finding the meat of it
My dad a minister, I was raised in structures – a term I use here both ideologically and architecturally. I was part of the traditions of bible school, Sunday school, youth group, and often visited churches where uncles and a grandfather were ministers and Carlisle’s were always the last to leave. Last to leave meant lingering in the hallways, in the pews, finding the stillnesses of the sanctuary, the velvet red cushions on the seats, patterns of the stones in the isle. How familiar Epiphany Church is to me, ‘as familiar as two and two makes four’ so says a line of my grandfather’s poetry.
So here I add to the montage of places where I have experienced dance-making, and this last night’s rehearsal only deepens this spacial (special?) connection.
William Forsythe’s “Synchronous Objects” at OSU Tomorrow on Great Dance
Doug has a very thorough write up of what’s going down tomorrow on the OSU “Synchronous Objects” site.
PillowPR on Twitter
And speaking of Gallim, you can see them at Jacob’s Pillow this summer, week 3, July 8-12. You can also see them on the Jacob’s Pillow Twitter feed. I’m not totally clear if this is the official JP Twitter account or just their PR manager’s though…
Wow, the Gallim/K Swiss ad is really well edited. It’s…
Wow, the Gallim/K Swiss ad is really well edited. It’s true, if you’ve seen a lot of their rep than you will recognize a lot of the movement in the video. Let’s hear it for Vimeo’s HD embedding too. The photos are also by Zach Gold, who we linked to a couple of weeks ago. via Dancing Perfectly Free
“As always, Mr. Magloire offered a thoughtful, engaging experience of dance. But what might he do…”
-
-Roslyn Sulcas in Left Field Revival, New Chamber Ballet, Odadaa! - Review - NYTimes.com
Again, I think she is missing the point of New Chamber Ballet. Adding a lot of tech wouldn’t really add value to the production. It’s about essentials.
Salsa twittering
Not sure exactly how I will use twitter but I felt it was worth giving it a try so as of now you can keep track of the things I'm up just by following me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/becomingasalser.
Teresa Chapman & Leslie Scates: The Convenient Woman
After premiering an excerpt of her work, Lost and Found, at Big Range Festival in 2006, Teresa Chapman was proclaimed “a choreographer to watch” by Houston dance writer, Nancy Wozny. Chapman, an Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Houston, has enjoyed a varied career as a performer, choreographer, and instructor. She is an adjunct artist with the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange and a member of Travesty Dance Group-Houston.
Along with choreographer and performing artist Leslie Scates and designer Frederique deMontblanc, Chapman will premiere a new work April 3 in the DiverseWorks Theater. The Convenient Woman is a dance-theatre performance that provides a personal and satirical look at our culture’s obsession with conveniences, afflictions of dissatisfaction and discontent, and pursuit of the feminine ideal. Chapman takes a moment from her busy schedule to talk with me about this collaborative project.
Can you describe the circumstances that planted this seed of collaboration with Leslie Scates?
I danced with Leslie in Karen [Stokes]‘ company (Travesty Dance Group) some time ago and I’ve always appreciated her energy and performance abilities. In addition, I am fascinated by her approach to choreography and use of improvisation to create unpredictable patterns. I knew this would be a very small cast, just 2 women and I thought she would be the perfect dance artist to ask to collaborate with. I was right.
Leslie is known, in particular, for her spontaneous dance creations. What is the ratio of choreographed vs. improvisational score in this work?
I think it’s an interesting mix. Some sections begin with set material, then slide into a structured score. We used improvisation to develop a few of the sections, then set the material. We have a number of set movement phrases that can be used in a improvisational score, then other sections are completely set. I really appreciate the freedom to use both. I think people should see the show twice, then tell me what the ratio is!
Were there any challenges in meshing your processes with Leslie’s or did the blending come naturally?
It came naturally I think. We’re pretty open with each other and any discomforts were discussed immediately. We developed it together and let the work be what it wanted to be. We followed our instincts throughout and and think it worked for us.
You have a continued association with Liz Lerman Dance Exchange. How have your experiences with them informed your own creative process?
We worked with text throughout the process to develop movement material using an LLDX “tool” called “equivalents.” We would free write on a given topic, then create movement (and accompanying text) based on words and phrases that spoke to us. In many ways we’ve combined thoughts and responses. Sometimes I’m telling her story, sometimes she’s telling mine. Maybe they’re the same story, maybe they’re every woman’s story.
You are also working with video and set designer Frederique deMontblanc on this project. How did her involvement come about?
I was sitting next to her at a Fresh Arts meeting and mentioned that I was looking for someone to design some video for the piece. She said that was something she was interested in. She sent me her portfolio and I was floored! Her work is multi-layered, colorful and fresh, yet slightly disturbing. She was exactly what I was looking for!
We will see you and Leslie on stage. Will there be anyone else out there with you?
Frederique will be on stage creating collages and drawings that are projected onto the back wall. She is the third collaborator/performer and a major contributor to the look of the piece. It’s only natural that we all share the space.
I understand you’ve also collaborated with folks from the University of Houston’s Women’s Studies department. Can you give us a hint about how they have contributed?
Yes, we will also have a small cast of “extras” (non-dancers and dancers) who participate in selected scenes. A friend of mine teaches a Woman’s Studies course at UH and this happens to be a class project for them. Each night we will have a different cast performing tasks, supporting background action, delivering boxes…I’m sure it will add another layer of unpredictability!
You’ve utilized some interesting texts on womanhood and the feminine ideal as inspiration for parts of this work. Without giving too much away, tell me a bit about these books and how you’ve used them as a springboard.
Ideas for this piece started with a book written in 1969 called “The Way to Become the Sensuous Woman” written by “J.” The author, “J” could be a woman or a man! I think the book itself is hysterical, offering tips on where to meet men and ways to please your partner. It got me thinking about all the things we do to make ourselves more convenient for our lovers. That lead to conversations of how we make ourselves more convenient for other people and how easy it is to sacrifice personal needs in the process. While some sections of Convenient Woman are more serious, text from the book have added a bit of comic relief.
You can catch The Convenient Woman Friday & Saturday, April 3 & 4, April 10 & 11, 2009 at 8pm in the DiverseWorks Theater. Tickets can be purchased online at www.diverseworks.org, at DiverseWorks Art Space, (1117 East Freeway), or by calling 713.335.3445. For most shows, General Admission tickets are $15, DiverseWorks Member Tickets are $10 and Student and Senior Tickets are $8. Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets at a discounted rate by calling 713.223.8346.
Posted in News and Reviews Tagged: diverseworks, performance, preview
Little People’s Creative Workshop Franchises Allow Children to Express Themselves
Press Release
Greenville, NC – Kids need to have creative expression; it provides a feeling of accomplishment that helps them in other areas of their lives.[1] The arts can serve as a tremendous asset towards helping children develop critical thinking and decision-making skills.[2] Listed among the many benefits of dance are confidence strengthening and character building.[3] What’s more, the cultivation of creativity is a major component of programs and strategies designed to produce positive outcomes for youth.[4]
The Little People’s Creative Workshop concept fits hand in glove with today’s parents’ desire to provide every possible advantage to their children. [5] Not surprisingly, franchises that focus on children’s enrichment, in areas such as art and drama, are experiencing dramatic growth.[6]
American families are spending approximately $115.6 billion yearly on their children, presenting a powerful market opportunity.[7] And there’s no shortage of customers in sight – more than 73 million children under the age of 18 live in America, and their ranks are growing yearly.[8]
Early exposure to dance and theatre can have lasting benefits, including acquiring social and physical skills that will help children throughout their lives. Yet, dance professional Daune Pitman noticed two disturbing trends in dance classes for young children: either the little ones were being taught strict ballet, which was beyond their physical capabilities, or the classes were treated as playtime.
Seeking to establish a meaningful program, Daune developed Little People’s Creative Workshop (LPCW). LPCW classes are age-appropriate and taught by trained professionals. They are largely held in daycare centers and preschools, which puts them within reach of children who may not otherwise be able to take them.
Established in 1991, Little People’s Creative Workshop is now the largest organization teaching dance to children in the U.S. They are augmenting their steady growth with expansion, via franchising.
Little People’s Creative Workshop provides full franchise support services, such as complete training, a comprehensive operations manual, ongoing program oversight, and marketing expertise. Interested parties should contact them at www.LPCWfranchise.com or call toll-free 1-866-977-LPCW.
[1] Stuart, Elizabeth. “Children find creative outlet at Provo celebration.” Deseret News. 8 Jun 2008. Accessed 18 Aug 2008
[2] Kristal, Nicole. “Those Who Can Do, Teach (Acting).” The Actor’s Resource Backstage. 16 Jun 2006. Accessed 19 Aug 2008
[3] Miller, Corina. “Woman’s life spent inspiring…” The Dallas Morning News. 16 Sept 2006. Accessed 19 Aug 2008
[4] Brockman, Michael S. and Russell, Stephen T. “Creativity.” Accessed 18 Aug 2008
[5] Wilson, Sara. “Coming of Age.” Entrepreneur. Aug 2007. Accessed 20 Aug 2008
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] “How to Start a Kid-Focused Business.” Accessed 19 Aug 2008
New Chamber Ballet review
Miro Magloire’s New Chamber Ballet returned to the City Center studio’s last weekend with a four-piece program including two World Premieres. In an age of recorded music, (an epidemic worsened by hard economic times) Magloire’s company continues it’s commitment to accompaniment by live musicians on stage. New Chamber Ballet reminds us what is enduring about the art form rather than the trappings of ballet. With its focus on essentials and elegant accompaniment, NCB performs without stage lighting or technical elements and with minimal costumes.
Two commissioned from Deborah Lohse (Artistic Director of Ad Hoc Ballet) with original score by Stefan Weisman is a duet for two women which opens the evening. Emily SoRelle Adams begins by tracing her own body with her fingers and then to transfer the shapes into the space beside her. Her hands seem to be conjuring another body out of the thin air. Emery LeCrone joins the piece perhaps as the summoned being and the two create an intimate and mesmerizing duet until LeCrone exits leaving Adams to continue her methodical tracing.
Magloire’s training as a composer is evident throughout the remaining three pieces in the evening. Using scores ranging from Telemann’s Fantaisies for solo violin to Morton Feldman’s Extensions and Projections, Magloire shows a highly developed sensibility for scoring. As a choreographer, his relationship to the music is often complex, neither allowing the score to dictate the movement nor fighting against the score for dominance. This relationship produces some mixed results.
Echo, Magloire’s premiere on the program for five dancers struggles to become a unified piece and only partially succeeds. While each movement stands well on its own, they don’t combine well with the music and long stretches of silence. Monologue also shows Magloire’s ingenuity at inventing movement but the piece doesn’t seem to fully gel. Elizabeth Brown’s solo is danced very well and the movement “accompaniment” by Emily SoRelle Adams and Madeline Deavenport has some evocative moments but taken as a whole, it is more of a single mood rather than a linear piece. Aeolia overcomes both of the shortcomings that hamper the middle two works. The allegro for five dancers is well composed, making good use of canoned movements.
Miro Magloire’s vision for the revival of chamber ballet is a huge asset to New York City. His artistic devotion to the elements that make ballet unique as an art form over the externalities that often overshadow it is a welcome reminder.
Green Room Awards 2008
The 2008 awards will be announced on April 20, but until then, here are my picks in the Dance section:
Male Dancer – Marc Cassidy (A Suite of Dances – The Australian Ballet). Absolutely beautifully danced.
Female Dancer – I didn’t see Inuk2 or either of Jo Lloyd’s pieces, so I won’t make a judgement on this one. Kate Harman, Danielle Rowe and Harriet Ritchie are all good candidates, but the works they performed were so very different, it’s too hard to compare.
Dance Ensemble – Dance North (Underground). All of the dancers were excellent, in their characterisations, technique and commitment to the work.
Music Composition & Performance – it’s got to be Livia Ruzic, Tamil Rogeon and Tim Blake for Sunstruck (Helen Herbertson and Ben Cobham). At times it was difficult to tell what sound was intentional and what was just naturally occurring in the warehouse, but the fact that it all blended together and worked so perfectly for that particular performance space makes them my pick.
Concept & Realisation – Eek, wish I had seen Disagreeable Object! Though out of the other three nominations, Balletlab’s Axeman Lullaby was the most powerful piece of theatre.
Betty Pounder Award for Choreography – I’d give it to Shelley Lasica for Vianne. Mature, complex, well structured dance-art.
Lighting Design in Dance – a tie between Paul Jackson and Nik Pajanti for Axeman Lullaby and Ben Cobham for Sunstruck.
Set and/or Costume Design for Dance – for grandeur and striking beauty, Michael Pearce wins hands down for the set of Nightpath (The Australian Ballet)
For a full list of the nominees, visit www.greenroom.org.au
