Vicki Gunter Massage, Motion, Dance Resume

I have spent the last 41 years studying and teaching the body in motion as a massage therapist and dancer. The Hendrickson Method ® has proven to be a gift to me and my clients. In addition to Hendrickson Method, I am certified in Tui-Na & Shiatsu acupressure (Acupressure Institute & Dr. Stephen Chang) as well as dance therapy and Evolutionary Motion (somatic/dance pioneer Jane Brown). I am the Co-Founder/Director of the nonprofit organization, Orches, founded in 1991, specializing in Body Orchestration - making movement a lifelong pleasure. I enjoy providing my clients with a beautiful, relaxing environment and massage therapy that works.


  •   Professional Ballet, Modern, and Contemporary Dancer 1971-2004.
  •   40 years incorporating dance arts and movement therapy for all ages, skill levels.
  •   International performing artist — over 300 appearances in the U.S. and South Asia.
  •   Choreographer of works performed throughout the U.S., European tour, Sri Lanka.
  •   Hands-on bodywork, re-alignment and perceptual/motor therapy for thousands of dancers,                                                   athletes, children, disabled and the injured.
  •   Instructor of Movement/Relaxation/Birth Preparation for pregnant women.
  •   Manager of Open Arts Circle, a community performance, rehearsal, teaching space '91 - '02
  •   Co-Creator of art and science programs for 4th and 5th grade public Alameda County public schools: What is Dance?  
      Renaissance to Contemporary, Sharing Sri Lanka, Levers Pulleys & Dance, Levers Pulleys & Art and art teacher for Watershed Adventures for           Alameda County Resource Conservation and Development.


Classic Dance, Movement and Re-Alignment Instruction

  • Co-founder, co-director, full-time instructor since 1991 for Orches, a non-profit organization, funded in part by grants from the City of Oakland, and specializing in Body Orchestration - classic dance training and body health. Students range from walkers to 92 years and include professional dancers and athletes.
  • Perceptual Motor Development Coordinator, Consultant and Dance instructor since 1988 for Oakland public schools, Glenview School Visually Impaired program, Oakland Union of the Homeless, private preschool programs, and children in Sri Lanka.
  • Founding member and instructor for Jane Brown & Co., teacher of classic and pre-classic dance, relaxation, evolutionary motion studies, backstage techniques, voice production and choreography from 1971-1990.


Selected Performing Credits

  • 200 feature appearances with Jane Brown & Co. Throughout U.S.            
  • All Arts and World Culture Summit tour in Sri Lanka
  • Aerial Performance with Terry Sendgraff In her  "retirement" show Vital Red
  • Orches — Sharing Sri Lanka and “ORCHES! DANCING!” (Orches debut), Open Arts Circle, Oakland     
  • Second Annual Benefit at/for Theatre Artaud, San Francisco
  • Commissioned choreography/perform.  & lecture demo. - U. of Arizona, Tucson
  • Oakland Arts Festival- premiere Remembering Cartwheels     
  • 9/11 benefit for the Red Cross at Julia Morgan Center
  • Earth Day Performance sponsored by California Institute of Integral Studies
  • Business Arts Awards, Oakland Dance/Choreography
  • Outdoor Dance Projects, Emeryville


Choreography

Choreographer of short and full-length solo, group, and improvised dance pieces based in nature and on social issues.  Works include:

  • Window Shadows — performed at Theatre Artaud, Jane Brown & Co.
  • Work Dances: Industrial Seamstress, Clerical Workers, Machinists, Construction Workers —Suite of dances toured Europe on videotape.
  • Sierra Suite: Deer Path, Rainfall — for two dancers en pointe performed at Oakland Ensemble Theatre; Laney College; Jane Brown & Co.
  • Art Moves: Sculpture, Writing, Painting, Photography- commissioned music  - D. E. Smith
  • I Can’t Stand the Rain — solo performed to the score by Tina Turner.
  • Sky Blues — based on original poetry by Vicki Gunter with live vocals by Lissa Patterson.
  • Somebody’s Baby — performed on tour in Sri Lanka and at Orches.
  • Intertwined: Excitement, Interwoven, Mirror Lake — original score and live accompaniment by Michael D. Miller, original paintings by Joell Jones
  • Improvisation on a Skyline; Improvisation on a Shoreline — site-specific works for 1993 and 1994 Outdoor Dance Projects.
  • Chaos — collaboration with Peter Brown and M.D. Miller, performed on tour in Sri Lanka.
  • Woven — solo performance, scored with Sri Lankan loom field recordings & original poem
  • Frieze — Based on Sri Lankan dance movements and architectural frieze dance figures.
  • Remembering Cartwheels - collaboration with Kathryn Neale  (soprano),Carol Schwamberger (violist) and Elaine Hamblin (costume designer)
  • Time Stories - 10 vignettes with different cultural, historical perspectives on time.
  • Eyes - sari dance directed by, and based on a poem of the same title, by Peter Brown
  • Sea Drift - commissioned by University of Arizona, classics depart.-based onW.Whitman
  • In The Lettuce- commissioned by UofA, original poetry by Vicki, collaboration w/Peter B.
  • Big City - aerial & earth, site specific piece commissioned by sculptor/painter Joell Jones for her Big City Sculpture Installation.
  • Goddess/Guide in Seeding Tomorrow - green screen video commissioned by Joell Jones.
  • U.S.Vendor - performance installation - A Show of Peace - Fort Creativity Center - Oak-2003
  • She - work-in-progress/premiere - dance/poetry -  NDW @ Western Sky, Berkeley CA 2004
  • The Reading Chair - Sand Woman – sculpture installation, reading/performance @ Oakopolis Creativity Center, 2008

Television, Exhibits and Publications

  • The Other America — The Art and Culture of the American Labor Movement since 1900; Video exhibit of work dances touring Europe (1983-present), and published in Das Andre Amerika, Elefanten Press, 1983
  • KCSM-TV Channel 60, Interview and Broadcast of Work Dances
  • Creative Writing - In The Lettuce commissioned by University of Arizona, 2002
  • Somebody's Baby published in Street Spirit, 2002
  •  The Reading Chair, In The Lettuce, Dear Mom and Binaca published in Good News 2004, 2005, 2006
 

Dance, Theatrical, and Movement/Massage Therapy Training

Acupressure & Massage Therapy, CMT
Jane Brown, Milton Feher, McKinnon & Acupressure Institute cert.
Dr Stephen Chang, Hendrickson Method Practitioner®

Dance Therapy, Classic Dance (Ballet) and Pointe
Jane Brown & Company, Alonzo King, Ronn Guidi, Larissa Sklyanskaya, Beth Jahn, Loretta Jacobs, Abra Rudisill

Yoga & Qi Gung
Richard Hittleman, Jane Brown,
Anja Borgstrom, Alice Joanou,
Wen Wu, Dr. Chang

Modern Dance and Afro/Modern
Nontsizi Cayou (SFSU), Loretta Jacobs, Frank Shawl, Colette Bischer-Choate, Betsy Kagen,
Evangel King, Joe Goode, Julie Lushington, Nan Bakamjian, Cherie Carson, Nina Haft

Tap
Stanley Kahn, Cheryl Johnson, Pam Drake, Ann Marie Garvin,

Aerial Dance
Terry Sendgraff, Suzanne Gallo
        

Theatrical Training

Acting/Creative Process, Voice, Singing, Choreography, Jazz Improvisation, Music History/Theory, Stage Craft  with:
Jane Brown, Bill Bell, Susan Muscarella, Christopher Berg, David Bellecci

Evolutionary Motion - Relaxation and Improvisation
Jane Brown, Milton Feher, Evangel King, Anna Halprin, Terry Sendgraff

Visualization Techniques
Emily Bradley Lyons, Anna Halprin


Visual Arts, Ceramics, Sculpture and Creative Writing
  • San Francisco State University 1968-1970 Charles “Bud” McKee, Joe Hawley
  • Diablo Valley College 1968 Clayton Bailey,
  • Laney College 1972-74 Alan Meisel, Ted Odza - Laney College 2004-present Sherry Karver, Susannah Israel, Larry Henderson
  • Creative Writing, Matthew Goldstein & Rinna Wolfe

© Vicki Gunter 2002-2012