“This workshop gave me a lot of new insights, made me investigate my movement and go deeper into exploration. I received very valuable tools that allowed me to approach the lessons in a new way. By working on the repertoire of important choreographers, I was able to better understand their style, their vision and the ideas behind their movement. I learned a lot, and greatly appreciated the connections between the various lessons, which allowed me to improve in different aspects. ”
“This course helped me a lot by improving my memory, flow and precision in movement qualities. It also allowed me to find various new improvisation tools.”
“I feel like I could really improve my skills and it helped me a lot to develop my personality as a dancer.”
Teachers of F2 Summer Intensive
Mikaela Kelly
Mikaela (New York City, USA) is a 2017 Princess Grace Award Winner in dance. She studied at American Ballet Theatre's pre-professional school where she acquired a strong classical ballet technique and completed her certification in ABT's National Training Curriculum for Teachers. In 2018, she graduated from The Juilliard School's four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts program and joined Nederlands Dans Theater 2. In 2021, after three seasons in the Netherlands, Mikaela moved to Switzerland and danced for Ballett Theater Basel until 2023. In July 2023 she joined GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, one of the foremost contemporary dance companies in the world. Mikaela has performed works by many choreographers including Jiří Kylián, Sol León & Paul Lightfoot, Nacho Duato, Ohad Naharin, Marco Goecke, Sharon Eyal, Alexander Ekman, Johan Inger, Marcos Morau, Edward Clug, Medhi Walerski, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Yoann Bourgeois, Aszure Barton, Felix Landerer, Bryan Arias, Dimo Milev, Alexi Ratmansky, George Balanchine, Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor, and José Limón.
Mikaela has also designed costumes for critically acclaimed choreographer Juliano Nunes and for Norwegian National Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Origins Dance Festival, V-Create, Orsolina 28, and Switch by NDT Dancers.
Jesse Callaert
Jesse (Ghent, Belgium) studied at the Royal Ballet School Antwerp for six years, which provided him with professional ballet training and a base for modern and contemporary dance. He graduated in 2017 and after dancing as a guest artist with Ballett Zürich, he joined the prestigious Nederlands Dans Theater 2 for four years. In 2021 he danced at Staatsballett Hannover under the artistic direction of world-renowned choreographer Marco Goecke. He has performed works by many choreographers including Jiří Kylián, Sol León & Paul Lightfoot, Marco Goecke, Sharon Eyal, Ohad Naharin, Alexander Ekman, Johan Inger, Edward Clug, Medhi Walerski, Bryan Arias, Nadav Zelner, Felix Landerer, Juliano Nunes, Dimo Milev and Shahar Binyamini.
Jesse has choreographed pieces for the annual edition of 'Switch by NDT Dancers' and the Royal Ballet School Antwerp. He creates a broad variety of music compositions and participates in film, fashion, and TV projects. He also co-founded Fase 2 Fase (F2F), a platform offering high-quality dance courses for international dancers.
He is currently working as an international freelance artist, stager/assistant for Alexander Ekman, Johan Inger, and Medhi Walerski and will join the Ensemble of Batsheva Dance Company in August 2024.
Arika Yamada
Arika Yamada was born in Detroit, Michigan, USA in 1987 to her parents who moved to Detroit from Japan in the mid 80’s. She received her early training from The Joffrey Ballet School, Nutmeg Conservatory, and EDGE Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. In her teens, she was represented by Bloc Agency and appeared in a European Coca-Cola Commercial. Her mentor and coach Elena Tchernichova privately trained her in NY and brought her to St. Petersburg Russia at the age of 15 where she was invited to train at The Vaganova School.
In 2009 Arika received her BFA from The Juilliard School under the directorship of Lawrence Rhodes. Upon graduation, she joined Gallim Dance in NY and originated roles in multiple works with Andrea Miller such as ‘Wonderland’ which she has received recognition for in The New York Times. In 2012 she also performed with Company XIV, a 28-show run at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2013 Arika crossed the pond to Holland to join Spenser Theberge at Korzo Theater (Den Haag) where he created ‘I Saw, She Saw’ which they performed as a part the production ’ Here We Live and Now.’
Arika was invited to audition for GöteborgsOperan Danskompani which she joined during season 2013/2014 under Adolphe Binder, and in the present with director, Katrin Hall. In Göteborg Arika originated roles in creation with choreographers such as Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Damien Jalet, Alan Lucien Oyen, Marina Mascarell, Marcos Morau, Michael Keegan Dolan, Wang/Ramirez, Alexander Ekman, Imre and Marne Van Opstal, Tom Weinberger, and Emma Porter. She has also reinterpreted repertoires of Ohad Naharin, Sharon Eyal, and Crystal Pite. She has performed Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s ‘Noetic’ 100+ through Europe.
As a creator Arika has been commissioned by GöteborgsOperan to co-create ‘Many Much More’ with Spenser Theberge, and ‘Try not to spill’ with Dorotea Saykaly. in 2015 Open Look Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia commissioned Arika and her partner Jim De Block to make ‘Digressing from the 4 Tons of Grey.’ In 2016 Arika, Jim, and co-creator Oleg Stepanov were invited to create a full length, site specific work by Chalmers University of Technology at their 3 day festival hosted by the Department of Architecture and the Department of Physics. Arika has been invited back by Chalmers in 2022-2023 to speak as a creative and performer on a panel discussion with Neuro Scientist, Physics, and researchers and professors to discuss the connection between science and art. Since 2016 Arika and Jim has been curating a creative platform called If We, Then which gathers artists with varied mediums to share space and process together.
In 2020 Arika founded the AHA room, a coaching practice that works with High Performers, Artistic Leaders, and Creative Minds. Identifying, cultivating and nurturing one’s unique identity in order to perform at their best. In 2024 Arika will continue her career as an independent Artist contributing in artistic processes as a performer and as a creative collaborator whilst developing a educational programme which will provide young artists with mental training as a vital part of their curriculum in order to enhanse their physical performance. By understanding how
the mind works and that their relationship to their thoughts have a direct Impact on how they behave, their level of motivation, on how they learn, retain and ability to execute information. Once they have understood that ans accepted That they cannot change their history but with a shift in perspective on how they view themselves they have the capacity and respondibility to be at choice who they want to be. Empowering young people with a sense of Ownership of can drastically transform their performance in every fascet of their life. Once they have experienced what it means to have a healthier relationship to their inner dialogue it is impossible to unknown it.
