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Dance Movie Review: Fall To Rise

May 21, 2014 by 4dancers

There’s something about the film Fall to Rise that just hits me in the guts. Leads Kathleen Crockett and Daphne Rubin-Vega deliver powerful performances as two former members of Husdon Dance Company who are struggling to carve out new identities after leaving the stage.

Lauren Drake (Crockett) and Sheila Jules (Rubin-Vega) are as different as two characters can be. While Lauren was forced into retirement by a severe knee injury, Sheila’s exit was a walk of shame following her assumedly messy romantic involvement with HDC’s artistic director, Des (Desmond Richardson). A chance meeting brings them together, setting them on a harried, frenzied mission to turn things around.

The characterization of these two women is further set off by their existence in a world of archetypes: the cash-strapped dance company, Lauren’s judgmental in-laws and frustrated husband, the sex-and-drugs-infested club underworld Sheila inhabits by night. The supporting cast includes Tamara Tunie, Kohl Sudduth, and John Rua.

Some of the best scenes in the film are those featuring Crockett’s dancing. Her statuesque, fluid beauty and the urgency and intensity of her movement sum up the heart of her and Rubin-Vegas’ struggle: what it means to feel crippled, what it means to stand up, and the intoxicating liberation that comes with resurrection and knowing you’re not alone.

Writer/director Jayce Bartok and producer Tiffany Bartok have delivered a punch with Fall to Rise. It’s emotional, uncomfortable, and raw.

The film won Best Feature at the 2014 On Location: Memphis International Film and Music Fest.

Fall To Rise Official Trailer from Vinyl Foote Productions on Vimeo.

The Chicago Dancing Festival’s Jay Franke

May 18, 2014 by 4dancers

Tuesday, May 20th both Jay Franke and David Herro will receive the 2014 Public Humanities Award from the Illinois Humanities Council. Both have been deeply involved with the Chicago Dancing Festival, which takes place again this year from August 20th to the 23rd.

The Public Humanities Award has been given each year by the IHC since 1984, and it recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the civic and cultural life of the state through the humanities.

4dancers was able to send some questions over for Jay Franke about the CDF and its development, and we’re happy to be able to share his reflections on it with you here today…

David Herro and Jay Franke, photo by Cheryl Mann

You are very involved in the arts in Chicago. Can you talk a bit about your own background in dance?

I began dancing at the age of 11. I wanted to be Gene Kelly and my parents told me I could attend dance classes with my sister in the small town of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma where I grew up. I was the only boy in my town who wanted to dance instead of play football, but I fell instantly in love with movement–it was kinetic! My sister stopped dancing soon thereafter. She told my mom “that I was getting better than her”…oh well, the end of her dancing career was the beginning of mine. I finally escaped OK for the Performing Arts High School in Dallas and then went on to study at Juilliard School when I was 18, graduating with my BFA in Dance. I then went on to dance with Twyla Tharp Dance Company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and Lar Lubovitch Dance Company.

How did the idea for the Chicago Dancing Festival first come about?

CDF began almost as an experiment to establish a world class FREE dance event to help nurture and cultivate dance audiences. Lar Lubovitch, a world-renowned choreographer and Chicagoan and I founded the festival on the principal that art belongs to the people, and we felt by organizing an evening of well curated dance companies in a public setting we could help grow the art form by making it accessible. Our first year we had over 8,000 people who attended and we were off and running.

What was the festival like the first year and how has it grown and evolved over time?

Since our inception:

The festival has grown by adding more programs in different venues of Chicago becoming more of a city-wide event.

We have hosted lectures, film series and open rehearsals to give our audiences a chance to discover other types of work related to dance.

Some of our most proud moments have been our ability to commission works for local dance companies such as Gus Giordano, River North Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and the Joffrey Ballet. This way when the curtain comes down on the festival in April–Chicago dance companies have the opportunity to have a CDF commissioned work in their rep for their season.

How have you been able to keep this festival free for the public and what role do you think that plays in expanding the dance audience here in the city?

The festival is kept free through the generosity of many private individual donations, foundations and corporate sponsors who are aligned with our views on presenting world-class dance to Chicagoans.

What has been the biggest challenge in terms of this festival?

Our biggest challenges are almost blessings in disguise. The demand for tickets to the festival seems to grow each season and it is always our hope that everyone feels included in what we are presenting…but getting a ticket can be the most difficult part for our audiences. (And of course, there is always room for growth when it comes to funding the festival.)

What has been the best part about the festival for you personally?

My favorite part of the festival is watching Chicagoans of all ages and backgrounds fall in love with and be inspired by dance. This is what makes me most happy.

What is coming up this summer for the festival?

This summer we are commissioning a new work for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago by choreographer Kyle Abraham, and I am thrilled that we are able to make this happen. The new piece will premiere at the Harris Theater on Wednesday, August 20th. Don’t miss it! Also, we are excited to present some new companies on our stages; Rennie Harris’s work, Stars of American Ballet–and to have the Juilliard Dance Ensemble back.

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The Public Humanities Award Luncheon will take place on Tuesday, May 20, 2014, 11:30am at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, where more than 400 guests from Chicago’s cultural, financial, and civic communities are expected to attend. Single tickets to the Public Humanities Award Luncheon are available from $175 and tables range from $2,500 to $25,000. Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.prairie.org/pha. For more information on the event or ticket options please call (312) 422-5584 or e-mail mjc@prairie.org. All proceeds from The Public Humanities Award will support the Illinois Humanities Council speaker, education, and outreach programs.

Student Spotlight: Lorian Kurzweil

May 14, 2014 by 4dancers

Dance Student Lorian Kurzweil (pictured right) with friend — Dance Student Lorian Kurzweil (pictured right), with friend

Assistant Editor Jessica Wilson interviewed dance student Lorian Kurzweil for us to learn more about her journey in dance…

1. Can you tell readers how you became involved with dance?

I first asked my parents if I could have dance lessons when I was about 4 years old, because I was jealous of my friends who got to change into their pink leotards and walk across the road from my nursery to our local dance school. I started off with Ballet and Tap and immediately loved learning with my new friends and teachers. As I grew up I joined Modern and then Jazz classes too, always motivated by the idea of working my way up through each exam. I loved watching the older girls in higher grades; I thought they were absolutely amazing and wanted to be just like them.

2. What do you find you like best about dance class?

I love the buzz it gives me to feel I am improving my performance each week. If you push yourself to always work hard, you are the one who is going to benefit from it and feel stronger the next time you try something. I also love how I can completely zone out during a dance class, forgetting anything else I might be worrying about.

3. What is the hardest part about dance for you?

Overcoming limitations has always been quite difficult for me, whether it is to do with physique/facility of my body or general confidence in class. However, passing exams has always been a reassurance that if you work hard enough, you will be able to achieve your goals, which is an invaluable lesson.

4. What advice would you give to other dancers?

At every dance environment I have experienced–be it at my childhood dance school, local ballet company, university and so on–it has always struck me how low self-confidence can hinder your overall dance performance and ability. If you’re hung up on your body or don’t believe in yourself, it can really prevent you from being as good as you could otherwise be.
Whenever I have come across a dancer who is comfortable in their own body, they seem to be able to focus on what is important and reach their full potential in dance. My advice would be that you should never simply accept your physical limitations and give up: I truly believe that, with enough practice, you can overcome them and achieve amazing things. You should never stop yourself from trying for something just because you don’t think you’re good enough! I learnt this after I spent many months beating myself up about my ballet, which I realised was silly after passing my Advanced 2 exam!

5. How has dance changed your life?

Dance has brought an incredible amount of new and inspiring people into my life, some of whom I know will be lifelong friends. Looking back on the years I spent at my little dance school in Brentwood, England, I can safely say that I had the time of my life. It has also taken me into a new career at the Royal Academy of Dance, which I never would have imagined I’d be capable of. I now know that I am going to dedicate my future to bringing the joy of dance to as many students as possible!

BIO: Lorian Kurzweil is currently studying at the Royal Academy of Dance in London for a BA in Ballet Education. She is in her first year at the RAD and has previously danced with The Chelmsford Ballet Company, an amateur company which prides itself on its professional standards.

Jacob’s Pillow Dance – Festival Commercial

May 12, 2014 by 4dancers

by Nel Shelby

I edited this Jacob’s Pillow Dance commercial a few weeks ago, and I’m always excited to share what we make for the festival.

This summer, we made this commercial to encapsulate Jacob’s Pillow in a short period of time. Mainly because the festival season overview video is eight minutes long (watch it here). Although it’s great to have the video overview on the website or even playing on the festival grounds so everyone can get a sense of the full summer’s offerings, eight minutes is a lot for people to watch!

We wanted people to get a taste of Jacob’s Pillow from this commercial!

Contributor Nel Shelby, Founder and Principal of Nel Shelby Productions, is deeply dedicated to the preservation and promotion of dance through documentation of live performances, fully edited marketing reels, live-stream capture, and documentaries and films that encapsulate the essence of nonprofit organizations.

Her New York City-based video production company has grown to encompass a diverse list of dance clients including American Ballet Theater II, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, Gallim Dance, Gotham Arts, Kate Weare and Company, Keigwin + Company, Monica Bill Barnes Company, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Shen Wei Dance Arts, Wendy Whelan and many more. She has filmed performances at venues throughout the greater New York area including The Joyce Theater, New York Live Arts, Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, St. Mark’s Church and Judson Church, to name a few.

For nearly a decade, Nel has served as Festival Videographer for the internationally celebrated Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in the Berkshires. Each season at the Pillow, Nel’s responsibilities include documenting aspects of festival culture in addition to its 20 mainstage dance performances, filming and overseeing documentation of more than 100 free performances and events, managing two dance videography interns and an apprentice, and educating students about the technical and philosophical aspects of filming dance.

She also serves as Resident Videographer at the Vail International Dance Festival where she spent her first summer creating five short dance documentary films about the festival in addition to documenting its events and performances. Her longer-form, half-hour documentary on Vail’s festival, The Altitude of Dance, debuted on Rocky Mountain PBS in May 2013.
She has created four short films for Wendy Whelan’s Restless Creature, and she collaborated with Adam Barruch Dance to create a short film titled “Folie a Deux,” which was selected and screened at the Dance on Camera Festival in New York City and the San Francisco Dance Film Festival. She is making a dance documentary featuring Nejla Y. Yatkin, called Where Women Don’t Dance.

Nel has a long personal history with movement – she has a B.A. in dance and is a certified Pilates instructor. She continues to train with world-renowned Master Teachers Romana Krysnowska and Sari Pace, original students of Joseph Pilates. In addition to her dance degree, Nel holds a B.S. in broadcast video. She often collaborates with her wonderful husband, dance photographer (and fellow 4dancers contributor) Christopher Duggan on creative projects with dancers in New York City and beyond. They live with their beautiful daughter Gracie and son Jack in Manhattan.

App Review – Nijinsky: God of Dance

May 9, 2014 by 4dancers

by Emily Kate Long

(An app/ebook for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices)

No film footage is known to exist of the legendary dance enigma Vaslav Nijinsky. Photographs and written accounts are all that remain to document Nijinsky’s impact on audiences of his time and to inspire artists today. Nearly 250 such photos are thoughtfully and lovingly presented in the ebook Nijinsky: God of Dance, curated by Pryor Dodge.

The images come from the collection of Roger Pryor Dodge, a dancer and commentator of the arts who amassed this photographic treasure trove over the course of many years after seeing Nijinsky perform in 1916. Portions of the collection have been published in Romola Nijinsky’s 1934 Nijinsky and in Lincoln Kirstein’s 1975 Nijinsky Dancing. Dodge donated his photos to what is now the Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center in 1937, and his son’s development of this ebook gives users access to the full collection.

The app is sensibly arranged, with the photos organized into several subcategories. One is a series of thumbnails of the whole collection where users can select particular photos, zoom in and out, or simply browse one captivating image after another. There is also a menu listing the photos by ballet, including details of the ballet’s production and performance and, in some cases, commentary. The app also contains a number of non-dance portraits and photos of Nijinsky’s personal and student life.

In addition to the photographs, the ebook includes a small selection of relevant commentary by Roger Pryor Dodge, Edwin Denby, Tamara Karsavina, and Daniel Gesmer. The writings provide some really interesting background on the process of photography itself during Nijinsky’s time, as well as insight into elements of his artistry as both a dancer and model. There’s also a link to a short film from the exhibition Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes 1909-1929: When Art Danced with Music.

I downloaded this app to my iPhone, and the images translate well to its small screen. No clarity is lost using the zoom feature, and I haven’t stopped poring over all the fascinating details of weight, expression, and the dynamic arrangement of Nijinsky’s poses. In reading the accompanying articles, I found an even greater appreciation for the photos themselves. For about six dollars, any dancer can (and should) have this collection at his or her fingertips. It’s a valuable and enjoyable user experience as far as the technology is concerned, but more importantly, in giving the public access to the small tangible portion of Nijinsky’s transformative legacy.

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