Former Pilobolus dancer and Director of the Art Monastery to offer New Movement Series and Contemporary Dance in Brattleboro

Contact: Neva Cockrell at [email protected], 646-897-4117

After dancing with Pilobolus for over 3 years, teaching ballet barre at Physique 57 in NYC and Dubai, and directing the Art Monastery in Italy, Neva was ready to call somewhere home and create her own blend of fitness, embodiment, and mindfulness — Catalyst Training. She moved to Vermont 4 years ago and has been teaching and refining the technique ever since. “After so much travel, I was yearning to live close to the land. At the Art Monastery (now in Springfield, VT) we explore contemplative practice, creative practice, and communal living. With my background and passion for movement, once we landed in Vermont, I started developing Catalyst Training based on what I did in my own daily practice. I’m really excited about blending training techniques to refresh and awaken the body and mind. Catalyst is both a full on work out and an awareness building session, we go from dance music to breath work, we move around the room and we do yoga poses on a mat. It’s my dream 2 hours of training the body and mind to be more awake, more free, and honestly, happier.” Cockrell will offer two 4-week workshop series of Catalyst Training at 118 Elliot on Saturdays from 10:00am-12:00pm between February 29 – May 2. Preregistration is required for both series by emailing Neva at [email protected].

“Catalyst creates a container that allows me to give my body what it needs, while also pushing me to push myself. I achieved more than I thought I could, worked harder than I thought I wanted, and loved it way more than I thought possible. This isn’t “exercise” or “strength training,” it’s an expression of joy in sweat.” —Shawn, Brooklyn, NY

Cockrell will also be offering two four-week Contemporary Dance Series at SoBo Studio. “I’ve been teaching dance, choreographing my own work, and performing for the past 12 years. Especially after the last 3 years of touring with Pilobolus, I am thrilled to have a chance to share in my home community.” She is teaching her own blend of Contemporary Dance, with a focus on moving dynamically with grace in a body-positive environment. This series will be Saturdays 2:00-3:30pm March 7 – May 2, with a trial class February 29.

“I experienced in myself and observed that Catalyst is incredibly accessible for a wide range of abilities and mobilities.” —Becky Miller, Burlington, Vermont

Both Contemporary Dance and Catalyst are open level. All levels of movement experience and ability are welcome. “It is a goal for me that these classes are diverse,” Neva says, “when we share any space, but especially a movement space, with all different types of bodies, each person learns more. They are designed to welcome people newer to movement, and still push people who want it.”

Catalyst and her current blend of Contemporary Dance were born at the Art Monastery, where Neva currently lives and is a co-director. When she was first creating them, she taught everyday for an entire summer to anyone who happened to be at the Art Monastery for a residency or retreat and asked for their feedback. The techniques are therefore, inherently steeped in similar values of bringing awareness into our everyday movements, building community through kindness and connection, and expressing creativity in even the smallest parts of our lives.

“My experience of Catalyst Training with Neva was a full mind, body, spirit nourishing and full contact experience.” —Maria Pilar Pina, Alexandria, Virginia