Studio Stories: Reminiscing on Twin Cities Dance with Gretchen Pick - Season 8, Episode 107

Gretchen Pick has a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, an MFA in Dance from the University of Wisconsin, and is a certified Laban Movement Analyst. She has been an active dancer, teacher and choreographer in the Twin Cities since 1993. The companies and choreographers she has danced for include 45 Chartreuse, Gomez Dance Group, 10,000 Dances, Flying Sisters Theater, Dancing People Company, Sarah Hauss and Megan Flood. She started dancing as a teen-ager in the Youth Movement Company, directed by Stephen Rueff, where she first experienced the model she tries to put into place today – Young people are artists with something important to say, and we are all enriched when they are given opportunities to create work and venues in which to perform it!Gretchen’s own choreography, along with that of collaborative partner Sarah Gordon under the name of RIG, was showcased at several Twin Cities venues as well as  he Show Off Gallery in Bellingham, WA and the International Festival of Contemporary Dance in Bytom, Poland. Her work has been commissioned by the Walker Art Center, Winona State University and Carleton College.Gretchen has taught dance and yoga to students of all ages at various schools in the Twin Cities metro area, including the University of Minnesota.Gretchen came to Young Dance as an Artistic Director in 2000, and has primarily focused her exploration, creation, and performance of dance at Young Dance since 2005. She has spearheaded the development of Young Dance’s All Abilities Dancing initiative, which integrates individuals with and without disabilities across all programs. She has created and performed integrated dance with Gomez Dance Group, Croi Glan Dance Company, Angelique Lele, Dwayne Scheunemann, and Young Dance’s All Abilties Dancing class. Dancing with individuals with disabilities has transformed Gretchen’s understanding and practice of dance. Gretchen is currently the Executive Director of Young Dance and continues to teach classes and create choreography for Young Dancers.