Jacqui Dreessens

jacqui.dreessens@gmail.com

Mobile: 0488 527 656

 

M.Arts (Ethnochoreology) Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Ireland, 2017.

Shamanic Practitioner, Irish School of Shamanic Studies, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, Ireland 2018.

Lecturer in Dance Education, Deakin University, 1989 - 2016.

B.Ed (Dance, Drama, Psychology) Rusden, Deakin University, Australia, 1985

 

Dancing with Parkinson's was first initiated by Michael Atkinson and Jacqui Dreessens in 2018. It has since survived the Pandemic by stepping out on Zoom. Now it is a live inclusive Social Dance experience for all Seniors, 55 years and up, at Torquay Senior's Hall.

 

1. Warm up to connect the body and mind

Class begins with Chair exercises for strength, dexterity and control of the core body with foot and arm isolations. Rhythmic perception and careful weight placement of the the feet.

2. Mindful walking and movement with a partner for balance, weight transference, contact and connection with other Sparky's dancing within spatial awarenesss.

3. Rhythmic perception and musicality of the Dance style. Dance practice with a partner in circles, lines or squares.

4. The Body of Sound and warm down - Vocalisation and song that follows the Chakras of light and energy

 

TERM 1

Swing dance - Jitterbug, Jive, Rock n Roll, Shim sham

TERM 2

Country dances - Quadrilles, Square dance, Circle dances and Lines dances: Celtic music and Country music

TERM 3

Renaissance and Baroque dance - Minuet, Volta, Waltzes, Classical Ballet and dances of the Royal Courts of Europe

TERM 4

Afro Latin dance - Cha Cha Cha, Mambo, Salsa, Marengue, Kizomba, Bachada

 

Jacqui is an ethnochoreologist and community arts practitioner in choreography and percussion. Born and raised on the Surf Coast and Geelong, Jacqui brings over 30 years of professional teaching and performance experience in schools, Early Learning centres, universities, festivals, Health & Wellbeing, corporate and community celebrations. Her research interest is in Performance Ritual and how people express their identity and connection to their sense of place through music, dance and across the Arts. Her inspiration draws from nature and the environment, researching the Ecology of Place and Embodied Experience. 

She has extensively studied dance styles and drumming techniques of the African Diaspora which has led to many exciting artist in residency programs in schools, festivals and communities across Australia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, India, Brazil, Nepal and the Netherlands including, 'Where journeys Meet' Gasworks Community Arts Park, to celebrate Australian Federation 2001; the Opening Ceremony for the Deaf Olympic Games at Olympic Park, Melbourne 2005; 'The Mountain to Mouth Extreme Arts Walk' You Yangs, Geelong city, Barwon Heads, 2016, 2018 and many new works for the Torquay High Tide Festival like 'SwellBeing'; 'Natural Balance'; 'Moonahs: Sentinels of the Surf Coast'; 'Circles on Waves'; 'Hidden Depths'; 'Hoofprints in the Sand'.

In 2007, 'Children of the Blue Light' was her first major ethnographic film documentary in performance ritual at the Cape Coast Slave Dungeons of Ghana, West Africa with Asanti Dance Theatre and Wild Moves International (available online and DVD). Her latest ecochoreological dance film in the mangroves at Lake Connewarre, Barwon Heads, is also available, 'Dancing in the Échelons'.

On the Australian festival circuit, over the past 30 years, Jacqui has performed with many African dance bands notably, Warako Musica (Congo), Thula Sana (Sth Africa) and Adzohu (Ghana).

Since 2001, Jacqui runs cultural dance and drumming tours to Ethiopia, Ghana, Portugal and Senegal.

Jacqui is also the bodhran player for TradJam of the Ironbark playing the music of her Celtic roots.

As director of Wild Moves International (1991) she also facilitates other community groups such as

DRUM ON - Music, movement and singing for Seniors

WILD MOVES - African drumming and dundun dance

INTERNATIONAL WILD MOVES DANCE - Dance embodiment and Dance styles from around the World

BODHRAN - Irish frame drumming

TRADJAM OF THE IRONBARK - playing tunes and dances from our Celtic roots

 

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