Cedar Lake dancers rehearsing Jill Johnson’s The Copier

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet opened its doors yesterday afternoon to allow passers-by to watch the last hour of rehearsal for Jill Johnson’s upcoming installation, The Copier. Some people stopped for just a few moments to peek in to the spacious theater. Others seemed intrigued by the dancers – working in unison or on their own – spread out over the T-shaped stage, and decided to stay for a while. I enjoyed watching the dancers morph from small clusters with intertwined limbs and the occasional tossing of a dancer overhead, to solos that wandered off of the stage, to ensemble movement that covered the entire surface of the T. The music, composed by David Poe, started and stopped several times as Jill offered suggestions and reviewed different sections of the installation. It was a laid-back, informal event that provided an opportunity for viewers to see the bare bones of the installation, without costumes and lighting. As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, Jill and the dancers seem comfortable working with one another and incredibly open-minded. I’ve gotten the sense that the two-week rehearsal period and creative process have been positive and productive for both Jill and Cedar Lake.

I have included several photos that I took at the rehearsal. Almost all of them are blurry, as it was challenging to photograph the constantly-moving dancers. But they’ll give you an idea of what some of the movement and formations look like for The Copier.

Don’t forget to order tickets for The Copier, which will be performed August 20-23. And to get a special discount for blog readers, enter “BLOGCP” where it says “discount code”.

Jill (in blue shirt) demonstrates a floor movement