Over 30 years experience in lighting design, technical direction, production directing, and teaching.
While pursuing a career in modern dance choreography and performance, Ken started working on stages to learn more about lighting. Studying under Doris Einstein Siegal started him on his path of designing for dance.
Over 30 years, Mr. James designed lights for a wide range of productions from studio theaters, site specific work, and installation works, to stage and multimedia productions, Ken James offers artistic collaborations with artists and directors in dance, music, theater and more. As a choreographer himself, Mr. James has a feel for the flow and worlds dance lives in.
Since 2022, Ken has acted as Technical director/ Production Manager/ Stage Manager/ Board operator/ Crew for Ririe-Woodbury Dance in Salt Lake City, working on home shows and tours. Over the years, Ken has worked with hundreds of artists including Anna Halprin, Ruth Zaporah, Bob Ernst, Li Chiao Ping, Keith Hennessy, Molly Heller, Heartland Collective, Stephanie Skura, Cat+Fish, Huckabay McAllister Dance Company, Joanne Nurenberg, Kathleen Hermsdorf, Scott Wells, Onsite, POTRZEBIE Dance Project, and Maureen Flemming.
Workshops, Classes and Master Classes available:
Lighting Design for Dance.
Light defines and illuminates every dance you make. These classes explore theoretical, technical and creative work in lighting design as it relates to stage, installation and site-specific work. We will examine historical and contemporary practices in lighting design, writings by choreographers and designers and examine designs of current practitioners. Understanding light allows choreographers to work with it mind, and speak with their designers.
Dance Production.
Discuss the creative process of bringing your dance works from conception to the stage. Budgeting, funding, reading and understanding theater contracts and production basics are all covered as well as providing the dancer with an introduction to the types of performance venues available today, and their technical systems and equipment. It will also establish an awareness of how the full range and scope of technical theatre design arts may be utilized by a choreographer.
Technological Dance topics
Stagecraft: Learn and experience the stage from behind the scenes. From crew, front of house positions, Technical director, production manager, lighting and sound operators, run crew, and stage management, we cover who and how everything works and runs smoothly on a stage. This course also covers understanding theater specifications and equipment lists, and what positions you may need in different theater situations (studio theater, site specific, installation to proscenium stages).
Technology and Site: Technology expands the possibilities in site work from lighting and soundscapes, to image mapping and augmented reality. We will question when and how to use technology to fully explore and integrate with a site. We will further understand how technology affects the perception of a space, the viewer and your connection to the land and architecture you are working in.
Trans-disciplinary Dance: Dance has a long history of innovating and incorporating technology. The current technology offers a myriad of approaches to incorporating different genres and methods of transmission of ideas. This class is a lecture/lab where students research and create projects using technology to expand and include audiences in movement based art.
Image Mapping: Understand the uses and practicalities of image mapping for installation and integrative performance work. Covers software programs, technical aspects, examples and artistic exploration.(Generally covered as master class or week long workshop.)
Sound Design for Dance and Installations: Sound creates a visceral extension of a movement work. This course covers creating sound scores for dance projects, understanding 4 and 6 channel sound systems, integrating soundscapes into installation, learning how to edit, build and modify sounds in software, historical integrations and movements, as well as sources for sound.
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