Working by Day, Blogging by Night
June 30, 2009
Several weeks ago, while chatting in a theater lobby before a dance performance, a publicist wanted to know how Dancing Perfectly Free started, and – much to my surprise – assumed that blogging is my paid, full-time job. I was both flattered and alarmed. I explained to her that from nine to five, Monday through Friday, I work for an environmental organization, and navigating around that schedule (meaning at night and on weekends), I attend performances and write for the blog. Watching and writing about dance doesn’t usually feel like work; after all, DPF started as a hobby, to share my passion for dance with the online community and engage readers and fellow bloggers. But I do dedicate a great deal of time to the blog, and when I don’t post for a few days or can’t make it to a performance, I feel like I’m depriving my readers and slacking on my obligation as a dance blogger. And then I remind myself that DPF is a not-for-profit endeavor. With the exception of my time and energy (and sleep), it costs me very little, and I don’t earn any income from it. I’m certainly not alone. There are plenty of other bloggers in the same position: working for money by day, blogging for free by night.
In another category are the journalists-turned-bloggers – individuals who have lost jobs or freelance work at publications and are now blogging for exposure (and hopefully because they love what they do). Laura Collins-Hughes, who blogs on ArtsJournal and ARTicles, the blog of the National Arts Journalism Program, wrote a compelling post about why it’s unacceptable for journalists to be blogging for free. She explains that it’s fine to use blogging for exposure, but firmly states that “exposure doesn’t pay the rent” and journalists who blog for free “debase journalism”. By blogging, journalists are providing a service to their readers, so it seems logical that there should be a monetary incentive while exposure should be an additional perk. But sadly, paid blogging is the exception, not the rule.
So what does this mean for the future of blogging and journalism? For individuals, blogging isn’t sustainable or realistic if it’s given away for free, while employers and publications that are suffering from budget cuts can look for journalists who are willing to volunteer their services. And it’s hardly worth mentioning corporate sponsors, which are fading fast. I wonder for how long journalists will blog for free before putting their foot down and demanding to be paid for their time and product. And at one point is blogging merely for exposure no longer worth it? How do independent bloggers like myself strike a balance between blogging for personal fulfillment and making a living? I seriously doubt Dancing Perfectly Free will ever be a paid, full-time job. But if it is, that publicist will be the first to know.
Jacob’s Pillow Wants to Know…
June 27, 2009
Jacob’s Pillow, home to an international dance festival since 1933, invites the public to respond to the following question: Why do you dance? Whether you’re training for a professional career or dancing alone in the kitchen, The Pillow wants to hear from people around the world by sharing their thoughts on Facebook, Twitter, or by emailing info (at) jacobspillow (dot) org. Everyone’s responses will be posted on the Pillow’s website throughout the summer. So far, the responses include: “It’s my drug”, “What else would I do?”, “I dance because it makes my entire body smile”, and “Pays the rent”. Join this community effort, tell the Pillow why you dance, and check back often to view the responses.
Michael Jackson (1958-2009)
June 26, 2009
MJ was an incredible singer and an iconic dancer. I still remember trying to master his moves while watching this performance, at the 1993 Superbowl, in my parents’ living room.
Be In the Gray With Me
June 24, 2009
Theresa Ling in "Be in the Gray with Me", photo by Yi-Chun Wu
There is nothing black or white about Pam Tanowitz’s newest work, Be In the Gray With Me, presented this past weekend at Dance Theater Workshop. Navigating the gray area between ballet and modern is tricky, but Tanowitz, who avoids labeling herself or her work, is an intelligent dancemaker. Be In the Gray With Me is full of elegant movement without excess. A narrative seems to be buried within the varied lighting, music, and thoughtful formations, but it is so subtle that it leaves the viewer wondering what, if anything, to make of it. Each of the four sections in the work is compelling, but each looks better on its own than as part of the whole.
Tanowitz’s movement is rooted in ballet vocabulary – arabesques, jetes, and fouettes are identifiable – and there are clear references to Balanchine works and the Rose Adagio from Sleeping Beauty. But the first section, set to Vladimir Martynov’s romantic score for strings, has the spatial awareness and unpredictability of Cunningham, while other, more richly textured sections refer to Paul Taylor’s strides and jumps. Tanowitz weaves history into her work, but she does so without simply rehashing what’s already been done. Be In the Gray With Me looks fresh and new, thanks in part to the nine gorgeous movers, especially Christina Amendolia and Ellie Kusner. Dressed in Renée Kurz’s sleek gray costumes with individual touches, the dancers have unique personalities. This is no cookie-cutter corps of swans.
Philip Treviño’s set design maximizes the space by hanging white plastic sheets along the sides and back, in place of the wings. Doors are cut into each sheet, eliminating the distinction between on and off stage and throwing into question where the piece begins and ends. The dancers can be seen starting a phrase behind the sheet before emerging, or calmly watching the others while waiting to enter. Treviño’s lighting bathes the dancers in shades of white, blue, and near the end of the work, a deep red. Just as varied is the music, which along with Martynov, includes Dan Siegler’s electronic score, the propelling rhythms of Pavel Karmonov, and an ambient composition by Alexandr Raskatov.
Ellie Kusner and Anne Lentz in Be in the Gray with Me, photo by Yi-Chun Wu
Moments of tenderness and intimacy among pure, imaginative movement hint at a narrative. There’s no clear arc, but something seems to be lurking. If a narrative exists, it’s hidden within the multilayered movement and spatial sophistication of the work, as opposed to being conveyed through gesture or facial expressions. Indeed, the dancers remain so serene (and at times reserved) and their phrase work so fluid that it’s impossible to see a story in their individual performances. Nothing about Be In the Gray With Me is obvious. The viewer has to look closely into the hazy, beautiful gray area to discover all of the work’s nuances.
Dancing with the Berlin Wall
June 22, 2009
The Berlin Wall, photo by James Starkman
Two of my friends just returned from a trip to Berlin, where they spent some time exploring the Berlin Wall and sent me the above photograph. It not only seems appropriate given this blog’s title, but also relates to the ongoing Berlin Wall Project, created by the German-born dancer and choreographer Nejla Y. Yatkin. The project reflects upon what the Wall and its removal meant to the world in its broadest sense. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Yatkin is creating a new work, Dancing with the Berlin Wall, about the emotional impact the wall had on its citizens and the world. The work will echo, embody, and subvert the dynamic interaction between individuals, movement, and the emotional impact of barriers.
The Project includes a short dance-on-camera film in collaboration with filmmaker Mike Rogers; a site-specific installation about the Wall to be performed on November 9th (the anniversary of the fall) at two gallery spaces at the Goethe Institute in New York City in collaboration with photographer Astrid Riecken; and a tour of Dancing with the Berlin Wall in New York City, Washington, and Los Angeles. This week, Yatkin and her company will head to Berlin to film their dance-on-camera piece, and on August 8th and 9th they will show a preview of Dancing with the Berlin Wall at the Ailey Citigroup Theater. Learn more about the project at the Berlin Wall Project’s blog.
The AWARD Show: Opening Night
June 20, 2009
Gallim Dance in Blush, photo by Christopher Duggan
On Thursday evening at The AWARD Show - Artists with Audiences Responding to Dance – the sold-out Joyce Soho was not told to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Rather, the audience was charged with the task and responsibility of carefully evaluating each of the four works on the program and voting for their favorite. The choreographer whose work received the most votes would continue on to perform with the other finalists. On the final night (tomorrow), a panel of experts in dance and other cultural arts fields, along with the audience, will choose the winner. The recipient will receive a $10,000 cash prize to be used toward the development of new work. It’s a fairly straightforward format, but one that aims to engage choreographers and viewers in an open dialogue. In addition to voting on Thursday, the audience had the opportunity to fill out anonymous comment cards, which are delivered to the choreographers, and engage in a post-show discussion with them. Audience members not only asked questions about the work, but also willingly shared constructive feedback - ranging from what images or emotions the piece brought up to their opinion on costume choices.
Determining who should proceed to the finals was no easy task. All four choreographers – Vanessa Justice, Sidra Bell, Shannon Gillen/Elisabeth Motley, and Andrea Miller – presented intriguing, sophisticated works worthy of high marks using the Joyce’s suggested POEM criteria: Potential, Originality, Execution, and Merit. Perhaps an extra “E” could be added for emotion. The emotional substance of a work, and the way it resonates with the audience, is undoubtedly a factor that can place a dance in a league of its own. In fact, it often makes a piece more vivid and memorable, making certain works on the program stand out more than others.
Vanessa Justice Dance performed FLATLAND, an eerie, dream-like piece for three women that played with space, presence and absence, and collective and individual forces. Dark, ominous projections on the scrim often showed the dancers frozen in a position that the audience saw the live dancers perform moments before. In spite of the work’s title, the movement itself was wonderfully multi-dimensional, and sound from the 1977 film “Eraserhead” underscored the chilling, psychological texture of the work. One dancer used her chin to push the limbs of the other two into a forced embrace, creating a curious mix of violence and tenderness.
Vanessa Justice’s FLATLAND, photo by Ian Douglas
Shannon Gillen and Elisabeth Motley of DOORKNOB COMPANY also used film in their work, The Waiting Room. A television on stage showed segments from Fellini’s La Strata that served as background noise and a reflection of the segmented scenes occurring in a waiting room. Gillen and Motley stomped around in pink stilettos, sat impatiently in folding chairs, flailed about with National Geographic magazines covering their faces, and interspersed duets with moments of solitude. Despite the unique personalities that were subtly conveyed, the women were both dressed in maroon sweaters and skirts with pink stilettos. In the waiting room they were the same person, in the same frustrating situation: attempting to convey kindness and mask brutality.
Sidra Bell Dance New York in "Anthology"
In Anthology, Sidra Bell Dance New York showed disembodiment and embodiment through two extracts. In your distance kept, five dancers under spotlights created a circus-like atmosphere with their physically demanding movement and cold stares, set to the electronic sounds of Ezekiel Honig and Mokira. Troy Ogilvie and Gilbert Small explored each other’s bodies in your hands, portraying a scenario that involved gender dynamics and invasion of personal space. They reacted to the slightest of each other’s movements or advances, interchangeably pushing the other away or giving in to desire. Ogilvie seemed more powerful when wearing her red heels, while her cream-colored ruffled top suggested her character’s subtle fragility. Small was gorgeously bold and beautiful in a black, ruffled tutu.
Gallim Dance’s excerpt from Blush, choreographed by Andrea Miller, left the audience as elated and exhausted as the dancers. Wearing trunks and colorful tank tops, six dancers scattered about the space to the loud, pulsating sounds of Kap Bambino. Their limbs shook and torsos curled and stretched, but all in a controlled, digestible way. Just when it seemed like the dancers would never come down from their noticeable high, the music changed to Arvo Part’s otherworldly Fratres for Violin, Strings and Percussion. A duet for Dan Walczak and Bret Easterling was emotionally tumultuous and physically grueling as the two men tried to escape or catch one another. Tenderness, violence, intimacy, aggression, and vulnerability distinctly shined through as the landscape continually shifted. Eventually, they drained each other’s energy (and the audience’s, in a thrilling way) and ended alone as they came down from a high.
There was very little time after the show to rank the pieces before the open dialogue began. Head-scratching and lost-in-thought expressions on many people’s faces suggested that judging the dances was a challenging assignment. The dancers and choreographers were all well-prepared and fully immersed in their performances, not to mention being gracious competitors. But the audience undoubtedly had the toughest role of the evening.
Tune in for a live webcast of tonight and tomorrow night’s performances at 7 PM EST.
*On Friday morning, The Joyce Soho announced that Shannon Gillen and Elisabeth Motley of DOORKNOB COMPANY received the most votes on Thursday evening, and will perform in the finals on Sunday.
Live Webcast of The AWARD Show
June 18, 2009
For the fourth year, The AWARD Show – Artists with Audiences Responding to Dance – returns to the Joyce Soho from June 18 through 21. Performances will also take place in Chicago, Seattle, and Philadelphia, making it a multi-city event for the first time. Tickets for the New York City performances sold out fast, but audiences can watch a live webcast each night at 7 PM.
The AWARD Show was created in 2006 by choreographer Neta Pulvermacher/The Neta Dance Company and producer Marisa König Beatty in response to a need for a lab-like space in which working dance artists can engage in an open dialogue with the audience about the work presented.
Each series of The AWARD Show will present the work of twelve promising contemporary choreographers selected over four nights of performances. Three preliminary evenings will feature the work of four choreographers per night. After each performance, a moderated artist and audience discussion will take place, followed by an audience vote to select a finalist to perform again on the fourth and final night of the series. Each night the audience and the artists will be invited to a post-performance reception where further informal dialogue about the work is encouraged. On the final night, a panel of experts in dance and other cultural arts fields, along with the audience, will choose the winner of the award in that city. The first place winners in each of the four participating cities will receive $10,000 cash awards. The two runners-up in each city will receive $1,000. These awards are to be used toward the creation of new dance work.
Audiences watching the webcast won’t be able to cast their vote or engage in the post-performance conversation (perhaps there will be online voting and live blogging in future years), but it provides a much larger audience with the opportunity to watch the work of several rising choreographers. Tune in June 18-21 at 7 PM EST.
Dancers Choreograph for NYU Tisch Showing
June 17, 2009
Kyle Abraham
On Tuesday evening, I attended a showing of work by six dancers whose companies are currently in residence at the NYU Tisch Dance Summer Residency Festival. The performance provided the dancers – who are members of David Dorfman Dance, Ellis Wood Dance, Gina Gibney Dance, Keigwin + Company, and Martha Graham Dance Company – the opportunity to show their choreographic skills and present their work to Tisch’s summer students and the public.
It was an eclectic program (not surprising, considering the choreographers’ disparate styles) with varied results. Strong dancers are not necessarily strong choreographers, but a solo choreographed and performed by Kyle Abraham of David Dorfman Dance proved that this elegant dancer is an exception. The delicate chords of Chopin shifted to Kid Cudi’s hip hop beats as Abraham grappled with conflicting internal forces. Meditative and cautious in one moment and suddenly frenetic and expansive in the next, Abraham was gorgeously fluid and articulate, quivering with unbounded emotion. He’s definitely a dancer and choreographer to watch.
Other notable pieces were False Start by Josh Palmer (of Gina Gibney Dance) and Jennifer Phillips’ Moth. The former was an intimate waltz for two women set to a melancholy song by Iron and Wine. It conveyed all the heartache and gloom of two people growing apart. Phillips, who is a dancer and rehearsal director for Ellis Wood Dance, stared menacingly at the audience as her limbs flailed and torso undulated in Moth. The angular tilt of an arm or leg offset her swirling, circular patterns. Phillips has an intense presence, and with a bit more excavation and development this work in progress will surely be fierce.
Lower Manhattan Arts Leaders
June 15, 2009
Charles Isherwood recently wrote about the Lower Manhattan Arts Leaders, a group of eleven downtown arts organizations that have joined forces to exchange ideas and make the case that culture – and therefore arts funding – is an essential part of city life. He explained:
“Support for the arts, in [the Lower Manhattan Arts Leaders'] view, is not simply a matter of cultural philanthropy, it’s also a smart and necessary way to sustain a vibrant urban environment, to keep any city from becoming a patchwork of chain stores, steroidal gyms and name-brand coffee shops. It’s forward-thinking city planning.
“…The idea of safety in numbers has more than one dimension as it applies here. One of the first orders of business was translating into actual statistics the powerful influence these companies collectively have on the economic health of the neighborhood. Although individually they are mostly small fry when it comes to the arts in the city — with annual budgets from just $32,000 to $3 million — the companies together create some 1,500 full- or part-time jobs. They serve an audience of 275,000 annually and have an aggregate budget of $15 million.”
Jennifer Muller/The Works at The Joyce Theater
June 13, 2009
Jennifer Muller/The Works in Bench, photo by Ben Hider
If given the option to see a satisfying, sophisticated dance performance or a mediocre one that leaves much to be desired, the choice seems obvious. But once in a while, a weak evening of dance has its benefits, for it serves as a reminder of the range in choreographic and artistic quality. On Wednesday evening, a performance by Jennifer Muller/The Works was beneficial in this way; as an audience member leaving the Joyce Theater smartly commented, “You don’t know what’s good until you see what’s bad”. The disappointing program included a hodge-podge mix of themes and styles, with monotonous movement and frustratingly superficial interactions among the dancers.
The most interesting piece on the program also happened to be the oldest. Tub, which premiered in 1973, is a meditation on the emotional significance of water and cleansing. A woman soaks in a tub of water before rising and flinging her head back, causing a stream of water to shoot across the stage. Several other women and men join her, each taking turns soaking their heads or limbs in the tub while moving rhythmically to Burt Alcantara’s blend of electronics, chanting, and the sound of waves on a shore. The spiritual mood is offset by a lone dancer, Duane Gosa, in flippers. He maintains a deadpan expression and matter-of-fact attitude as he extends his long legs and maneuvers his way around the others, who seem desperate for renewal as they look for symbolism in water.
Gen Hashimoto and Mariana Cardenas in Bench, photo by Ben Hider
The few moments of nuance and intrigue in Tub are unfortunately absent from Bench, a world premiere inspired by Al Gore’s book and documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Bench is an uninspiring, insincere attempt at conveying the earth’s destruction through careless human behavior. Poor-quality photographs of the earth are projected on a screen behind twelve dancers in white who engage in theatrical, sexually charged movement that, according to the program, is loosely based on the seven deadly sins. Yet, there are hardly any distinctions between “lush earth”, “abused earth”, and “violent earth”, among others, creating a blur of formations and encounters that depict quarrels, jealousies, violence, conflicting desires, and power struggles. The dancers certainly prove they know how to kick their legs and stare down an enemy, but the messy tangling of bodies and dramatic expressions is, well, just messy. Portraying the earth’s vulnerability through movement is no easy task, but there are many finer, more sensitive, and more sophisticated attempts than Muller’s.
Since Tub and Bench aim to address weighty topics, it came as no surprise that the program closed with the colorful, upbeat Momentum from 2005. Set to the techno sounds of Yello, Momentum allows the dancers to showcase their favorite bravura moves and flash cheesy smiles as they frequently rush in and out of the wings. It’s certainly a fun end to the program, but Momentum would look more in place on a reality dance show or a cruise ship. Muller’s dancers are capable of so much more.
