Saturday, November 19, 2011

Making dances with games

Today, Erin and I played a few games as we introduced ourselves to the small space we were creating in and to each other in a different way.

Game #1: Stop & Go

What - Move with your partner, mirroring or mimicking their movement. At any time either partner can say "stop." At that time the other person freezes and the moving partner can move around the space, interrupt the frozen space, and manipulate the frozen partner. "Go" begins the frozen partner's movement.

Why - This was meant as a tool to warm us up, re-introduce each other to our movement tendencies, and offer some ground work for phrase material later.

Game #2: Observing the Solo

What - One dancer moves in the space and very slowly the observing partner moves into the dancer's space, getting in their way, until eventually they stop moving and come to a close.

Why - This is a shortened version of how the beginning of the piece might run.

Game #3: Drudging Through Space

What - One partner assists the other as they lose their balance, their grip, and direction in space.

Why - This was meant as a transitional section between the observing the solo portion and the duet.


Here is a super shortened glimpse at our rehearsal today as we played these movement games. I must say, I am very excited to continue moving with Erin. We had an extremely successful rehearsal today that only made me more excited to work with Erin, Sam (composer) and Leigh (writer). So much more to come...

Thursday, November 10, 2011

So we go there...


The title came about as Alexandra Beller thumbed through my journal and skimmed the quotes on the bottom of each page - a precious gift from my fellow grad students at Oregon on my graduation day. Little did I know that the seemingly random quote we settled on (and the first she read aloud) would come to mean so much as my creative flow took me into a world of tragedy surrounded by a community of women, both weak and strong, dealing with an experience that affects each and every one of them.

Recently, I've been in awe of words written by a friend and decided that this work needed a sort of narrative that could be used both in print and verbally. I sent her a clip of the first version of "With Bated Breath" as a background of where I'm coming from, with a prompt of women dealing with tragedy. Her excited response of where she could go with this only made my blood flow faster as I impatiently await the time and opportunity to continue working on this piece.

For now it will start with a solo/duet between myself and the lovely Erin Cella. As of now, I'm imagining that we'll introduce you to one character who is alone, or at least thinks she is, as she physically attempts to make meaning out of the sadness she has experienced. Even in real life it takes a while to let someone see you, or allow them to help you through difficult times. This is where our second character comes in. A nurturing soul who quietly observes her sister - a silent shield, protecting her from further anguish. Although her presence has been known, she steps in with an attempt to provide solace. As the broken character begins to slightly heal and come back to the present, she begins to see that she isn't the only one who needs help.

So we go there, where nothing is waiting.

Here is a work in progress piece that Emily and I put together for the CRS choreolab with Alexandra Beller back in June. 

This particular piece is a stepping stone for the re-visitation of a larger work, previously titled, "With Bated Breath." You could consider this a sneak peek into what you might expect for the solo/duet piece I'm bringing to the 2012 TransForm concert in South Carolina in March. 

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Hey everyone!

It's been a while but ATD is getting back into the dance action. Since jumping into SINecdoche's performance in July and esther m palmer's Only Shallow People, I headed back to the homeland with my now husband and made our everlasting engagement official and topped it off with a much needed sun drenched vacation in Jamaica. But don't you all worry - I'm not changing any names on the business front. (Alex)andra Taylor Dance will still read loud and clear, here and anywhere I can show it.

A sad departure for ATD is founding member, Emily Leonard, who is back out in California soaking up all of the wonderful opportunities in the dance world on the west coast. Couldn't keep talent like that locked down in one place for too long. ATD is down to one singular member, but I know that we'll cross paths again in the future.

The next short and sweet performance is this Saturday bright and early at the EstroGenius 2011 Women in Motion: BODIES fundraiser conference. I'll be diving in again with Esther m Palmer and Erin Cairns Cella as we revisit Only Shallow People and "straddle the boundaries between performance and workshop through improvised dance inspired by the relationship between the unique and the universal body, and between the experiential and the visual body."

Gesel Mason will also show Women, Sex, & Desire: Sometimes You Feel Like a Ho, Sometimes You Don't. "Part talk show, workshop retreat, comedy sketch, and dance performance that examines how women navigate sex, desire, choice, and perception. It encourages dialogue around the struggles, humor, and pleasure we experience as sexual beings."

Check out the site for details.

The next few projects for ATD are in the works with TransForm Dance Collective, Marcie Mamura, and Erin Cairns Cella. More details on these soon!! I'm also hoping to have some highlights from my work in progress with Emily from Alexandra Beller's Choreolab showing from June.

Rock it out artists!


Tuesday, June 14, 2011

A sneak peek into ATD's current work in progress

This is a very short clip of a new work Emily and I have been working on throughout Alexandra Beller's Choreolab at the Center for Remembering and Sharing. 

These aren't the costumes, nor is it polished, but it gives you a flash of what is to come. I'll upload another video (hopefully!) after I get a copy from the showing from last week. Enjoy!

SINecdoche Dance Company needed a tall dancer.

I received a call last week from a soft and sweet voice explaining that she needed a tall dancer for an upcoming performance July 8, 9 and 10. Per the recommendation of a mutual friend, I was invited to be a part of Work : Dance : Display.

Knowing absolutely nothing about the work or the dancers (except from what I read in their bio's online), I jumped into rehearsal curious as to what I would be doing. I was accepted immediately as if I had been a part of the group already, and had no troubles being myself. After rehearsal I was still very curious about what the piece was about, but we were hard at work and there was little time to chit-chat.

I had a sense that there was something about the dancer's process that was being revealed to the viewers. I found myself in the middle of a run of the work as my partner, Aya, and I were talking out loud on purpose during the piece. We weren't talking from a script, but literally speaking to each other dancer to dance-maker as we put together a phrase in the middle of the section. Later on I was told there would be photos of us posted throughout the space for the audience to look at during the performances. I started to think that this piece was about dance and it's various layers/processes...

The following day, I got the invite for Work : Dance : Display via facebook, and found a short description of the work:
Singapore-born choreographer Belinda He challenges conventional audience expectations, etiquette and participation in her first full-length work, Work : Dance : Display by offering her dancers up to be viewed at varying levels of objectification. She invites audience members to question their own levels of interaction with the artwork that is placed in front of them. The dancers are variously seen as art objects on display, artists honing their crafts and dance-makers deep in their creative processes. Photographs of dancing bodies in rehearsal line the walls of the gallery space where audience members first encounter the dancer-exhibitions. As the piece progresses, the space itself slowly transforms into a stage, on which the identities of artists, art makers and art viewers conflate. Ms. He presents dance as she desires to experience it: in the trenches, involving all senses for a deep, visceral appreciation.
As you can imagine, it promises to be an amazing and thought provoking experience. I look forward to working with these ladies more throughout this work and getting to know Work : Dance : Display. Check out the facebook event, SINedoche's website, and buy tickets to this unique experience. Hope to see you all there!

Thanks again to you ladies who welcomed me into your space without hesitation!!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

ATD Continues its journey

With the recent performance in San Diego with amazing friends (somebodies dance theater, Ann-Thomas Moffett, and David C. Horton), ATD continues its journey in NYC with an upcoming performance at WAXworks on April 24th, in Williamsburg, NY, and is actively searching for new venues to perform.

Currently, we are doing some touch-up work on our newest piece, In the Kitchen, and beginning a new duet that is currently untitled. We're thinking that we need some more Sam L. Richards in our life, so don't be surprised if you hear yet another genius masterpiece straight from the wizard himself in our next work!

Along with creating new work and looking for places to dance our hearts out, ATD is also looking for up to 5-7 dancers to add to our tiny family for upcoming works. Tell your friends!! If you're interested, email me and let's talk!

Friday, February 25, 2011

In the Kitchen Premieres Tonight!

In the Kitchen (2011)
Photo: Yvonne M. Portra
In the Kitchen (2011) is premiering tonight at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, San Diego, CA at 7:30pm. Check out the San Diego - Union Tribune for details...

Darned in handmade aprons with the jazzy music and selected text from David C. Horton, In the Kitchen explores the successes and failures of cooking while paying attention to the gray area in between that encompasses the first time experiences and the familiar steps within the cooking process.
 
Also, don't miss the master classes at APA tomorrow at 10:00-11:30am with Alex and Sunday from 1:00-2:30pm with A.T. Moffett.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Questions in Composition Update

Click on ATD Talks to read about various topics or go directly to the latest entry. Enjoy!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Sneak Peek


A short chunk of what we've been working on in our rehearsals for In the Kitchen.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

2nd Performance Tonight!

To continue our debut in style...
Last night was amazing with patrons at the door begging to get in!! Thank you all for coming out and supporting local artists!

Coming tonight? I hope you bought your tickets! Whether you have or haven't, get there by 7:00pm to claim your seat or be put on the waiting list to snag one!!

And remember, the audience gets to vote on their favorite pieces at the end of the show. The artist with the most votes gets 50 free hours of rehearsal space and a concert at Gowanus at a subsidized rate. I don't know about you, but my wallet would SURE appreciate a space to create and a stage to perform on!!!

Friday, January 28, 2011

Performance Tonight!

ATD has their NYC debut performance tonight at 7:30 pm at the Winter Follies Showcase at Gowanus. Tickets are $15 and you can get them through Brown Paper Tickets, or at the door. We will encourage you to buy them online however, as we will surely sell out to a crowd of hungry dance-goers!

Come see an condensed version of After Hours in the Parlour Room, with dancers Katie Ely, Emily Leonard, and Alex Taylor with music by super stellar composer, Sam L. Richards.

ATD's Three Forms (a progression from After Hours in the Parlour Room)
Dancers (left to right): Jessica Goodburn, A.T. Moffett, Marcie Mamura.
Photo: Ari Denison

Thursday, January 13, 2011

ATD at WAXworks April 24th!

Emily and I will be performing our work In the Kitchen at WAXworks on April 24th. Will you be there??

More details to come later.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

In the Kitchen with the familiar

The peppermint bark was the new and unfamiliar territory while the good ol' nachos (Mama style) were the hit of the night with the boys playing games and the girls looking at hipster puppies.

Just another correlation between creating work with new and old methods.

Monday, January 3, 2011

In the Kitchen, literally!

In the spirit of culinary mystery and choreographic risk-taking, I wanted to share with you my latest attempt to make a new dessert, peppermint bark! 

Sunday, January 2, 2011

In the Studio

So, what's going on with ATD now? Well, I'm glad you asked.

ATD has two performances set up for the 2011 season. First we start in Brooklyn, NY at the Winter Follies concert at Gowanus. We'll be performing a shortened version of After Hours in the Parlour Room, with musical genius from Sam L. Richards. Emily and I welcome Katie Ely as a part of this project which will mark the first ever performance of ATD. After Hours is about the nuances of being a woman while still trying be be lady-like.

The second (only in chronological order) is our performance in San Diego, CA with somebodies dance theater at Southwestern College. This performance will showcase a new work that Emily and I have been working on since November 2010. In the Kitchen (musical composition by David C. Horton) is about what one might do with their spare time after moving to a new city. In our experience as first-time New Yorkers, we found that initially we had a lot of time on our hands, a few cook books, and drastically different grocery stores to find new and old favorites. As with making any new work, we experimented and took risks to make new delicious dishes (formally known as: "Mystery Meals"). This piece represents both the risk taking and experimenting process while fashioning hand made aprons that we designed and constructed ourselves. Yum!

The next work Emily and I are pooling our mind powers to create is the first piece in an evening length work that is derived from With Bated Breath (2010). We're starting with a duet that was very young in its development when performed in the original piece. While the intention is still developing, we'll take a look at two people who live and work together, rely on each other, independently thrive together, and ultimately learn together. We'll post more as this project develops...