AUTUMN ECKMAN

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BIO

STATEMENT

My role in dance education, choreography and performance demonstrates a strong belief that the arts are directly connected to the experiences of living. The ability to share this knowledge is a blessing of our existence and the very thing that comes closest to bridging the gap between individual experiences. I believe in the creation of spaces that support and encourage strength building, risk taking, choice making, and creativity. I am drawn to the infusion of movement with spirit and individuality through the actions of listening absorbing , reflecting and reinvention. Over the years, I've thoroughly sunk my teeth into the process-oriented environment unique to choreography, performance and dance education. Not only am I working intimately with unique and diverse indviduals and communites on daily goals and long-term projects to help maximize their technical potential, but also to refine their aesthetic sensibilities as movement generators, assisting burgeoning choreographers in their creative processes.

BACKGROUND

Autumn Eckman received her formative training from Susan Bebee, Tom Pazik and Patricia Bromley in Atlanta, GA before attending the Houston Ballet Academy on full scholarship at age 15. Autumn had the privilege to perform as a company member of Giordano Dance Chicago where she also served as Assistant Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer and Director Giordano II. She was also a company member of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Luna Negra Dance Theatre, Lucky Plush Productions, Ron De Jesus Dance, State Street Ballet,  and The Cambrians. Her choreographic commissions include  eleven works for Giordano Dance Dance Chicago including JOLT which was named one of Dance Magazine's Top 10 Choreographic Works for 2012 by Wendy Perron. Autumn is a  recipient of the University of Georgia Marine Extension's Artists, Writers and Scholars Grant, and has been named a New City Chicago Publication Top Player in the Chicago Arts Scene and a Dance Chicago New Artistic Voice In Choreography. She has created works for State Street Ballet (Artist-In-Residence) and State Street Ballet Young Dancers , Colorado Conservatory of Dance, DanceWorks Chicago, Visceral Dance Chicago, The Cambrians, Chattanooga Ballet, Kit Modus, The Big Muddy Dance Co., Wylliams-Henry Dance Company (supported by New Dance Partners), Mareck Dance, Gainesville BalletNorth Coast Ballet California, Vitacca Ballet, Atlanta Dance Theatre, Southern Ballet Theatre, Washington & Lee University, Stephens College, Western Michigan University, University of Kansas (Choreographic Fellowship), Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, Grand Valley State University, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Her choreography and research has been presented at the American College Dance Association (Gala selection, Southeast region), Regional Dance America National Festival, IUGTE Conference (Austria), Women In Dance Leadership Conference, Charlotte Dance Festival, Bill Evans Somatic Dance Conference, National Dance Educators Organization, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Bates Dance Festival, Performática (Mexico), Solo Duo Dance Festival (NYC), Detroit Dance City Festival, Charlotte Dance Festival, Blackbox International Theatre & Dance Festival (Bulgaria), Dance Gallery Festival (TX), Men In Dance Festival (WA), as a Finalist of the McCallum Choreography Competition (CA) and with JUNTOS Collective (Guatemala) where she served as Outreach Choreographer in the summer of 2019. Autumn regularly collaborates with composers, multimedia and visual artists including Dan Myers, Anton Faynberg, Evan Bivins, Joseph Venegoni, Robert LeGendre, Mark Shaffer, Travis McFarlane, Tom Andes, Dr. Michelle Gott, Jonathan Marquis and Dorsey Kaufmann. Autumn holds an MFA in Choreography from the University of Iowa. She is certified in the Giordano Jazz Dance Technique through the Nan Giordano Certification Program and in Level One of Revolutionary Principles of Movement. She is dedicated to sharing her experience of over 25 years of performing, choreographing and teaching/mentorship and has served as master faculty for organizations including the American Dance Festival, Hualien Dance Theatre (Taiwan), Lou Conte Dance Studio (Chicago), Visceral Dance Centre (IL), Atlanta Academy of Ballet and Dance, Alliance Academy of Dance (ID), Jaqueline's School of Ballet (UT), Vitacca Vocational School for Dance (TX), the Ballet Alliance Festival, Open Doors Dance Festival and the Bates Dance Festival. She is a former Instructor of Dance at Northern Illinois University and Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Arizona and inaugural faculty member of the School of the Arts at Central Gwinnett High School (GA). Currently, Autumn is an Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University.

Resume

choreography

  • Oscillate Atlanta Dance Theatre 2024
  • Chikara North Coast Ballet California 2024
  • Vessels  KSU Dance Company 2023
  • Le Nouvel An Vitacca Ballet 2023
  • Infinite Scroll Colorado Conservatory of Dance 2023
  • Endless Pause North Coast California Ballet 2023
  • Emovere  Mareck Dance 2022
  • Wax and Wane Chattanooga Ballet 2022
  • Diptych KSU Dance Company 2022
  • Retroverse Giordano Dance Chicago 2022
  • de Kooning, Revealed University of Arizona 2019
  • Drift University of Arizona 2019
  • Layer Cake University of Arizona 2019
  • Gold Jackets Univrsity of Arizona 2019
  • A Love Once New University of Arizona 2019
  • Solo/Duo State Street Ballet 2019
  • En Tus Zapatos JUNTOS Collective 2019
  • Second Impulse Kit Modus 2019
  • You Go, I Go Southeast Missouri State University 2019
  • Limeless featuring Benjamin Holliday Wardell 2018
  • Electra State Street Ballet 2018
  • Supermoon University of Arizona 2017
  • Umbra Big Muddy Dance Co. 2017
  • Unseen Symphony Grand Valley State University 2017
  • Sardine Bates Dance Festival (Different Voices) 2015
  • The Cambrians presents Autumn and Jamie in The Losers 2015
  • People, Places, and Things Mareck Dance 2016
  • Scheherazade State Street Ballet 2014
  • Mist Giordano Dance Chicago 2014
  • SOLUS Series, Visceral Dance Chicago 2014, 2017
  • Chicken Scratch The Cambrians 2013
  • Of Alice Chicago Repertory Ballet 2013
  • May or May Not Mareck Dance 2012
  • JOLT Giordance Dance Chicago 2012
  • Biota DanceWorks Chicago 2012
  • G-Force Giordano Dance Chicago
  • Alloy Giordano Dance Chicago 2011
  • Sanza Giordan Dance Chicago 2011
  • Yes, ...And! Western Michigan University, Giordano Dance Chicago 2010, 2015
  • A Little Moonlight Giordano Dance Chicago 2010
  • commonthread Giordano Dance Chicago 2009
  • Inside/Out program, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago 2009
  • A Lot Like Love Inaside Chicago Dance 2008
  • Reverie State Street Ballet Young Dancers 2006

Film

  • (a)shore  2024
  • Moving Parts 2022
  • Bound-Less 2021
  • Reframe 2020
  • Part and Parcel 2020
  • JOLT  featuring Giordano Dance Chicago 2020
  • Ordinary Restless 2020
  • Shape-less  2020
  • MOAT 2015

DATES

EDUCATION

American Dance Festival

Jun 14, 2024
Jul 14, 2024

COMMISSIONS

Commissions

Dance Kaleidoscope

Indianapolis, IN

PERFORMANCES

Performance

(a)shore at the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum (Waves of Wonder exhibition)

Savannah, GA
Jun 5, 2024
Sep 1, 2024
Performance

State Street Ballet and the Santa Barbara Symphony present Scheherazade

Oct 25, 2024
Oct 26, 2024

TESTIMONIALS

Edgy and strong choreography was magnificent to behold.
Stage and Cinema
What a strong opening - with dancers flexing torsos, fingers and arms convex to concave and flying, and gliding artfully across the stage.
Picture This Post
The movement, as quiet as the sound of rain was lush with elongated lines, reaching, stretching, beseeching, and effortless horizontal lifts
See Chicago Dance
Eckman has devised a galvanic work with a truly distinctive language.
Chicago Sun Times
 Eckman is a bright choreographic stylist, mixing solid design with color and sparkle.
Chicago Tribune

Contact

Please inquire about bookings for choreography, master classes & in-person or virtual training. I look forward to connecting with you!

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