching residencies with Malashock and Freese elementary school; and spear-heading movement curriculum into the Franklin, MA public schools in partnership with college internship programs.
Recent Creative, Scholarly Work and Publications
DIRECTOR: "Dance Masters at Chapman", with world famous choreographer Igal Perry, dancer Ido Tadmor, architect Charles Renfro, and pianist Daniel Gortler.
DANCER: performed in the duet "Almost" with Ido Tadmor, choreographed by Tadmor, Music: Max Richter with text from the movie "american beauty", 14 mins.
CHOREOGRAPHER/ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: "It Aint getting any greener" for Orange County School of the Arts Spring Concert
DIRECTOR: "Dance Masters at Chapman", An intimate evening of dance with legends Desmond Richardson, Ido Tadmor, and Eva Poidrun of Poland
CHOREOGRAPHER: "It Aint getting any Greener" 6 dancers, Music: Chucho Valdez, 6 mins, Chapman University Faculty Concert
DIRECTOR: "Dance Masters at Chapman", Chapman University's Memorial Hall. An intimate evening of dance with legends Dwight Rhoden, Ido Tadmor, and Clifford Williams
DIRECTOR: "Three Site Specific Dances", Chapman University Dances at Hilbert Museum, the crosswalk between Palm and Glassell, and the grass knoll sculpture near Oliphant Hall.
CHOREOGRAPHER: "Shore Line Project" with MarcArthur Fellow Artist Elizabeth Turk, Laguna Beach, CA
DIRECTOR AND RE-STAGER: "Let me Lament", solo choreographed by Peter Sparling, restaged by Julianne O’Brien. Music: George Handel, 4.5 minutes. Dancer: Lexi Defillipo. Performed for: --A Glimpse into moments of Grief Concert, Chapman University, with Dr. Louis Thomas on Piano and Dr. Rebecca Sherburn as vocalist, 4/20/2018 --Embark BFA Showcase, Chapman University, 4/8/2018
CHOREOGRAPHER: "Only a thought" 9 dancers, Music: Satie, with text, 13 minutes --Chapman University Faculty Concert, CA
CHOREOGRAPHER: A thing is just a thing, 2016 Spoken word solo. 12 minutes Chapman University Faculty Concert, CA
CHOREOGRAPHER: Everybody Knows, 2016 Music: Leonard Cohen. Set design: Jim Beauregard. 9 minutes Dean College Faculty and Guest Artist Concert, MA
CHOREOGRAPHER: Incipient Flower, 2016 Music: Brian Eno. Co-choreographed with Rose Beauchamp. 8 minutes CHOSEN FOR AMERICAN COLLEGE DANCE FESTIVAL REGIONAL GALA CONCERT, MA
DANCER: 2015 “Dreaming Gate” choreographed by Bill Evans. Dean College, MA.
CHOREOGRAPHER AND DIRECTOR: Franklin Sculpture Garden Site Specific Performances, 2015 5 dances choreographed in and around 5 sculptures, August Live music: Greg Woodsbie. Time 1 hour Franklin, MA. CULTURAL DISTRICT PERFORMANCE SERIES
CHOREOGRAPHER: There, There, There, 2005-20014 Music: Dvorak. Text from research on birth order theory. 12 minutes Dean College Faculty and Guest Artist Concert, MA John Malashock Faculty Dance Concert, San Diego, CA, 2011 Eastern Michigan University Faculty and Guest Artist Concert, 2005 Women on the Move Dance Gallery Faculty Concert, MI. 2005.
