Donnell Oakley is an independent choreographer, dancer, and teacher based in Brooklyn, New York. She has had her work produced through a variety of theaters and received residencies to support her work at The Silo, The Lumberyard, SUNY Brockport, and The Yard as the 2013 Bessie Schönberg Choreographic Mentorship recipient. In addition to her independent work, Oakley continues to create work with Chavasse Dance & Performance, Cori Marquis + The Nines [IX], Steeledance, her collective LMnO3 with Deborah Lohse & Cori Marquis, and Doug Elkins Choreography Etc.

Each Modern Lab session features a different guest artist teaching a master class and sections from their repertory. This panorama of the contemporary dance field is presented to broaden the students’ awareness of potential career possibilities. Each guest artist conducts a 30-minute technique class/warm-up and then teaches repertory that is performed by the class. In the final 15 minutes, faculty coordinator Bill De Young conducts a Q & A with each artist, discussing their career; their recommendations for transitioning from student to professional, and what they look for when they audition dancers for their projects.

This event supported in part by the EXCEL Lab.