OpenSpacesDance

Carol Abohatab, Artistic Director

Carol Abohatab earned a BS degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an MFA degree from Mills College,both in Dance Performance and Choreography, and began choreographing in the Bay Area in 1998. In 1999, she formed the Vanguard Dance Company under the umbrella of the Santa Clara Vanguard, with the mission of melding the dance and pageantry worlds. This allowed aspiring dancers to dance side-by-side with professionals from the community.

OpenSpacesDance was formed after her first residency to Italy in 2010, where she performed amongst the hills and statues in Tuscany. Ms. Abohatab's work has been performed nationally and internationally. She studied with Li Ciao-Ping, Janice Garret, Murray Louis, Alwin Nikolais, and Claudia Melrose.

Teaching Modern Dance nationwide since 1987 for thousands of youth in the Pageantry Arts and Color Guard activity, she encourages them to pursue dance in a professional setting. Carol has also taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in New York City, and currently at San Jose City, Evergreen, Mission and West Valley Colleges, where she's been for over 20 years. She enjoys seeing the growth of her students, not only as dancers, but as creative artists in life. Please see my full bio under the BIO tab, above.

Pageantry and Dance

I am available for consulting, choreographing, and training for your color guard, dance team or dance company. Styles for technique and choreography include Contemporary, Ballet, Traditional Modern, Jazz, and stylized approaches to fit your needs. I am also available for Improvisation and Choreography Workshops.

Email me at: openspacesdance@me.com

About Us

Obelisk

The Birthday Suite

Danza l'Aria

When teaching technique, there is something to be said for learning with repetitive phrases and exercises. However, keeping creative energy alive seems to bring the beginning dancer into a whole new awareness of potential within that technique...

Danza l'Aria

The Birthday Suite

Danza l'Aria

Traveling abroad has always inspired me. I feel somehow closer to life, as there's less 'doing' and more 'being.' Sometimes it's difficult to do less, but I find that trusting this instinct at times can often be more productive in the long run... Please visit this website to see my final project - Danza l'Aria - for La Macina's Project 'Slow Road'

The Birthday Suite

I trust that with the collaboration between people, and also between myself and the universal creativity that floats in the air, magical, innovative, and inspiring movement happens. This is the stuff of creations...