Patriceann Mead
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Patriceann Mead
I joined the Palomar College Performing Arts Department
faculty in 1997 as a fulltime associate professor. I have enjoyed a
flourishing career as a performer, choreographer, artistic director and
educator at Palomar. I was invited to join this department because of my
unique and diverse education and dance training, my interdisciplinary and
multicultural approach to teaching and an extensive choreography and
performance background. I came to Palomar from the State University of New
York at Brockport where I earned three degrees; a Bachelors of Science in
Dance, a Masters of Arts, and a Masters of Fine Arts. I completed by M.F.A.
in 1997, my M.A. in 1993, and my B.S. in 1987. One Masters Degree was in
Dance Science and Kinesiology: Thesis project titled What do you see?
consisted of developing ancillary materials in the form of an analysis video
and a corresponding lab manual that compliments and coincides with a
curriculum for dance kinesiology. The other Masters Degree was in
Performance and choreography with an emphasis in traditional dances of the
African Diaspora; Thesis project titled Experiencing the ineffable:
Traditional and ritual dances from West Africa and Brazil as an inspiration
for modern dance. This project consisted of a written document and a
performance component. I served as a graduate assistant during both programs
and was the recipient of the Pylyshenko-Strasser Graduate Dance Award -for
outstanding work in both written scholarship and performance. I further
invested in my career and enriched my studies by traveling abroad to West
Africa, the West Indies, and Brazil for the exclusive purpose of research
and dance training. In the last year of my M.F.A. program I was offered two
guest artist residencies. A two month residency at The University of Iowa,
Spring 1997, and a six-week residency at the Edna Manley College of Visual
and Performing Arts in Kingston Jamaica, Summer 1996. I had the opportunity
to teach Afro-Brazilian dance, modem dance, repertory, and kinesiology.
During my undergraduate and graduate academic career I
also enjoyed a thriving performing career. I danced with Agroma -an African
Dance Ensemble directed by Professor Albert Opoku from the University of
Ghana. I also danced with two Afro-Brazilian Dance Ensembles, Sankofa and
Alafia both directed by Clyde Morgan and Khalid Saleem.
My apprenticeship with Garth Fagan Dance led to the
esablishement of my own dance company in 1990. The Minzeko Drum and Dance
ensemble. I was artistic director and choreographer 1990-1997. The Minzeko
repertory was comprised of both traditional and modem works.
I was brought from New York to Palomar for multiple
reasons: To establish a world dance area, develop new curriculum, enhance
and restructure existing curriculum, create a world dance outreach program,
choreograph and perform new work, direct student and faculty dance
productions and teach core courses for our Associates Degree in Dance. I
have created and implemented the following classes; Survey of World Dance,
Afro Cuban-Brazilian Dance, Latin Social Dance, Capoeira, and Dance
Kinesiology. I also established and currently direct the Palomar World Drum
and Dance Ensemble, a new facet of the outreach program which presents
diverse programs for community events, local high schools, the Palomar dance
season, and as featured entertainment at Palomar College Foundation
fundraisers. I also brought Mark Lamson into the program to codirect the
Palomar Drum and Dance Ensemble musicians, and Afro Cuban-Brazilian dance
classes, and to teach an Afro Cuban-Brazilian drum class.
My teaching duties also include Modern Dance, Modern
and Ethnic Repertory, Choreography, Improvisation, Somatics, and Survey of
Dance. Other responsibilities are producing the annual Fall student concert,
producing the annual Spring faculty concert, producing full evenings of my
own work in 1998,2000, and 2001, class scheduling, student advising, and
program development.
I am currently developing a new degreed program at
Palomar to be implemented in the 2005-2006 school year, an Associates Degree
in World Dance.
My professional development since I began teaching in California includes:
- Capoeira training with master Elias Fonseca -Fall '98 to Spring 2002.
- Afro Cuban-Brazilian Drumming with Mark Lamson -Spring 2001 to
present.
- Afro Cuban Dance with Cuban Artist Juan Carlos Blanco -Fall '97
through Spring 2002. These intensive weekly classes included private and
group classes in folkloric and popular styles. Folkloric traditions
included: Yoruba, Arara, Congolese, Franco Haitian, Comparsa. Popular
styles included: Rumba, Casino (salsa), son, cha cha.
- Intensive workshops with visiting Cuban artists -Regino Jimenez,
Susana Arenas Pedreso, Jose "Cheo" Rojas, and Juan del Deos.
- Trip to Cuba Summer 2000 -research dance training.
- Afro Cuban Drum and Dance workshop Summer 2002- Humbolt State
University 7th Annual Explorations in Afro Cuban Dance and Drum.
- Afro Cuban Drum and Dance workshop Summer 2003 -Humbolt State
University 8th Annual Explorations in Afro Cuban Dance and Drum.
- New choreographic works 1998-2003, traditional and modern.
- Currently: Afro Cuban Dance with Cuban Artist Teresita Dome Perez.
I began attending weekly classes with her at the Lulu Washington Dance
theatre in L.A. August 2003.
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Traditional Arrangements include:
- Samba Do Palomar 2003 -A Carnival dance style from Rio de Janiero
- Arara & Palo 2003- Afro Cuban dance of two ethnic groups Dahomea and
Congo
- Carnival de Cuba 2002- a Carnival dance style from Havana Cuba
- Tokway 2002- a puberty rite ritual for young girls from Benin West
Africa
- Makulele 2001- an Afro Brazilian dance with machetes and sticks
- Yemeya 2000 -Yoruba female Orisha dance cycle
- Ogun 2000 -Yoruba male Orisha dance cycle
- Rumba 2000 -a music and dance style from Cuba
- Huerta de Casino 2000 -a Cuban style of Salsa dance with couples
- Gaga -2002 -a social dance from the Franco Haitian tradition
- Festival 1999 -Afro Cuban and Jamaican fusion
- Oni Abe 1999 -West African! Afro-Cuban fusion
- Yette Sorte 1998 -a traditional dance of the Su Su people in West
Africa
- Samba Spring 1998 -Brazilian Carnival dance
- Image of Yemeya 1998 -Yoruba Female Orisha Cuban Brazilian fusion
.....
Modern Dance Choreography includes:
- For Her There is No Rest 2003- Modem and Cuban movement fused with
Peruvian music
- Down by the River 2002 -A suite of spirituals blending movement from
Jamaica and Cuba and concluding with a tribute to Alvin Ailey
- Por ti 2002 -Brazilian/modem solo
- Wade in the Water 2001 -ModemTheir Voices 2000 -first section of the
Echo project
- Las Mujeres Fuertes Spring 1999 -Modem which is part of my project
- Reaching from Within Spring 1998 -Modem
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