BRINGING TOGETHER PROFESSIONAL DANCERS, CHOREOGRAPHERS, AND DIRECTORS WITH ASPIRING YOUNG ARTISTS FOR A SUMMER EXPERIENCE THAT IS TRULY ONE-OF-A-KIND.
TWO PROGRAMS, ONE INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE
This summer will launch the first ever MARIN CHOREOGRAPHIC RESIDENCY. Directed by Ben Needham-Wood and Sadie Brown, the residency will invite professional dancers, choreographers, and directors to share two weeks dedicated to choreographic innovation.
Simultaneously, an IMMERSIVE SUMMER INTENSIVE program will allow young, aspiring dancers to train alongside these professional artists and get a behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating professional work. With an amplified emphasis on mindset and professional development, this program will afford young dancers an opportunity to discover their fullest potential in an inspiring and nurturing environment.
Together these two programs offer a powerfully enriching environment for future careers in dance performance.
QUICK LINKS
HOW IT WORKS:
A company of professional dancers and choreographers from across the United States arrive in Marin.
2. A group of ballet students join the program to observe and train with these world-class artists.
3. Every day the students get a behind-the-scenes look at the professional process, observing rehearsals and receiving direct coaching and mentorship from the professional artists themselves. The professional artists share their experiences with the aspiring young artists, and work together in a uniquely rich creative environment to generate ground-breaking works.
4. At the end of the program the Bay Area’s most celebrated dance directors and dance makers are invited to see the new creations, and select students may get the opportunity to perform on stage with the professional dancers.
The IMMERSIVE SUMMER INTENSIVE classes include:
Professional Ballet Technique - Choreography - Conditioning - Professional Observation - Yoga
Lecture/Discussions Include:
Mind-Body Movements
Athletic Artistry
From Pre- to Pro-
and Meet the Artists
ISI dancers receive up to 7 hours of training per day based on program selection. Details coming soon.
HELP US BUILD A LEGACY
We are beyond grateful to be creating a program that bolsters choreographic innovation with young artist development. Our goal is to build on this dream year after year, and in order to do that we need your help.
Here are three ways you can support this initiative:
By Wire:
Please contact Erica Allen at MDT for wire information.
erica@mdt.org
By Mail: Marin Dance Theatre
Attn: Erica Allen (CRM)
Mailing address: 1 Saint Vincent Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903
Check payable to: MDT or Marin Dance Theatre
Memo: CRM
By PayPal via MDT’s website:
Link: Support MDT
https://mdt.org/donate.html
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET MORE INVOLVED? To learn more about this program and how you can support its future please email BEN NEEDHAM-WOOD (bneedhamwood@gmail.com) or SADIE BROWN (Sadie.isadorabrown@gmail.com).
MEET THE DIRECTORS
BEN NEEDHAM-WOOD
BEN NEEDHAM-WOOD (Artistic Director) is an EMMY Award-winning choreographer, filmmaker, and dance educator. Ben currently serves as Artistic Director for the Boulder Ballet in Boulder, CO. This appointment followed a 12-year performance career dancing primarily with the Louisville Ballet, Smuin Contemporary Ballet, and Amy Seiwert’s Imagery. As a performer Ben was honored to receive two Isadora Duncan Dance Award nominations and recognition from the New York Times. Ben graduated magna cum laude and holds a BFA in Ballet from the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, OH.
Ben’s choreography has been presented nationally by professional companies, TV networks, commercial airlines, film festivals, and galas. In 2018, Ben and his long-time collaborator, Weston Krukow, co-created the dance film BaseBallet: Into the Game, which was awarded 4 Northern-California Area EMMY Awards and recognized by film festivals across the country. This feature was preceded by the short film, BaseBallet, which was also recognized with a regional EMMY Award and was later exhibited at the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, NY.
Ben was the first appointed Artistic Fellow of Amy Seiwert’s Imagery in 2018. Two years later he founded his own company, Redirecting Dance, in order to produce works that amplify critical social issues and inspire empathy. Through his company Ben has been closely studying the impacts of movement on mental health. This research continues to inform his work as a choreographer and leader in the performing arts.
CONTACT: bneedhamwood@gmail.com
SADIE BROWN
SADIE BROWN (Associate Artistic Director) started dance at a young age in her hometown, Evansville, IN. From there she attended training programs at Boston Ballet and Harid Conservatory. Upon graduating high school, Sadie was handpicked by Patricia Barker to join Grand Rapids Ballet where she performed lead roles such as Juliet in a world premiere by Mario Radacovsky. This role took her to Austria where she guested in Ballet Bratislava’s production of Romeo and Juliet. After 3 seasons with Grand Rapids Ballet, Sadie signed a contract with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet in January 2013. Here she enjoyed a full career dancing on some of the greatest stages around the globe and performing works by leading choreographers such as Jiri Kylian, Jorma Elo, Nicolo Fonte, Alejandro Cerrudo, Cayetano Soto, and Fernando Melo. Upon the dissolution of ASFB, Sadie took on the position of rehearsal assistant at The Boulder Ballet.
Sadie continues to push her own artistry on the stage as a freelance dancer performing with companies such as Cirio Collective, Lemon Sponge Cake, and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet; and off the stage as a stager for choreographers such as Ben Needham-Wood, Andrea Schermoly, and Nicolo Fonte.
CONTACT: Sadie.isadorabrown@gmail.com
MEET THE 2025 FEATURED CHOREOGRAPHER
BRANDON RAGLAND
Artistic Director of Dayton Ballet.
Brandon has over a decade of professional experience as a dancer, choreographer, and educator. Most recently, he spent 13 years as a leading artist with the Louisville Ballet and served as the Pre-Professional Program Manager for the Louisville Ballet School as well as the Resident Choreographer for the Louisville Ballet Youth Ensemble (LBYE). He has taught for Louisville Ballet School, Louisville Ballet Studio Company, Alabama Ballet, Alabama Ballet School, Alabama School of Fine Arts, Next Generation Ballet, Samford University, AROVA Contemporary Ballet, and Ballet Arkansas.
Brandon has received awards for his contribution to the Louisville arts community. He is the recipient of The Lift A Life Foundation Emerging Leader in the Arts Award that was presented by The Fund for the Arts, a Hadley Creative recipient, and was awarded Louisville Magazine’s Best Artist Award. Brandon has created works for Louisville Ballet, Alabama Ballet, Ballet Arkansas, AROVA Contemporary Ballet, Next Generation Ballet, Sedona Chamber Ballet, and The Perla Ballet. His choreography with the LBYE has been presented at several Regional Dance America: Southeast festivals, Brandon has also created two one-act ballets, Cinderella’s Ball and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, for the Louisville Ballet School. Brandon has collaborated with many local community programs such as Root and Wings project, IDEAS xLab, and The Kentucky Center’s Artsreach program. In 2017, Brandon had the wonderful opportunity to perform with the Black Iris Project at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. as part of their Dance Across America Program.