Stage hand goes to work....

This photo was taken in rehearsal today - the cast working on a full run through.
(Stephen and Jeffery in front, Cassie and Susie behind, Elver and Isabelle upstage left, Sarah stage right with three more people behind her whom I can't make out.)
Yet another day working on the VSA piece "The Farthest Earth From Thee," inspired by Shakespere's sonnets, and choreographed by Peter Dimuro at the Dance Exchange, will be performed this weekend at Greenberg Theatre in Washington, DC. I've been given the opportunity to come on board as an extra stage hand, which is great because it means I'm being involved at every level of preparation up until the show. I began sitting in on rehearsals last week for the first time and was amazed at how seamlessly the multi-ability cast was able to work together. For all the complaints and usual difficulties, my impression is that this team is experiencing far fewer creative differences and hold-ups then the average group of dancers and we're talking a 22 member, multi-generational, multi-physical ability cast, and a dog. Not your average group of dancers. The cast is moving in and out of various transitions with multiple props on wheels, with multiple issues to still work out from props, costumes, lines, and transitions, the cast is surprisingly calm with only a few days until the opening! I've especially enjoyed watching how adaptations and accommodations are made in a way that remains artistic and true to the quality of the work. Wheelchairs that can't make cross overs are worked into the stage space, some cast members are assisted with their entrances and exits, the crutches make cross overs whenever needed, and the dog is always entertained (and entertaining). Particularly interesting are the artistic choices when able bodied dancers are moving in the space with disabled dancers. The image is always interesting to watch and the choices clear. Here's a look into the creation of the work if you wish to read it:

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 44 for instance, gives us some obvious places to start for dance. Its references to “leap large lengths,” “injurious distance,” and “heavy tears” might lead us to seek 20 ways, both obvious and unexpected, of turning each of those phrases into motion. (movement metaphore) Also inspiring are the image polarities of sea and land, earth and water. But the ultimate, juicy challenge of this sonnet will likely be in what it says about the limits of physicality. That is where we find the true possibility for movement, partnering, imagery, and staging. That is where we find the permission for fantasy.(an interesting use of structure).

Day of Exploring

I spent time exploring the city today. There's a lot to be said for exploring a new place without setting a particular destination or time limit. Little things become exciting. I sat outside a cafe for 4 hours and watched an entire rain storm take place. It's amazing how alive people become when they have no choice but to aknowledge the present moment (as it thunders and claps, whips in wind and whirls in water.) I logged on to put in some personal responses from the last week, but at this point I think I'll get to bed. Just in case you're wondering, this is a picture taken while riding the escalator into the metro.... which I found quite exciting.

End of a long week

Tired, oh so tired. Coming to the end of a long week. But I'm feeling much more excited then I was yesterday. That's hump day for you I guess. I feel like I reached an exciting creative place today, and have begun to process a lot of thoughts I was having earlier in the week. For those of you who don't know, the Dance Exchange is a very unique place for a variety of reasons; because of the work they do, how they do it, and who they work with. (Who gets to dance and why? See the website...) The "institute" or workshop that I'm taking this week as a way to start off an internship with them is but one small example. Hosted by the company, led by artistic directors and company members, as well as the much esteemed Gerri Houlihan. Participants of a variety of experiences and abilities working together to figure out who they are behind their dance. Inserted into the institute are a number of creative/dance generating and group facilitation exercises from Gerri and the Dance Exchange. Here is a short summary of what we have done:
Day 1
Blind Lead
Blind Lead with scriptive elements placed on top. (Sliding/sweep, airplane/dive, breathing/length, taken from a phrase learned in the mornings technique class).
Blind Lead/Script: creating a short movement phrase from experiencing the previous exercises. The phrase is then witnessed with a partner and then half the room at a time.
Creating our own Script: Scripting the same phrase from the mornings technique class in our own words. Then creating a movement phrase based on the new script. (Group split in half to divide task of scripting the phrase).
New Phrases shown and process discussed (see personal response below).
Parameters: (used as a warm-up after lunch). In partners, improvise for a few minutes and your partner makes note of what is happening physically describing movements and patterns that they witness. This forms collum A - collum B, we discuss what the opposites might be. Choose three, and then improvise again focusing on this new script. Discuss then switch roles.
Day 2
Go Shopping: Find a partner who scripted the other half of the phrase and learn their phrase. (might be an interesting idea to learn their script, and create a different phrase as well - or combine scripts and work together on a new phrase).
Scripted duets: new full length phrases (in duets) performed as quartets.
4 Corner Writing: Divide a page into 4 quadrants. The first quadrant take 5 min to jot down highlights from the last 36 hours - can be anything from meeting new people to what you had for breakfast. 2nd quadrant: a journey that you and someone else made together. 3rd quadrant: we started to learn a bench duet choreographed to Shuman. What did the music make you think of? 4th quadrant: your life if it were a musical score. Would it be an opera or musical theatre? How would it be written, what would it look like? What would it sound like?
(over lunch we were given more time to delve deeper into a quadrant of our choosing.)
Script from writing: look back at your 4 quadrant writing, and put on your choreographer's lense. What is the choreography? Pull out statements, phrases, or sections that denote movement. Change images into action.
Point A to B: with this new script, with a partner get from point A to point B. Use movement from your scripted duet created previously (can be the same partner or someone new.)
End of Day: In a circle turn to the person on your right, and share with them a personal highlight of how they contributed to your experience.
Day 3
Arms and Legs (Gerri): Group split in half, one is to choreograph a 16 count phrase individually, using only their arms and upper torso, the other half of the group the same but using only their legs.
Arm/Leg Phrase: partner with someone from the other group and combine arm and leg phrases. Perform as duets.
Physical Detail: observe the room. Find something that captures your attention and create a shape or gesture (go with first impulse). Do this twice.
Physical Detail #2: recall the journey that you wrote about. Picture three postcards from that journey - moments that stand out to you frozen in film. Choose one. Pick three physical objects from that postcard. Set a shape or gesture for each. Combine these with the first two.
Shopping for details: Find a partner (we used the same partner from the arms and legs exercise) and learn two or three of their physical detail movement/shapes.
Quartet: With your partner, find another duet to work with. Use this score: movement from physical detail and arms/legs duet can be used, there must be a moment of unison, a moment of group improv, a moment of distance, and near or physical contact.
End of Day: Grid. Create a grid. 1st collum: importance to me, importance to my community, importance to the world, and wild box (for errant thoughts.) Top row: each exercise that was used that day. (this exercise has many applications - can be used for reflection on a project or work... anything).
Day 4
Build a Phrase: "I packed my grandmother's bag" (Gerri). In a circle each person adds something to grandmother's bag through movement or gesture and the phrase is repeated as it grows. Phrase is performed. Phrase is improvised (same material, moving through space, using movements however you wish - and relating to the group).
Environment Detail: standing in a circle, come up with a synonym for bag. Pick a type of bag and explore it. What does the space inside feel like? Look like? How can you fit into different nooks and cranies of the bag? What are the details of the bag?
Detail + Phrase gestures: Take the gestures from the grandmothers bag material and put them into the bag you were just exploring. Set or improvise a phrase.
Postcards: You have 2 minutes to write each postcard. #1: To someone who has proceeded you in life. #2: To yourself. #3: To someone who will follow you in life.
Phrase with Text: Place the text from one of your postcards over the movement phrase in the environment of the bag.
Commision: We learned a bench duet off of video on the first day (choreographed by Gerri). Now asked to create a beginning and or end to the duet with a partner, using whatever material from the week we wish.
Day 5
Time spent learning Critical Process (to be discussed later.) And working on duets, performed at end of day.

Day One, Gerri Houlihan Institute

Only at the Dance Exchange do you find a hard working cohesive group of people taking an intensive dance workshop whereby the individuals participating include movers over 60, (sorry, make that 70), professional dancers, dance instructors, the physically disabled, and young dance students. Damn right this is radical! Today (and for the next four days) the schedule will be this: technique class, creative lab 1, lunch, creative lab 2, and ending with repertoire with Gerri, running from 9:30 - 5:30 every day.
I'm not sure how to best organize this blog but given that the main purpose is to share my experiences with the dance community in a way that might be useful, I think I will focus on the use of specific tools, and then add a short section for personal response/observations at the end.
We applied and combined a couple of Dance Exchange favourites in the morning by starting off with Blind Lead (leading a partner with eyes closed, through the space) and moving into Scripting (generating movement from a written script or vice versa). An interesting twist was using blind lead as more then just an introductory/warm up exercise, but actually using it to generate movement. By having the experience of leading and following several times over we were able to recall the movements and sensations of leading and following thereby easily creating a short phrase from our experiences. We then switched to scripting by returning to a short phrase we learned in the morning session and taking a moment to "script" it, or in other words briefly describe each movement on paper. The script could be quite detailed or quite simple i.e: running hand over a hedge and pressing down firmly with palm with turn of head vs sweeping/push. we then used this script to create a new phrase. to be continued... night night for now. :)

Safe Arrival in Takoma Park

Isn't it weird when things work out perfectly? It gives me a queasy feeling actually, like things just shouldn't be so simple, but I'll accept it and move on. Arrived in Washington, aka Takoma Park without a single ounce of hassle. Oh, except that I had to submit to a full search just before stepping onto the plane, due to a chocolate craving. These things will always get you into trouble. Apparently it's a new rule for all passengers flying to Washington, be weary! The gates are now cordoned off by an official who will check your id and boarding pass before you can enter the seating area. No biggy, but... if you leave your gate to buy some chocolate lets say... they will put a mysterious X on your boarding pass, and then just when you think you're safe, and you are halfway up the tubular hallway connecting to the plane you will embarrassingly be submitted to a thorough search of your belongings and such... Why they feel this is effective (when you've already cleared security), was unclear to me, and after taking off my shoes, undoing my belt, and twirling around a few times in the middle of the passage way, I asked if I should perform a tour jete for them. The humor was lost on the guards, and I was the last to board the plane. All this aside I arrived in a very warm (27 degrees) Washington , DC, jumped on the metro and found my place in Takoma. Staying in a large heritage home owned by a young family who rent out rooms to various individuals.. my impression is that there are about 5 other people staying here at the moment, but it's hard to say. I feel like I'm reliving my res experiences a bit (I knew I would be grateful one day!), although these people seem a little more adult and less partial to the late night hooliganism of res life. I know I'm in the right place when the first thing they say is: "We recycle here. And expect you to too."