Discover Forreston’s Hidden Gems for Contemporary Dance Training
Forreston might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of cutting-edge contemporary dance—but that’s exactly why it’s special. Tucked away from the hype of big-city studios, this unassuming town has quietly cultivated a thriving ecosystem for experimental movement. Here’s where to train if you want authenticity over algorithms, and artistry over trends.
The Movement Foundry
Don’t let the industrial exterior fool you—The Movement Foundry is where Forreston’s most daring choreographers incubate ideas. Their signature "Unstable Ground" class blends contemporary with parkour principles, teaching dancers to fall beautifully and find momentum in collapse. The founder, a former circus artist, insists on small class sizes to prioritize individual risk-taking.
Body Current Collective
This artist-run space operates like a movement laboratory, with weekly "Open Research" sessions where dancers collaborate with local musicians and projection artists. Their unique approach to contemporary training incorporates water resistance techniques (yes, sometimes literally in the nearby river) to explore fluidity versus tension.
Third Space Studio
A converted 1920s cinema houses this studio known for its improvisation-driven pedagogy. Instead of set combinations, dancers work with randomized prompts (think: "Respond to the sound of crumpling paper as if it’s your first language"). Their annual "No Mirror Month" challenges students to recalibrate their proprioception—a game-changer for performers tired of visual validation.
Why Forreston?
Unlike major dance hubs where everyone’s chasing the same opportunities, Forreston’s scene thrives on cross-pollination. Here, you’ll find contemporary dancers collaborating with aerial silk artists, butoh practitioners sharing space with hip-hop freestylers. The affordability means studios can take risks—your training won’t look like everyone else’s reel fodder.
Pro tip: Visit during the Forreston Fringe Movement Festival (every September) when all these spaces open their doors for workshops that’ll rewrite your definition of contemporary dance.
