C’est Fini

I would have an in-depth gushy wrap-up post here, but seeing as I have no break in between the ADF and my search for monetary sustainment (i.e. please someone give me a job), this will probably happen in little snip-its.

Multiple choice time. The end of the festival was:
a) off-putting
b) a blast
c) spent internally
d) overwhelming
e) all of the above

As with many high school teachers, the answer is, of course, e. For now, I will remark upon answer b.

Tiffany, Caitlin and I finished our summer as SWS students with a bang. As part of the American Dance Festival’s first hip-hop class, we presented the choreography we had learned over the six weeks in a showing to ADF students, faculty, etc. Allison was kind enough to videotape:

Lashawn Jones’ choreography:

HeJin Jang’s choreography:

Over the six weeks, Lashawn and HeJin taught 3 weeks a piece, alternating. They had very different styles — Lashawn’s was usually more “thug” and HeJin’s more modern-inspired, though, as the video shows, they both work with a mix of styles. I lovedddd their classes (though they exhausted me many times…). I honestly didn’t think at the beginning of the six weeks that I could perform hip-hop with any real confidence (in the past I’ve just tried to fake it as best I could). But the class definitely helped with my goal of picking up material quicker and catching details (my memory is still a little weak, but such is life). And I definitely learned a thing or two about confidence (and how you often just have to pretend to be confident enough to think past that issue and focus on the movement). Once I got past the self-consciousness, the choreography fit into my body much more easily.

And the showing was fantastic. Such great energy and such a fab ending to the six weeks. Definitely the way to go out.

Watch out NappyTabs… (or maybe not.)

And I particularly admire the tender construction of your spine

The ADF student concert was last night. I presented a section of a new work — a duet — that Caitlin and I performed (see a previous posting for my beginning thoughts about the work). Performing the piece was difficult in this space, as I see it in a more intimate space, closer to its audience and with dimmer lighting, but this was a very informal concert. I even had to beg them to let me close the curtains a bit, haha.
I also danced in a piece put together by one of my classmates, Josh Teal (video on facebook).

Here’s video of the performance…it’s a little shaky and pretty hard to see, but it’s better than nothing!

Please feel free to send me any feedback you might have (here or email: eelyle@gmail.com). I’d love to hear all thoughts, and constructive criticism is certainly welcome!! I plan to continue focusing on and developing more deeply the ideas and movement in this work. I want to manipulate my traveling section into a more set phrasing, investigating directionality, bring emphasis off the throwing of the arms and allowing more time within the movement. I also want to play with the specificity of movements around the book towards the end.

::edit::

also, here’s the video from tech rehearsal. the beginning is a little easier to see. unfortunately the camera died about 4 minutes in, haha, but oh well.

Tired mind

Too tired to write much now, a good night’s sleep should be very helpful. We had a lovely weekend however, and I just wanted to share a few photos before heading to sleep.
Looking forward to many things this week: Beginning Miguel Gutierrez’s Composition class tomorrow, David Dorfman’s classes this weekend, Single Ladies with Mark Haim (leotard and heels required), working on choreography for the Student Concert next week, and a little tribute to MJ in hiphop later this week!

 

Vintage dress shopping~

Site-specific improv

Awesome Hat Guy

More site-specific

woo!

Fireworks!

a lovely day at the ADF

It’s a beautiful, sunny day, and I feel very refreshed after a full day of classes. This place emphasizes for me the rhythmic quality of life — the ebb and flow — and today was a flow kind of day.

Today marked the end of week three, and the halfway point of the festival. I’m beginning to really feel comfortable in this environment, with the people, in the studios, around the campus. I feel like I’m allowing myself to fully take things in and to be open, which is the one thing I try to ask of myself. Just be open.

In Jesse’s class, we’ve now studied in depth ideas of rotation, sequentiality and volume. This week we talked about our bodies as volume bodies, full of these loops of energy, loops that help us relax, widen, and become available — available to our surroundings, to our impulses, and to new movement.

One of my favorite exercises we did involved working with a partner. One person closes their eyes as their partner begins to guide their body into movement, gently touching the inside of the knee, guiding a shoulder open, motioning the head up and over. It is the mover’s job to remain available — open to the outside guidance, aware of the places of initiation, and the places to which these initiations take them. As the experience goes on, we begin to play with multiple initiations, shifting quicker and quicker. The more volume that exists in the body, the more supple the mover can be and the more available to new information.

Our final combination weaved together many of these ideas:

——

In Jesse’s comp class today I was able to show a piece of a solo I’ve been working on. I was overwhelmed by the feedback I received, in a wonderful way. My classmates received very distinct, sensual images from the work thus far. One person said that he imagined the whole piece in sand, another felt that I was able to stand in water — another felt that, though we were very close in proximity, there was a glass panel between us, or a dome around me, and though we were separate, within the fullness of the movement she was very aware of each swallow I took. Texture was very apparent and important to how a number of people viewed the work. I really enjoy the specificity of the feedback that these individuals are able to give, and the lack of inhibition. It’s a very comfortable environment that’s been created.

And now, for the weekend! Caitlin, Tiffany and I are off to Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach for the 4th while Allison heads off for an interview Sunday! HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!

ups and downs of people in places

 

A sad email:

This morning, the dance community lost one of its legends. Pina Bausch passed away at the age of 68 in Wuppertal, Germany. A pioneer of the neo-expressionist form Tanztheater, Bausch created

 over 40 full-length pieces for her company Tanztheater Wuppertal

 Pina Bausch. Janice Steinberg wrote in the November, 2008 Dance Magazine, “Her passionate fans applauded the work’s courage, visual genius, and life force.”

Today in hiphop we paid homage to MJ by warming up to a mix of his musical genius. He is one man that will surely not be forgotten.

This week seems filled with deaths and births. I must remind myself that for every death there is a world of memories, joyful images and conversations to recollect. For every death there was a birth, and a life spent in celebration and honor of the ones who made that birth possible. I celebrate the ones who made my birth possible.

I’ve found myself in a place where the reality of a lifespan has come into view. The importance of family has become crushingly vivid to me. I reside in this tenuous garden where there is always growth and decay. –Lisa Race

 

Prayers for the families of those who have made the transition from life to that which come after. Prayers of strength, comfort, love, hope and understanding. and Peace.