Locomotors is a music and dance group inspired by the jazz tradition of open-form improvisation, sometimes known as ‘free jazz’. The group also has a special interest in the somatic connection between sound and movement, and in using that connection as a basis for artistic creation and exploration. The core members are myself, Michael Joviala, piano and composition, and Dawn Pratson, dance and choreography. The group was in residence as part of a pilot program of the New York Chapter of the Dalcroze Society of America in 2023. Some of that work has been collected on a Youtube playlist.
Locomotors at Mark Morris
On October 27 2023, we were joined by legendary saxophonist/woodwind player Marty Ehrlich in a performance at the Mark Morris Dance Center. The following day we offered the final workshop in our series on collaborations between improvising musicians and improvising dancers at the Lucy Moses School, Kaufman Music Center, New York City.
Here’s a video of our performance at the International Conference of Dalcroze Studies (ICDS) held at Carnegie Mellon University in August of 2023:
Locomotors in Gloucester
On September 5th, 2025 Dawn I were joined and director of Movement Arts Gloucester Massachusetts (MAGMA) With special guests Sarah Slifer Swift and Derick Melander at the Windhover Center for the Performing Arts in Rockport, Massachusetts. We had a great time performing here. It was a breezy night, and Derick’s clothing-sets (‘prop-tumes’ as we came to call them) really took on a life of their own as you can see in these clips.
The next day, Saturday September 6th, Dawn we offered a public workshop at MAGMA, Rehearsing the Unknown: Collective Improvisation Techniques. This is a lovely space (we performed here two years ago). The class culminated in a short performance.
The transformative power of collaboration through improvised music and dance is available to all. We’d love to work with you or your group. Drop us a line below…
