Editorial – Page 29

Opus 3: Fragility

August 24, 2012 by 4dancers

by Allan Greene

I want to say something about that in which musicians are most expert: time. This is not, however, about tempo, or about rhythm, or about the proper length of a piece of music. This is about time passing, and how everything that passes becomes part of our collective aesthetic. This is about the razor’s edge on which we artists struggle to perch. This is at once sad and happy.

When I was on tour in Japan in 1983, the translator hired for the company, an all-round good guy named Hiro, led a couple dancers and me on a backstreets ramble through Kyoto. After a few temples, a few gardens and several kilometers of shoe-leather, he took us for refreshment into a dessert shop that specialized in kakigōri. Kakigōri is a mound of shaved-ice over which a flavored syrup is poured. The photo here shows how much it looks like volcanic rock, which is a classic motif in Chinese art. Hiro pushed me in the direction of sweet-bean-flavored kakigōri, and urged the others to order the green-tea flavor and the lemon flavor.

The kakigōri were served piled hill-high in stainless-steel dessert dishes, and when they were placed on the table before us, we were all sure there was too much. But, ah, were we wrong.

The first spoonful that penetrated the hill caused it to collapse to half its volume. The spoon filled with the most gossamer of ice-webs, tasting mostly of water with just the slightest tint of flavoring. In the blink of an eye, the dessert was gone, and cold ice-melt was all that swirled in the dish. It was, amazing to me, a dessert of negative space. It was positive expectation and negative fulfillment, a very Eastern essay on want and need.

It’s also the way many of us in the art world live our lives. We spend years in training, more years creating our repertoires, and when we finally put the final punctuation on the process by presenting ourselves to the public, the whole thing evaporates. It lives in the memories of those who were witnesses, but otherwise, sayonara.

What brought all these thoughts on? A week’s vacation with my family, coming home to our beloved Brooklyn, and a letter in the mail informing us that in two days we would be dropped from our health coverage. [Read more…]

Joffrey: Choreographers of Color Awards

August 19, 2012 by 4dancers

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet is excited to announce a call for diverse artists to submit applications for the Joffrey’s annual Choreographers of Color Awards. They are seeking original work developed by applicants with the hope that a diverse perspective will ignite creativity in new works.

Three winners will receive a $2,500 stipend and will have the opportunity to work directly with Academy Artistic Directors, Alexei Kremnev and Anna Reznik. The choreographers’ world premiere works will be showcased on The Joffrey Academy Trainees at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park and other venues throughout the year. To enter and for more details visit: www.joffrey.org/cofc

This is an exciting opportunity–all the best to those who enter! Please do pass the word…

Finding Balance: Dancing Through Summer

August 15, 2012 by 4dancers

The town of Minturn, CO taken on a hike in the mountains

by Emily Kate Long

2012-07-09 to -12 SSDI Fun & Classes 128 — Fun & Classes 128 Partnering class at SSDI (photo credit Susan Blackburn)

As I wrap up my summer travels, I’ve been working to identify a theme for the experiences I’ve had over the past two months. It’s been a summer of learning what to do and what not to do: in the studio as a teacher and student, onstage and in the audience, and in how I interact with other people and with myself. How do I take everything in during class while holding on to what I know works? What about carving out time for physical and mental rest and recuperation? How can I be an open yet critical audience member, and how can I more easily drop personal hang-ups and anxiety to fully experience each moment of performing?

To begin with, a great aid in approaching my physical needs honestly was Dr Linda Hamilton’s most recent book, The Dancer’s Way (St Martin’s Griffin, 2008). Hard science wrapped in compassion and empathy, The Dancer’s Way was a timely reminder that I’m not the machine I’d like to believe. My body—and everyone else’s—needs what it needs, period: fuel and rest. That means sufficient calories, macronutrients, and fluids every day. It means 8-10 hours of sleep each night. It means time each week for restorative activity. It means giving muscles a chance to forget about dancing for a little while and repair themselves every few months, and then giving them enough time to return to a full rehearsal schedule. Put simply, we are people first—physical beings with physical needs that must be acknowledged and met before we can demand anything more of our bodies or minds. The Dancer’s Way is the collection of information I would have loved to have when I was a student, and I plan on sharing a lot of this information with my students.

My strategy this summer was to avoid the trouble of getting back in shape by not planning any rest. Bad move. I would have avoided serious physical and emotional burnout, along with a lot of guilt and self-judgment, if I had just built rest into my schedule to begin with! It’s still a process, but realizing my body can’t take care of itself enabled me to relish being completely immersed in dance all summer.

Being present at two summer intensives (Saratoga Summer Dance Intensive and Vail Valley Dance Intensive) as both a student and a teacher allowed me to analyze every aspect of class. It was wonderful to take multiple classes per day and test endless hypotheses on myself and on others. On an interpersonal level, I got to observe and engage in many different communication styles, classroom organization strategies, and the particular learning processes of different age groups. Being in classes of mixed ability shone light on the importance of teachers’ knowing all the building blocks and progression of technique in order to accommodate students of different levels. [Read more…]

Preview – A Chance To Dance

August 10, 2012 by 4dancers

by Catherine L. Tully

I have to say, I’m intrigued.

I have had the chance to watch some of the footage for the upcoming series, A Chance To Dance on Ovation, and I think it will be an interesting show. Putting a dance company together in just 28 days (7 episodes) seems a little over the top, but then again, it’s television.

That said, there are a few things that set this show up for a good run, and I can share them with you here without giving anything away…

The backing.

The idea for the series comes from Nigel and Simon Lythgoe, Producers of So You Think You Can Dance. Basically, these guys have an idea of what works–don’t you think?

The location.

Much of the footage here is shot in an absolutely gorgeous location which already has a rich dance history–Jacob’s Pillow in the Berkshires. The outdoor stage and natural surroundings provide a scenic backdrop, and the one-on-one interviews echo the behind the scenes drama that makes Survivor such a popular show. This helps add a visual appeal to what would otherwise be many hours of studio footage, which although realistic, is not exactly visually stimulating.

The personalities.

The two judges, Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt, both danced with The Royal Ballet in London and have staged many popular productions over the past ten years. In addition to a strong dance background, they each contribute quite a bit of charisma as well.

Trevitt is very articulate when it comes to discussing his beliefs about dance and music and Nunn has a natural grace and humor about him that transforms what could be otherwise routine studio time into something special for the screen. They were both great picks for the show.

The premise.

Even if it is a familiar premise, it’s still a good one.

The judges travel to different places, auditioning dancers for the show. They are looking for dancers who are good–12 to be specific, to form a company that will perform at a New York Gala event, then continue on to be the opening act for the SYTYCD tour.

Who doesn’t want to see talented dancers who have been overlooked for one reason or another get their shot at the big time? The idea is so often used because it feels good.

I didn’t get to see much footage of the dancers actually dancing, but I’m looking forward to that part and hoping that they will do it well. There didn’t appear to be too much snark going on (at least not that I saw), which is actually a welcome relief. The show has promise without trying to manufacture any additional drama.

With the proliferation of dance shows on television as of late, it can be hard to know which ones are worth the time and which to skip.

I, for one, am going to give this show its “chance to dance”.

A Chance To Dance premieres August 17th at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT on Ovation.

Student Spotlight: Thomas Wilkinson

August 6, 2012 by 4dancers

To start the week off we have a student spotlight to share with readers….

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

I actually fell into dance whilst studying a Performing Arts btec at college in Cirencester. I’d always been involved in acting whilst I was younger but had never danced and so I found it extremely challenging to start with… but I guess that was part of the appeal. I worked really hard to try and gain a place at a dance institution and was lucky enough to receive a variety of offers, from which I chose to study at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts due to its varied programme. I gained a first class honours degree in Dance and Performing Arts and also won the LIPA dance prize at my graduating ceremony which for me was a huge achievement. Since then I have taken on a variety of different projects including choreographic work, workshop leading and dance performance across the UK, and I am one of the lucky few who is able to say they make a living doing what they love.
The main aspect which has kept me involved with dance and given me the determination to succeed is the handful of individuals who really believe in my abilities and want to see me do well, all of whom have helped me to get to where I am today.

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

My favourite aspect of dance class is the feeling of achievement (mainly evident from the amount of sweat I produce) which comes from pushing yourself to achieve new things. I am constantly trying to learn and progress, always working on my technique and focusing on my expression as an artist, and when this gets recognised in class by a teacher, there is nothing quite like it.

3. What is the hardest part about dance for you? [Read more…]

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