Boston —- American Ice Theatre (AIT), a contemporary ice dance company, is pleased to announce its first annual American Contemporary Skating Festival June 10-11. The event, held at the Veterans Memorial Ice Rink in Somerville, MA, will be a gathering place of over 40 professional skaters, coaches and choreographers passionate about expanding the art form of skating.

“This event is a platform for choreographers and skating artists to share their own philosophies and learn from their colleagues,” said Kate McSwain, AIT Boston Co-Director and event organizer recenzja. “We are creating an open space environment for all artists to have their voice heard.”

Each presenter chose a specific topic to share with the entire group, either on or off the ice. Topics for the weekend include full body movement methodology, conceptual art and skating, mindfulness practices, and improvisation movement with partners. On Sunday at 4:45pm there will be an informal showcase where presenters can share new insights gained over the seminar through performance, display works in progress or fully formed pieces, and give an opportunity to the public to witness a new style of skating.

Presenters on Saturday include Nathan Birch, Founding Artistic Director of The Next Ice Age, who was founded by 1976 Olympic Champion John Curry and asked to be part of his company in the 1980s. Birch will conduct a class entitled “History of Ice Class” along with Karen Alstadt. Other presenters are professional skaters and choreographers including McSwain, Vitale Vaughin, Ashley Wyatt, Meg Lamarre, Cordero Zuckerman, Elisa Seigmund, Liz Schmidt, Adam Kaplan, Robert Mauti, Melanie Lambert, Laura Hushion, Julia Rapela, Aislinn Munck, John Mucko, Sean Marshinski, and Adam Blake.

“Providing opportunities for skaters to grow as a community of artists is at the core of AIT, and the festival much like the early seeds of the American Dance Festival is an emergence of dance on ice in the spirit of community at national and international level,” said Jodi Porter, AIT Founder.  “Bravo to Kate McSwain for spear-heading this important event!”

As the first ever U.S. festival, they are proceeding like-minded artistic skating festivals in Europe such as the Moins 5ºC Sur Scene in Monéteau, France and just one year ago the opening of a brand new festival in Berlin.

“We hope to make this an annual event since the artistic skating community is growing every year,” McSwain said. “We want more and more like-minded artists all over the world to rise up together and further the art form of skating.”