Just for anyone interested - as I am - a mishmash of recent info...
Just came across an interesting webstreamed video of a panel discussion on "The Future of Arts Journalism" with panelists from Columbia's journalism school and the NY Times. Very interesting and worth sitting through, though the sound quality is annoying...mentions a range of issues, blurring marketing and journalism as things move online (a mention, though not by name, of the Performance Club), the state of journalism, and so on.
The Dance Critics Association posted plans for their 2009 conference - this time far away (from me anyway) in San Francisco in combination with the Society of Dance History Scholars. Anyone want to fund a Taylor-goes-to-California trip? Haha. Last year's conference was so insightful...
The 2009 NEA Arts Journalism Institute in Dance Criticism has its application deadline fast approaching. I'm sending mine in this week and crossing my fingers. Sounds like a great opportunity to learn and write!
Interesting, long article: "Will Critique for Food." At one point it says, "The situation is most dire for the journalists themselves, who find themselves no longer able to make a living pursuing their passion. But it is also of great concern to arts administrators, who are just now coming to grips with the impending cutoff of one of their strongest lines of communication with the community. (my emphasis). After complaining for years of unfair or insensitive reviews, they have come to the realization that the only thing worse than getting criticized is being ignored."
And PS- though NYCB and Cunningham are cutting dancers, looks like ABT avoided that trap for next season :)
Showing posts with label dance criticism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dance criticism. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Works & Process: Stiefel & Students
Last night I attended another Works & Process performance at the Guggenheim. Always insightful and entertaining, the program often includes conversation and discussion along with dance. This time it was "Ethan Stiefel and His Students" who were in the spotlight, with moderator Matt Murphy and guest Larry Keigwin. The evening centered around Stiefel's new position as Dean of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Opening the night was "Tangled Tango" choreographed by contemporary faculty member Dianne Markham. Two dancers appeared chic-ly as black silouettes against red. their feet suspended as if they were on a swing. They move slow in near silence. As the lights come up a clear bench is revealed, which they returned to and rotated between music cues. The two students seemed to work well together in this dicy tango.
It was more interesting to hear the conversation that followed. Matt did a great job as moderator. He danced in ABT alongside Ethan, and throughout their conversation they had almost a brotherly congeniality. It would be like me interviewing my mother for my dance blog - I could probably answer my own questions for her. It was good to see both of them so comfortable.
Ethan spoke about the application process involved in becoming the new dean, and how he had sent a letter withdrawing himself from the pool on the same day he received the job offer. "You can't expect perfect timing for every next step in your life," he explained, but he knew it was something he wanted to do. He said he normally takes class himself in the mornings ("waking up at 6:30am took some getting used to") before teaching about 2 classes a day.
He also spoke about the culture of UNCSA that he's trying to create, which sounds inspiring from a potential student's perspective. He implemented a series of 8 initiatives that he described to create not just trained dancers but human beings. This concept is largely lost in today's rigorous technical training. He described other forms like improv, martial arts, and theater that he has added to his curriculum.
"We keep things in perspective. I owe them more than just training them to become professional dancers," he explained, especially because it is a boarding school situation. As Matt attested to, it's very easy for dance to become a one-dimensional life, for serious students particularly. Matt added, "Life and art fuel each other." Beautifully said.
A series of short performances followed. Two ballet students performed the pas de deux and coda from "Le Corsaire." Understandably, it seemed that nerves got to them in a few visibly shaky spots, but like professionals in training they continued on fluidly. Matthew Foley's entrance and coda series of jumps stood out for his line and strength.
Next was the all-too-familiar "Little Swans" dance from Act II Swan Lake. Before they danced Ethan mentioned that the ballet department had been eager to put on a full length production, which few schools are able to do nowadays. This excerpt demands precision and the four students danced quite cleanly.
Compared with those traditional works students often learn early, the next was a treat rarely seen. August Bournonville's "The Jockey Dance" is a sweet duet for two men dressed as...jockeys. Ethan spoke about working with legendary teacher Stanley Williams on the piece when he was at SAB and danced it with Damien Woetzel. It's a playful, brotherly dance where the two compete with fast footwork and chase each other with their whips. The two students had great timing, but I'd much like to see maybe Ethan do this with his host Matt someday (haha)!
After that choreographer and joker Larry Keigwin joined the discussion. He and his company participated in a 3-week residency at UNCSA and he spoke about the creative process of working with the students. He definitely added spice to the evening. Matt asked something along the lines of "what was the day to day like during the residency?" and Larry replied, "We did laundry. We did laundry in our washing machines and we were being domestic." He joked about how our small New York apartments were so different from being down in Winston-Salem, NC.
What was important about his actual work was the process and the mentoring aspect, which both he and Ethan commented on. Ethan made a remark about the old fashioned idea of being a "diva" and thinking that no students or anybody can talk to a teacher because of his status. This is not the most effective way to work, he believed - and I couldn't agree more.
The program ended with a piece Keigwin worked on with the UNCSA students during his residency, called "Natural Selection." He explained it was someone influenced by the theme of survival of the fittest, and that was clear in the animalistic movements and aggression of the dancers. It was in this movement language the students appeared most comfortable.
The piece is filled with choreographic intrigue. At one point two men support a woman who runs perpendicular to the back wall. Later she runs up and climbs atop a pyramid of people to reach the wall. At another point, the dancers make a bridge, one after the other lining the front panel in backbends as someone crawls underneath. It's a great game of strength and the students played well, doing their dean and their school proud.
--
Afterwards I enjoyed the lovely reception with Tonya (who wrote about the program here) and Doug. Oh and apparently there's more from the UNCSA students coming this weekend...
Opening the night was "Tangled Tango" choreographed by contemporary faculty member Dianne Markham. Two dancers appeared chic-ly as black silouettes against red. their feet suspended as if they were on a swing. They move slow in near silence. As the lights come up a clear bench is revealed, which they returned to and rotated between music cues. The two students seemed to work well together in this dicy tango.
It was more interesting to hear the conversation that followed. Matt did a great job as moderator. He danced in ABT alongside Ethan, and throughout their conversation they had almost a brotherly congeniality. It would be like me interviewing my mother for my dance blog - I could probably answer my own questions for her. It was good to see both of them so comfortable.
Ethan spoke about the application process involved in becoming the new dean, and how he had sent a letter withdrawing himself from the pool on the same day he received the job offer. "You can't expect perfect timing for every next step in your life," he explained, but he knew it was something he wanted to do. He said he normally takes class himself in the mornings ("waking up at 6:30am took some getting used to") before teaching about 2 classes a day.
He also spoke about the culture of UNCSA that he's trying to create, which sounds inspiring from a potential student's perspective. He implemented a series of 8 initiatives that he described to create not just trained dancers but human beings. This concept is largely lost in today's rigorous technical training. He described other forms like improv, martial arts, and theater that he has added to his curriculum.
"We keep things in perspective. I owe them more than just training them to become professional dancers," he explained, especially because it is a boarding school situation. As Matt attested to, it's very easy for dance to become a one-dimensional life, for serious students particularly. Matt added, "Life and art fuel each other." Beautifully said.
A series of short performances followed. Two ballet students performed the pas de deux and coda from "Le Corsaire." Understandably, it seemed that nerves got to them in a few visibly shaky spots, but like professionals in training they continued on fluidly. Matthew Foley's entrance and coda series of jumps stood out for his line and strength.
Next was the all-too-familiar "Little Swans" dance from Act II Swan Lake. Before they danced Ethan mentioned that the ballet department had been eager to put on a full length production, which few schools are able to do nowadays. This excerpt demands precision and the four students danced quite cleanly.
Compared with those traditional works students often learn early, the next was a treat rarely seen. August Bournonville's "The Jockey Dance" is a sweet duet for two men dressed as...jockeys. Ethan spoke about working with legendary teacher Stanley Williams on the piece when he was at SAB and danced it with Damien Woetzel. It's a playful, brotherly dance where the two compete with fast footwork and chase each other with their whips. The two students had great timing, but I'd much like to see maybe Ethan do this with his host Matt someday (haha)!
After that choreographer and joker Larry Keigwin joined the discussion. He and his company participated in a 3-week residency at UNCSA and he spoke about the creative process of working with the students. He definitely added spice to the evening. Matt asked something along the lines of "what was the day to day like during the residency?" and Larry replied, "We did laundry. We did laundry in our washing machines and we were being domestic." He joked about how our small New York apartments were so different from being down in Winston-Salem, NC.
What was important about his actual work was the process and the mentoring aspect, which both he and Ethan commented on. Ethan made a remark about the old fashioned idea of being a "diva" and thinking that no students or anybody can talk to a teacher because of his status. This is not the most effective way to work, he believed - and I couldn't agree more.
The program ended with a piece Keigwin worked on with the UNCSA students during his residency, called "Natural Selection." He explained it was someone influenced by the theme of survival of the fittest, and that was clear in the animalistic movements and aggression of the dancers. It was in this movement language the students appeared most comfortable.
The piece is filled with choreographic intrigue. At one point two men support a woman who runs perpendicular to the back wall. Later she runs up and climbs atop a pyramid of people to reach the wall. At another point, the dancers make a bridge, one after the other lining the front panel in backbends as someone crawls underneath. It's a great game of strength and the students played well, doing their dean and their school proud.
--
Afterwards I enjoyed the lovely reception with Tonya (who wrote about the program here) and Doug. Oh and apparently there's more from the UNCSA students coming this weekend...
Sunday, March 8, 2009
More on the Blogger vs. Critic Conundrum
I was recently asked to speak on another panel about dance blogging later this spring, and after last week’s conversation regarding Alastair Macaulay’s power trip of a review of NYCB, I got to thinking more and more about the blogger vs. critic theme.
As a culture, the internet has given literally anybody with an internet connection and a few fingers to type the ability to produce – whether it’s homemade videos on youTube, Photoshopped party pictures on Facebook, or snarky opinions on a blog. But just because everybody CAN have the means to create (and distribute) doesn’t necessarily allow them to stand their own in the online media ecosystem.
Speaking of dance criticism in particular, one critic noted that the internet has allowed almost any ballet fan to become a critic. Here’s where the fun part comes: what’s your definition of a critic?
I like food. I mean, I REALLY like food. I eat out in Manhattan way more than my budget tells me I should, and I grew up in a big, healthy Italian family where eating is the primary task of the day. I know next to nothing about food preparation or high cuisine, but I definitely have opinions about food. In fact I’m a very picky eater and only want the good stuff. So if I ramble on about how good or bad a particular restaurant was just from a single meal experience, does that make me a food critic? I have an opinion, I write it, I’m critical. A critic am I?
In reality, nobody would care to read why I didn’t like Famiglia’s pizza. And I certainly wouldn’t have any influence on their chef at hand.
My point is, one cannot simply “become” a critic just because they have the password to a Wordpress account.
A critic has an audience, a duty, a context within their field, a unique insight to offer, a reason to be writing, an INFORMED opinion, a respect from their readership. It doesn’t happen over night. One critic last summer at the DCA conference argued that it takes 20 years before you see enough to become a critic.
In the dance world, there are many many many balletomanes with vastly varying opinions about the different companies, dancers, and issues today. Some of them sound off on message boards or in everyday conversation, and no doubt word of mouth matters. But few – very few – are critics.
For the purposes of conversation, let’s just focus on the New York dance scene and critics. Of the relatively few dance blogs out there (I count maybe 8 worth reading) I’d say only two post performance reviews as regularly as a print publication would (ie. The NY Times, maybe the only one left with regular print coverage). Neither of these bloggers are compensated for their writing, so you might not term them “professional critics.” But I’d argue that they know what they’re talking about.
Those that have been successful have started from scratch, built their audiences on terms of honestly and intrigue, marketed themselves smartly, and spent probably more uncompensated time (and money on tickets) than they should have. Yes, they (we) do it because they enjoy it, but blogging is not for everybody who simply loves dance. It’s an unpaid career where gratification comes not from the check or the byline in black and white, but from sparking conversation amongst readers, a thank you note from an artist, or a quote or link from other respected websites.
Following a lead by Cedar Lake Dance in early 2008, dance companies have begun to include bloggers on their press lists, seeking reviews from a new source that is most certainly the future of dance writing. We can beg and hope the economy and the publishing industry will turn around (God knows I do, after just finishing my master’s degree in the seemingly obsolete field) but the truth is most of those fabulous print critics are critics no more. If they don’t cross that jagged line to blogger and send their thoughts to cyberspace readers, what more impact can they have on the arts?
I tumble somewhere between the two poles. I became a blogger and a paid print freelancer writer just about simultaneously, but by no means do I compare with the experts in either medium. I’ve been paid for online reviews, and I’ve been paid by a print publication for a review. I’ve written features for quite a few of the dance magazines, and I’ve established my own online readership (all for which I am extremely grateful).
It’s not really the fight for the title “critic” that bloggers are looking for, I don’t think. It’s more the acknowledgement of their writing and it’s importance to today’s evolving landscape of criticism – acknowledgement from dance companies and fellow dance writers. Their readers, no doubt, already value that.
I’m not saying we should lose all professional criticism, by any means. I have enormous respect for the great dance critics, the depth of their knowledge, and their admirable writing abilities. But there’s no need to ignore the new voices broadcasting their love of dance online.
As a culture, the internet has given literally anybody with an internet connection and a few fingers to type the ability to produce – whether it’s homemade videos on youTube, Photoshopped party pictures on Facebook, or snarky opinions on a blog. But just because everybody CAN have the means to create (and distribute) doesn’t necessarily allow them to stand their own in the online media ecosystem.
Speaking of dance criticism in particular, one critic noted that the internet has allowed almost any ballet fan to become a critic. Here’s where the fun part comes: what’s your definition of a critic?
I like food. I mean, I REALLY like food. I eat out in Manhattan way more than my budget tells me I should, and I grew up in a big, healthy Italian family where eating is the primary task of the day. I know next to nothing about food preparation or high cuisine, but I definitely have opinions about food. In fact I’m a very picky eater and only want the good stuff. So if I ramble on about how good or bad a particular restaurant was just from a single meal experience, does that make me a food critic? I have an opinion, I write it, I’m critical. A critic am I?
In reality, nobody would care to read why I didn’t like Famiglia’s pizza. And I certainly wouldn’t have any influence on their chef at hand.
My point is, one cannot simply “become” a critic just because they have the password to a Wordpress account.
A critic has an audience, a duty, a context within their field, a unique insight to offer, a reason to be writing, an INFORMED opinion, a respect from their readership. It doesn’t happen over night. One critic last summer at the DCA conference argued that it takes 20 years before you see enough to become a critic.
In the dance world, there are many many many balletomanes with vastly varying opinions about the different companies, dancers, and issues today. Some of them sound off on message boards or in everyday conversation, and no doubt word of mouth matters. But few – very few – are critics.
For the purposes of conversation, let’s just focus on the New York dance scene and critics. Of the relatively few dance blogs out there (I count maybe 8 worth reading) I’d say only two post performance reviews as regularly as a print publication would (ie. The NY Times, maybe the only one left with regular print coverage). Neither of these bloggers are compensated for their writing, so you might not term them “professional critics.” But I’d argue that they know what they’re talking about.
Those that have been successful have started from scratch, built their audiences on terms of honestly and intrigue, marketed themselves smartly, and spent probably more uncompensated time (and money on tickets) than they should have. Yes, they (we) do it because they enjoy it, but blogging is not for everybody who simply loves dance. It’s an unpaid career where gratification comes not from the check or the byline in black and white, but from sparking conversation amongst readers, a thank you note from an artist, or a quote or link from other respected websites.
Following a lead by Cedar Lake Dance in early 2008, dance companies have begun to include bloggers on their press lists, seeking reviews from a new source that is most certainly the future of dance writing. We can beg and hope the economy and the publishing industry will turn around (God knows I do, after just finishing my master’s degree in the seemingly obsolete field) but the truth is most of those fabulous print critics are critics no more. If they don’t cross that jagged line to blogger and send their thoughts to cyberspace readers, what more impact can they have on the arts?
I tumble somewhere between the two poles. I became a blogger and a paid print freelancer writer just about simultaneously, but by no means do I compare with the experts in either medium. I’ve been paid for online reviews, and I’ve been paid by a print publication for a review. I’ve written features for quite a few of the dance magazines, and I’ve established my own online readership (all for which I am extremely grateful).
It’s not really the fight for the title “critic” that bloggers are looking for, I don’t think. It’s more the acknowledgement of their writing and it’s importance to today’s evolving landscape of criticism – acknowledgement from dance companies and fellow dance writers. Their readers, no doubt, already value that.
I’m not saying we should lose all professional criticism, by any means. I have enormous respect for the great dance critics, the depth of their knowledge, and their admirable writing abilities. But there’s no need to ignore the new voices broadcasting their love of dance online.
Friday, March 6, 2009
...And Another One Gone
This kind of news seems so passe' now. But I just read that yet another dance critic has been cut, according to NAJP. Tobi Tobias was apparently let go from Bloomberg. It sounds like she was already only freelancing, so I wonder if their dance coverage has bitten the bullet completely?
The NAJP article calls for journalists to take a stand and fight for their jobs in this economy. I'm pretty sure we can all agree that, with the recession at large and the state of the publishing industry in general, the only future for this will be online. Interesting then that other critics already largely ousted from print don't like that prospect (the internet has become "a miasma of amateur expression"). It's an issue to consider...
The NAJP article calls for journalists to take a stand and fight for their jobs in this economy. I'm pretty sure we can all agree that, with the recession at large and the state of the publishing industry in general, the only future for this will be online. Interesting then that other critics already largely ousted from print don't like that prospect (the internet has become "a miasma of amateur expression"). It's an issue to consider...
Sunday, March 1, 2009
A Bite into NYCB
UPDATED: See Tonya's take on the article, and some more very insightful comments after this post.
Wow, Alastair was really harsh with this one. Whether you agree or not with everything he says, it boggles me that one person can have the power to say these things in basically the one print medium dance criticism has left. Ouch.
Wow, Alastair was really harsh with this one. Whether you agree or not with everything he says, it boggles me that one person can have the power to say these things in basically the one print medium dance criticism has left. Ouch.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Cuts at NYCB
Well, this doesn't look good.
Not for the company itself, not for the state of the dance world, not for the dancers being laid off, not for the rest of the New York dance auditioning world.
NYCB announced they'll be cutting out 11 dancers from the corps de ballet because of money issues. I'll be curious to see if they're outing the newer crop of dancers (ie. largely my generation of people just getting/finishing their apprenticeships) or if they'll cut some of the older ones who have been there for a while and whose names are on the roster but not really in the limelight.
I wonder if ABT will be the next to cut back? If the top companies in the country (Miami too...) are getting rid of the already few ballet jobs, what hope is there?
Not for the company itself, not for the state of the dance world, not for the dancers being laid off, not for the rest of the New York dance auditioning world.
NYCB announced they'll be cutting out 11 dancers from the corps de ballet because of money issues. I'll be curious to see if they're outing the newer crop of dancers (ie. largely my generation of people just getting/finishing their apprenticeships) or if they'll cut some of the older ones who have been there for a while and whose names are on the roster but not really in the limelight.
I wonder if ABT will be the next to cut back? If the top companies in the country (Miami too...) are getting rid of the already few ballet jobs, what hope is there?
Sunday, February 1, 2009
WHAAAT?
Though I probably could have called it, I am SO surprised to see this. Apparently I'm delayed with the news but...I can't believe how Pointe Magazine cut back:
"'Pointe' Editor-in-Chief Virginia Johnson and Reviews Editor Robert Johnson laid off at McFadden Media"
This commentary seems more disgruntled with the loss of the "reviews" section (which I wrote a piece for last summer, but it only made it to their website because even back then they had to cut back on printed page count). To my knowledge, I don't think Robert was full time there anyway but...
I'm much more disturbed that they let Virginia go!
I interned with her back in 2006 and have closely followed the magazine before and after that. She graciously gave me a shot at a review after meeting briefly at the Dance Critics Association conference this summer. I cannot honestly imagine who they would get to run Pointe better than her??? (though secretly I'd love the job, haha) Their new issue announces their 10 year anniversary, and she has been with them since the start.
I'll have much more to comment on in the morning when it's not 3am and I'm just finding this out, but...wow.
"'Pointe' Editor-in-Chief Virginia Johnson and Reviews Editor Robert Johnson laid off at McFadden Media"
This commentary seems more disgruntled with the loss of the "reviews" section (which I wrote a piece for last summer, but it only made it to their website because even back then they had to cut back on printed page count). To my knowledge, I don't think Robert was full time there anyway but...
I'm much more disturbed that they let Virginia go!
I interned with her back in 2006 and have closely followed the magazine before and after that. She graciously gave me a shot at a review after meeting briefly at the Dance Critics Association conference this summer. I cannot honestly imagine who they would get to run Pointe better than her??? (though secretly I'd love the job, haha) Their new issue announces their 10 year anniversary, and she has been with them since the start.
I'll have much more to comment on in the morning when it's not 3am and I'm just finding this out, but...wow.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Blogger vs. Critic
For lack of my own post today...
I'm interested in hearing people's opinions about these two recent posts by other dance bloggers regarding the role of the dance critic, and the role of the dance blogger as critic.
Read about it on Tonya's blog here and on InfiniteBody here.
My thoughts on the topic are added to the list of blog posts I must catch up on in the next few days...
I'm interested in hearing people's opinions about these two recent posts by other dance bloggers regarding the role of the dance critic, and the role of the dance blogger as critic.
Read about it on Tonya's blog here and on InfiniteBody here.
My thoughts on the topic are added to the list of blog posts I must catch up on in the next few days...
Monday, January 19, 2009
Works & Process: NYCB Emerging Choreographers
The “Works & Process” series at the Guggenheim Museum offers an inside look at art and, more importantly, its creation. In many instances, especially with dance, the time leading up to performance can be more interestingly layered, meaningful, and precious than the final product. This week’s program offered a delightful glimpse of New York City Ballet’s “Emerging Choreographers,” whose new pieces will premiere at the David H. Koch Theater later in the company’s winter season.
A panel discussion with the two featured choreographers, Melissa Barak and Douglas Lee, opened the evening with moderator Ellen Sorrin. They explained their opportunities involved in the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of NYCB that provides new choreographers with a criticism-free landscape to experiment with their ideas. Barak, a former NYCB dancer herself, attended the workshop in its inaugural year (2000) and then three additional times. It was here that she was truly introduced to the art of creating dance, she said. Lee, on the other hand, had been creating works before he attended his two years at the Choreographic Institute. A principal dancer with the Stuttgart Ballet, he came to create his new work on NYCB without knowing any of the dancers.
After the introductory speaking, Barak’s dancers came out for a presentation of what her rehearsal process was like. Her corps de ballet consisted of some of the newest members of the company: Sara Adams, Megan Jonson, Rachel Piskin, Kristen Segin, Mary Elizabeth Sell, and Lydia Wellington. Principals Sara Mearns and Jared Angle completed the cast.
Barak ran through a brief section of her ballet without music, clarifying details of arm movements and changing minor head positions to her liking. The dancers, in their average rehearsal leotards, tights and warm-ups, repeated her wishes without a word. Later the lead couple worked through a lift, laughing as they struggled to get the right momentum to move on. It was nice to see the dancers in a more casual atmosphere learning rather than showing off in performance.
Following the demonstration, Barak spoke with Sorrin about the theme of her piece – wanting to discover the old within the new. She said that she wanted to go back to what Balanchine had done in creating a great ballet and make something that looked like it had been around for years as opposed to something more contemporary, like Lee’s piece. With a completely different, less classical movement vocabulary, Lee’s work “Life Casting” plays more off the individual styles of his dancers: Kaitlyn Gilliland, Maria Kowrowski, Adrian-Danchig, Waring, Robert Fairchild, and Amar Ramasar.
Excerpts from the piece were danced smoothly, but the small size of the stage seemed to inhibit the beauty of the great height of Kowrowski and Gilliland. Both of their separate pas de deuxs were luscious and circular, inhabiting Lee’s swooping choreography. Robert Fairchild’s sections were particularly abstract yet deep. He joined the choreographer for a brief discussion after he danced.
Lee’s tease with the dancers and Barak’s sample of her romantic pas de deux promise great things for their final works. It should be interesting to see how they fare in the full lighting, costume, and breadth of the stage this season. Barak’s ballet will premiere February 17. Lee’s work will premiere January 22.
(The Works & Process program repeats tonight, Monday Jan. 19 at 7:30pm at the Guggenheim, 5th Ave @ 89th Street)
A panel discussion with the two featured choreographers, Melissa Barak and Douglas Lee, opened the evening with moderator Ellen Sorrin. They explained their opportunities involved in the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of NYCB that provides new choreographers with a criticism-free landscape to experiment with their ideas. Barak, a former NYCB dancer herself, attended the workshop in its inaugural year (2000) and then three additional times. It was here that she was truly introduced to the art of creating dance, she said. Lee, on the other hand, had been creating works before he attended his two years at the Choreographic Institute. A principal dancer with the Stuttgart Ballet, he came to create his new work on NYCB without knowing any of the dancers.
After the introductory speaking, Barak’s dancers came out for a presentation of what her rehearsal process was like. Her corps de ballet consisted of some of the newest members of the company: Sara Adams, Megan Jonson, Rachel Piskin, Kristen Segin, Mary Elizabeth Sell, and Lydia Wellington. Principals Sara Mearns and Jared Angle completed the cast.
Barak ran through a brief section of her ballet without music, clarifying details of arm movements and changing minor head positions to her liking. The dancers, in their average rehearsal leotards, tights and warm-ups, repeated her wishes without a word. Later the lead couple worked through a lift, laughing as they struggled to get the right momentum to move on. It was nice to see the dancers in a more casual atmosphere learning rather than showing off in performance.
Following the demonstration, Barak spoke with Sorrin about the theme of her piece – wanting to discover the old within the new. She said that she wanted to go back to what Balanchine had done in creating a great ballet and make something that looked like it had been around for years as opposed to something more contemporary, like Lee’s piece. With a completely different, less classical movement vocabulary, Lee’s work “Life Casting” plays more off the individual styles of his dancers: Kaitlyn Gilliland, Maria Kowrowski, Adrian-Danchig, Waring, Robert Fairchild, and Amar Ramasar.
Excerpts from the piece were danced smoothly, but the small size of the stage seemed to inhibit the beauty of the great height of Kowrowski and Gilliland. Both of their separate pas de deuxs were luscious and circular, inhabiting Lee’s swooping choreography. Robert Fairchild’s sections were particularly abstract yet deep. He joined the choreographer for a brief discussion after he danced.
Lee’s tease with the dancers and Barak’s sample of her romantic pas de deux promise great things for their final works. It should be interesting to see how they fare in the full lighting, costume, and breadth of the stage this season. Barak’s ballet will premiere February 17. Lee’s work will premiere January 22.
(The Works & Process program repeats tonight, Monday Jan. 19 at 7:30pm at the Guggenheim, 5th Ave @ 89th Street)
Sunday, January 18, 2009
TAKE Intensive Wrap Up (& a mild bash on ballet)
The TAKE Dance Company’s Winter Intensive was definitely a step (or two) outside my comfort zone. But it was a surprisingly fun break from the binding of ballet.
I first saw the company in an open rehearsal last spring, and then at their season at the Miller Theater at Columbia (my review here). Both times I was drawn by the naturalness of director Take Ueyama‘s choreography and the freedom with which his dancers moved. Merely watching was not enough. It’s the kind of dancing that makes you sway in your seat, and when the opportunity to learn with the troupe came up I had to take part.
Until recently I’ve been so strictly ballet trained it’s ridiculous. The luck of the gig at Radio City shoved me into a whole new realm of dance that I’d been unconsciously avoiding by focusing only on the barre. What I learned in those three months of jazz hands, sharpness, and stage time was so valuable, and the process of learning things so foreign to my body gave me a welcome and exciting challenge.
That process is also partly what made me sign up for Take’s intensive. Ballet will always be a constant struggle for me, but it’s the same struggle day in and day out. Learning an entirely new movement language (and way to carry your weight, and way to move in general) is different, and very exciting to me.
On the first day I found myself surrounded by very comfortable, very good modern dancers from places like NYU, Vassar, and The New School. The only modern classes I’ve ever taken have been at summer programs or once a week at ballet school, always surrounded by fellow bunheads equally as uncomfortable as I. Not here.
Baryshnikov Arts Center has some beautiful studios with huge windows looking out to the Hudson River. The best part: no mirrors! Well, at least not in the room we spent most of the program in. It’s so freeing not to have to stare at yourself, haha. But on day one, since we weren’t sure where the “front” would be without a mirror, I sat myself near the back wall by the barre to stretch before class. Little did I know that would be where the accompanist (the fabulous drummer Marlin, who I’ve seen around the city before) and Take would be to teach. So, I ended up right in the front for my first real true modern warm up, with no mirror to see what everyone else is doing. Eek! Talk about self-concious.
Luckily, as the class went on things got better, and as the week went on I learned where to stand and the repetition of the exercises each morning. Those early frazzles didn’t last long, thank goodness haha. There was so much to learn and, though I’m sure I still looked like a trina trying too hard, I got a lot just from watching the other people in class. Some of his company members were there and between them and a few other really great movers I sensed the style better.
Coming most recently from the tight choreography of Radio City, the loose, almost messy quality of Take’s movements made me feel so out of control. You know when you're a kid and you just spin around and around with arms flailing until you're so dizzy you crash? And then your hands tingle and your head feels airy? That's how some of the combinations felt.
At Radio City, every little inch down to the tip of your fingernail (literally) had a specific place to be and count to be on and spot on the stage. In these modern classes, everything is so natural and “easy” and…free. I keep coming back to that word. There are all kinds of curves and transfers of weight that, once you get it, feel so right and obvious and improvisational. The trick is to let go and find a way to “get it,” which I had trouble with I think. Also the lack of counts in the music.
Once we got past the morning class each day we went into a repertory class where the fabulous assistant director Jill Echo taught us sections of Take’s work, “Linked.” This is the piece I saw them perform and was so inspired by, but it’s so much harder to dance than it looks!
On the first day, Jill watched class and later told us she was “trying to figure out our personalities with never having met us.” Each part in “Linked” was choreographed on a specific dancer’s personality, and she tried to match each of us with the part that would be most natural for us. She nailed me, and I’m glad. I was given her slower solo (which was a duet for our performance purposes) that was more adagio and calmer than the whiplash, wild choreography of most of the piece. For day one, it was a relief!
Many of the company dancers were in the studio teaching their own roles to the various people taking them on, so it was a great coaching atmosphere. Jill gave us tips on her gesture-heavy section. Taking on someone else’s original role like that in this kind of choreography is tough for many reasons – in one way you want to keep the authenticity of the choreography and the role, but you also want to make it your own and give it your unique flavor. It’s not the same as taking on traditional ballet roles that have been danced by the same kind of perfect body type for generations. It’s a bit like wearing someone else’s shoes until you find the comfortable fit for yourself.
Luckily as the week went on everything felt more natural. Another section I was in involved a lot of floor stuff, which was painful! Haha. My quads were killing and my knees bruised, but it was worth it. That side of his choreography is like being shot out of a canon, and it’s fun. We finished up the piece by Thursday and spent the final two days running and cleaning it group by group. It was so satisfying to see everything fall into place.
There were 6 casts of the same piece so that all 35 (!) participants got stage time at our final showing on Saturday. There were a whole lot more people than I had been expecting, but everyone was very accommodating. Casting was beyond fair and everyone was there to really work. Everyone with the company who helped out was so enthusiastic about teaching. It was such a positive, constructive, fun atmosphere to work in. Between this and Radio City I’ve decided that ballet is the least friendly of the dance forms, even though most of my closest friends are from the ballet world and I myself am sometimes a culprit of the stereotypes.
I don’t really mean to be bashing ballet. Really. It’s just there’s so much more…
I first saw the company in an open rehearsal last spring, and then at their season at the Miller Theater at Columbia (my review here). Both times I was drawn by the naturalness of director Take Ueyama‘s choreography and the freedom with which his dancers moved. Merely watching was not enough. It’s the kind of dancing that makes you sway in your seat, and when the opportunity to learn with the troupe came up I had to take part.
Until recently I’ve been so strictly ballet trained it’s ridiculous. The luck of the gig at Radio City shoved me into a whole new realm of dance that I’d been unconsciously avoiding by focusing only on the barre. What I learned in those three months of jazz hands, sharpness, and stage time was so valuable, and the process of learning things so foreign to my body gave me a welcome and exciting challenge.
That process is also partly what made me sign up for Take’s intensive. Ballet will always be a constant struggle for me, but it’s the same struggle day in and day out. Learning an entirely new movement language (and way to carry your weight, and way to move in general) is different, and very exciting to me.
On the first day I found myself surrounded by very comfortable, very good modern dancers from places like NYU, Vassar, and The New School. The only modern classes I’ve ever taken have been at summer programs or once a week at ballet school, always surrounded by fellow bunheads equally as uncomfortable as I. Not here.
Baryshnikov Arts Center has some beautiful studios with huge windows looking out to the Hudson River. The best part: no mirrors! Well, at least not in the room we spent most of the program in. It’s so freeing not to have to stare at yourself, haha. But on day one, since we weren’t sure where the “front” would be without a mirror, I sat myself near the back wall by the barre to stretch before class. Little did I know that would be where the accompanist (the fabulous drummer Marlin, who I’ve seen around the city before) and Take would be to teach. So, I ended up right in the front for my first real true modern warm up, with no mirror to see what everyone else is doing. Eek! Talk about self-concious.
Luckily, as the class went on things got better, and as the week went on I learned where to stand and the repetition of the exercises each morning. Those early frazzles didn’t last long, thank goodness haha. There was so much to learn and, though I’m sure I still looked like a trina trying too hard, I got a lot just from watching the other people in class. Some of his company members were there and between them and a few other really great movers I sensed the style better.
Coming most recently from the tight choreography of Radio City, the loose, almost messy quality of Take’s movements made me feel so out of control. You know when you're a kid and you just spin around and around with arms flailing until you're so dizzy you crash? And then your hands tingle and your head feels airy? That's how some of the combinations felt.
At Radio City, every little inch down to the tip of your fingernail (literally) had a specific place to be and count to be on and spot on the stage. In these modern classes, everything is so natural and “easy” and…free. I keep coming back to that word. There are all kinds of curves and transfers of weight that, once you get it, feel so right and obvious and improvisational. The trick is to let go and find a way to “get it,” which I had trouble with I think. Also the lack of counts in the music.
Once we got past the morning class each day we went into a repertory class where the fabulous assistant director Jill Echo taught us sections of Take’s work, “Linked.” This is the piece I saw them perform and was so inspired by, but it’s so much harder to dance than it looks!
On the first day, Jill watched class and later told us she was “trying to figure out our personalities with never having met us.” Each part in “Linked” was choreographed on a specific dancer’s personality, and she tried to match each of us with the part that would be most natural for us. She nailed me, and I’m glad. I was given her slower solo (which was a duet for our performance purposes) that was more adagio and calmer than the whiplash, wild choreography of most of the piece. For day one, it was a relief!
Many of the company dancers were in the studio teaching their own roles to the various people taking them on, so it was a great coaching atmosphere. Jill gave us tips on her gesture-heavy section. Taking on someone else’s original role like that in this kind of choreography is tough for many reasons – in one way you want to keep the authenticity of the choreography and the role, but you also want to make it your own and give it your unique flavor. It’s not the same as taking on traditional ballet roles that have been danced by the same kind of perfect body type for generations. It’s a bit like wearing someone else’s shoes until you find the comfortable fit for yourself.
Luckily as the week went on everything felt more natural. Another section I was in involved a lot of floor stuff, which was painful! Haha. My quads were killing and my knees bruised, but it was worth it. That side of his choreography is like being shot out of a canon, and it’s fun. We finished up the piece by Thursday and spent the final two days running and cleaning it group by group. It was so satisfying to see everything fall into place.
There were 6 casts of the same piece so that all 35 (!) participants got stage time at our final showing on Saturday. There were a whole lot more people than I had been expecting, but everyone was very accommodating. Casting was beyond fair and everyone was there to really work. Everyone with the company who helped out was so enthusiastic about teaching. It was such a positive, constructive, fun atmosphere to work in. Between this and Radio City I’ve decided that ballet is the least friendly of the dance forms, even though most of my closest friends are from the ballet world and I myself am sometimes a culprit of the stereotypes.
I don’t really mean to be bashing ballet. Really. It’s just there’s so much more…
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Recent Reviews Up
...on ExploreDance.com
Cedar Lake here.
Parsons Dance here.
I'm inundated in press releases right now and must play catch up next week to plan for more (lots more) reviews in the next few weeks, so keep an eye out for that.
In other news, the TAKE dance intensive is going really well. I won't have time to really write about it in detail until it's over, haha. But I'm enjoying it, despite the aches and pains that come with long days of dancing foreign movement. If you happen to be free Saturday afternoon we have a little free studio showing at 4pm of the piece we've been working on. Let me know if you're interested in coming and I'll give details.
Cedar Lake here.
Parsons Dance here.
I'm inundated in press releases right now and must play catch up next week to plan for more (lots more) reviews in the next few weeks, so keep an eye out for that.
In other news, the TAKE dance intensive is going really well. I won't have time to really write about it in detail until it's over, haha. But I'm enjoying it, despite the aches and pains that come with long days of dancing foreign movement. If you happen to be free Saturday afternoon we have a little free studio showing at 4pm of the piece we've been working on. Let me know if you're interested in coming and I'll give details.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Parsons "Remember Me" Review
At the end of David Parsons’ new rock opera collaboration “Remember Me,” two vocalists from the East Village Opera Company repeat: “Love is everything. Everything. Everything. Everything…” And everything is what Parsons seems to have piled into this work that premiered in his current Joyce season.
Loosely based around the story of a love triangle, the piece takes Parsons’ fantastic choreographic style and strong dancers and dilutes them in noise - both audible and visual. Familiar opera arias are infused with twangs, bangs, and extra volume. And the splendor of movement is challenged by the busy set.
A collaboration implies a coexistence of two forms, and in that sense Parsons was successful. His integration of EVOC’s lead singers, AnnMarie Milazzo and Tyley Ross, with his powerful dancers worked (most of the time) so that neither physically distracted from the other. When they weren’t shadowing the lead dancers as if becoming the angel on their shoulder (or the scream of death, as Milazzo was in Abby Silva’s ear), often the two stood on either side near the wings, rotating slowly in dim light. Both vocalists had gritty, forceful singing, but Ross held a significantly stronger stage presence.
Dancer Abby Silva plays the main love interest, with Zac Hammer and Miguel Quinones as her two suitors. Hammer’s brief solo under a peaceful moonlight backdrop is one of few times the art of Parsons’ choreography can be read. In most other sections Howell Blinkley’s creative but chaotic lighting design draws away from being tasteful, with backgrounds ranging from trippy flowers twirling to static lightning bolts to bubbling water ripples.
Another clunky section that the choreography deserves better from is a pas de deux where Silva is harnessed and “flying.” The thick wires holding her are very conspicuous and, though they allow her breathtaking suspensions of weight, kill the overall illusion.
Perhaps the work might be better in a more raw state. Towards the end of the 75-minute evening the stage goes black. The dancers emerge horizontally, corpse-like, into the front slivers of light. With that haunting image the other members of Parsons’ company finally dance without distractions. Here is a sole moment worth remembering in an otherwise scattered dance.
(The Times review is here).
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Brief Review of Cedar Lake (UPDATED with pics)
Writing in a rush but wanted to get this out. May extend it for ExploreDance if I find time. Right now I'm off to class all day, and then seeing Parsons Dance tonight.
--
Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet knows how to please. Its ten day winter season, which opened Thursday at its home space in Chelsea offers two world premiers and the return of a favorite from last year.
Didy Veldman’s new “frame of view” injects humor in what has become Cedar Lake’s signature writhing, powerful movement language. A cubic frame defines the set and challenges the eye’s perspective. Doors dot the two empty “walls” and back. During the piece the dancers move around, through, and over these barriers. At one point there is even partnering executed through the mail slot.
In a pre-performance discussion, Ms. Veldman and the company’s artistic director Benoit-Swan Pouffer noted that many choreographers shy away from humor, and for good reason. Yet “frame” ignites a chuckle in clever ways. Two of the dancers stare at each other and begin to move in slow motion, but this is not like any other pas de deux. The woman arches her way to the floor, balancing her weight with the man, whose free arm swings across her head. She turns and her jaw expands, her eyes bug. It’s like a fight through molasses. A third dancer stands observing over them, periodically tossing yellow confetti into the action. Cue laugh.
In another section, four women groove slowly in a line, only to pretend to faint. “Jason!” the first screams, and the man runs to catch the lithe damsel. A minute later, another shouts for him. And another reaches for her head. Soon poor Jason (Kittelberger) is submerged in arms and legs across his chest as he carries them offstage.
In all, it’s the theatricality of Ms. Veldman’s choreographic and music choices that make the piece enjoyable and a standout in the company’s often dark repertory.
The other premier on the program was less memorable even though it was danced intensely by some of the company’s best. Luca Veggetti’s “memory/measure” seems atypical of the company’s work because there is no real “wow” factor.
Crystal Pite’s “Ten Duets on a Theme of Rescue” gets better with every viewing (my review of it’s premiere is here). Each segment varies in how it represents images of rescue, with some more obvious than others. But it is a lovely cohesive whole. Jim French’s lighting design adds warmth to the passionate dancing. Ebony Williams gives particularly strong energy in all that she does.
Looking at the company’s plans for the new year it is clear that growth is happening. No further performances in their cozy home space are currently planned (they head to the Spoleto Festival, America Dance Festival, Jacob’s Pillow, and then The Joyce). It’s definitely worth it to check out this program, running until January 18.
(photos by Julieta Cervantes)
--
Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet knows how to please. Its ten day winter season, which opened Thursday at its home space in Chelsea offers two world premiers and the return of a favorite from last year.
Didy Veldman’s new “frame of view” injects humor in what has become Cedar Lake’s signature writhing, powerful movement language. A cubic frame defines the set and challenges the eye’s perspective. Doors dot the two empty “walls” and back. During the piece the dancers move around, through, and over these barriers. At one point there is even partnering executed through the mail slot.
In a pre-performance discussion, Ms. Veldman and the company’s artistic director Benoit-Swan Pouffer noted that many choreographers shy away from humor, and for good reason. Yet “frame” ignites a chuckle in clever ways. Two of the dancers stare at each other and begin to move in slow motion, but this is not like any other pas de deux. The woman arches her way to the floor, balancing her weight with the man, whose free arm swings across her head. She turns and her jaw expands, her eyes bug. It’s like a fight through molasses. A third dancer stands observing over them, periodically tossing yellow confetti into the action. Cue laugh.
In another section, four women groove slowly in a line, only to pretend to faint. “Jason!” the first screams, and the man runs to catch the lithe damsel. A minute later, another shouts for him. And another reaches for her head. Soon poor Jason (Kittelberger) is submerged in arms and legs across his chest as he carries them offstage.
In all, it’s the theatricality of Ms. Veldman’s choreographic and music choices that make the piece enjoyable and a standout in the company’s often dark repertory.
The other premier on the program was less memorable even though it was danced intensely by some of the company’s best. Luca Veggetti’s “memory/measure” seems atypical of the company’s work because there is no real “wow” factor.
Crystal Pite’s “Ten Duets on a Theme of Rescue” gets better with every viewing (my review of it’s premiere is here). Each segment varies in how it represents images of rescue, with some more obvious than others. But it is a lovely cohesive whole. Jim French’s lighting design adds warmth to the passionate dancing. Ebony Williams gives particularly strong energy in all that she does.
Looking at the company’s plans for the new year it is clear that growth is happening. No further performances in their cozy home space are currently planned (they head to the Spoleto Festival, America Dance Festival, Jacob’s Pillow, and then The Joyce). It’s definitely worth it to check out this program, running until January 18.
(photos by Julieta Cervantes)
Friday, January 9, 2009
Cedar Lake Opening, Performance Club, & other upcoming events
Cedar Lake Dance certainly knows how to throw an opening night.
Last night marked the start of their new winter season at their fantastic home space in Chelsea. I'm reviewing for ExploreDance.com soon, so performance details to come. But it was such a nice night! I met up with fellow bloggers whom I've been out of the loop with because of the Radio City schedule, and it was great to catch up and get the scoop on upcoming performances. We enjoyed people watching and star spotting too (Baryshnikov and Damien Woetzel were there...). Fun.
I'll post my review soon. If you're around you should definitely go.
In fact, if you're free Monday night you should go as part of Claudia's new Performance Club! Tickets are only $10 if you sign up with her, and the group is sure to be a lot of fun. She's planning lots of exciting outings to different performances for the new year, and you really should join in. Really.
As an eager participant I hope to attend their second Performance Club event of the month next week at The Kitchen: The Shipment, a black identity politics work created by a Korean-American.
Also of note is Parsons Dance at The Joyce, which I'll also be doing for ExploreDance soon.
And of course, NYCB started their winter season this week. I'm looking forward to seeing the new Coppelia.
There are a ton more good performances coming up this month. January is not the brightest month of the year, but at least it's good for dance-goers!
Last night marked the start of their new winter season at their fantastic home space in Chelsea. I'm reviewing for ExploreDance.com soon, so performance details to come. But it was such a nice night! I met up with fellow bloggers whom I've been out of the loop with because of the Radio City schedule, and it was great to catch up and get the scoop on upcoming performances. We enjoyed people watching and star spotting too (Baryshnikov and Damien Woetzel were there...). Fun.
I'll post my review soon. If you're around you should definitely go.
In fact, if you're free Monday night you should go as part of Claudia's new Performance Club! Tickets are only $10 if you sign up with her, and the group is sure to be a lot of fun. She's planning lots of exciting outings to different performances for the new year, and you really should join in. Really.
As an eager participant I hope to attend their second Performance Club event of the month next week at The Kitchen: The Shipment, a black identity politics work created by a Korean-American.
Also of note is Parsons Dance at The Joyce, which I'll also be doing for ExploreDance soon.
And of course, NYCB started their winter season this week. I'm looking forward to seeing the new Coppelia.
There are a ton more good performances coming up this month. January is not the brightest month of the year, but at least it's good for dance-goers!
Dance on Camera Festival
Dance on Camera Festival
New Yorkers, if you have a spare evening in the next week you should check out the Dance on Camera Festival in Lincoln Center. It’s definitely a better alternative than the nonsense in normal movie theaters right now (Marley & Me? Sad! Yes Man? Oh please…).
Yesterday I went to the Jiri Kylian and Hans Hulscher collaboration program and really enjoyed it. A woman introduced the film by noting that this particular program was not typical for the festival because it was not exactly a screen adaptation of dance and it wasn’t truly taking the field in a new direction. But it wasn’t straight performance capture either.
All four of the short clips shown were shot in some great vast space with no wings and no apparent audience. It was really like viewing dance live, in that sense. Each of the pieces were different and very intriguing in terms of choreography, but what was admirable was how the camera movement enhanced rather than deferred from the work. Close ups and zooms seemed only used where appropriate and where you knew you weren’t missing anything on the other side of the stage. It was a smooth blend of camera and dance choreography. The dancers (of Nederlands Dans Theater, mostly) were fantastic as well.
As I was watching it got me thinking about how this would be an entertaining way to expose more audiences to dance. I need to brainstorm this more but…many companies have begun to experiment with livestreaming performances online so that anyone can watch at their computer. While this is great, I know that my own personal viewing habits show that watching things online distracts me. I’d much rather see it live or, after attending yesterday’s program, on the big screen. I believe there are ways to connect online videos to your television…and I know the Metropolitan Opera does those events with movie theaters across the country to show performances on the big screen. I wonder if dance companies might be able to do the same someday? It was just so enriching to see good dance like that, and it would be a good way to spread the art to the masses.
Just rambling, but it’s something I need to think about more and organize my thoughts about.
If you’re in town, the same Jiri Kylian program repeats next Sat. Jan. 13 at 3:30pm with a panel discussion hosted by critic Robert Johnson (an editor I worked with at pointe) and ABT’s Gillian Murphy. Details here.
New Yorkers, if you have a spare evening in the next week you should check out the Dance on Camera Festival in Lincoln Center. It’s definitely a better alternative than the nonsense in normal movie theaters right now (Marley & Me? Sad! Yes Man? Oh please…).
Yesterday I went to the Jiri Kylian and Hans Hulscher collaboration program and really enjoyed it. A woman introduced the film by noting that this particular program was not typical for the festival because it was not exactly a screen adaptation of dance and it wasn’t truly taking the field in a new direction. But it wasn’t straight performance capture either.
All four of the short clips shown were shot in some great vast space with no wings and no apparent audience. It was really like viewing dance live, in that sense. Each of the pieces were different and very intriguing in terms of choreography, but what was admirable was how the camera movement enhanced rather than deferred from the work. Close ups and zooms seemed only used where appropriate and where you knew you weren’t missing anything on the other side of the stage. It was a smooth blend of camera and dance choreography. The dancers (of Nederlands Dans Theater, mostly) were fantastic as well.
As I was watching it got me thinking about how this would be an entertaining way to expose more audiences to dance. I need to brainstorm this more but…many companies have begun to experiment with livestreaming performances online so that anyone can watch at their computer. While this is great, I know that my own personal viewing habits show that watching things online distracts me. I’d much rather see it live or, after attending yesterday’s program, on the big screen. I believe there are ways to connect online videos to your television…and I know the Metropolitan Opera does those events with movie theaters across the country to show performances on the big screen. I wonder if dance companies might be able to do the same someday? It was just so enriching to see good dance like that, and it would be a good way to spread the art to the masses.
Just rambling, but it’s something I need to think about more and organize my thoughts about.
If you’re in town, the same Jiri Kylian program repeats next Sat. Jan. 13 at 3:30pm with a panel discussion hosted by critic Robert Johnson (an editor I worked with at pointe) and ABT’s Gillian Murphy. Details here.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Dancers vs. Critics
Just picked up the December issue of Dance Magazine to find a huge feature on dance criticism.
Read part of it online here.
Here's a Times article mentioned in the review: "Today It's Dance 10, Looks 3" about the importance of being "beautiful" as a dancer. I have more to say about this but will comment later...very interesting.
Read part of it online here.
Here's a Times article mentioned in the review: "Today It's Dance 10, Looks 3" about the importance of being "beautiful" as a dancer. I have more to say about this but will comment later...very interesting.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Aww...
Clive Barnes, Dance Critic, Dies at 81
He is one critic I have always admired and whom I never got to meet. When I interned at the dance publicist I worked with a few years back I remember answering the phone once to hear his cheery British voice.
That's a shame.
UPDATED: Dance Magazine posted his final "Attitudes" Column online here, which he filed just 2 weeks ago and will be published in January.
He is one critic I have always admired and whom I never got to meet. When I interned at the dance publicist I worked with a few years back I remember answering the phone once to hear his cheery British voice.
That's a shame.
UPDATED: Dance Magazine posted his final "Attitudes" Column online here, which he filed just 2 weeks ago and will be published in January.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Morphoses Review Posted
My review from last week's performance of Morphoses at City Center is finally. up. Read it here.
I saw San Francisco Ballet this afternoon, so that review is to come.
Must work on midterms for school tomorrow but I'm hoping to find a moment to blog about the past few days of Radio City rehearsals...
I saw San Francisco Ballet this afternoon, so that review is to come.
Must work on midterms for school tomorrow but I'm hoping to find a moment to blog about the past few days of Radio City rehearsals...
Friday, October 3, 2008
my ABT review for Pointe Mag
A while back I was asked to write a review of ABT's full spring season for Pointe Magazine. I found out later that due to space issues in print, my article would appear online. And since it wasn't supposed to be printed until the October/November issue, it just NOW became available online.
Read it here.
While I'm always thrilled for the exposure of my writing no matter what, I don't know if it's the smartest move on the magazine's part to delay reviews like this so much. Being a bi-monthly publication, I imagine it's difficult to find ways to maintain reader interest during the off times (movmnt does this well). All those dance magazines are definitely making an effort with their new video channel, but is waiting 3 months to post a now-outdated review really necessary? It's not just mine...a review of the Kirov from April wasn't posted til August, and so on. I'm just curious what the reasoning is behind this, given the developing nature of the internet and the immediacy of the other bloggers...
On the plus side, the new print issue looks great! It's their higher ed issue, an important one.
Read it here.
While I'm always thrilled for the exposure of my writing no matter what, I don't know if it's the smartest move on the magazine's part to delay reviews like this so much. Being a bi-monthly publication, I imagine it's difficult to find ways to maintain reader interest during the off times (movmnt does this well). All those dance magazines are definitely making an effort with their new video channel, but is waiting 3 months to post a now-outdated review really necessary? It's not just mine...a review of the Kirov from April wasn't posted til August, and so on. I'm just curious what the reasoning is behind this, given the developing nature of the internet and the immediacy of the other bloggers...
On the plus side, the new print issue looks great! It's their higher ed issue, an important one.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Wally Cardona @ Joyce Soho
On Wednesday afternoon I got to attend a rehearsal for Wally Cardona’s new work “A Light Conversation” at the Joyce Soho. The space, which is usually set up with a distinct separation between stage and seating, was rearranged so that chairs circumscribed the stage on three sides, and only rose up one stair. The result: intimacy.
“A Light Conversation” is a tense pas de deux for Cardona and Rahel Vonmoos. The two share an energy of connectedness, as if their impulses were one. With backs facing each other they move in unison, feeling the other’s sense of space. Being so close, the audience can tap into that tension and become engaged in performance, whether their movement is vibrant or not. May because of the periodic silence, the lack of surrounding viewers, or the highly sensitive energy, I found myself holding my breath at times in fear of disturbing something.
Though the dancers themselves have this extraordinary hypnotic power to seduce, the piece as a whole was not as moving. Spoken interviews about Socrates and his views interspersed with dense silence provide the soundtrack to an odd movement language. Whether a philosophy buff or not, I’d bet an audience member would drown out the meaning of the words after a while as I did. In a brief discussion following the rehearsal, Cardona mentioned the challenge of finding the rhythms within spoken word as compared to music, specifically how the male voices were less melodious. He also explained the desire to determine which words were important for the audience to hear and which could be ignored by focusing on the movement.
This intention was illustrated when, at one point, a theory about Socrates is read. In a flash of light (literally), pounding drums and symbols override the speaking. The dancers run emphatically around the perimeter. Few words are decipherable above the din. It’s like a college kid blasting rock music to drown out his interior monologue of studying.
This distinct change from the blasé, quiet, slow themes prior to it gives the work the bang it needs, but it almost comes too late. I’d be interested to see how long a dance audience can hang on a philosophy lesson.
“A Light Conversation” plays at The Joyce Soho Sept. 30-Oct. 5. More info here. See Philip's review here and Tonya's review here.
“A Light Conversation” is a tense pas de deux for Cardona and Rahel Vonmoos. The two share an energy of connectedness, as if their impulses were one. With backs facing each other they move in unison, feeling the other’s sense of space. Being so close, the audience can tap into that tension and become engaged in performance, whether their movement is vibrant or not. May because of the periodic silence, the lack of surrounding viewers, or the highly sensitive energy, I found myself holding my breath at times in fear of disturbing something.
Though the dancers themselves have this extraordinary hypnotic power to seduce, the piece as a whole was not as moving. Spoken interviews about Socrates and his views interspersed with dense silence provide the soundtrack to an odd movement language. Whether a philosophy buff or not, I’d bet an audience member would drown out the meaning of the words after a while as I did. In a brief discussion following the rehearsal, Cardona mentioned the challenge of finding the rhythms within spoken word as compared to music, specifically how the male voices were less melodious. He also explained the desire to determine which words were important for the audience to hear and which could be ignored by focusing on the movement.
This intention was illustrated when, at one point, a theory about Socrates is read. In a flash of light (literally), pounding drums and symbols override the speaking. The dancers run emphatically around the perimeter. Few words are decipherable above the din. It’s like a college kid blasting rock music to drown out his interior monologue of studying.
This distinct change from the blasé, quiet, slow themes prior to it gives the work the bang it needs, but it almost comes too late. I’d be interested to see how long a dance audience can hang on a philosophy lesson.
“A Light Conversation” plays at The Joyce Soho Sept. 30-Oct. 5. More info here. See Philip's review here and Tonya's review here.
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