Profile
Training
2020-2022 The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama - MFA Movement: Directing and Teaching
2002 College of Santa Fe - BA Theatre (Dance Minor)
Continuing Education:
Mary Overlie, Wendell Beavers, Stacy Dawson Stearns - Viewpoints
London International School of Performing Arts - Lecoq
Maisternia Pisni - Ukrainian Folk Singing
Teatr Zar (Matej Matejka and Ditte Berkeley) - Voice and Movement
SITI Company - Suzuki/Viewpoints
Song of Goat Theatre - Physical Theatre/Voice/Rhythm
2015-2017 Advanced Yoga Teacher Training with Noah Maze at Wanderlust Hollywood
2011-2012 Asana competition training with head coach Mary Jarvis
2009 Certified Bikram Yoga Instructor
Movement Experience whilst on the MA/MFA Movement: Directing and Teaching
Yoga for MA/MFA Advanced Theatre Practice at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Movement Direction: A Seasons Tale, East 15 MA Acting Final
Movement Direction: Big Big Sky, Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
Experience
Principle performer, collaborator and movement advisor to Than Hussein Clark/The Directors Theatre Writers Theatre on various projects.
Assistant Director to Samantha Shay/Source Material on I Should Have a Party for All the Thoughts I Didn’t Say, A Thousand Tongues, and Monument.
Assistant Director and Movement Advisor to John Sinner on An Invasion of Decency
Co-Director/Choreographer for Stuntdriver, an immersive rock-and-roll theatre experience in Los Angeles.
Co-founder/collaborator of ARTEL theatre laboratory with Olya Petrakova and Bryan Brown
Biography
Born 1980, Portland ME. Valerie McCann is a South London based movement director. She has worked collaboratively with artists and ensembles across the US, UK and Europe. In Los Angeles Valerie was a founding member of ARTEL (American Russian Theatre Ensemble Laboratory). She trained extensively with SITI Company in New York City and collaborated with company members and associates on several new works. Valerie was a member of the international ensemble Dynamika Metamorfozy with NetTheatre at the Grotowski Institute in Wroclaw, PL. She assisted director Samantha Shay/Source Material in the creation of several new works, including the premier of A Thousand Tongues at the 2016 Theatre Olympics. She has worked in collaboration with artist Than Hussein Clark for many years and is a member of The Directors Theatre Writers Theatre.
Valerie’s recent solo performances are inspired by her teachers Deborah Hay and Mary Overlie. Valerie is also a dedicated yoga practitioner with advanced teaching certifications and 12 years of teaching experience.
Skills
Yoga, Viewpoints, Suzuki, dance, acting, voice, devising, scoring, physical conditioning, meditation
