MIKE BAERGA

Mike Baerga (a native Puerto Rican-Houstonian,) Choreographed for Showtime Network (King Mo Fight,) New York Fashion Week, RuPaul’s Drag Race: Shangela’s Big Apple Circus, World Pride 2021 Stonewall-inn NYC: Martha Wash, Lisa Ramey, Pines Party 2022, Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS: Easter Bonnet 2019 (King Kong Broadway,) Disney Cruise Line (Disney Dream Crew Awards,) Lumipad Festival (Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre,) Dancers Responding to AIDS, Trevor Project, and Award recipient for his numerous works in Regional Dance America Festivals and the US International Ballet Competition. His Teaching Residencies include: Broadway Dance Center, The Joffrey Ballet School in NYC, American Academy of Ballet, Broadway Classroom, Camp Broadway and Man in Motion to name a few. Mike received his MFA from NYU: Tisch for Choreography After his Extensive Background in Competitive Gymnastics giving him a National Trampoline and Tumbling Title in 2005. His Performance Credits Include Ne-Yo, Vanessa Williams, CL (K-Pop,) Gavin Creel, Disney's "Better Nate Than Ever," Broadway/Off Broadway: Miss Saigon, King Kong. Regional/Off-Broadway Credits: SuperYou Musical, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera and Moulin Rouge! (Dev-Lab.)

 

Class Description:

 

Genres: Acro, Contemp., Jazz, Street Jazz, Improv, Theatre Jazz

 

My Classes all consists of a communal introduction to the space and fellow dancers in the room, in order to fully and comprehensively connect to the physical and mental intention of the class and set goals for the duration of the time. This is achieved through communal breath, set contact improv, and various GaGa and Yoga based exercises to create a heightened awareness of the senses, mind and body. Dancers are taken through a series of technical warmups ranging from Ballet with variations of Jazz and Funk.

            The class is then taken across the floor examining the space through movement investigation, from tasks and combinations that are designed to push the students, yet remain consistent with their initial goals in class. The across the floor introduces the movement vocabulary, that with be culminated at the end of class in the final combination.

            Acrobatics meet fluidity and control within my practice in the classroom. I intend to combine fluidity and strength within my movement, which makes for a unique combination when exploring musicality and dynamics. My Ideal goal is to assist the dancers become more aware of their body's potential, while conveying thought and emotion effectively through their movement. The class is a learning experience for me as well, it is just as important to me to find out how to enrich the voice of which the dancer is communicating, than to just simply see my movement mirrored. I truly rather watch the dancers' s intention perfumed in the realm of my movement quality.