Talented Performer Ivan Korn to Teach at Marblehead School of Ballet Summer Intensive Dance 2016

Dancer, choreographer and musician Ivan Korn returns to the Marblehead School of Ballet to teach modern dance and choreograph new pieces that will be presented in Summer Intensive Dance 2016 from July to August at this cultural epicenter in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Originally from Chile, Korn has been involved in the Boston dance community since 1998, graduating with a master of fine arts in choreography from the Boston Conservatory.

Throughout the Marblehead School of Ballet's 44 years, quality education and individual attention are stressed for all students in its programs. The school has earned a wide reputation for the excellence of its training and integrity of purpose. Classical ballet forms the core of teaching with particular emphasis on correct alignment and development of strength and agility. The sheer pleasure of dance and of music is always central to the classroom experience.

The dancers in the Summer Intensive Dance 2016 will learn about dance, music, culture and art, while enjoying their time in Korn's classes. "I want the dance students to acquire an awareness of musicality. They learn how a particular piece of music informs the dancer about specific counts, accents, tempo, downbeats and upbeats, swing or straight eight notes, and gravity or lightness, as well as translate these musical qualities into dancing bodies. The students have fun dancing and at the same time, they grasp these concepts to further their musical awareness if they want to follow a professional path," said Korn.

For 13 years, he has been a modern dance teacher and choreographer at the school. During his tenure with the Marblehead School of Ballet, Korn created several pieces that introduced and motivated the students to examine different aspects of concert dance. "Sometimes they explored the raw physicality of the movement or the dramatic tension and release. Other times, the dancers were introduced to extensive detail in a particular musical score," he said.

Off the dance floor, Korn is also an accomplished musician, playing several instruments professionally, including piano, Hammond organ, Rhodes piano, electric and acoustic guitar, and electric bass. He has digested a range of musical styles and traditions from Johan Sebastian Bach to Jimi Hendrix. Throughout his career, he has created simultaneously compositions and choreographed work for performance art pieces.

"Ivan Korn exemplifies the high level training the Marblehead School of Ballet's staff have acquired that is taught to students attending the summer intensive. He is a well-rounded artist -- a professionally trained musician versatile on several instruments, a choreographer and a dancer. His choreography reflects a deep understanding and passion of music and movement," said Director Paula K. Shiff, recipient of Salem State University's 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts.

The school is accepting applications for its Summer Intensive Dance 2016 programs for dancers ages 11 and over from July 18 to August 6 and children ages 8 to 12 from August 8 to August 12. International students, ages 15 and above with intermediate level dance training, are invited to apply. Summer Intensive Dance 2016 programs will be held at 115 Pleasant Street in Marblehead, Massachusetts. The summer intensive is sponsored in part by The Ruth N. Shiff Memorial Fund and provides support for the guest teachers and the performance.

For further information about Summer Dance Intensive 2016 and the Marblehead School of Ballet, visit the organization online. To register for the program, call the school at 781-631-6262 or send an e-mail. For continued news and updates, follow the school on Facebook and Twitter.