Arizona Countertechnique Intensive 

with Charles Slender-White & Rosanna Tavarez

New to Countertechnique? Join us! Already obsessed with Countertechnique? Join us! All workshops are geared towards Intermediate/Advanced/Professional level dancers. You do not need any previous experience in the Countertechnique method to join us!

3-Day Countertechnique Intensive Workshop
For adult dancers (18+) with intermediate to advanced/professional-level experience.
📍Location: ASU Tempe Campus – Nelson Fine Arts Center, Studio FAC 122
📬 Address: 51 E 10th St, Tempe, AZ 85281
💻 Registration: Online only — no on-site payments.
📝 Pre-registration required.

Workshop Schedule:
Friday, September 18 | 4:30–8:30 PM (4 hours, includes a short break)
Saturday, September 19 | 10:00 AM–3:00 PM (5 hours, includes a brief lunch break)
Sunday, September 20 | 10:00 AM–3:00 PM (5 hours, includes a brief lunch break)

PARTICIPATION OPTIONS

• Full 3-Day Participation (Fri/Sat/Sun): We strongly encourage participants to commit to all three days of the workshop if possible. Full participation will offer the most benefit for your growth and experience with the Countertechnique approach.

• Two Days: You may attend any of the following two-day combinations: Friday/Saturday, Friday/Sunday or Saturday/Sunday.

• Single Day: Friday, Saturday or Sunday. 

• Technique Class Portion Only: Participate in approx. the first two hours of the workshop on each day, which includes the technique class portion only. This does not include the Tools or Lab session, where participants further explore the Countertechnique principles and how to apply them in movement.

PRICING & REGISTRATION:
Click on “Tickets” for pricing details. 

Work Trade Opportunities:
We are offering a limited number of work trade positions for reduced tuition. Please email: info@thirdspacedanceproject.org to inquire. 
Work Trade Sign-Up Deadline: September 1st, 2026, by 11:59 PM.

Payment Plans Available:
Payment can be made in two installments for the 3 day registration option. Your 2nd installment (final payment) must be made by Thursday, September 17, 2026. 

Refund Policy
Cancellations made on or before August 28 (3 weeks before workshop) are eligible for a full refund.
Cancellations made after August 28 are not eligible for a refund, but you may receive a credit toward a future TRADE Lab workshop. Alternatively, if you are unable to attend, you may give/transfer your registration to another participant with written notice via email to us. 

TRADE Lab workshops rely on participant registration to ensure financial feasibility. Thus, changes in attendance have a substantial impact. Thank you for understanding and supporting our ability to continue offering these opportunities to the community. Our refund policy is non-negotiable. Please submit any cancellation or transfer requests in writing to info@thirdspacedanceproject.org.

HOUSING / ACCOMMODATIONS (Out-of-Town Participants):
There are a variety of accommodations near ASU campus and downtown Tempe, including Airbnbs, hostels, bed & breakfasts, and hotels — all within walking distance to the Nelson Fine Arts Center. If you choose to stay further out, rideshare options like Uber, Lyft, and Waymo are reliable.
Note: Public transportation in Arizona becomes less convenient the farther you are from campus. The light rail or public bus is an option, but will require a longer commute. 

PARKING:

• Mill Ave Parking Garage (directly next to the Fine Arts Center)

• ASU Gammage Performing Arts Center parking lot.

• Nearby neighborhoods (check signage carefully)

• Metered street parking

• Any nearby on- or off-campus parking garages

Tips:

• Weekend parking is generally easier, Sundays it is FREE in the Fine Arts Center museum lot. 

• For your first visit, aim to arrive 30 minutes early to allow time for parking and walking to Nelson Fine Arts Center, FAC Studio 122.

• If you get lost or need help finding the studio, please DM @ThirdSpaceDanceProject on Instagram or view our stories for walking instructions. 

Workshop: Over 3 days, dancers will be offered a comprehensive introduction to Countertechnique with FACT/SF Artistic Director and long-time Countertechnique teacher, Charles Slender-White and Senior Teacher Rosanna Tavarez. Developed by Anouk van Dijk, Countertechnique is a contemporary dance technique that integrates intellectual intention with physical activity, strengthens and stretches the body, and enables dancers to move bigger, more fluidly, and more spatially. In addition to daily Countertechnique classes, the workshop will include discussions about and physical investigations of the Countertechnique Toolbox. Each of these sessions will help dancers deepen their Countertechnique practice while facilitating the application of Countertechnique to other dance forms and modalities.​ The day will include a short break.

About Countertechnique: The Countertechnique® class is a contemporary dance technique class. By continuously and sequentially directing and counter directing parts of the body through space, Countertechnique allows the moving dancer to work with an ever-changing dynamic balance. This dynamic balance reduces the pressure on the overall body structure and can be changed at any given moment. The consistent use of the counter direction in all movements is key to the technique; both the awareness and application of this principle is trained throughout the Countertechnique class. It involves directing and counter-directing parts of the body away from each other in space, which creates a dynamic sense of balance. This balance can be changed at any moment, reducing pressure on the body's structure and allowing for quick changes of direction and fast problem solving. Countertechnique can also help dancers move more fluidly, spatially, and bigger. It stretches, coordinates and strengthens the body, making the dancer sweat, build stamina and really move. The class starts with a recurring set of exercises, allowing dancers to investigate the Countertechnique® principles in detail. The technique was developed by Anouk van Dijk, a dancer, choreographer, and teacher, over the course of her 25-year career.

About Charles: Charles Slender-White (he/him/any) is a contemporary dance artist, educator, instigator, organizer, and the Artistic Director of FACT/SF. He believes that artists deserve a living wage and that artists’ labor should be recognized, and he utilizes FACT/SF as a framework to realize these values, make art, and engage community. Slender-White is one of 58 Countertechnique Teachers worldwide, on faculty at the American Dance Festival, and recently served as a Guest Curator and Resident Strategist at ODC Theater from 2021-2023. He has worked as a dance artist throughout North America, Europe, and Russia, and in Hong Kong and Australia. Slender-White began his career with Provincial Dances Theatre in Yekaterinburg, Russia, and graduated with honors from UC Berkeley with degrees in Dance & Performance Studies and English Literature.

About Rosanna: Rosanna Tavarez received an MFA in Choreography from The Ohio State University as a University Fellow and a Teaching Fellow, and a BFA in Choreography from University of Michigan. She has a diverse background as a performer/entertainer and has had the honor of working with Marina Abramović, Ryan Heffington, Travis Payne, Tony Michaels, and Rosanna Gamson/Worldwide. She also toured with N’SYNC and Jessica Simpson as one-fifth of the girl group Eden’s Crush. She covered the Emmys, Grammys and Oscars in addition to hosting her own shows as a television personality for FOX, E!, TVGuide Network, and Telemundo/NBC. Tavarez has been studying Countertechnique since 2011, and in 2016, she was selected to attend the Countertechnique Teacher Training program. She is now one of eleven certified American Countertechnique teachers. In 2023, after co-leading her first One Body One Career Intensive with Founder Anouk Van Dijk at Gibney in New York City, she became a Senior Teacher. Tavarez has had the pleasure of teaching Countertechnique nationally and internationally. Tavarez’s work has been presented at The Broad Museum, ODC Theater, REDCAT, Dance Camera West, The Odyssey, Breaking Ground Dance Festival, LA Department of Cultural Affairs' LA Dance Platform, Sarasota Contemporary Dance and Highways Performance Space, and has been supported by Center for New Performance, Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation, CalState LA’s Research, Scholarship and Creativity Awards, ARC grant from the Center for Cultural Innovation, UCLA Hothouse Residency and Show Box LA. As a dance educator, Tavarez has taught as faculty and guest artist at numerous institutions, including USC Kaufman School of Dance, University of Michigan, Loyola Marymount University, Scripps College, CalState Long Beach, Studio School, University of Southern Mississippi, Texas State University and Cal State LA. Currently, she serves as the BFA Program Director at CalArts Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance.