Melissa Matson, Professional Dancer and Movement Artist

Melissa Matson is a professional dancer/educator and mentor recently transplanted from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Evanston, IL. Matson is a movement artist who works with people to bring out their inner radiance. Founder of Embodied Living, Matson uses the Alexander Technique to work with groups and individuals to increase physical and emotional well being as well as enhance creativity and stage presence. Learn more about her practice at melissamatsonmoves.com

This January Matson partners with musician Preston Klick to host Body High at Foster Dance Studios. For two hours Matson and Klik (longtime Chicago DJ + meditation leader) will guide attendees through this dance meditation journey. Sign up at melissamatsonmoves.com/body-high

The Lisa D Show is a podcast celebrating creatives, featuring 20-minute, unedited conversations that mimic the live-radio vibe, very low tech on purpose. Reach out to host Lisa Degliantoni at thelisadshow[at]gmail.com

David Maurice of CocoDaco has exciting and immersive dance plans for 2018

Today on The Lisa D Show podcast we are talking with David Maurice, the interim artistic director at Foster Dance School’s CocoDaco Dance Project. Maurice is looking forward to immersive dance experiences, dance collaboration and more in 2018. Maurice’s debut show as performer, choreographer and director is “Soft Targets” in April 2018, featuring immersive experiences for audience and cast members.

Maurice has trained extensively with the former director Foster Dance School co-founder Ronn Stewart and is currently working in partnership with Sarah Goldstone, Ronn’s widow and co-founder of Foster Dance School.
David will be dancing in Evanston this weekend at “Keep Going (do it) With Love- A Tribute to Ronn Stewart”, Dec. 8-10 at Josephine Louis Theater on the Northwestern Campus. Tickets available at www.cocodaco.com.

Ronn Stewart was the founder of Cocodaco, creator of MoPeD (More People Dancing), a choreographer, brilliant dancer, teacher and inspiration. We are forever inspired by the 5 rules of MoPeD, Keep going, Suspend judgement, Listen, Remember and Do it with Love.

The tribute show will feature Ronn Stewart's work, "See Oh! Too SATURATION" created in 2007, "Garbage & Flowers" created in 2016 and new pieces by company members Ela Olarte and David Maurice.

David Maurice’s Background

David Maurice began training with César Degollado while attending the University of Arizona. In school, David performed works by Donald McKayle, Charles Weidman, George Balanchine, and Bob Fosse. As a dancer he has worked with Ronn Stewart’s Cocodaco Dance Project and Moving People Dance Santa Fe, Danielle Agami’s Ate9 Dance Company, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano’s Luna Negra Dance Theatre, Loni Landon Dance Project, Alex Ketley’s The Foundry, & Roderick George of the Forsythe Company. David serves as the resident choreographer of Condanza a San Francisco based dance company.

As a choreographer he has created work on Cocodaco Dance Project, Santa Barbara Dance Theater, and Ate9 Dance Company. He has assisted Barak Marshall’s creation The Castaways set on Ballet Rambert (London) and Loni Landon on Damon Cardasis’ award winning film Saturday Church. He has taught workshops at University of California Santa Barbara, University of California Irvine, Loyola Marymount


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The Lisa D Show is a podcast celebrating creatives, featuring 20-minute, unedited conversations that mimic the live-radio vibe, very low tech on purpose. Reach out to host Lisa Degliantoni at thelisadshow[at]gmail.com