Attitudes

new summer, new blog plans

2011-05-21T12:46:00.000-07:00

My academic dance life is done, and now I taking a bit of a breather before I start the 250-hour Aura Wellness Center Yoga Teacher in A Box certification program. I've been doing Yoga Journal home practice videos and other personal practice/dance technique in the meantime (why I say a bit of a breather :D). I believe that I'll have the money for a 10-class pass at Newport Academy of Ballet, which I believe will be enjoyable and help me to maintain my technique. Working on technique as I've described, the unfortunate effect of not regularly taking class is certainly apparent!

I also plan to switch gears with this blog. My brother made some good points about the advantages of frequently blogging on a platform accessible to a wide range of readers, and with socially relevant/topical content. He suggested Tumbler, which combines social networking with blogging in order to help bloggers increase their readerships. On this new platform I will also focus less on my own dance life, and more on significant topics and happenings within the dance world. These include dance TV shows and their impacts on societal perceptions/interactions with dance, the changes in dance criticism with new media, changing dance company structures, shifting views of dance education and the competition circuit, and more. The increase in analytical abilities, research knowledge, and networking that this effort has the potential to offer will be beneficial for me wherever I go next in the dance field (now I'm thinking dance/yoga education before grad school for dance therapy).

performances past, yoga and such

2011-05-06T18:05:00.000-07:00

Performances and technique classes are finished, so now I've been enjoying free yoga classes at HelWel. I've noticed improvements in strength, fluidity, and more - while also encountering things to work on, as well as receiving good corrections from instructors (a big one being Claire's advice to bring my down dog in, which allows my heels to the hit the floor - a major overall practice adjustment that I think will be beneficial even if it doesn't feel quite right now).

I have more classes to look forward through next week, as well as a tap and a jazz class at local studios. They've been good stress relievers through finals craziness (as well as the uncertainty of not knowing where my life is leading next), and they'll compliment the calm when things slow down - then the fun when family arrives. I'll keep you up to date on it all of course. Prossimo settimana :D

shows and other fun!

2011-04-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

Ramalama: The Balance Spring Show hit off on Wednesday. I truly enjoyed performing - there's just something about being in costume and having lights on me that makes me dance like I can't otherwise. There were some tough moments, such as getting home from dress rehearsal at 12:30 (still to eat dinner, unpack, shower, all that..). I also wish I could have totally focused on performing without having to worry about finals prep work (for e.g. I forgot my shorts for Amber's piece (to go on under the dress), because I was rushing to get ready from working beforehand. All in all, however, it was a smooth and enjoyable experience. I look forward to Sunday's show!

Otherwise, I've gone back to free yoga Journal online videos I've saved and caught up on some other technique stuff. It was fun to perform for the Francis Stevens kids and their parents tonight. I got confused with the changing of space and formations, and went into some movements early/added some turns haha - but in that setting it's all about the energy and the joy. Showing a little one some movements, I was thinking even more that dance therapy could be the right path for me. It'll all roll out with developments such as what will happen with my Arena application. Anywho, until next week :D

Danceworks and more

2011-04-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

It was a busy dancing weekend, with Danceworks and a long Saturday of Balance rehearsals. I was pleased to get more compliments on my performance. I truly feel that I reached a place with the piece where I could just be comfortable in my competence with what I had to do w/ it, which I'll say is rare for me. Balance rehearsals tied up everything that will be in the show, all pieces to be completed by then. It was a challenge to re-learn what I've forgotten for Finale in the group sections and the whole last group part, but I'm confident that I'll somehow get it together for when I need to. Amber's piece and Senior piece felt a lot better after rehearsing them (though I got quite frustrated at myself for how I performed them during the run....). Anywho, another long chunk of Balance rehearsals tomorrow - with the show and final technique showings next weekend (chose not to give the time to discuss that one...will try to next week). Ciao :D

super quick check-in

2011-04-15T17:43:00.000-07:00

I have just about no time to write (insanity of applying for jobs on top of everything else that I do), but I'll just say that it's been a great show week for Danceworks. Not too many crazy late nights, and the work is going well. I got some flattering comments on my performance, that I'm "visually stimulating" - even from Dana, a premier professional choreographer. That's somewhat of a tease to me because I've told myself for a long time that I just don't have what it takes to professionally perform, and establish a stable career doing so - BUT now I'm thinking what if? Though I had a bit of trouble with some new work in Maida's class, the ease in my movement that I've reached in general is contributing to those thoughts. Ahhhhh what am I doing with my life? I thought I knew so well! Anywho, until next week :D

getting closer!

2011-04-08T17:06:00.000-07:00

This week started the time in the theater for Danceworks. We spaced in the piece on Wednesday night, which was smoother than expected. We dealt with trying to incorporate Maida's suggested changes while still trying to stay within the time limit. We got it down to the required five minutes through picking up speed and energy on Sunday night, which also just felt great to perform. In any case, cue-to-cue is Sunday, and then it's a train rolling on!

Balance rehearsals for both pieces made me feel as if yes, I have much work to do, but that I can get to my best work with the choreography with rehearsals over the next few weeks. I truly enjoyed going to Francis Stevens Elementary to teach dance this morning, through Balance. I could recognize how the work I've been doing in dance can help me as a free mover who can make others feel more free to move, a truth supportive of me heading into dance therapy (to counter thoughts that doing so will make the work I've done thus far a waste).

I look forward to Balance rehearsals this weekend and Danceworks craziness next week (the late nights will be taxing, but it will feel great to perform). I can't write much this week because I have lots of work to do, so tty next week :D

relief week, somewhat.....

2011-04-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

It was a week of change, adjustment, and relief. On Sunday's rehearsal we changed almost the entire piece to the adjudicator's comments. It was interesting to see what could happen within three hours! The pieces were re-adjudicated on Tuesday, and all four were accepted back into the concert (from what I hear mostly because the adjudicators couldn't agree on what they thought of the pieces, but I don't want to be a gossip). During Wednesday's rehearsals we clarified some elements and changed the emotional outlook of the piece - it's now just about function, getting a specific task accomplished or simply getting from A to B - with no feelings attached. I don't know what it looks like from the outside, but the energy that resulted from that decision feels....well, I'm not really sure...

Balance rehearsals were challenging and interesting per usual. Amber made some good choreographic changes to create interesting level and space variety. I had some trouble implementing them after having gotten much of the piece as it was already in my body. It's all good though, I'll get there. Maida's class was somewhat typical, feeling stilted and tight at some points and at others how much I've progressed in her class so far this year. There's three weeks of her class left....crazy, it's starting to come down to the wire. Anywho, ciao till next week!

various, moving right along....

2011-03-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

Today was a laid-back week for dance in some ways, and maybe in my life in general (but for the last day or so....anywho...). I took a great Pilates class from Kate Mattingly on Sunday, a less strenuous but fulfilling class from Maida on Tuesday. Liz's rehearsal was interesting, with all of the changes that she's making to accommodate the adjudicators' comments. She now has me on the floor most of the time to comically play upon my height.

I appreciate how's she's trying to incorporate their comments, and also their input, but to be honest - to me - the energy of the piece has lagged more rather than picked up. I enjoyed the work's understated, calm comic flow as it was when we presented it at adjudication. In any case, we'll keep developing, and it will be what it will be.

Today's class with Maida felt good, again somewhat less strenuous with repetition of simple exercises in order to feel how it's working in the body. I got quite a flattering compliment from her as I was leaving; she asked me "Do you know how good you're getting? I was just saying, I wish you were a junior." In some aspects I wish that I was too, to get some more time to figure out where I truly want to go with my career in the dance field and to fully develop my potential as a dancer. But hey, that's life *hums the Sinatra tune*. I am, on the other hand, COMPLETELY ready to get out of academia. Anywho, looking forward to rehearsals tomorrow and Sunday, ta ta till next week :D

Spring Break.....ish......

2011-03-18T07:37:00.000-07:00

I'm on Spring Break this week, but seeing that I seem to not ever let myself take a break, I'm still keeping myself crazy busy. On the other hand, not having rehearsals and classes has allowed me to delve into other relaxing movement options such as the yoga videos from yogajournal.com (the free resource is great!) I've also done some technique, such as my own ballet class. While on the one hand I can feel how I'm rusty from not taking class consistently, I feel other good effects of Maida's training on more technical work (such as more release). I've also reviewed Balance and Danceworks choreography. With the former I'm still blanking out on things, or some movements could be a lot smoother, but I'm not alone among dancers in my pieces in those respects. I'm confident that it will all come!

As for Danceworks, there'll be a lot of work ahead before re-adjudication to implement the adjudicators' recommendations in order to get the piece into the concert. I reached improvement in my own movement, and I'm sure the piece in general will also develop to become more exciting. I can see what Maida means when she says that it just has to push more (such as when I enter without a reaction because Liz didn't give me a motivation - gave a bit of my own, but it's hard to know how much liberty I have to do so!) Again, I'm sure that the piece will get where it needs to be and everything will be fine. Until next week!

great week, movin' right along....

2011-03-04T15:10:00.000-08:00

It was a somewhat typical, yet not so much so week dancing this week. Amber's rehearsal was challenging as always, yet I was pleased to feel as if I had the second part down and somewhat the new parts when cued by other dancers in the group(though knowing enough to rehearse it days later is another story - I didn't even try the new part, just focusing on the second part that I was able to hone in rehearsal and even blanking out on some connections points there). Cast run tonight, I look forward to seeing everyone's pieces!

Liz didn't have rehearsal on Sunday, so I worked on my SPADE piece. I could keep with the set phrasework and first manipulation, but after that it was just improvising b/c the next transitions simply went out the window in my head. I enjoyed performing as always, however, and got some great feedback. If people tell me I look good dancing, I'm just happy that I can be pleasant to watch for the sake of other's joy.

Wednesday's rehearsal went well. I still had a bit of trouble with the new phrase, and turning it to the back, but Liz was patient while I slowly got it more integrated into my body with each run. I wasn't all there mentally at some points from the relaxed atmosphere, as we were just marking through. One goal of mine is to learn to stay concentrated even in a such a low-key atmosphere in order to allow progress to still happen when everyone just needs to take it easy.

Maida's class was interesting on Thursday with guest teacher Wendell. I had some coordination difficulty,and he corrected a weight release on an arm swing of mine when he had me demonstrate it. When focusing on it I was able to achieve what he was looking for, however, which I could also feel in my body. It was a cool conceptual understanding moment when I realized that it is that moment before gravity pulls a rising object back towards the ground that is that weightless point of release, a beautiful one with much potential for free and beautiful movement. All for now, gotsa move ownwards and upwards, until next week!

Craziness....

2011-02-26T08:20:00.001-08:00

This week was challenging and not with my best personal output, in dance and other aspects of my life. I've been dealing with a lot to handle and accomplish - the Dance Studio Life piece, the Atlantic application, midterms, etc. Just trying to what I can do in each day as it comes....

Anywho, weekend Balance rehearsals were difficult - getting lost in Amber's extensive choreography and receiving many corrections from Cameron. It feels good to mostly have, and be improving upon, what we've done so far however. We learned a new part in Liz's piece, and I had difficulty turning a phrase to the back. On the positive side, I think that a lot of the movement we've already learned is feeling a lot more loose and natural. Maida's classes were all right, though some new floor inversions flew me for a loop. Maida said "it's coming" though, good to hear to know at least improvement is evident.

I look forward to a Balance stretch class in a bit, a good de-stresser. No rehearsal for Cameron this weekend, which will also give my body a bit of a break. Liz is not having a rehearsal on Sunday, but I'll be rehearsing my SPADE piece. It's coming along well, I just haven't tried the final two diagonally-directed and semi-improvisational section with music yet (crossing fingers it'll work out well). Until next week, when hopefully things will slow down a bit....(with midterms coming I'm thinking not, but hey c'est la vie :D)

Great creative energy, feeback, and more

2011-02-18T17:20:00.000-08:00

It's been an exciting week in my dancing life. Weekend Balance rehearsals were challenging, creatively stimulating, and just plain fun. I didn't even realize there would be a Senior piece that I would be dancing in. It makes sense for there to be one, as there are many Balance seniors leaving the group this semester. It might be the most classical in style of the pieces that I am presently dancing, which I say with pleasure - it's great to have that traditional base while having other opportunities to dance more contemporary works. Cameron is choreographing, and I look forward to working under her unique and often sophisticated vision.

Elizabeth's piece has had great development. We added a whole lot on Sunday's rehearsal, even though we only worked for about an hour. The result was the piece coming together to feel something of a complete work, with a tangible arc of development. That is with the recognition that we've only completed about half of piece's encouraged length. I am incredibly excited to experience where it will go next when what we've already come across is so compelling. Maida came on Wednesday and seemed to truly enjoy where the piece is going. She gave a good note about finding the line between performing campy and human with effective, clear emphasis.

Fran Morand's class on Tuesday was also eye-opening and challenging in a great way. On Thursday's class we broke down some of her movement, and it felt great to work through it at a slower and more relaxed pace. We then worked with changing facings of our most recent phrase, separate groups taking different directions. Doing so made me recognize both my improvement and room for growth in performing manipulated phrasework.

In other respects I stepped back this week, but which I believe will ultimately be as beneficial and fulfilling as the positive things that I've described. I dropped out of Anna's piece because I realized the substantial amount of dancing that I am doing, and the overwhelming effect that it could have on me this semester. Additionally, my cast and I came to the decision not to put up my piece on SPADE because the limited rehearsal opportunities that we have (from people's packed scheduled and sparse amount of time that the studio is available) won't allow us to get the piece to performance quality in time for the show. I am now doing the choreography as a solo. While having to make decision saddened me in some ways, I understand that it was a healthy decision, and I look forward to performing the piece independently.

Wow, I think that's enough for now, until next week!
(Or sooner - I will try to find a consistent time each week to also write about my Honor's Thesis, or I just might start another blog to have this dancing writing separate.)

Bourgeon Online, DC Student Arts Journalism Contest

2011-02-11T17:06:00.000-08:00

I'm shifting focus a bit this week...I'd like to talk about....

My Experiences with Bourgeon Online

As a graduating senior, I’ll soon be passing off my baton to the new Bourgeon Online intern Carmela Yankey. This has led me to feeling reflective. Little did I know that when I contacted Rob Bettman for an internship with Bourgeon Online that the magazine would still be a part of my life more than a year later. That year and change saw challenges, joys, setbacks, and affirming growth. I sought out the internship in order to fulfill requirements for my Dance and Community Settings Class, but the experience grew to be so much more than an academic requirement. I learned an incredible amount about diverse topics and skill-sets. These ranged from journalistic writing, to web formatting and design, to professional promotional communication, and the list goes on.

There were indeed some harsh growing pains in the beginning. These stemmed from my lack of confidence and fear of failure, as well my head space often off somewhere else due to personal life complications. Rob stuck with me through it all, though, his constructive feedback helping me to improve my performance and his encouragement with good work accomplished boosting my all-too shallow confidence. He truly offered me a model of professionalism, a way of going about achieving essential tasks that I must understand if I am to succeed in the workforce.

That day when I will enter the workforce becomes less of a blurry sight in the distance daily. One main asset that I feel I can contribute to any organization is my ability to spur innovative ideas and projects. The genesis of the Bourgeon Online Student Arts Journalism Challenge exemplifies this trait of mine, as my thoughts in the article led Rob and I to create the contest. We next honed ideas and scoped out the turf of enriching possibilities for contest winners, fundraising opportunities, and more. I enjoyed seeing the initial idea grow into something that I could have faith could indeed became a reality. I also truly enjoyed the creative exchange with Rob and other involved parties throughout the process.

I feel especially good about the potential for the contest to be one saving grace for local arts journalism, a field that is undoubtedly on life support. I also understand, as an aspiring arts journalist, how it can be difficult to obtain guidance on how to make one’s way in the somewhat obscure discipline. I feel that we can offer a young arts journalist a platform on which to reach such a way through the contest, with its offerings of name recognition and networking. With this step-up for a young professional materialized, I feel that my work will have been worth it and more.

Much of my work for the contest has been simply “due diligence” - as Rob put it. This work has included the organizational work of spreadsheets, small bits of communication, and the like. My ability to do this work in a timely manner without immediate reward exemplifies another trait of mine; I can accomplish tasks because I understand their long-term benefit and the reality of lost opportunity if I do not.
Work on the contest and with Bourgeon in general has also solidified for me the areas in which I still have much room for growth, however. These include clearly communicating even if I don’t have a full and eloquent explanation or answer, being flexible and able to adjust when plans change in order to still get the job done, and being able to turn out work in a more fast-paced and high-energy environment.

If I can grow in these areas, then I feel as if I can work successively in the fields of magazine and online journalism that interest me most. Finding a job in those fields, given the current state of the American economy and job market, is another story. That aside, my recent growth with Bourgeon and other life endeavors has revealed some important truths to me; I have learned that true and lasting success comes from having a plan, but being flexible enough to take each day as it comes, as well as being confident enough to know that ultimately any challenge isn’t too big to find a viable solution for.

rehearsals and more....

2011-02-04T15:58:00.000-08:00

The main exciting dance thing for me this week was getting cast in two Balance Spring Show pieces. It felt great at the audition to have ballet class again! I'm in Amber's piece, which I know from having danced for her before will be challenging yet fulfilling. The other piece I'm in is Anna's, which I believe from taking class with her and seeing her work will be both fun and enriching. I'm so excited to take the journey of both pieces!

Elizabeth's rehearsals were somewhat better for me, as I did better with phrase-work but had some typical blank-outs (e.g. forgetting to come in because I was so entranced with everything that's going on while I'm offstage - because of which she ran the piece again when we should have been done). In any event, I feel so much great creative energy during the rehearsals, and for that I am so pleased to be part of the process.

I didn't rehearse with my SPADE girls on Wednesday because Elizabeth needed the whole rehearsal time, but I sure hope we can get Sunday (Superbowl....) Anyways, projects keep rolling onwards and upwards, until next week :D

Weird weather week, etc....

2011-01-28T16:57:00.000-08:00

This week had some changes because of snow, but ultimately it was all good :D There was no rehearsal on Wednesday because classes were canceled, meaning that J Down was locked (even though Elizabeth still planned to have rehearsal, and I after her for SPADE).

Speaking of my SPADE piece, I have a quartet of dancers! How that happened just goes to show that if you reach out to your past networks, people will be willing to engage creatively with you (three of them are dancers from my Danceworks piece, two recently having agreed to be in the SPADE piece).

It's interesting what's happened with Maida's class, that with my recent improvements she's really taken an interest in my movement. I did fumble some footwork in one progression the first I tried it left, I finally got it. She gave me one other good correction which I was mostly able to implement. In other exercises and phrases we did she complemented me. I'm quite glad that I've gotten to the place with her movement where I'm comfortable enough for my potential to manifest.

Looking forward to Balance auditions tomorrow, Liz's and my rehearsals Sunday and following, until then! :D

DANCEWORKS!

2011-01-21T16:55:00.000-08:00

Yay I am cast! Elizabeth had the heart to cast me in her piece, for which I am incredibly grateful. We had a great rehearsal on Wednesday, some talking out details and larger concepts, then some improvisational movement. It hit me when we were doing an improv exercise of passing off facial expressions that hey, there is movement going on, so why isn't this dance? While I will always have a place in my heart for the ideals of virtuosic and athletic dance, that which takes years of dedication and sacrifice to achieve, I also appreciate the value of movement that is less heroic and more universal.

Anyways, she says that she doesn't have a concept, but I see something potentially interesting happening with a comedic Charlie Chaplin outlook on life through dance, which she alluded to. I also liked how she encouraged us to tell her when we very much like or dislike something, to guide her in deciding to use it or to throw it out the window. She's sincere about this, as she asked us if we really liked or disliked something at the end of rehearsal. In my usual manner I piped up, saying that I liked the running in the circle (truthful, as I did feel something organic when we were doing it), perhaps as a contrast to the more chaotic group movement that we had reached through improvisation during the rehearsal.

Otherwise this week, I enjoyed yoga on Monday and Maida's typical classes. She even had me demonstrate something that she said I did well, a first for me. She even said that I looked great when e-mailing me with another thesis-related article. I didn't feel as comfortable with choreography on Thursday, blanking out at times, but after class she told me she "likes the way I move". It's great, even humbling, to hear that from an experienced professional like her! Until next week :D

Danceworks, back to class, full speed ahead!

2011-01-14T17:16:00.001-08:00

The semester is on! It felt good to get back into class and do some easy floor barre. Center was a little more challenging, but I think that I did decently considering just coming back. Strangely enough this "speed demon" was falling behind fellow dancers in tempo going across the floor, a main problem I had. On Thursday we learned the choreographer's phrases that they would be teaching that night. I did all right learning them, some less so than others (such as Mike's - so complex and fast!).

I'll say thank God that Maida had us learn the phrases early (in order to have some of the auditionees know the material and give others dancers who know it to look at, speeding up the audition - 8 choreographers teaching phrases!), because otherwise I would have been COMPLETELY lost - unfortunately I psyched myself as I often do at auditions, letting one choreography error block my train of thought and completely blank out on the rest of the choreography - in large part because of my nervousness. I did do well with a few of the phrases I feel, however, oddly enough Jamie's almost technique-less phrase one of them (not like me!) My girl Hillary said that she thought "Dang, lookin' good" looking at me during a couple of the phrases, so that made me feel a little bit better. I probably did better than I thought, I'm often more hard on myself than anyone else is. I just wish the cast list would be posted before Saturday!

Anywho, otherwise I've been enjoying free yoga all week, and more with ballet also tomorrow at BTI. I'm excited to take class there for the first time! I think that all the yoga is increasing my muscle mass, and I feel a new clarity in my breath and muscles. Ah yoga love you, I just have to teach it as part of my career! Until next week, au revoir! (might even be starting a new blog for my thesis, more on that later.....)

Choreographing, etc, Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T18:24:00.000-08:00

I made some headway in choreographing Make it Mine this week. While I only "choreographed" a minute of the piece, I like to think that I made phrasework that can be drawn out, manipulated, retrograded, etc. I'm confident that my dancers will help me through that process, as happened with my Danceworks piece - dancers, all but two of which responded back that they're in.

I noticed myself in a more contemporary movement quality, though I somewhat set out to display a jazz aesthetic (to advocate for it at GW!), though I think that I integrated some jazz vocabulary for compelling and pleasing effect. Some sections do need adjustment for greater flow and transitioning between movements, however. Again, I am confident that that will happen through my and my dancer's efforts over the rehearsal process. I'm pumped! :D

This week I'll be doing what technique I can in the small space at the Florida house, and conditioning, maybe more than is typical to make up for less choreography and routine work. I do like the feeling after doing conditioning with moderate intensity for a prolonged period - strong and lean (though I know with my history I need to be careful of the latter). Anyways, looking forward to it also, au revior!

injury, cool-down and re-focus

2010-12-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

I'm now at home in Rhode Island for holiday break. I've taken a technique break, mainly because of pulling a muscle on the medial-lateral side of my right foot. It's been good in other ways; when I take breaks off of technique I usually come back refreshed and re-focused, and therefore more stable and effective. I am doing a lot of Pilates and yoga instead, continuing on with free HelWel classes last week. It's been good to implement class corrections in private practice. I'll need to learn and improve in that way in order to achieve certification and work as a reputable instructor.

On the creative side, next week I'll be returning to technique (downscaled, coming back to it slowly) and choreographing my piece for SPADE - in a jazz idiom that my new-found contemporary movement could certainly influence (which will be an interesting development/interaction to experience). I know who I want in my cast, and I'll be contacting them shortly. I also have in mind the concepts for costume renderings, which I plan to tackle in Florida - looking forward to it!

I've also further clarified concepts for pieces that I want to choreograph in the future (grad school?). I additionally need to look more closer at the pictures that I took with my dance models, for my own creative critical development. I'm glad that I can take my Christmas break to work on these artistic career development tasks, when I can be relaxed and take my time approaching them while enjoying time with family. Until next time, ciao!

Post-Nutcracker

2010-12-17T18:23:00.000-08:00

So I enjoyed a successful Saturday performance of Nutcracker, with a relatively painless strike (no lights yay!) and seeing old Balance class of 2010 friends. I felt a bit out of control in Russian, but overall I think that I performed well. Everyone's energy and performance quality felt great.

My mind has been so focused on finals that I haven't really been able to reflect on the whole experience. Unfortunately during the performance I was cramming reading when not on stage, which could have thrown off my focus. Oh well, such is the busy college dancer's life! The final semester showing went well also, of which - because of finals stress taking over my mind - I can't now remember much.

Over the week I've been enjoying free Pilates and yoga classes at HelWel. I have found that Kundalini and classic mat Pilates appeal to me the most, and more modern Pilates with exercise balls and related tools not as much. I look forward to catching up on technique next week at home, when I can tap in the basement also yaya! Until then :D

Nuttiness all over!

2010-12-10T18:36:00.000-08:00

We had a great Nutcracker community show last Sunday, after a long (stressful yet fulfilling) Saturday of floor lay and then two runs. I feel as if my work progressed exponentially through the runs and the final show. I felt like a true calm and collected performer. Granted, my dancing was not perfect, still blanking out on choreography or being off timing with everyone at least a few times, but the fact that I have grown is a good feeling.

Through the week my dance consciousness shifted to my technique class's piece for the final showings tomorrow (as we didn't have space until Thursday for a Nut run-through). We put it together in four classes, and just as with Nutcracker I was pleased to see how much I could progress in that amount of time. Seeing the Dance Comp final pieces on Wednesday was also quite satisfying (yet humbling, also, comparing my work to the comp students' - which I know I need to not do, but anyways...). It made me incredibly excited for next semester's Danceworks, which I'll hopefully be dancing in ;D

The Nut runs last night and tonight were laid-back, pretty much just a mark through. I did some things full-out just out of fear that I'd get into bad habits by not doing so (though no one else was). There were still those few blank-outs, which do scare me. On the other hand, I know that they were probably just from everyone's general low energy shutting down my performance zone. I mostly have confidence that I'll kick it, sure in choreography and strong in performance quality, in the show(s w/ the technique showing) tomorrow. It'll be a long one, 2:20 until after strike, on top of the stress from everything else that I'm doing (aaaah finals) already presently giving me a stress headache, but I'll get through...deep breaths :D Till next week, ciao ciao!

Nutcracker craziness!

2010-12-03T17:28:00.001-08:00

I haven't written about the Nutcracker rehearsal process because I've been focused on my Danceworks piece. It's been fun, at times challenging but also something that I can count on to just have fun dancing. It's getting busy busy in this tech-week, with a long rehearsal last night, space-ins tonight, and 2 dress runs/extra Party rehearsal tomorrow. The only problem is making it all work with everything else that I have going on, such as increased classwork as the semester comes to a close. It's what I love, and I'm so pleased to be doing it.

I'm generally pleased with my work in my pieces thus far, though I recognize the effect that not taking technique classes recently is having. I also blanked out on Russian tonight, partly from not having reviewed it in a while (no excuse). I think I was so happy to be reaching performance energy with somewhat clean technique at the same time, though, that I just wiped out on what was next (good to be there technically and performance-wise, but again no excuse for getting lost on choreography).

In party scene, I was happy to recognize a choreographically strange moment, realize what works with the music, and ask to have what I thought works confirmed as what I should do. Just like in Russian, I got so lost in the moment that I almost forgot to come in one part. That is typical for me at this performance stage, however, and I'm pretty confident that over tomorrow's runs I'll get where I need to be for Sunday. I'm pumped!

Come to a close.....

2010-11-27T13:54:00.000-08:00

So, here I am home for Thanksgiving break, my Danceworks experience come to a close. We had a very nice de-briefing on Monday afternoon. It was like a therapy session, us all expressing what we were proud of, how we felt we grew, and supporting each other in where we all need to grow in the future. Anthony impressed upon me the importance of getting away from classical movement more towards my own authentic way of moving - if I intend to continue a creative life.

An interesting point was when he argued that you shouldn't be comfortable as an artist (when I somewhat mumbled that wanting to be comfortable caused my reversions to classical movement). During all of this, thoughts of to what extent I do want to continue choreographing, and my general future career direction, were flowing through my head. I expressed my concerns about being in the same dangerous starting place of being passionate about a particular movement aesthetic set to specific lyrics to convey a specific message. To this he only said don't start there, which somewhat puts me at a loss - I know that I shouldn't start there, but something inside of me dies to. Maybe maturing as an artist for me is getting past that.

Also interesting, I could once again execute my piece's phrasework (which I've been unable to do in the past after teaching it to my dancers). It is as if it is mine again after my dancers finished performing it. I expressed this in Maida's class when we discussed class members' (of the few that were there) roles in the concert and it came to me. It was interesting to hear that the 1rst thing people had to say was how much my dancers grew. I expressed my incredible gratitude towards them, which Maida said was good - which reinforced how they were all also saying how difficult my movement is. I honestly never saw it that way!

Right now I think that it all hasn't hit me yet, with finals period barreling down and life rolling on per usual. Perhaps over Christmas break, when I watch the video with family and hear their feedback, also having more time and clear head-space to reflect, I will get new insights. I truly look forward to it, until then it's Nutcracker goodness - I'll keep you posted :D

we're HERE!

2010-11-18T20:25:00.000-08:00

Danceworks Fall 2010 opening night tonight! I truly enjoyed the show, from seeing how its evolved to its final product coming to stage. I'm battling getting bored with it, however, seeing as I've seen the full show since Monday. To prevent this I'll seek to keep seeing new things, because that's the great thing about art and dance and general - when accomplished, there are always new things to enjoy.

It was an interesting week creatively in the changes that we made this late. Cue-to-cue went well, though there were projection issues after (music, shadows - thanks to Maida for recommending moving up the projection to remove them, so much better!). Last night, the night before the show, Anthony urged me to change a holding of a second position battement line to something that melts, because the dancers were wobbling while trying to hold it and it simply did not look good. We fixed that along with a traffic pattern, which was challenging yet fruitful.

Seeing how I could easily change something small to great effect this late inspired me to change the ronde de jambe en l'air that's been bugging me - I now have them do a low ronde de jambe to falling back in space (arms folding in and out naturally with the leg rather than classical). Immense thanks to Anthony for that impetus! We successfully worked through those changes and another traffic pattern today before the run. Along with the notes I've given, doing so is finally making me feel as if I've come into my own as a director.

It was so heart-warming to hear all the congratulations for the hard work done, and to experience the whole community of GW dance-related people doing this for all the choreographers. With the difficulties I had along the way, it almost didn't happen for me, but here I am and so pleased to be! Come on the next two performances, I'm pumped!

Stressful yet incredible week.....

2010-11-11T17:16:00.000-08:00

Monday was space-in! We're getting so close!!!! I spaced the piece in relatively smoothly, and we were almost out by 9 PM (more on that soon). There was only one glitch - Rachel sprained her ankle (or most probably did - she'll find out for sure if she can dance on Monday). As we were packing up, Maida and Anthony came and we ran the piece for them. Anthony liked my additions, but commented that I needed to clean up gestures, timing, and other such performance/choreographic aspects. Maida had some significant questions that I hadn't considered before, but which are important. For instance, she asked if to me it was more about movement or emotion, as she saw a lot of emotionalism that she felt detracted from the movement.

I suddenly noticed what she was referring to, and very much agreed with her. We ran through about half of the piece trying to eliminate that and also cleaning timings, form, et cetera. It was quite a beneficially informing experience for me to see how she corrected the dancers with objective detachment from emotion, her demeanor simply directed towards getting the job done. She impressed upon me the importance of polishing the last one-third or so of the piece that we didn't get to, and I came into rehearsal fully ready to accomplish that task.

I am proud of my dancers and myself to say that we did so together. I took on some of Maida's demeanor, in a way, I hope - enabling me to clarify to the dancers what I wanted and get it as a result. The dancers also seemed to appreciate being clearly told what they need to do, in a manner that pushes them to do so (with the utmost love and respect, of course). We ran the piece twice at the end, and it was the cleanest it has ever been. I came out of rehearsal with a newfound confidence in the belief that I can indeed be a director, I just needed to grow to get there.

Judy came in at the beginning of the rehearsal also, and I love the tunics she brought. The fabric moves beautifully, and the colors blend just soothingly. I am so excited to see how they look with the projection. As I told her in a thank-you e-mail, I think that they will be absolutely gorgeous. Cue-to-cue is in two days, when I'll see that, the projections, and Jason's lighting....I'm truly speechless, it's all coming so fast, yet I still have so much anticipation....

what a week!

2010-11-05T17:18:00.000-07:00

Monday's rehearsal brought relief, as my piece was re-adjudicated and approved for the concert. I was so proud of how my dancers stepped up and gave it their all. I have seen them grow so much, one of the aspects of this process that I most treasure. Rick giving me a huge hug of congratulations also just simply warmed my soul. After Anthony and Rick left, we addressed their recommendations of adding Hillary back into the trio (so that it's not just a plain-Jane duet) and building the energy in one section where it felt like it somewhat died.

I asked both Hilary and dancers in that later section to find variations on the movement, and I loved what they came up with. Hilary now enters with a variation on the turning phrase and does the same movement as Anna and Lauren, but facing backwards. In the later section, the girls do a variation on the swinging movement (with a lot of great levels and timing dynamics) to travel to their circle. I was so pleased to see the positive effects of giving up control to put creative responsibility on dancers, and proud of myself that I could do so.

The energy and dynamics weren't as there on Wednesday night, mostly due to the cramped space of JUp. I know what they can do, but I just hope that they don't get too comfortable. It's up to me as a director to keep pushing them to their potentials, and - as long as I keep it about the art and say what I need to in a diplomatic manner - stop worrying about hurting feelings (something that has detracted from my artistic product through this process).

Seeing the projection was exciting, however, even though we couldn't get it up on the wall. We adjusted timings of the images on her laptop to fit the music and movement through a few runs. I am pleased with what my designer Sharon and I put together, and the dancers loved it too. Monday is space-in, when we'll (if all goes as planned) have the projection up in Betts. Wednesday is a regular rehearsal with Judy and Maida coming in. Then it's tech week! It feels surreal, and I halfway can't believe it - where has the time gone? Until next week!

A hard week.....

2010-10-29T17:03:00.000-07:00

This week has been tough emotionally after finding out for sure that my piece is not guaranteed to be in Danceworks. I went through a lot of feelings of worthlessness, lack of ability, and wondering why I am the way I am (to do with other events in my life that rolled out similar to this choreography experience - thinking that everything's going along fine but then being told that my product is not up to par).

Monday's and Wednesday's rehearsals were stressful, trying to use every second to make the necessary changes, yet also so encouraging in seeing how people came together to support me and lift up my piece to where it needs to be. Everyone who came to rehearsal was 100% invested in the task at hand, and my dancers performed full out multiple times without a single groan or lifted eyebrow. Even when at one point Corinna very understandably got frustrated with my creative indecision, she sincerely apologized at the end of rehearsal. I swear that seeing it all re-affirmed my belief in human goodness.

I feel that I began at points to get past that "space" in my consciousness, that Anthony identified as such in Monday's class, to make some good creative decisions along with my peers and professor working on the piece. I've come to realize that that "space" most likely comes from my fear of being a leader, of making the wrong decision and suffering the consequences (largely in others judging me).

That's all I'll say that sounds too much like a therapy session - in terms of choreography, it was amazing to see what everyone could do, Elizabeth and Anthony in particular, to excite and dynamize the spacing/movement/etc of my piece. I hope that I'm learning from it all. It really is a completely different piece - what I think more closely satisfies the adjudicators' standards for performance in Danceworks. All I can do is hope for the best on the coming Monday night when they will be coming back in to re-adjudicate, and if it gets in, direct the piece to be the best I can make it over the next few weeks until Danceworks.

If it does not, even though I believe it will crush me for some time, I can at least know that the piece will not die and all our hard work will not go to waste - I am required to present it publicly for the Choreography class (probably SPADE, or a Joy of Motion show if the submission deadline has not yet passed). Praying for the best on Monday, until then!

Adjudication week....gulp

2010-10-22T16:54:00.000-07:00

This week was a bit nerve-wracking - Wednesday night was Adjudication! All leading up to that, from the point in class on Monday when Anthony let us know that there is no guarantee of having our piece up on the Mainstage, I was incredible nervous (mostly imagining the worst, that my piece would not be allowed to be performed in Danceworks - which would absolutely crush me). Unfortunately I carried this fear into rehearsal on Monday, and though we did make some progress, my blocked mental and creative energy made the night much less productive and enjoyable than the Monday prior's rehearsal. I even feel as if I was a bit snappy with my dancers, which I regret and apologize for if I made them feel uncomfortable in any way.

That being said, one positive effect emerged - I began to finally be able to let things go that are not working. For example, I recognized that the arm and contraction phrase just felt forced, and I replaced it with the spiral levels script. It is beautiful, and I am so pleased that I made that creative decision, and moreover that I am developing the ability to do so. In the same way I took out the crosses that were not working, and have thought of a few other things that I can take out.

That will help, I believe, address the adjudicators' comment that I need to simplify my movement. Other comments that they made I have also have ideas for addressing , such as making two circles (as Anthony suggested a while back) and diagonally placing the dancers in the adding-group phrase. Other recommendations - just from knowing myself, my tendencies, and my abilities - I think will be harder to satisfy, such as smoothing transitions and finding less classical arms. My dancers are there to help me through it, and all I have to do is guide them through that (which isn't a natural strength of mine, but which I believe I am constructively developing).

I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that several of the adjudicators' comments were positive, assuaging fears that my work does not have the potential to go to the Mainstage. It also helps through the creative process to know what is working, to keep it through editing and develop what about it is working even further. I wonder, however, about the adjudicators coming to re-evaluate my work in a week in a half - am I indeed at any risk for not going to the Mainstage, or do they just want to guide me and make sure that I am going in the right direction? Maybe they know from prior experience that I do need guidance and a push in the right direction to do my best.

At any rate, time will tell, and all I can do in the meantime is prepare to the best of my ability. Next week I will share the comments with my dancers, and we will go through the piece at a calm, collected, moderate pace to address them. I will also ask Anthony to come to rehearsal on Wednesday to help me work through anything that's tripping me up in that process (which I know will inevitably happen - not fearing it, just accepting that it will happen). It will be a challenge, but I look forward to enjoying what it will offer, until then!

INCREDIBLE changes......

2010-10-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

We had only had one rehearsal this week, because Solo Fest occupied the studio on Wednesday (which I THOROUGHLY enjoyed - I was so impressed with the quality of work from GW dancers, and therefore felt so honored and pleased to be a part of our department :D). I feel as if we made more progress in quality and phrasing aesthetics than in weeks past with twice as much rehearsal time, however. I took my time, taking each phrase separately and giving the dancers the chance to really come to feel it in their bodies - so then they could just let it go while dancing it to move like their true beautiful selves. I finally saw a lot of the qualities, such as letting gravity and momentum guide the movement, that I've been looking for. Nicole, my ASM, truly affirmed by confidence when she said multiple times that just that night alone, the piece came incredibly far.

I think that watching Susan Rothorst's rehearsal helped me to be more productively calm and mentally open in my rehearsal demeanor, with incredibly positive results as I've described. I saw a Kennedy Center dance performance tonight with the same qualities of understated feeling and truth, yet within a technical basis that has been allowed to breath free and not have to shine in the spotlight of the work. I hope to bring my work closer to this artistic caliber in the weeks ahead.

On Monday I will use the same process as I did last Monday for the second half of the piece. We did only get through the first half, but I'm pleased with myself to say I was all right with that. We warp-speed marked/talked through the second part, and I got a little nervous at forgetting some things, but my girls were right on task - they knew it all. I'm coming to see that letting go artistically, of worry and the desire to control everything, is sometimes the most positive thing one can do - for themselves, for the art, and for the eventual audience. This is one way among several that make me believe that I am maturing as an artist and as a person.

I will say that I am a bit nervous about the adjudication critique come Wednesday, but if I follow the spirit of what I just described above, I can trust that it will all turn out alright. Until next week!

Interesting week!

2010-10-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

This week had some challenges, but with much progress coming from them. We had our first critiques on Monday, and I was advised that my music is not serving my piece, my movement bisects the upper and lower body, and that much of it looks too classical. I began rehearsal on Monday sharing this with the girls, and they were incredibly supportive. Tori and Corinna offered some great music that I think I may now be keeping. Anthony and my classmates were right; the new music truly allowed the piece to breathe more than the old music did. I changed certain phrases a bit to involve the whole body more in the movement also.

Anthony, Kyle, and Molly came on Wednesday, and they were great to have there. Anthony still said that my movement was bisected, which I did agree with, considering that they did not perform a lot of the phrase changes I made on Monday (very understandable considering that we've done a lot of the movement for a while and it's in their bodies as how I originally taught it). He had the girls layer a "torso" and a "leg" phrase together, which was incredibly dynamic and interesting - I'm keeping it for the circle part instead of the straight piques! Another really helpful suggestion of his was finding five variations of anything classical that I'm tempted to put in the movement. This is a very clear way for me to make the movement more interesting and more my own, and therein a main method of choreography editing that I will use from here on out. Anthony also advised the girls to find curves rather than all angles in the glacially slow beginning, which they did and therein made it even more beautiful than it was before.

I even added an ending of a duet phrase indicating the star in the last throws of its core fusion, followed by a back-and-forth falling in to a heap (collapsing into a white dwarf). After that they will exit just as they entered, extremely slowly as bits of stardust, in the reverse order of the former trio-sextet-novet. My main work now as I said is making the movement less classical and less bisected. Next Monday (Wednesday is Solo Fest so will not have rehearsal) we will go through movement by movement to try to achieve those aims, or at least clarify/remind the dancers of my edits from last Monday. Next Monday I'm thinking will be continuing the same, and then it's ajudication! Here we come, I'm ready :D

Cleaning/polishing week

2010-10-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

I didn't add any new choreography this week, partly because I had less time to make work (w/ factors such as the first production meeting) and many of my dancers missing rehearsal because of sorority recruitment. The production meeting went well; I feel like we all communicated our creative visions to the designers with clarity and healthy assertiveness. Class discussion beforehand was very helpful for really honing our ideas into concrete expressions of creative desires for the designers. Some interesting points and things to be further considered also arose, such as the advantages and disadvantages of having my costumes be watercolors in the same colors as my projection versus a creamy white to take on those colors.

In the cleaning rehearsals, the girls made much progress in executing the movement with effective timing, shape, dynamic, and connectedness. They said that the cleaning was incredibly helpful, and one of my dancers even said that she had fun - which I LOVE to hear! My dancers seemed a little less focused than they have been on Wednesday night, understandable with some illness and everything that is presently going on (recruitment, midterms, and more). Some corrections I made never got fully implemented, but I can come to accept that; as Anthony has wisely advised, the sooner that you as a choreographer can let go of wanting to see the movement exactly as you envision it, the sooner your dancers can live in it and make it have a life of its own.

That being said, they took many of my corrections to help them dance together and with the music more clearly and powerfully. One thing that gave the piece more of a complete feeling was adding a beginning and ending. I now have them entering slowly, as if they are pieces of stardust that come to form a star, slowly picking up speed as the music comes up. For the end of the song, I added a little phrase that comes to stillness - to be ready for the explosion of energy (supernova!) that comes next.

I did choreograph the first minute of the next song, which I will teach next week. I will then work on integrating more of Kepler's and other physical laws (e.g. things accelerate faster with time, getting closer to the ground) to create the movement that concludes the piece. This train's a chuggin', and I'm loving the ride!

Last one for tonight!

2010-09-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

More...

2010-09-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

Videos

2010-09-24T18:05:00.000-07:00

music #1....DOWN! :D

2010-09-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

My encouraging progress is continuing. I go into the studio to choreograph a few hours before rehearsal, and my creative energy just flows. I think that my research in my old Astronomy textbook has helped me create some great image ideas. I even found out that what I choreographed before I even researched had interesting parallels to events in a young star - subconscious awareness, really quite fascinating. When I bring the material to rehearsal, the girls just absorb it like sponges. Their focus and physical commitment keeps amazing me more and more.

One thing has been frustrating about cast logistics, or more something has caused me to feel conflicted - Colette unfortunately had to drop out because of personal academic concerns, leaving me with nine dancers. Then I found out that Ashley, whom I cast as my understudy but has not shown up to rehearsal yet, is more available than I thought. She expressed that she does not want to be involved with the piece without the guarantee of performing. I considered casting her fully, as I would love to give her, a senior who has never been cast in Danceworks, the opportunity. On second thought, from a strictly objective creative perspective, I decided that I want to keep my cast at nine. I love the formation changes that having nine led me to make (e.g. trios versus quartet, going into a sextet then with the nine dancers of the full cast again), and I do not want to interfere with how my creative energy is surging. No one ever said that dance is democratic, or centered on people's feelings, unfortunately. I do sincerely wish that I could have given Ashley the chance, but it just wasn't right creatively, and I think that I will come to see that I made the right decision.

On Monday, I taught the next sextet section (with three dancers added unto the trio), and even had a little time afterwords for the girls to model some poses for me (for practice/building a portfolio in dance photography - a field that I wish to get into - a goal of this semester). One cool thing that happened while the girls performed the trio was that they ended making their own cannon, which I'm now keeping. I love how they're contributing to the choreography with their unique creativities.

On Wednesday, even though we had some illness and J Up was probably above 90 degrees, we made some good strides - I finished the first piece of music! The timing for the group section at the end was funky, and took some working out, but eventually we got it down pretty solidly.

I dismissed everyone but those in the featured trio during that section (way too hot to be in J Up if not necessary!). The three picked it up like lightning. The first time they did it, they began in perfect unison, and (this sounds horribly cheesy and even conceited, but...) I almost wanted to cry, it was so beautiful. These are the special moments that makes art indispensable in our lives, I believe :D

Next week we will just clean up what we have so far, mostly timing and directionality as the elements that I see needing the most work. Until then, thanks and au revoir!

Amazing 1rst week!

2010-09-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

From the very first rehearsal on Monday, my cast and I made very encouraging progress. I am so beyond pleased with my dancers! My slight fears at having such a large cast freshman were not unjustified, but unfounded. I'm ahead of schedule, with 1:45 now set as choreography (but certainly adjustable) - which relaxes me a bit in that at this pace, I'll have plenty of time to improve and polish the piece. I also feel as if I'm getting more comfortable with being a leader, which I was also a bit fearful/apprehensive about.

Concrete "star" things I've worked with so far are how interstellar dust comes together to make the first inklings of a star (with the improv loose movement moving into the groups in the beginning) and the quartet coming out like a protostellar jet. Next I'd like to experiment with translating Kepler's laws, which determine the nature of orbits and other stellar body movements, into movement.

I hope to use these springboards for making unique and unified/harmonious movement - the laws aren't what's important, and I want audience members that have never studied Astronomy (probably the majority) to still get something worthwhile out of viewing my piece. Until next time, thank you!

Auditions! Casting! Oh My!

2010-09-10T18:05:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been an exciting week for Danceworks. We showed each other our phrases on Tuesday. I taught my demonstrators my phrase on Monday, and they picked up it pretty well. I am specific and sometimes difficult with my movement sometimes, as it makes sense to my body but often not others'. I guess I can be somewhat of a unique mover :D. Through the process I will ask my dancers to help me mold my movement to something that feels good on their bodies while still fulfilling my aesthetic and conceptual visions.

Seeing everyone's phrase got me really excited to see this concert come together, with so many diverse movement styles and ideas behind them. From Molly's fun playground romance to Jessie's high-energy African/hip-hop grooves, Danceworks 2010 will have something special to offer each and every audience member.

Auditions went well, as everyone truly stepped up to the plate and acted as a kind and approachable leader. I'm not a natural leader, evident in my nervousness and occasional awkward blankouts on Wednesday night in front of thirty dancers (we had 60 and change dancers, can you believe it??!!!). Being an effective leader, one who knows how to bring out the best in those she leads, is something that I will have to work on. That's especially true considering that I will be leading a cast of mostly freshman, beautiful dancers and great girls, but undoubtedly in need of some guidance from sheer lack of experience with this process.

I too have not had extensive experience with the Danceworks process, though I have danced in other similar projects such as Mary Lane's alumni weekend piece and Rick Westerkamp's honors thesis. I hope that I can bring my experience with other concert pieces to this process, and maybe even contribute something new and worthwhile. I have a crazy boatload of mixed feelings about this journey - fear, excitement, creative interest, joy, stress, you name it. It's coming no matter how I feel, so I better hold on and enjoy the ride!

Best,
Kathryn

I'm...BACK

2010-09-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

Lordy lordy so much to share, so much gone on! I arrived back in DC on Saturday night, a relatively painless travel experience. I met my roommates and moved into my miraculous room then and through the next day (in addition to lots of other busyness, buying books, foodshopping, etc). I finally got to Yoga District, loved the class AND there's a new student deal of 3 classes for the price of 1.

I've been doing that this week, along with free classes at HelWel. It was great to get back to Arezu's Kundalini, returning to movements that I forgot over the summer when I did it on my own. I was indecisive about doing that or going to ballet, but I figured out how I can go later in the year, and Kundalini was the right choice in the end; I felt this power and just rightness in my body and spirit while I was doing it that I can't really describe. On Tuesday in Maida's classit was great to hear about everyone's summer - especially that so many people realized that they need to be doing something creative rather than a desk job. Maida couldn't get over how good she thinks I look, with about 4 or so more pounds on me I'll say, but it's enough to make a great difference I guess. I do really feel great about my body and how I live my life through and with it.

Thursday's class with her was great, taking things slow to feel the sensation. I could feel an incredible looseness, yet strength from it when I took Kate Mattingly's yoga at the gym later. I think I've progressed with those qualities in general. I also did some technique and Danceworks phrase work after, which technically was a little off (from not doing technique for a couple of weeks), but also loose and strong. Speaking of which, on Wednesday we taking Choreography met with Anthony and had interesting discussion about the journey ahead. Some, such as Allie, expressed their fears, and we talked through that a bit. It's important to get those feelings out and let them pass.

My brain started spinning with images and ideas, and it's always still going, even if subconsciously. That's what happens to me during the creative process, which I think if I can still do everything else that my life requires is a good thing. My audition phrase is for the mot part set, and I have my demonstrators whom I'll teach on Monday. E.g. I was choreographing with my arms heading to Yoga District Yogalates (which I loved, felt great core strength and alignment, some poses such as full boat could be stronger though).

I took yoga again today, which was less rigorous for its level than I expected, but the relaxation while working my body was nice. I got some good corrections, such as keeping my hips even in pidgeon and back straight (rather than fully stretched) in downward dog. I also found out today that the free classes are extended into next week, so hopefully I can get back for a few more.

Other classes I'm taking such a Costuming and Victorian Lit will also substantially contribute to my intellectual and creative life, I believe, and are journeys that I look forward to. Fun stuff that I've always loved at GW is starting up again also, such as Balance. Senior year, bring it on, woohoo!

winding down smaller and closer.....

2010-08-20T05:36:00.000-07:00

Hello hello, so so it's getting closer and closer until I'm back in DC. I'm feeling some underlying anxiety about being a senior and finding my way to surviving in the real world once the year is up, but I'm very excited about the creative, intellectual, social etc things that I'll get to explore and enjoy throughout the year. I'm already looking at shows and exhibits that I'm interested in (w/ shows money is always an issue, but I'm really vowing to be better with my spending).

I mixed up my dance stuff this week, Monday online yoga, Tuesday online Pilates and Kundalini, Wednesday full ballet class, Thursday modern/jazz technique and improv, today typical Pilates/yoga/conditioning and tap tomorrow. Because I wanted to let my iPod charge (sort of a stupid rationalization but o well), I didn't move forward w/ my Danceworks piece, but I'll review on Saturday and add on a few more phrases next week and then I think I'll be all right. I maybe shouldn't get too far anyways, as a lot might change, or I might get good new guidance, once Choreography starts (ANTHONY! :D) With technique, control and such was good, but my balance was off and fluidity that I've reached lately somewhat lacking (probably from anxiety at changing from my summer life to my school one). Anyways, onwards and upwards....

In other news, I was involved in my first conference call,in which I introduced the arts journalism challenge. It went well for the most part, besides being kicked off the line. I've enjoyed galleries more than ever lately, I think my artistic eye/crtical facilities are developing and maturing, yaya :D C'est la vie :D With another changed creative schedule this week, and Wet Paint coming up, I'll eagerly recount on Friday, until then :D

getting closer, savoring the time left...

2010-08-13T07:05:00.001-07:00

Heylo, so things are good good, working and enjoying the city besides Bourgeon work and dancing. I got back to ballet class on Wednesday, and I did reasonably well - would have done better if I could feel my toes (what happened to my technique shoes?). Danielle taught, and I really enjoyed the way she hears music and choreographs to it - her choreography just makes sense to my head and body more than David's combinations do (still love him though :D). I got some good corrections that I was even able to keep pretty consistent when doing technique yesterday. She also said she could tell I was working on and improving w/ my chest popping/rib cage issue, yaya! (always been an issue of mine that's a problem for how it throws off my balance and is aesthetically not right....)
Also yesterday I honed the couple of phrases that I made last week, I think they'll be audition phrases (good to have, first thing I need haha). I think I made them a little less busy, but I just have to now do them with the music to make sure it works (and adjust if not). I think I found some core movement themes that I'll keep working with to keep the piece unified, yet diverse and interesting. Next week I'll make some more phrases, and I'll be happy with that as what I've gotten accomplished before I go back to school.
The So You Think You Can Dance Finale was last night, and Lauren took it, whom I thought truly deserved it. Kent is amazing, and I adore Robert, but Lauren just has it all and can do it all - any style you throw at her (in my opinion one true mark of a professional). I've truly enjoyed, and hopefully benefited from, viewing the frequent superb artistry on the show. I will stick up for the program against anyone who claims that it's all about virtuosity, artistry absent. Anywho, until next week, last full regular week here! :D

moving right along, with the summer weeks getting fewer!

2010-08-06T05:33:00.000-07:00

Hey hey, things are going smoothly with choreography/technique/creative life, with the extra element in my life/mind/schedule of starting to prepare to go back to school. My schedule's set with great classes, and I'm trying to get a grasp on what my life will be like for the semester, and doing what I can to prep for that now. I also had my first piece published online, on Bourgeon, yay! Anyways, missed ballet this week b/c I had to work on Monday and then wanted to see movies on nights after that, but I did yoga and my own barre. The barre was a little rough b/c I was feeling a little tense and physically uncomfortable (hot/sore), but my modern technique the day before felt great. After the barre I choreographed a couple of refrain phrases for my second piece of music, which I felt pretty happy with, only maybe that they were a little busy/fast and I could simplify. I slightly panicked when I thought back to what I did last week and couldn't remember anything but then a few things came to me.
I thought of a good format of having those few unison phrases, making a couple others that I'll repeat and manipulate (give dancers different specifics in the basic movements), perhaps a few that they can manipulate themselves (or the same ones that I'll have them make look different), and guided improvisational sections (get here, accomplish this, have this physical characteristic). As I learned in Dance Comp, this kind of amalgamation makes varied and interesting choreography, rather than all improv or unison that can get dry. It also means less work for the choreographer, not having to make something new for every eight count :D Or conversely, having some kind of creative control/input over their own work, hehe, hard to accomplish with all improv. Maybe I could even throw in some chance procedure methods....hmmm....exciting exciting! Until next week :D

first experimentation

2010-07-30T05:26:00.000-07:00

I started experimenting with my music yesterday, and produced some interesting stuff (I think :D). While I don't really think I kept the concepts of order vs. diffusion/chaos as a focus of what I made (only two counts of eight really, just some base phrases to work off of), I think that I incorporated some good levels, dynamics, and gesturally unique things. I think that I have to work on clarifying it all to make it more understandable to the dancers I will be teaching it to (out of my own head, ya know...).
So You Think You Can Dance has had some interesting work, and commentary from the judges on it, that could be influencing me creatively - which is great, I say. I've also been communicating back and forth by e-mail with Professor Buckley about my Honor's Thesis, about dance criticism and its place past, present, and future. I wonder how and if the research will affect my creative process as I create the work in the fall, and what I will be choreographing in the spring (SPADE). Anywho, technique and conditioning going well, I'm looking forward to teaching for Elite (hopefully Melissa will get back to me soon!) Until next time :D (spins off, onwards and upwards)

I return! (way too long no write)

2010-07-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, with being away for a month, the craziness of housesitting and not having net access, then getting back to Newport and being busy catching up on things, I haven't wrriten for nearly two months! Anyways, my artistic life is alive and well. It felt great to get back into ballet class, and I did better in center than I thought I would, considering not having danced center for over a month. I've lately had some great choreographic vision also, e.g. Human for a senior solo. I made some interesting stuff with a One Republic song, could use some polishing but the cool moments and potential were there.

I've vowed to try to take photo shoots more often, which could influence my choreography. I'll start soon on finding images for my Danceworks piece, and working with that and the music I have in mind to come up with some choreography ideas, maybe even material.I've also been communicating with Melissa Levesque, and if all goes well I'll be teaching a workshop on college dance for her company girls. Other than that, life's been laid-back and quiet, yet busy with all my reading, Bourgeon work, stuff for Honors Thesis etc. Good to be back writing, ttyl :D

continuing, transitioning....

2010-05-28T06:54:00.000-07:00

I've kept up with my new dance schedule and enjoyed it. My improv has gotten a little more restrained and gestural, and tap is improving (though I found it difficult to make my feet make the rhythm in my head to go along well w/ that of John Mayer's Crossroads). One interesting and encouraging outcome was how easily jazz choreography came to me. I haven't taken a jazz class in years nearly, but I was quite happy with the musicality, movement quality, and aesthetic of the thirty seconds I choreographed. My creative juices are flowing a lot also when I listen to music. On the other hand, tension I'm feeling about traveling nearly alone in a foreign country is seeping into my movement. I just have breathe and enjoy, and it'll all be all right :D

summer dancin'....

2010-05-21T06:53:00.000-07:00

So I've pretty much established/solidified/made habit my summer dance "regime" (not sure that's the right word, but you get the point :D) that I described in the last post. It's been great to explore my technique and artistry independently, allowing calm reflection, and also with fellow dancers/instructor in class. I got some particularly good corrections from Danielle when I took her Wednesday class, such as closing my chest to make a nice torso line, and closing my arms in chaines (the latter elementary, maybe I was just being sloppy/tired, and the former an old habit rearing its ugly head). I did fairly well in center after a not so great barre (getting my mind back into ballet combinations, you know....).
I played around a bit with a Death Cab for Cutie song and made a couple interesting phrases off of the song's syncopated, dominant beat (always an interest of mine to explore in movement, that marriage of it w/ the beat.) I've loved getting back to tap, and my yoga/Pilates practice keeps getting stronger. I hope I can get the opportunities to take more classes (availability/schedule/expense challenges) to continue to grow in the practices. That's that for now, loving it, until next week!

long time no write, here goes....

2010-05-14T07:55:00.001-07:00

Hello, with all the craziness of the show, finishing up my obligations for the semester, packing up, and getting home, I forgot to write for the past two weeks. So here's some catch up. The show went great, and I was so pleased to have my mother come and see me perform at GWU for the first time. I only wish there were more than one show. I am for the most part pleased with my performance, though with full emoting, some technical things like balance were shaky, and I had a few blank-out moments. I should work on emoting fully earlier on in the rehearsal process so that my body has more time to adjust. My mom said something interesting, that I don't smile like I used to when I perform. It's hard for me to move into that when I've been doing pieces with a more somber attitude for the past few years. Adaptability is key, again a skill that I need to improve overall. I was happy with my piece for the most part, especially the girls' qualities, though there were timing and spacing issues (as much as I could see from the wings). I got positive feedback, however, and if people could enjoy my piece, I don't feel the need to achieve more than that.

Now I am home until I go to Italy, and have begun a new technique and conditioning routine. This includes per week one ballet class (or a home barre and center), flow yoga-extra ballet center work, improv, choreography (playing around with a couple of songs for now and then down to business with Danceworks piece experimentation), tap (one routine choreographed as a goal) and jazz technique, modern technique and routines (to prepare for the summer workshop at my old studio that I hope to teach), and my typical Pilates/yoga/strengthening workout. I think this routine will keep me artistically, (dance) mentally, technically, and physically up to par throughout the summer until I'm back dancing at school in the fall. I will keep up with it as much as I can in Italy; I'm not sure what kind of space I will have to dance in and when/how it will fit into my schedule then.

If I have to take a break, as long as I keep up with aerobic (lots of walking) and strengthening/flexibility exercise (Pilates and yoga), then it shouldn't be too hard to bounce back. A bit of a change of pace/break could also do my body and mind good. For the meantime I'll keep checking in on my progress with my choreography, technique, and workshop building (three elements of being a communaly engaged dance artist - choreographing, dancing in class/rehearsal/performing, and teaching)Now to get on to some random internet tasks so that I can do my Friday workout, until next week!

catch-up, getting closer and closer!

2010-04-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

So I didn't blog last week because we didn't have rehearsals during the week, then I just forgot after the weekend. The run looked good for all the pieces, for the most part. There were some timing issues with my piece that weren't there in rehearsal. I know the girls have the timing because they do it beautifully sometimes. The main thing they need to aim for is just doing it consistently. That being said, I am so grateful for my cast that took my strange movement into their bodies with such a nice quality, and the effort that they put in to allow for that to happen.
Both Elizabeth's and Amber's pieces came together quite quickly; for me at least, SO much got clarified. It's amazing how much things can improve when one takes a step back and takes things one movement at a time, really identifying and aiming for what the choreographer is asking for with that particular movement. With all movements that way, they can all flow together to create what the choreographer envisioned. With Elizabeth's piece, she told me I was rushing a lot, and to just relax into it. I did so and it felt great! I was more with the group and more with the easy quality that she's looking for. I also finally started wearing ballet shoes. I'm glad I did, because it is a quite an adjustment (so much so that it surprised me). Upwards and onwards to the last Saturday of rehearsals and tech week!

slow week, but still good!

2010-04-02T05:58:00.001-07:00

I had a smaller rehearsal with three of my dancers of Tuesday, because people were attending Passover services and seder dinner. We clarified some things further by running it a few times and and then stopping for notes/movement analysis/trying things out different ways. I noticed that one skill I need to develop as a choreographer is remembering my thoughts when I'm watching to be able to communicate them to my dancers. I thought about having a notepad, but I feel as if simply remembering my thoughts is a skill I should force myself to obtain (one can't watch w/ full attention when looking down to scribble on a pad, something I've for sure come to learn is true from my reviewing experiences). In any case, the rehearsal was productive for those three dancers (thanks girls!), and I let them a half hour early (there's only so much you can do with half a cast).
I have both Amber's and Elizabeth's rehearsals tomorrow, as well as beginning finale. I'm very excited for it, Micheal Jackson tribute style! More updates after I've actually had rehearsal, until then :D

back from break!

2010-03-26T06:08:00.001-07:00

So Tuesday's rehearsal was a successful refresher after two weeks away from the piece. We clarified timing and quality of certain parts, such as in the willow arms and in the beats moving back and front phrase. By the last run, it was looking much cleaner and together - yaya! I feel like I'm in SUCH a good place w/ 4 rehearsals just to clean!
Elizabeth's rehearsal also went well. We added on an interesting new line and partner section after reviewing. Some parts kept catching me up, such as the turn-pas de quise-swivel-attitude, but I'm confident that if I just keep working on it I'll get it.
Now for Amber's rehearsal on Sunday - she assigned me to parts 1 and 3 of the first piece of music, parts that feel good to me :D I'll review those and hopefully be ready to rock!
Also, Sunday I took a hip-hop class (I went for a ballet class but Metro delays made it so that I missed the class). I'm glad I took the opportunity, because I did fairly well and enjoyed the choreography. I could clearly recognize my growth as a dancer, modern dance training loosening me up to more freely (yet w/ control) execute other styles. That's what it's all about as an artist, taking those opportunities when they come and adjusting to setbacks so that growth occurs. Again...YAYA, until next time, peace :D

winding down a bit for the break....

2010-03-12T06:20:00.000-08:00

So I did not hold rehearsal this week, so that casts in much more need of space than I am could have it (again, I'm the only choreographer finished teaching the material at this point, I believe).
I had great rehearsals for Amber's and Elizabeth's pieces. We reviewed with Amber on Monday, and I feel much more confident about the choreography. The group as a whole seems to be making great progress, and I think it will be a striking piece. I'll keep working on it over break to really get it from my head to my body.
Elizabeth, interestingly enough, is going in a more balletic direction now. She's working with juxtaposing ballet and more contemporary movement, us split into groups and switching off between those styles. Everyone gets to perform both, which I appreciate. I had a little bit of choreography retention trouble, but by the end of rehearsal and some independent work the next day I pretty much had it down. Timing, nuances, all those things that make dance special still need refinement, of course. Again, I'll keep working over spring break to work towards those things. Until the next rehearsals!

finishing the piece and 1rst cast run

2010-03-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

Exciting stuff for spring show this past week! I finished the piece and am very happy with what I presently have. I understand, of course, that I need to do a lot of refining and clarifying of my intent for my dancers - particularly in timing and movement quality. That being said, they're doing very well executing my often ambigious and hard to understand (if you're outside of my head) work.
The piece looked good at the cast run, considering the amount of space we had for six dancers to move in (even marking the leaps, etc). The co-producers were pleased that I'm finished with the piece (the only one who is I think, not to brag, it means nothing for how the piece will turn out in the end compared to those that finished later). I was pleased also to know Elizabeth's piece almost like the back of my hand. Amber's was another story, I think only because I started to forget, got self-conscious, froze-up. I made a lot of progress in an 1.5 hr review session rehearsal the night before, so hopefully it's in there somewhere.
Also, I am excited about the show as a whole after seeing the innovative, intriguing, and overall pleasing work our choreographers have created (again, seen through dancers battling cramped space...c'est la vie) Until after next week's rehearsals!

Moving right along :D

2010-02-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

I taught another 30 seconds on Saturday and clarified some parts with my dancers. They're really getting the feeling in their bodies that I'm looking for, and now we just have to work on inegrating that with the unison timing that I'm also looking for in certain parts. Working alone, I've found some intriguing (to me, at least) ways of varying the unison phrases, with retrograde, cannon, etc. I hope to teach another 30 seconds tomorrow, and then finish the piece before spring break. We'll also go back, clarify timing and shaping of movement some more, and turn the leap section that I just taught into a cannon. I'm so pleased with how it's going, until tomorrow!
Elizabeth's piece is going amazingly for me. In most phrases the movement just seems to occur naturally, and therefore feels incredible. I love how she teaches small amounts of choreography at a time so that I can pick it up more easily. While I'm in love with Amber's movement, taking in so much at once and then executing it back is difficult for me. That's certainly a skill I could use improvement on. Rehearsals tommorow, I'm excited!
And of course Rick's thesis, which I haven't written as much about, and SPADE which took place last night. My solo improv piece was somewhat of an artistic experiment. I think that I've improved in finding more calm and places of breath in my improvisation from say freshman year, though still have much room for growth there. I'm not so sure that the audience understood my concept, as you'd have to listen to the words to do so. All in all it was interesting artistic experience. Anyways, the creative life continues, onwards and upwards!

Another amazing rehearsal!

2010-02-19T15:14:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night's rehearsal was another productive one - one more minute taught! My dancers were patient while I tried to work out choreographic kinks and adding interest to my solo (as I said what's it choreographed as now). I truly appreciate that! I'll get the video up once I download Picassa on my lap-top (long story, yet more computer issues). The piece is really starting to take shape, and I think will be beautiful once I clarify images, quality, and timing. For example, the hit back with the forth port de bras I imagine as a whip, and the swaying on releve like a willow branch that's blown by a swift wind, settles, and then gets blown again. I will express these images to my dancers, and I have confidence that it will help them execute exactly what I'm looking for. It's pretty darn close at the moment, however, they're looking great!
Amber's and Elizabeth's pieces are going well, I just need to work on timing mostly in Elizabeth's and sequencing (connecting phrases and remembering their order in the piece) in Amber's. Until next rehearsals!

Coming right along, despite the setbacks!

2010-02-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

So DC life was basically up-ended this week with the snowstorm, meaning my rehearsal was cancelled. Elizabeth also had to give us the week off because of scheduling issues. I just had Amber's rehearsal and was basically in a funk from life being topsy-turvy, not to make excuses. I found that without people who knew the choreography to watch I was a lost cause. I'll just have to buckle down and learn it, onwards and upwards!
The time off gave me the opportunity, however, to refine choreography in my piece. I found out that that the top floor of my dorm has a great dance space. I'll hopefully be ready to teach what the choreography more clearly because of this refining. Certain movements will of course change to accomodate what does and does not look good on and feel good for my dancers. Spacing and direction will also have to be manipulated to make what's basically right now a solo of mine into an intriguing, multi-dimensional group piece. I'm excited to engage in that process!

Cast!

2010-02-05T05:51:00.000-08:00

So last week's post dissapeared on me (posting issues, you know), but in any case auditions went great, I have a cast that I feel can truly embody the movement quality and mood of my piece. At auditions I was looking for not the most advanced dancers, but ones that I felt had pleasurable qualities suitable to my piece. As I honed in on such dancers I was pleased to see more and more of this. Fortunately this meant that at auditions I was the only one that wanted several of the dancers eventually in my cast (in the first casting round). Unfortunately one dancer that I had in mind even before auditions, and who I managed to get, dropped out. It made me sad, but I completely understood how in a busy college artist's life, you just sometimes have to say no. My editor Rob said in response to this after I told him in an e-mail, "Keep the faith", that you have to as an artist. So true! In any event, I'm truly excited about Elizabeth's piece with one rehearsal down (beautiful relaxed movement in a broadened ballet vocabulary), Amber's first rehearsal tonight (hopefully weather permits), and my first rehearsal tomorrow. Until next week!

coming right along!

2010-01-22T17:20:00.000-08:00

I've been refining the movement for Don't Know Why, changing structure in sections also. The first choreographer's meeting occured on Wednesday, and I was excited to see the turnout of choreographers - it's gonna be a great show! I've also been inspired by my improvement in technique (more release, yet strength and control) and in the great choreographic work I've seen lately (such as Rick's thesis movement and today's Dance Motion USA performance). The dancin' goes on! :D

Bourgeon internship!

2010-01-15T19:08:00.000-08:00

I will now begin to post about my Bourgeon internship, as well as my work with Rick Westerkamp's senior thesis here also;

Last night's audition felt great. I did feel a little scared and self-conscious that I would not be cast, due to the numbers of dancers and choreographers, but the choreography and everyone's take on it truly intrigued me. I feel as if I performed moderately well, especially in Sarah's phrase when I could take on character (always helpful to me), although I certainly had my fair share of flub-ups. All that didn't matter when I got the email from Rick telling me that I was cast (though I thought at first he was just confirming my assistant stage manager status). I am SO excited to work under him, to experience his joy and truly unique creative gifts, and rehearse/perform/etc with the rest of his amazing dancers. Upwards and onwards! :D

I very much enjoyed my first meeting with the boss of my internship under Bourgeon Online Arts Magazine, editor Robert Bettman. We discussed weekly, monthly, mid-term, and long-term goals, as well as both of our visions for future direction of the magazine and my career. Not to say there was no miscommunication and confusion, as sometimes we did have communication disconnect, but overall we were able to express those things clearly to each other. Through that we laid out a timeline and agenda for the coming months. The general overview of the work that we would like me to accomplish is four finished/edited pieces for the magazine, strong and sustainable contact with four arts venues, and a final project of publicizing the magazine at a large-scale arts event.
In the short term, I have the tasks of emailing to Rob what I gathered from the meeting and researching the blog names he will send me. From these blogs I will mine out interesting work for potential publication. I am very excited to browse these blogs; reading endlessly about the arts, to me there’s nothing better! Rob and I set up our next meeting for a week and a half from now, for which he’d like me to have ten of these works selected. I look forward to it all!

Don't Know Why

2010-01-02T15:03:00.000-08:00

Don't Know Why for the Balance Spring Show is nearly fully choreographed. There are just some rough spots that need to be worked out. Some of this is filling in movement where it's lagging, and making things transition more smoothly. My approach this time was mainly improvisation and shifting around what I produced with it (if a phrase I had in one place in the music didn't work, I'd move it to another, for example). Repetition and manipulating facings and timings also was fruitful. One element I've developed from when I first discovered it when choreographing Tenuous Transitions (which I call as such versus Big Yellow Taxi, which reminds me that I need to come up with a title for the piece apart from the song name) is body percussion/sound accents, ie clapping. I've loved this creative element in tap dance, and perhaps my background in tap has led me to use it in my more contemporary dance work. Stay tuned as the piece develops, as I clean and refine it. I as always look forward to it!

videos

2009-12-31T18:17:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRbaly_pb4k

http://www.youtube.com/user/kbdancer5678#p/a/u/1/DMHv2eXKxXo

http://www.youtube.com/user/kbdancer5678#p/a/u/2/zbO5vOqEazg

2009-12-25T10:49:00.001-08:00

Hello, here's some catch-up. I had computer issues (the display basically died on me), and finals business, so a lot happened since I last posted. The performance went very well. I was so impressed with my classmates' work, and the dancers' interpretation of it in performance. The final performance night as a whole made me feel honored to be part of the GWU dance community. I felt the same way about our final performance discussion of everyone's work. Mentally, I just have to get over self-criticism of my own work; watching it, I couldn't appreciate my accomplishments from only thinking that it was not exactly what I had imagined. I should have an attitude of respecting what my dancers bring to my work, rather than wanting to see it as exactly how it was on/in my body, though I think through the process I did improve in this respect.

So the semester's over, and upon reflection I am extremely pleased with my growth, and aware of areas in which I still need to grow. The creative energy within the class, the support system of everyone in it, is something I will treasure in memory throughout my artistic life. I plan to continue using this blog for choreography, in the near future for my Balance spring show piece. I'll post videos and discussion for my dancers to use, and for myself to aid in the creative process. I believe that this effort will lead me to further growth as a choreographer and arts writer (probably more where my career is going, but both with value.

Here are more videos, including Nutcracker rehearsals. I enjoyed choreographing Polichinelles. Th jolly nature of the piece was fun to immerse myself in when working on it. The challenges along the way, such as trying to translate my visions to confused dancers and some frustration with having my choreography altered last minute for example, were difficult at the time, but such experiences are beneficial; ya live, ya learn, they say. Next I'll be posting on preliminary spring show piece work. Enjoy!

1rst showing!

2009-12-06T16:46:00.000-08:00

I was pleased and honored to have the opportunity to show my piece at the Alumni Connection Weekend Showcase yesterday. I got some positive feedback, which is always encouraging. I was happy with how the piece looked lit and costumed for the first time, the dancers also with full performance adrenline in their movement and presences. I was very grateful that they did this extra performance, especially considering all of the scheduling confusion. I was also impressed with the showcase and day of classes/workshops in general, which further demonstrated the strength of our department. Until Wednesday, I'm excited to have my work seen again and enjoy everyone else's in the class!

coming along!

2009-11-30T19:07:00.001-08:00

Tonight we cleaned and added the end section of locomoting from line drawings. I was really pleased with my dancers' improvement in timing and feeling the movement naturally in their bodies. I loved how they integrated my corrections and suggestions, also. It was amazing to me how Jessica, simply because she missed one rehearsal last week, asked to stay a little later and have me watch her once. Because of this hard work the piece is truly coming together, forming a cohesive whole! Next week we will really refine, especially the few sections that are still a bit muddy (such as the multi-turn part). I'm pleased with myself, also, for being to accept a little rawness, which has value in its own. It's been a great journey, and I eagerly anticipate its conclusion in exhibiting my first group piece!

almost finished :D

2009-11-23T19:24:00.000-08:00

Tonight's rehearsal was another quick, yet fulfilling one. The piece is essentially finished, with only the walking patterns from paper drawings to work out. The cohesiveness of the piece is really coming together; I can see my vision coming to life. THANK YOU to my amazing dancers for making this happen through their hard work! Ashley is beautiful as the soloist, my only critique to her to be less ballerina-like in her movement (which I never thought I'd say, but those are the new elements that GW opens one up to!) Allie brings a completely different raw quality, with Rachel somewhere in the middle. I like this variety, making my piece seem more realistic in embodying real people in all of their differences. I also love how the dancers are guiding my choreography by their unconscious reception of the movement, such as in Ashley adding a relevee to the sweep movement I gave her. We missed Jessica, but we trudge on :D I'm excited to finish up next week, until then!
HOPEFULLY I can get the video loaded, I've been having computer-camera connection issues.....o technology, can't live with, can't live without it.

Rehearsal #2!

2009-11-16T19:27:00.000-08:00

I was excited to finally to see the two parts of the choreography in the two different groups (though only with Ashley in the second group, as Tenley still has Danceworks conflicts....can't wait until I have her beautiful movement!). A lot got clarified as well as added on - I'm up to 2:00! Having Ashley helped to establish interactions between the groups, such as in her spinning Jessica on the floor (which Tenley will also be a part of). I was sp pleased to have them working it out, taking responsibility as dancers for the movement.
Similar to last week, the last section I taught was confusing for them in terms of timing, but got a lot clearer with a few more runs. I hope that I am not teaching too fast! In any event, I'm extremely happy with how the piece is progressing. It was certainly great to hear Allie's "That is so cool!", affirming that I am headed in some sort of effective direction. Until next Monday when I finish, I look forward to it!
Video to come later ;D

video from last night!

2009-11-10T12:37:00.002-08:00

Great first rehearsal :D

2009-11-09T19:08:00.000-08:00

The first rehearsal went quite well tonight. Though I had 2 out of 5 dancers absent, I taught the other dancers, a group separate from the other two dancers anyways, a full minute and twenty seconds! While some of their movement was not what I envisioned, their approach separate from mine inspired some interesting developments. For example, Ally heard the beginning phrase music differently and therefore danced it faster than Rachel and Jessica. This created a cannon that I liked and that for now I'm keeping. One turning phrase at the end of what I taught was confusing for them, but which I'm sure they'll get over the next few weeks. It's interesting how me demonstrating what I wanted help to clear up this confusion in an earlier section; they affirmed how much more they understood the timing after they saw me dance it.

Next week I will teach the other girls their first minute, again much of its choreography different than the other group's. I think I'm in a good place with the piece. Thanks dancers for your hard work and Dance Comp classmates/Professor that have helped me build the skills to do what I did tonight!

Development!

2009-10-26T19:01:00.000-07:00

I spent about forty-five minutes tonight alone in the studio clarifying my ideas and structure for the Big Yellow Taxi piece. I love working in the studio alone, having the freedom to work on what I need to work on whenever I need to during the time I'm there. It gets lonely, however; I miss the collaboration that comes with group work. I tried out different concurrent movement to make it not all unison, though I feel as if I need to find separate ways of doing this besides reversing. I also played around with unison movement having interest through spacial dimensions, such as facing separate sides or diagonals. I believe that now I need to work on making the movement flow more naturally now through the phrases of moving pictures that I've composed. Again I can't wait to start!

Beginning the final exam piece

2009-10-23T05:46:00.000-07:00

I've cemented some ideas and movement for my final examination piece. I'm composing to the Counting Crows's Big Yellow Taxi on a theme of change and the tensions between modernity and tradition. Doing some research on Joni Mitchell, I discovered an interesting take from her inspiration, meaning in the song of missing something once it's once its gone and regretting not keeping a hold of it. I believe this is a valuable thought in our ever-changing world.

I had visions of manipulating yoga-like flows and poses, yoga representing tradition, and have found some material from that. I also discovered that fitting phrases that I have composed and class was more productive than improvising to the music and composing from there. I will work this movement into qualities of push and pull to represent the tension in my theme.

I've contacted my dancers, all beautiful movers and whose ideas I will also draw upon to help me break out of my sometimes narrow vocabulary. I will observe their natural ways of moving to find material that focuses on movement through the body versus just making pictures. Through this I hope to continue the growth that Maida has affirmed that I have achieved in this light. I'm excited to start in a couple of weeks!

Mid-term performance!

2009-10-16T17:26:00.000-07:00

So after some dedicated work and resulting growth in my mid-term performance, I believe I composed and performed a successful piece. In the same way, I was so proud of my classmates and other GW dancers (and even one all the way from Utah!) who created a performance of striking and meaningful work. It's great to see my own, which Maida confirmed today in our meeting, and classmates' growth that we've achieved together over the semester. I can't believe the semester is half over already!

The exciting thing is that the journey never ends, that that development continues as long as the artist and those engaged with him or her actively foster it. Now if I can just get my videos up!

Still no luck with videos....

2009-09-25T17:27:00.001-07:00

Because of issues with mailing, I still don't have my memory card to record my compositions, but it's coming! Anyhow, exploring my own and watching peers' movement has already opened my eyes up to so much. It's been great to find ways to move that I've never explored (getting more clear and interesting with each new concept learned!). I've worked with such movement in the diagonals in a duet and use of space assignments.

It's also pleasing to see dancers like Melanie break out of their comfort zones to similarly move in new ways, and enjoy the intriguing work of beautiful, unique movers like Dan and Sarah (though everyone in the class is in their own way!). We all have different levels of experience and competency, but all have something to bring to the table to raise each other up.

Relating mine and others' work, watching the videos and doing the reading for the class, as well as being pushed out of my comfort zone in Mary Lane's choreographic project (the movement is amazing, different from anything I've ever experienced!) is informing both my own movement/choreographic and evaluative scope with each new day.

I look forward to continuing to explore, and finally post my videos (essential for a choreographers' development, both in their own and others' observations).

Best, peace, much love,

Working on it!

2009-09-18T05:57:00.001-07:00

So, because of technology issues, I don't have videos to post yet, but I thought I'd briefly comment on what's been going on in class. I already feel amazing growth happening in creative decision and thought when composing and discussing composing. I believe reading the works of accomplished choreographers has helped to lead me to such insight, as well as studio work (independent and with partners) and discussion. It's incredible how much gets done in ten minutes of focused work! Videos to come :D

Heylo!

2009-09-11T05:52:00.000-07:00

This blog will include discussion on and videos of my work in Dance Composition TRDA 182 with Maida Withers. So far I have truly enjoyed the class, even with occasional creative blocks and frustrations. I look forward to the artistic journey ahead over the semester with a kind, insightful professor and engaged, interesting peers. I can't wait to try taping myself with my spiffy new camera :D! Best all!

-Kathryn