Professional solo performing artist based in Harrisonburg, Virginia.  Performances include solo repertoire by Daniel Nagrin, myself and other choreographers.  Recent Performances include concerts abroad in Brazil, Portugal, Poland, Germany, Denmark and in New York (Joyce SoHo, Merce Cunningham Theatre, Nikolais/Louis Choreospace), Washington D.C. (Dance Place, Joy of Motion Jack Quidone Theatre), Philadelphia (Painted Bride Arts Center), Chicago (Columbia Dance Center), and Richmond, VA. University concerts include Wesleyan, Arizona State, Univ. of Florida, James Madison University, Rutgers University, and the Universite des Antiilles, Martinique.

After a long and successful career, modern dance master soloist and teacher Daniel Nagrin passed away in 2008.  I had the pleasure and honor to work with Daniel for over 25 years as his student, dancer and friend.  Under his mentorship I studied Daniel¹s methods of teaching, choreography, improvisation and performance, and learned 6 of Daniel's solos that I perform in a concert entitled "The Nagrin Project".

During the last five years I have worked with the The Nagrin Theater, Film and Dance Foundation to create a structure to share Daniel's teaching philosophy, choreography and solos in residency projects with university dance programs.  In 2011 I completed my second reconstruction residency at Connecticut College, staging the classic solos from his first 1948 solo concert "Strange Hero" and "Spanish Dance".  I worked closely with David Dorfman (Director, Dance Department at Connecticut College) and Roxane D'Orleans Juste (Associate Artistic Director of the Jose Limon Dance Company) to develop a 5-day residency to teach these solos to student performers. The solos were the  highlight of their spring concert. In 2015 I set Daniel’s solo ”Path” on San Francisco dance artist Christy Funsch. In 2018 I had the pleasure of setting Daniel’s solo “Indeterminate Figure” on solo performer and former Jose Limon Dance Company member Paul Dennis.

Daniel had a strong desire to leave a legacy of his teaching philosophy and performances. The Nagrin Foundation is committed to encourage dissemination of Daniel's teaching philosophy, and to stage Daniel's solos “only within the university dance arena.”  Master classes in technique, improvisation, and choreography, and formal and informal performances of Daniel’s solos can be arranged as part of specific school academic year or as part of  a summer dance festival designed for student dancers.

DANCES AVAILABLE FOR RECONSTRUCTION
STRANGE HERO (1948)

SPANISH DANCE (1948)

MAN OF ACTION (1948)
INDETERMINANT FIGURE (1957)

SOMEONE (1957)

PATH (1965)
WORDGAME, A Cartoon (1968)

RESIDENCY OFFERINGS / MASTER CLASSES

 THE NAGRIN PROJECT CONCERT (Formal Concert)

THE NAGRIN PROJECT PRESENTATION (Informal Studio Concert)

DANIEL NAGRIN: The Great Loner of Modern Dance (Dance History/ Dance Appreciation)

THE SPECIFIC IMAGE IN PRACTICE (Dance Composition master class)

DANCE IMPROVISATION:  The Nagrin Approach (Master Class)

Since 1985, Shane has worked internationally as a performer, choreographer and educator. 

Shane has performed as a dancer and independent solo artist in Lisbon, Athens, Paris Krakow, Rio de Janeiro, Chengdu, China, and Denmark.  He has taught in residencies in Poland, Brazil, Denmark, Portugal and Germany.  Shane has received grants from the USIS/American Embassy, Center for Global Engagement / JMU, as well as a Fulbright Fellowship to Portugal.  In the spring 2016, he was a visiting professor at the Universite de Antilles in Martinique. Currently, Shane is on the roster of the Fulbright International Specialist program.  

Every other summer since 2004, Shane has directed the “JMU London Intensive on Contemporary Dance and Performance” study abroad program.  This intensive provides his students the opportunity to study new forms of dance in London and also to view cutting edge performances from around the world. He has also cultivated student cultural exchanges to Sichuan Province with performing art departments at Chengdu University, the Aba College, and the Guangya International School.  Recently have taken students to Martinique and Winchester, England for performance/teaching residencies.  The developments of these types of international projects are essential for the connecting of faculty and students to contemporary artistic global perspectives.

 Commissioned International Choreography:

- Grupo de Danca de Almada, Portugal

- Faculdade Motricidade Humana, Portugal

- Univ. of Winchester, England  

- Eksperymentalne Studio Tanca, Poland

- Eluza Santos/Sueli Guerra, Brazil