Community and Creative Hub @ DX: May Kesler
In this blog series, we highlight some of the remarkable artists, educators, entrepreneurs, and community members who move and make in our studios. These individuals and groups help make the Community and Creative Hub @ DX the vibrant, multi-disciplinary, creative space that it is—even when social distancing measures are still in place to keep our communities safe.
This week, meet May Kesler, a longtime member of the Dance Exchange community. Read on to hear how the Community and Creative Hub @ DX has supported May’s work at the intersection of dance and physical therapy.
How long have you been engaged in the Dance Exchange community?
25 years
What surprising opportunities or challenges have you encountered while adapting your class/program/creative process in response to COVID-related social distancing?
Dancing at home, I met so many new people from around the world. I danced with my friends in Rio in Brazil the most this summer, and found such camaraderie I cant wait til I can visit them. The challenges are my space (but I found dancing outside so delightful and inspiring), setting up to look decent on video with my multi-use indoor space, needing new computers, lighting, flooring, understanding Zoom and video editing software, using a laptop for the first time (really! I always had a PC!) were all the frustrations, many of which are solved now.
How has being part of Dance Exchange’s Community and Creative Hub supported your growth as an artist, mover, or facilitator?
I so love and miss the Friday class where I took class with so many incredible teachers and dancers.
How can our Dance Exchange community connect with you and your work right now?
1. I hold a class on Zoom Fascial Fitness and Flexibility on Tuesday evenings 7:30-8:30 pm, for advanced beginner to advanced intermediate level of fitness participants. Dance experience is not required but some is suggested. In this class, I introduce new information about fascia, our inner biological fabric that moves us. I use movement principles of Biotensegrity (the study of how our fascia moves), Floor-Barre(r), and structured improvisation. Focus is on a multi-sensory somatic strengthening for stability with flexibility. Email Keslerpt@gmail.com for Zoom link. Class link number is 8115775393 but you must email to let me know you plan to attend. Requested fee of $10 or pay what you can to venmo @May-Kesler (be sure you spell Kesler with one s)
2. I teach Tarot in Motion, using a somatic Tarot deck that answers your questions through movement prompts. Creating your movement phrase reveals your unconscious patterns, and using physical therapy skills, I guide participants to unlock restrictions they may have previously been unaware of. This frees the person to not only move but act and feel differently when faced with a challenge. This class can be geared to creating choreography for self awareness or performance. Contact May at keslerpt@gmail.com to set up your group session. This can be done virtually or in person, outdoors or in studio.
3. I am a physical and massage therapist for 40 years, and am available to help with dance injury reduction or prevention for dance groups and schools, or private appointments, as well as lecture demonstrations on those subjects. See www.maykesler.com.
4. See my Fascia Through the Lens of Dance “ video and lecture at www.body-learn.com. The video was created at Dance Exchange! I have recently created a new video about the heart using dance, also created at Dance Exchange https://vimeo.com/520748898. I am available to show and lecture on the information those videos demonstrate.
5. I am also teaching an online course called Creating Your Dance Video for education. Contact keslerpt@gmail.com