pics from Sunday's showcase

Here are just a few pictures from our little student showcase the other day.
We did excerpts from Swan Lake, and the other colorful people did West Side Story suite from the theater dance class.

being brave

About a month ago I mentioned a last minute photo shoot I was called for (which I blogged briefly about here) and said that MAYBE when I saw the pictures I'd post a few. MAYBE.
Well, tonight at our student showcase the photographer came to take some more pictures and she also gave me a disk of the ones we took before. They actually came decent! As I mentioned, I despise taking dance pictures - for many reasons. But here are a few that I really like because they are so...artistic, and different.

Today's performances went well and were fun. Details and other pics to come soon.
Also watch for reviews of Cedar Lake and The Fringe Festival on ExploreDance soon.

Student Showcase tomorrow

Wow I should have posted this way earlier.

But tomorrow (Sunday) I'm in another student showcase thing at Ailey. We're doing excerpts from Swan Lake (actually, one of the same things I did in ABT's showcase in June...) and it should be fun. I'm not doing a variation this time for multiple reasons, but the corps stuff is fun.

If you happen to be around and want to check it out there are two shows at the studio at 5pm and 7:30pm. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Pics and details to come tomorrow night after the shows.

Ballet Shoes - The Movie

This just in!

If you are a ballet movie fan, plus a Harry Potter fan (as I am) you will be excited to hear that the new made-for-tv movie "Ballet Shoes" from BBC is having a limited engagement showing in the US! Emma Watson (Hermione from the HP movies) stars in it (who knew she could dance?).

Next Tuesday, August 26 it is showing at limited theaters across the country. If you're in NYC, it's playing the Clearview movie theater on 62nd and 1st Avenue at 2pm and 7:30pm.

For other showtimes across the country click here.

Apparently Gaynor Minden has partnered with the distributor of the film and will be selling DVDs, although I don't know where exactly because, to my knowledge, Gaynor only has a warehouse-type store in midtown...
Otherwise I believe the film is only shown in England, so take the chance to see it if you have time on Tuesday...should be amusing, if nothing else. All ballet movies are.

Cedar Lake Reminder

Just a reminder that Cedar Lake opens its new installation, The Copier, tomorrow through Saturday at its home in Chelsea!

I'm reviewing opening night so watch for that, and try to go if you get a chance...sounds like it's going to be great. Order tickets here and enter “BLOGCP” where it says “discount code” to get a special discount for blog readers.

Also check out Evan's behind the scenes blogging here.

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On another note, I haven't been blogging much because I'm having STILL more apartment issues. It's a long story that can wait to be told until its settled (which I really really hope is soon). Gotta love New York.

And PS- I can't believe how fast this summer went by. I just interviewed for an exciting internship for the fall and realized that Labor Day is less than 2 weeks away. Insanity.

first of the Fringe

Is anyone else really annoyed by these crazy thunderstorms?!

Last night I was supposed to attend a dress rehearsal for Cedar Lake's new installation opening next week but got caught in the middle of 7th Ave on my way there DRENECHED in the storm. Needless to say, by the time I opened my umbrella to find out it was broken and finally sought safety under a coffee shop's awning, I decided the night was a bust. I ended up waiting it out a bit and then walking home totally soaked. HOWEVER you can read about the rehearsal I missed from Philip and Evan.

I WILL be attending opening night next week, rain or shine. Remember to buy tickets!

Moving on.

Today I went to the first of a few "dance related" performances as part of the NY Fringe Festival downtown. I saw "dance related" because the one I saw this afternoon was not exactly dance. It was "Third From the Left," a behind the scenes sort of play about dancers working with Martha Graham in the 1960s. Full review to come with other Fringe stuff for ExploreDance soon. Meanwhile check out Alastair's review of it (also plagued by the rain!). And Claudia has a blog entry about the festival here.

I'm headed to two more Fringe performances tomorrow and maybe more next week, but if you're around I suggest you take advantage of the cheap tickets and experimental work! Check fringenyc.org for full listings.

And let's hope this crazy rain stops! That was the 2nd time this week to feel like a wet rat in the middle of Manhattan.

Hubbard St. Review & Ailey on news

My review of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is posted here. Last night's performance was beautiful - one of the better performances I've seen around town in a while. I suggest you go while they're here at The joyce the rest of the week!

Also, watch the CBS Evening News tonight to see a special report on Alvin Ailey's 50th Anniversary.

food for thought

I'm in the midst of some writing deadlines and don't have much time to blog, but here are a few things to check into:

-Claudia's review of Armitage Gone! the other night

-Cedar Lake is offering an internet discount - buy one ticket get one free - for their upcoming installation, The Copier. Use code "2for1" at smarttix.com

-Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is at the Joyce this week. I'm headed there tonight to review.

-NY Fringe Festival has kicked off. Look for reviews of some dance events to come soon.

dance in the park

Last night I had a lovely night with friends seeing a performance as part of Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Festival at Damrosch Park. It was another of those nights where it seemed that everyone in the New York dance community was there (including fellow bloggers Philip, Tonya, and Ariel).

I had never seen a performance in that space, so it was definitely an experience. A friend of mine got us "vip" seats even though it was free, but that meant we got to sit pretty close (and very near the blasting speakers) in the otherwise packed rows of seats. Dance in an outside space is always different from being in a traditional theater, and though both have their benefits (it was a beautifully cool night last night) I think I prefer indoors, haha. The acoustics were a bit of a headache (though maybe from seat location) and I, for one, kept getting distracted by birds and planes and cops roaming the aisles and people getting up and down.

That aside, the performance was quite good. Karole Armitage's troupe took the stage for a long piece called "Summer of Love," but unforunately I saw no sign of a program so can't describe names and such in detail. It was very energetic, with African-based movement and heart-pounding rhythms. Besides extensive bootie-shaking and legs intertwining galore, there was some great dancing by the very diverse company members (in terms of heights, body types...). Some parts were better than others and more engaging than others (the 2 dancers that were actually part of the msucial group were exceptionally entertaining), but overall it got a bit repetitive after the first hour. Maybe it was the whole location thing not holding my attention span after sitting their that long (actually not long compared to a noraml performance...), but I can't have been the only one thinking that.

After the brief intermission was Ronald K. Brown's company, Evidance. He had two pieces and I only stayed for the first (by that time I was antsy and starving...I should mention we got there a good 45 minutes early to get said vip seats). His work was nice as well but not in the same in-your-face way Armitage's piece was. The ladies screaming behind me in support of the dancers were particularly enjoying it. Hello rock concert?

Overall it was a very nice night and I hope to attend more of the outdoor festival. I'm not sure how many more dance events are actually happening though.

Coming up this week...attending a dress rehearsal of Cedar Lake's new installation, "The Copier," and going to some dance performances as part of the NY Fringe Festival downtown.

the music and the mirror and the chance to dance

There are a few things in life that just never fail to cheer me up.

One of them is seeing "A Chorus Line" on Broadway (or, the film if necessary).

I went to see the show again last night (maybe my 4th time since the revival opened?) because I heard it's closing soon, and it was just as good as always. I first saw a production of it back when I was really young and didn't get all the humor in a Broadway in Boston production. It gets better every time I see it.

The current cast features Mario Lopez (of Dancing With the Stars, Saved by the Bell, etc etc etc) as Zach, who, in this version, actually sits at the back of the house as if he were directing and speaks from a mic back there.

Being the last minute planner that I am, I was only able to get standing room tickets, so I was literally like two people down from where Mario was standing. Too funny...he kept saying a line and then backing up to swing his arms around or crack his back or play with his (obnoxiously blue blinking) phone.

Anyway, I enjoyed it...haven't been to a Broadway show in a while, and it's one of my favorites.

Tonight I'm headed to Lincoln Center to see Karole Armitage's company with fellow blogers and some friends...although right now I'm sitting in the park after taking class and the moment I sat down to rest my feet and flip open my laptop, it started to rain! Hopefully it stops soon (and doesn't get worse before I make it home now...)

Happy Friday.

moving right along

Now that I'm officially staying in NYC I'm trying to get back in my swing of keeping abreast on upcoming dance events around town.

Of note:

-This Friday night, Armitage Gone! will perform as part of Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Festival

-Monday August 11th as part of the NY Fringe Festival (which I reviewed extensively last year here): “Family Audiences in Dance - Why Not?” 6pm more info here
This panel will discuss the tremendous potential and the hazards of the creation of dance targeted to family audiences...New York City has savvy family audiences eager to see and experience dance. Find out why and how creating works for family audiences can challenge artistic growth and expand the number of performance opportunities available. Moderator: Eva Dean, Artistic Director, Eva Dean Dance and Union Street Dance. Panelists: Renata Celichowska, Director, 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center. Keely Garfield, Choreographer and Co-Curator for Dance Theater Workshop's "Family Matters". Joanne Robinson Hill, Director of Education, The Joyce Theater. Mary Rose Lloyd, Director of Programming, The New Victory Theater. Marya Warshaw, Founding and Executive Director, Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX)

-City Center's 2008 Fall for Dance programs have been announced! Companies I'm particularly looking forward to: Suzanne Farrell Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal

-Cedar Lake has a new installation coming up Aug. 20-23. If it's anything like Glassy Essence a few months ago then it's something to look forward to. Check out Evan's behind the scenes posts. I'll definitely be attending, and possibly going to a tech rehearsal as well so look for posts on that to come.

-The Works & Process series at the Guggenheim is gearing up for the fall and looks to have an exciting (to me anyway) list of performances...For starters is a new commision: A Two Part Affair – Ballet and Modern Meet Uptown. Sun & Mon, Sept 21 & 22, 7:30 pm. One of the choreographers is Brian Reeder, whom I worked with at ABT's intensive earlier this summer. Speaking of which, ABT is performing excerpts of Tudor ballets at Works & Process on Sun & Mon, Oct 5 & 6, 7:30 pm

-I'm in another student showcase performance at Ailey on Aug. 24. Two performances that Sunday afternoon...details to come.

Now that the eye of the storm has passed things are much calmer this week and I'm taking time to finally just relax a bit (only a bit :) for a few days. Yet again, I must thank everyone for your continued blog support!

the result

When I posted last week about my "decision" whether or not to take a ballet job out of state, I was mostly in the stage of trying to figure out what I WANTED to do. I very quickly figured out that dancing in a company is exactly what I want and need at this point. It's what I've always - always - wanted. I didn't care about postponing grad school. I could continue my writing from abroad. New York City would still be here for years to come. Dancing must happen now.

After making that aspect of the decision, a whole whirlwind of things had to be figured out. It was a mess. I was a mess. I was (am) very very very lucky to have an incredible support system of family and close friends doing everything in their power to help me get what I want.

Unfortunately, everything in our power was not enough.
I'm not going to be able to take the ballet job. I'm staying in New York.

Part of me is heart broken.

The other part feels bad for being disappointed because as it is, I am so lucky to be where I am in my New York life, and to "settle" on this as a second choice seems slightly ridiculous.

I so badly wanted to go. I had the contract. I had the will. But unavoidable "life" things just got in the way.

I would dance for free any day. But practically speaking, I would not be able to live on the proposed salary, nor would I be able to afford returning to NYC in the future (to live, to finish school, to dance, or whatever). The other major issue was my apartment lease here, which after many attempts, cannot be broken. And timing was just off. Today would have been my first day of rehearsals after only getting the contract 4 days ago (and signing my lease 2 weeks ago).

In the end it was not really my "decision" to make.

I have always been a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and for now I'm looking at this experience as validation that I CAN get a job dancing. For a long time I didn't believe that, but I guess even though this didn't work out and I'm unhappy about it, in a twisted kind of way it has given me hope.

left hanging

I still have not come to a definite conclusion.

I thought I did but then things changed and...gosh this has been a stressful week.

The company starts rehearsals tomorrow morning, and obviously I will not be there for day 1.

In other news, I have reviews of Keigwin + Co. and Battleworks from last week at the Joyce coming up soon to be posted, plus this Friday is Karole Armitage's company in Lincoln Center.

More blogging as the week goes on and I know more about everything that's happening...

no answer yet. on another note...

Still no official decision as of yet. This has been a terribly stressful couple of days.

On another note, last night I was called last minute to be in a little photo shoot for an photography exhibit at Photo Manhattan on Monday night. The photographer is doing a project with all kinds of different artists and wanted a ballet dancer to include, and somehow, being in the right place at the right time, it was me.

I'm usually super against taking dancing pictures, haha. But it was a nice experience and I hope she caught some good shots (needless to say, I'm sore today from trying to hold poses and balances and whatnot). I'll try to link to some if I dare once I get the images, and I'll post exact details of the exhibit when I know.

Pretty much today is the day to work out this leaving New York or not situation. I'm working on it...