“Chalk Boundaries” Female Cast- Phrase Foundation
Below is a clip of a phrase that I’m beginning to work on for the female cast of “Chalk Boundaries”. Like most phrases that I create, I begin with a foundation and continue to build, finding the nuances and details that I enjoy so much. I’m excited to see what quality the female cast will bring to the idea of masculinity. A question that is beginning to rattle my brain is “where on earth am I going to perform this?” The OSU Dance department has a Spring Concert in which I could adjudicate the work, but I feel this work being longer than just 8-9 minutes. There is so much to develop, think about, explore; I would feel guilty if I didn’t take the oppourtunity that I have now to continue.
Reflection After Sleep. For Now, Images.
Below is just an image of an amazing experience of performing “Chalk Boundaries” on the Mershon Stage as part of Wexner Center for the Arts’ Super Sunday event. I will post a more thorough experience soon. Michael Morris and Eric Falck have already posted great responses to their experience of the work that has helped me already think about the work differently in order to continue to develop it.
The Performance Jitters
In a couple of hours I will be showing my work-in-progress, “Chalk Boundaries” at the Wexner Center for the Arts. I have no idea how many people will show up. I have no clue how people will respond. I don’t even know if people know how to get to the Mershon. But, will all these worries and with my nerves exponentially at its peak, I’m still very at ease because what I’m thinking about most is the past 5 weeks and how thus far it has been such an eye opening experience; teaching me to understand my values in choreography and also the importance for me to maintain a dialogue with my dancers. I realized that I can never be the choreographer that never asks the performers their opinions, thoughts, or ideas. I realize that I have a tendency to let context and movement have a ongoing battle in my process. I’ve learned that I’m learning and that my fear of staying stagnant is no longer a fear.
I always get like this before every performance, very trance like. I’ll post again after the performances later tonight.
Oh Dance…
“Chalk Boundaries” Rehearsal Footage- GIRL!
Today in rehearsal Eric had to leave early so I asked Rashana to fill in for him while we worked on this new section. The clip below is the beginning of the new section and it’s interesting how the tone changed in the studio when we did this section. The uncertainty of being offensive was apparent in everyone yet, the energy didn’t turn negative, just inquisitive. What came across my mind was how do bodies approach the gender that they don’t claim as their own? Especially if they’re attracted to them? This section is clearly a stereotypical depiction of one way, but it would be nice to continue to explore that idea more in the work.
“Chalk Boundaries” will be performed as a work in progress, Sunday, Feb. 7th on the Mershon Stage (Wexner Center for the Arts) at 1:30pm and 2:30pm.
Phrase Comparison
Below is a clip of a phrase that I taught to my all male, and all female casts. It’s interesting how bodies deal with momentum and weight differently, regardless of gender affiliation. Also, notice how each cast emphasized particular movements, particularly the jump. I’m not stating that all male dancers move alike and all female dancers move alike; it is not my objective to generate a commonality among male and female bodies. Instead, I’m interested in the choreographic atmosphere that is formed when you separate genders in a process, while maintaining the same material, and how movement can have different connotations on male and female bodies.
Rashana Smith, a fellow MFA student, is doing an independent study regarding gender in choreography and is participating in the all male cast rehearsals for her research. Check out her link for more info on her approach and experiences in the process.
Below is a clip of both casts learning the material the for the first time.
Buddy, New Title, and Rehearsal Footage
I have a new working title for my Buddy project, ”Chalk Boundaries”. I enjoy this title more because it resonates my idea that masculinity and femininity are terms that set up social guidelines for how people interact. I’m interested in toying with those guidelines through movement and through this work, show the many shades that these terms have.
This work will be performed as a work in progress, Sunday, Feb. 7th on the Mershon Stage (Wexner Center for the Arts) at 1:30pm and 2:30pm.
Below is a clip of rehearsal with the all male cast.
“Run” and Buddy Update
After returning from break, alot has happened and shifted mentally when I think about “Run” and Buddy. Dancers have changed, and my concept has evolved.
Gender will be addressed in these works. As of now, in its early stages, I’m interested in how marked bodies interact with one another in social settings; in this case, the choreographic process, and how that impacts the work. This is more so a study of my choreographic processes in general, and trying to locate the social dynamics of having an all male cast and an all female cast of performers with a male choreographer.
The content of both works is influenced by the upcoming exhibition at the Wexner entitled Hard Targets, an art exhibition unraveling the idea of masculinity in sports. I want to use the work from this exhibit as a starting point to experiment with how male and female bodies handle this idea of masculinity. Is it a set idea? Does it truly exist? Does masculinity and feminitity generate set values in our lives? How can we disrupt these ideas in our lives and in dance?
I choreograph to create work that can be visually appealing, while providing a tangible representation, or even reflection, of the social environments that we are continually involved in. Hopefully, these works will help further push myself as a choreographer to find new manners to tackle that task.
Below is a print of Hank Willis Thomas’ Scarred Chest from the exhibit that I find intriguing.
Salvador Dalí: Inspiration for Buddy
Salvador Dalí Soft Self Portrait with Grilled Bacon, 1941
A piece that I found inspiring for an upcoming, all male choreographic work that focuses on the idea of masculinity.
Dance,Technology, and Space
I came across this company while I was surfing the web to see what’s going on in the dance community outside of OSU. The company is called Chunky Move and I took this quote from their website:
Chunky Move’s work constantly seeks to redefine what is or what can be contemporary dance within an ever-evolving Australian culture.
The way that they blend lighting and video is inspiring because every aspect seems like a necessity. Sometimes when technology is incorporated into dance, one or the other seems out of place or unnecessary. But Chunky Move makes everything congeal; it doesn’t appear as if it’s a dance/video/lighting performance. They also play with space by doing site specific work and building different spacial configurations (such as a tilting oval). Below are excerpts from Mortal Engine.
Music Selection: Cliff Martinez
The wonderful thing about dance is that is a collaborative art, and one aspect that I always enjoy is music. I’m looking around for music for both “Run” and Buddy and I came across Cliff Martinez. The clip I posted is a song that I’m interested in from the soundtrack Solaris. I like the atmospheric feel that it provides while providing interesting rhythmic sections. The piece made me get up and start improvising.
I’m thinking about using this track for both “Run” and Buddy. I think these works will be connected in many ways so I may use the music as another way to demonstrate that connection.
