Claire Calalo, Instructor
Years of Teaching Experience: 4
Years of Dance Experience: 10
“The dancer’s first and primary duty is to radiate, like the sun. To work is to do something; to serve is to become something. It is much more enjoyable to “be” instead of to “do.” Alonzo King
“My goal is to contribute to the global stage by presenting unique and evocative choreography that guides future generation of dancers towards discovering themselves as authentic and intelligent movement artists.”
Claire’s artistic life has been defined by a desire to explore the profound relationships that exist between modern dance, education and activism for social justice. She has been teaching since 2007 in dance studios, at the university level and with community groups in both Northern and Southern California, Nicaragua and Belize. She has taught and choreographed a range of dancers, from professionals to novices to children with special needs.
Claire began dancing at Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward, CA under the direction of East Bay choreographer Angela Demmel. At Santa Clara University she double majored in dance and biology, ultimately earning her Masters of Fine Arts in Dance at University California, Irvine in 2010, where she was fortunate enough to study technique and choreography with Loretta Livingston, Donald McKayle and Jodie Gates.
Claire has performed twice in Spain with the Dance, Theater, Music, and Media (DTM2) Improvisation Ensemble under the direction of Lisa Naugle, and has also performed the works of David Popalisky, Jennifer Backhaus of Backhausdance in Orange County, Abigail Hosein of ahdanco, and San Francisco-based choreographer Elizabeth McSurdy.
Her choreography has been presented in professional and academic venues throughout California, outdoors, in music videos, and on stage, as well as at the International Festival for Composers held annually in southern Spain.
