Feldenkrais Week - Healthy Joints for Daily Use | Louise Chegwidden

Louise Chegwidden, PT, GCFP, is a dynamic and attentive teacher informed by 32 years of clinical experience. Louise practices at the junction of Physical Therapy and Somatic Education to inspire actions of greater efficiency, precision and ease. Louise graduated from Cumberland College of Health Sciences in Sydney, Australia with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Physiotherapy in 1981 and completed the Somathematics Feldenkrais® Professional Training Program in 1991. Since 2001 she has been a member of Actors Equity Association, the union of professional stage actors. Louise is a sports enthusiast, bicycle commuter and loves to dance.

Performance | Anya Matanovic, Soprano & Yelena Kurdina, Piano

Anya Matanovic, Soprano

Praised for the "thrilling vocal color" and "sweetly winning" presence, American soprano Anya Matanovič made her international opera debut as Musetta in Franco Zeffirelli's
captivating production of Puccini's La Bohème during the New Israeli Opera's 2008-2009 season. Recent engagements include Nannetta in Falstaff with the Seattle Opera and Opera Cleveland, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel with Kentucky Opera and Opera Cleveland, Frasquita in Carmen with New York City Opera, and Papagena with the Santa Fe Opera. Upcoming seasons see Ms. Matanovič as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro with Madison Opera and Kentucky Opera, a return to Seattle Opera as Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel with Utah Opera, and makes her debut with Glimmerglass Opera as Micaela in Carmen in Francesca Zambello's inaugural season as General & Artistic Director.

Yelena Kurdina, Piano

Extraordinary pianist, recitalist, coach, prompter and assistant conductor, Yelena Kurdina is among the most sought after collaborators in the opera world today. A specialist in Russian and Slavic repertoire at The Metropolitan Opera for over a decade, Ms. Kurdina became Placido Domingo's private coach for his preparation of "one of the most important roles of his career," Ghermann in Tchaikovsky's "Queen of Spades". Yelena was the coach and consultant for Renee Fleming's recordings of "Night Songs" and "Homage: The Age of the Diva", as well as her televised appearance as Tatiana in "Eugene Onegin" with the New York Philharmonic on PBS' Great Performances and later on the Met HD telecast. Ms.Kurdina's recitals with the remarkable Dmitri Hvorostovsky, have been called "rich and haunting collaborations, beautifully judged and impeccably ardent."

Hailing originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, Ms. Kurdina has been no stranger to the leading international opera houses, where she has brought her distinguished musicianship to such renowned festivals and opera houses as the Opera National de Paris, Houston Grand Opera, Saito Kinen Festival in Japan, Summerscape in the new Frank Gehry theater at Bard College, Teatro de la Maestranza in Sevilla, Spain and the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera in Washington, DC. Ms. Kurdina has been the assistant to a host of extraordinary conductors -- Seiji Ozawa, Vladimir Jurowski, James Conlon, Valery Gergiev, among others -- with whom she has worked not only on Russian operas, but also on many Italian operas, as well. Among the highlights of her operatic career are Verdi's "Otello" and "Don Carlo," Tchaikovsky's "Queen of Spades," Shostakovich's "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk" and Prokofiev's "Gambler" and "War and Peace."

Indigo Dyeing a Shibori Scarf | Susan Kusama

TWO ANCIENT TECHNIQUES / ONE MODERN ACCESSORY: Indigo Dyeing a Shibori Scarf.

Susan Kusama will offer this two-hour project on three different days. Susan Kusama´s lifelong interest in most of the fiber arts is now focused on using various shibori techniques and natural dyes, particularly indigo. To this end, Susan has participated in classes in N. Carolina, Wisconsin, Indiana and Missouri. She’s fascinated by the interaction of relatively simple shibori techniques with natural dyeing that can result in a beautiful, unique fabric.