To a dance outsider this phrase might make as much sense as “tombé, pas de bourrée,” but the former is surely less likely to be heard during a dance rehearsal. Yet nomenclature isn’t the only thing that is unconventional about Kids Play, an arts program for at-risk youth founded by former Doug Elkins dancer and Hope Stone Dance company director, Jane Weiner.

Since 2001, Kids Play has served a medley of arts experiences to Houston youth aged 6-18.  For nine-month sessions (the length of the school calendar) the ensemble of children and teens meets twice a week to learn dance, theater, music, yoga and photography at Hope Center. The primary studio space and base of operations for Kids Play also hosts adult and professional dance classes and is the stomping grounds of Hope Stone Dance. During my visit, the Kids Play Ensemble are in rehearsal mode, preparing for their culminating Spring production. The theme this year is “Skool of Rock” which is why The Who’s Teenage Wasteland builds to a clamor as Weiner’s “hippy, drippy, laser show” descriptor triggers the correct movement response in a group of 8-12 year-olds.

Kids Play is not exclusively a training ground for young artists. The students receive technical instruction but as a means to support their exploration of the form. “Mostly I teach moving and the exhilaration that comes with that,” Weiner explains as we discuss her role as dance instructor within the program. Similarly, Weiner’s faculty, Chris Howard and Jason Jackson (music), Gayla Miller, Rick Olvera and Jenni Rotter (theater), Roberta Cortes (dance), Leticia London (photography) and Lidieth Valesco (yoga), are artists guiding youth through investigative encounters and, in keeping with Weiner’s mission, encourage this community of kids toward personal ownership of and expression through art. “We know that the kids are in many ways their own teachers, and to over-teach, take the fun out of it, create the neurosis of “wrong” is not what we are after,” Weiner expounds.

This approach most certainly stems from Weiner’s experiences as a “late-starter” in dance. Like many women, she dabbled in dance as a young child and was influenced by a full year of ballet under Sally Stephenson, a teacher “more concerned about teaching than recitals.” However, Weiner focused on track and gymnastics before returning to dance at Bowling Green University in Ohio at age 19. “I so often heard I started too late, or I had no technique,” she recalls. Though it was painful to hear, Weiner says she was, in most cases, deaf to the assertions. Perhaps she was too determined or too hopelessly addicted to movement to imbibe such negativity but, upon reflection she adds, “I wonder how any teacher can honestly look in a crystal ball and decide who is gonna make it and who is not going to be a dancer? A terrible use of power.”

Nearly all of the Kids Play kids, over 75 of them, are recipients of $90,000 worth of scholarship for the program. Easy access to drugs, internet, lack of phone and computer regulation and other challenges facing children and the teachers and parents entrusted with their care make all youth “at-risk” in Weiner’s eyes. And so, her programs at Hope Center are open to any child on a first come, first served basis. Many Kids Play participants are recruited, however, from local organizations such as Archway Academy and Chinquapin (schools for troubled and disadvantaged youth), Baylor Pediatric AIDS Initiative, Baylor International Adoption Center, and group homes like Casa de Esperanza. “We love the mix of cultures and socio-economic levels,” Weiner says, but she prefers to keep the groups small so that her faculty can get to know the kids and families involved. As a result, some of the kids have returned to the program for three or four years which Weiner finds amazing. “The level of talent and commitment is strong,” she declares.

Nearing its tenth year in operation, Kids Play is an established after-school program. Weiner’s experience in bringing arts programming to youth goes back even further, still. Sixteen years ago, Weiner was a performer at the Bates Dance Festival when she began to hold afternoon classes for teens from neighboring Maine communities. She is the founder and spent ten years teaching in the Youth Arts Program which now offers music, dance, visual arts, and creative writing to children and teens for three weeks every summer.

Of these two initiatives, Weiner notes that there are similarities and differences. Both programs recognize that all children are artists and rely on adult artists to advance and affirm this principle. However, Weiner felt limited by the three-week summer program. She wanted to take Kids Play to the next level. “I wanted a place that kids grew hope, because they could return each year. The school-year’s worth of time allows a depth in the understanding these young artists begin to experience, as well as a sense of community within the class. The students come from many different schools and after school programs, so it is wonderful to watch them grow to form a strong group through the year.”

With the proven success of Kids Play, Weiner is now expanding her mission and influence to new locations. First up is New Orleans with Kids Play NOLA premiering its program this summer in 2010. When asked if she felt the Kids Play model could work in any environment, Weiner maintains ,”The key is the right person to guide and lead it. Dana Reed, who is heading up the NOLA project is fierce. Organized. Passionate. This has to be in place because it is such a full, full, full-time job. I wish it ended at 5 p.m. but it doesn’t, and the person in charge has to accept this.” She also admits that it is a challenge sometimes to not get over-involved. “I saw beautiful children that are wards of the state. Broken children. Personalities snapped in two due to the abuse they have sustained at such an early age. My heart has been broken so many times when I see these children, and I hope and pray that my small class reminds them they are something; they are loved; they do matter.”

Weiner points out that the personal rewards as a facilitator are huge. “I work with art and art is magic. I get to see miracles almost every class, and laughter, and self esteem and friendships, and budding personalities as the art goes inside these kids and makes them feel good about themselves. I see leaders emerge and at the end of the class a feeling of PROUD come over the kids that you can’t qualify or quantify on paper, but is so present.”

For anyone wanting to begin a non-profit arts program for kids in their own community, Weiner confirms there are some essential ingredients for success. Among these, having a model or template is a good start and energy is a must. She recommends beginning small, seeking out good advisers, great master teachers, and parents that realize that this opportunity is a gift. Weiner reminds that it also takes the proverbial village. “The community behind Hope Center is fantastic and, I know, a major reason we are a huge success.”

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Hope Stone Inc.’s Kid’s Play Ensemble and boys band YouthSound will premiere Kid’s Play: Skool of Rock on May 8, 2010, at the Barnevelder Movement Complex (2201 Preston, Houston, TX), at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

The young artists will also line the area around the Allen Parkway Dandelion Fountain, performing a structured improv score to honor mother earth through music and dance at 5 p.m. tomorrow on Earth Day, April 22.

Read testimonials about the Kids Play program from ensemble members, themselves, at the Kids Play Blog.

Read more on Jane Weiner, her company, and her activism in this 2006 Dance Magazine article by Nancy Wozny

Kids Play in Action

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpRonBwSls0

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | 5 comments | Category: Blog, Dance Companies, For Inspiration, In the Spotlight, The Dance World

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Ready or not, this is exactly what Sokvannara Sar accomplished, with more than a little help from a few tireless supporters. The wholly unique circumstances of his still-unfolding life illustrates the universal hope, struggle, and sacrifice of all dancers.

Singled out in Cambodia, where he was a poor boy with a hunger for his homeland’s traditional Khmer dance, Sar’s strenuous metamorphosis as he is whisked into American culture and the world of ballet is documented in the new film Dancing Across Borders. Known as Sy (pronounced like ‘see’), the documentary’s subject overcomes nearly impossible odds. Yet, unlike many dance stories, Sy himself is not the dreamer. He did not choose ballet. In a way it chose him via longtime ballet devotee and philanthropist, Anne Bass.

Bass is in fact the director of this film, though like Sy this is a role she never really intended to play. Her entwinement in Sy’s development is so great, however, that it is perhaps only fitting that she be the one to tell his story. While visiting Cambodia with the World Movements Fund in 2000, Bass discovered Sy at a dance recital at Preah Khan temple. Enthralled with Sy’s presence and raw talent for performance, Bass made a naively bold move and invited Sy to come to America, where she would be the benefactor for his study in ballet at the prestigious SAB school. Not bargained for was the uphill battle of this endeavor. That classical Cambodian dance bears little technical resemblance to classical ballet, that Sy would require intense and grueling coaching by an unshakable and steadfast believer in his abilities (found in Olga Kostritzky) before SAB would accept him as teachable, that isolated by barriers of language and culture Sy’s exuberant personality would wane for a while, and that he would remain uncertain of his future in ballet even beyond the film’s frame, were unexpected challenges.

Dancing Across Borders isn’t without some clunky moments of exposition and may dwell too long on achievements that mean little to anyone unfamiliar with ballet. However, Bass earns respect as a first-time filmmaker in taking on this open-ended narrative. Able to shape the documentary herself, she might have painted a triumphal picture of the American dream personified and, I suppose, some may still interpret it this way. Amazingly, however, Bass resists a Cinderella telling and provides, with ample footage of Sy’s progress, an unflinching glance into the rigorous training and hard-won rewards of ballet. She also does not shy away from Sy’s inner conflict as a young man trying to reconcile two worlds, two cultures, and find his place within each. She underlines this at one point in the film with Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” poignant as ever in the language of the Khmer people. Ultimately Bass’s ability to place Sy’s heroism and the strength of the Cambodian people at the heart of the story effectively conveys that hope is boundless.

Shakespeare’s line, “Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them,” comes to mind when considering Sy. His achievements are a reflection of those who believed in him, and like a beam of light hitting this mirror, his trajectory was altered when Anne Bass recognized his inborn greatness, a combination of qualities shared by all true dancers: a buoyant spirit and irrepressible courage. That’s why Dancing Across Borders, the depiction of Sy’s journey across the frontier of ballet is a tale for and about dancers everywhere.

New York’s Quad Theatre has extended its screening of Dancing Across Borders through April 15. Additional screenings will take place throughout April and May in cities throughout the U.S. Details can be found on the Dancing Across Borders website.

Discussion Questions

Dancing Across Borders is scheduled for release on Amazon.

Click here to preorder

This documentary provides some interesting food for conversation on ballet and culture. Teachers, dancers and parents, whether you see the film or not, here are some questions and exercises for reflection…

1. What unique qualities must a person have to succeed as professional dancer? Are these qualities different for ballet versus other dance forms?
2. Performers are often said to have “it.” What is “it” and must you be born with this quality?
3. What are the risks and sacrifices of a career in ballet? What are the rewards?
4. Is it ever too late to begin a professional career in ballet?
5. Imagine what ballet looks like to someone who has never seen it before. Can you describe or write about what this person might see, hear, and feel?
6. Describe a time when you felt out of place and and homesick. What, if anything, helped you to overcome these feelings?
7. Intense one-on-one training, receiving instruction and speaking through interpreters, learning an entirely foreign and difficult movement discipline… Physically and emotionally, the first few months of Sy’s training must have been almost torturous. Why do you suppose he never gave up?
8. How important is it to have people in your life who believe in you? Is it more important than belief in yourself?

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | One comment - ADD YOURS! | Category: Blog, College and Career, Dance Companies, Dance Library, Dance Media, In the Spotlight, The Dance World, Toolbox

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The following guest post is from a loyal reader, Camille. I asked her to write this account for Dance Advantage because I appreciated her passionate support of dance and its role in community. I knew also that she was employed as a dance teacher in Scotland, doing a job very much the same yet also very different from that of many dance instructors. She will tell you more about this work in her own words but I feel it speaks to the affect dance and movement can have on the soul and on a group of people. Occasionally, I like to step away from the technical, instructional, business, and material side of dance to remind myself and those reading of the unifying and universal power of dance. As Camille will reiterate, I hope this reminder will encourage those of us who hold keys to find their own unique ways of unlocking this potential in dance.

As I walk to work with my son Soren, the sky is very dark, though it’s only just before six in the evening. I’m glad I have this time to spend with him and that while I work he is nearby in a room, where childcare is provided, just down the hall from where I teach. It’s cold, like many Scottish nights, and I’m glad we’ll be indoors soon. The warmth I feel at work is doubled by the many beautiful and dedicated women I work with. Tonight I am greeted by Karen Gordon, a group member and professional photographer who does volunteer work with the women in the group (you can see her great work of the women and children dancing below). I then bring Soren to the childcare and see Saba. She preforms with the women and is dropping off her son at the creche as well. He has just arrived from Africa and Saba is very happy that they are together now. We hug and I meet and hug her son. He is beautiful and practices his English with the caregivers in the childcare. It is the perfect way to start my evening.

About mIN

Photo by Karen Gordon

I am a dancer, and teach dance at the Maryhill Integration Network (mIN). It is an organization for families (primarily women and their children) who have relocated to Glasgow due to dangers and unrest in their own countries. War, political unrest, violence towards women, and religious persecution are just a few of the reasons refugees are forced or choose to leave their homes and seek another. Their families are in danger, they fear for their lives, and they want a safer life for their children and for themselves. The women and children come to the network to make friends, participate in artistic collaborations, cook, share stories and, most importantly, integrate into their new homes. In many ways this job is a dream come true. Not only am I teaching dance and doing what I love but I can also bring my children and be a part of something even greater than (dare i say) dance: the cause for women, freedom and humanity.

Movement and dance are main ingredients for moving mIN forward as a community voice and performance group. I’ve had the opportunity to work with the women for the 16 Days of action for violence against women campaign and share my choreography with the city, as well as teach weekly classes with the children.

Leading with Love

Remzije (Rema) center

The leading woman behind this network Remzije Sheriffe is someone that I respect more than my words are able to express and I sat down to interview her to give readers some insight into her beginnings, hopes, struggles and triumphs as a artistic facilitator and coordinator for mIN. I also hope that her effort will encourage other organizations to provide such positive environments for women and children as well as unite cultures through dance.

We meet just before work and, because Remzije was a journalist in Kosova before coming to Glasgow, I’m a bit nervous, though I know this isn’t necessary given her unconditional love for all who take part in the organization.

Language of the Body

After arriving in Glasgow, Rema (as friends and coworkers call Remzije) began a project called Kelpian Castle which involved the performance of Kosavoan and Glaswegian stories, combined and enacted by children for their community. This was volunteer work yet very telling of where her life and career would unfold. From the beginning of her stay in Glasgow she knew the importance of integration and had a keen sense for how to do it. Language barriers are usually a struggle when a new refugee arrives at the network. Rema knew that, through dance and movement, those involved could make friends and support each other despite their difficulty to communicate with spoken word. She understands greatly the power of movement and body language.

Photo by Karen Gordon

When Rema began her work with the Maryhill Integration Network she was well prepared to take it to new heights because of her volunteer work and her strong public relations as a journalist. Performances have multiplied as the women involved learn the beauty of sharing their life experiences on stage through poetry, contemporary dance, music, and theatre. Dancing and its choreographed lifting, supporting and embracing – I’ve found these very themes translate into real life as deep friendships are made.

Work as a Calling

Photo by Karen Gordon

Rema faces the challenges that come head on. How the women will all arrive at rehearsals, dress rehearsals and performances, where there children will be during all of this, involving the children who are ready to perform, getting funding, costumes, choreographers (like Natasha Gilmore, deserving of her own post for sure), musicians, publicity…. this list goes on. During all of this she is also working with practical matters of English class, helping with forms, and encouraging those around her to have a public voice and feel of worth in their new surroundings. It’s lovely to see how her practical work parallels her artistic endeavors and that the women involved experience integration happening at many levels. Rema has great women to help but these are the demands of her job. She views her work as a calling in life.

On Women and Mothers and Dancing

Through all of this, Rema knows that family is first. This allows for mothers to feel the safety of coming and knowing that they are understood. This allows me, a dancer and a mother, to work there. This is why I love my job. All of it!

The editor asks: Where are the keyholes in your community and how will you use dance to unlock them?

© Guest Contributors for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | 4 comments | Category: Blog, Dance Companies, For Inspiration, The Dance World

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Paul Taylor is one of the most prominent and influential choreographers of our time. Yet, in the late 1940′s he seemed to be on a different path. He was studying painting and swimming on scholarship at Syracuse University when amidst a series of seemingly unrelated dance experiences he was struck by a revelation or, as he describes it in his autobiography Private Domain a “flash of recognition… an unignorable hunch” that he was to become a dancer. Not long after he began training within the newly formed dance department at Julliard and won a scholarship to the American Dance Festival where his athletic build and powerful presence captured the attentions of Martha Graham, José Limon, and other modern dance founders. He was already making his own choreography by the time he was invited to join Graham’s company in 1955.

Taylor performed in the work of a number of dance pioneers in these early years, including Merce Cunningham and George Balanchine. He did so while continuing to choreograph for his own company a number of avant-garde works that sometimes confounded audiences. In 1962, the same year he left Graham’s company, he created his first popular success Aureole.

Photo by Tom Caravaglia

Photo by Tom Caravaglia

“The amazing inventiveness, that peculiar quality of dynamic imagination which infused even his earliest choreographic attempts, continues absolutely unabated. There is still an awe-inspiring naturalness to his choreography, a sense of every step being in the right place at the right time to the right music, that is simply God-given.” — Clive Barnes, Dance Magazine 1994

An Unequivocal Talent

In a 1989 New York Times article, Anna Kisselgoff states “There are four Paul Taylors. One choreographs dark pieces, another creates light comic works, a third favors homemade rituals and the last seems to invent pure-dance pieces inspired by music.” She goes on to acknowledge that this is an oversimplified analysis of Taylor’s rich body of work, a hallmark of which is the bleeding of these ostensible contradictions into one another. Taylor’s choreography ranges from revolutionary to romantic, comical to controversial, robust to penetrating, spontaneous to shrewd, often within the same dance.

Photo by Lois Greenfield

Carol Walker, retired Dean of the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College calls Paul Taylor

“an American icon and one of the most prolific and stunning choreographers of the past 60 years. He was a dancer who captivated audiences in his performances with the Martha Graham Dance Company and in his own work. He is an author of two books and an Emmy winner for his choreography Speaking In Tongues. Dancemaker, Matthew Diamond’s award winning, Oscar nominated feature-length film about Mr. Taylor was hailed by Time as ‘the best dance documentary ever’. An artist and a man who has been devoted to making dances not only for his company but for major ballet companies as well, his work has awakened in many a love for dance that few choreographers’ inspire.”

Celebrating 80

Paul Taylor will be 80 years old this July yet a celebration of this milestone begins this week with Paul Taylor Dance Company’s return to New York City Center [link] which features performances of enduring favorites as well as two premieres. On March 15, the day after the company closes its season at City Center, Mr. Taylor will be honored with a Nelson A. Rockefeller Award at the Purchase College School of the Arts Gala. To celebrate Mr. Taylor’s work at the gala, members of the Purchase Dance Corps will perform excerpts of two of his works.

A Few Words With Paul Taylor

Photo by Maxine Hicks

I have been captivated by Paul Taylor’s choreography since my first exposure to his work in college. Seeing Esplanade live was an exhilarating introduction to his movement and scenes from the insightful film Paul Taylor: Dancemaker made an enormous impression as I practiced the craft of choreography and prepared to enter the professional dance world. Therefore, I feel very honored that Mr. Taylor took the time to answer a few questions for Dance Advantage about his life and work in an email interview.

Dance Advantage: Your first experience with dance was through books. What did you read or see within the pages that so captured your attention that it changed the trajectory of your college study and your life?

Paul Taylor: Some of the first dance books I read during college that changed my aims were Martha Graham: Sixteen Dances in Photographs by Barbara Morgan, a book about the Diaghilev Ballet in Paris, Dancers, Buildings, and People in the Streets by Edwin Denby, and several books on dance history.

DA: Your dances have often been categorized as either dark and psychological or light and joyous.

PT: Most of my dances are a combination of both dark and light.

DA: Indeed, certainly this is a reflection of life and the human experience, but which is harder to make – the light or the dark?

PT: All of my dances have been both hard and easy to make.

DA: You have created over 130 works for your company since 1954. What is staggering about this is that you have made new work (sometimes multiple dances) every year for the past 55 years. What about the creative process continues to intrigue you and keeps you coming back again and again?

PT: It’s my life.

DA: Despite all this dance-making, you’ve said that you don’t think about dance much before you get into the studio.

PT: I lied.

DA: Is choreography a bit like sculpture, are you molding or carving the dance as you go?

PT: It is like sculpture or a painting but I usually have a general plan before rehearsals start.

DA: And what happens when you get stuck and aren’t sure how to proceed?

PT: I skip ahead then go back and try to solve the problem later or ask the dancers to improvise and use whatever steps that seems suitable.

DA: Many of my readers are young dance students who face the decision of attending college or heading straight to a performance career. The dancers you select tend to have gone through university or conservatory programs before coming to you. What do you think these dancers are “picking up” in college that makes them right for your company?

Photo by Lois Greenfield

PT: College is a good place for students to find out what they really want to do. They are exposed to a lot of things that they may not have experienced before. They may be inspired by attending a performance by a touring dance company or by seeing a dance film.

DA: In auditions one of the first things you have dancers do is walk. What do you learn from the exercise?

PT: Walks are like fingerprints – none of them are the same. An individual’s walk can reveal a lot about a person.

DA: What other attributes (aside from great skill and technical ability) are essential in the dancers you choose?

PT: Passion and commitment to one’s chosen profession. Company morale is as important as the dance steps, if not more so.

DA: The legacy of modern dance is that we try to avoid doing what our predecessors have done and push the art form in new directions. Many of your dancers have gone on to choreography. In what new directions do you see them trailblazing?

PT: A lot of my dancers have gone on to do interesting things and are trailblazers. Twyla Tharp was one of a pioneer in making dances that combined jazz, modern and ballet. Laura Dean created dances with a lot of repetition, choreographed to Phillip Glass, which was very innovative. Pina Bausch introduced a harsh theatricality in her work that had not been done before.

DA: You’ve seen so much, what (if anything) surprises you about the 21st century.

PT: I’m constantly surprised by the advancement of technology, especially the invention of computers and cell phones.

DA: You’ve received numerous awards and you will soon be honored again with a Nelson A. Rockefeller award at Purchase College School of the Arts. What does this award mean to you?

PT: One always likes to be appreciated and I’m especially grateful that my friend Carol Walker, who has had the Company perform at Purchase College many times, will be presenting me with this prestigious award.

“Purchase College is honored to present the Nelson A. Rockefeller Award to Paul Taylor at the School of the Arts Gala on March 15, 2009. Paul Taylor is selected for this prestigious award because of his lifetime of achievements as a dancer, a choreographer, an author, an artist and the epitome of a creative role model. We are honoring his prolific and powerful body of work, his engagement with other art forms, and the long time association that the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance has enjoyed with Mr. Taylor and his company.” — Carol K. Walker, Dean of Dance 1984 – 2007

Learn more by clicking the image above

Proceeds from the Purchase College School of the Arts Gala will create the first permanent endowment expressly for the School of the Arts. Reserve tickets

More Paul Taylor Links and Resources

• Sunday Arts Profile — Thirteen.org: A profile of the company featuring archival performance footage of Paul Taylor
• Paul Taylor & Patrick Corbin in Conversation: PTDC alum and choreographer, Corbin sits down with Paul Taylor
• Return of Beloved Renegade: Recent NYTimes retrospective by Alastair Macaulay on PTDC’s return to City Center
• Paul Taylor Dance Company Website: Articles, Dancer Profiles, Company History, and News

Special thanks to Paul Taylor, Carol K. Walker, Purchase College School of the Arts, and Karen Apablaza.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Category: Blog, Dance Companies, Dance Styles, History of Dance, Modern/Contemporary, News and Events, The Dance World, Toolbox

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Receiving a record 226 applications from 36 countries, 2010 was a year of firsts for those involved in the Prix. Of the 81 chosen to travel to Lausanne, 43 young men were in the majority – something that has never before occurred in the competition’s history. Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy sent three students. Liao Xiang was among the twenty finalists, Aaron Sharratt placed 5th, and for the first time the Academy had a first-prize winner in 18-year-old, Emanuel Amuchastegui.

Emanuel Amuchastegui; Photo by Jean Bernard Sieber

Amachastegui was fourteen when he began his training on scholarship with teacher Sandra Racedo at Villa Carlos Paz, Córdoba, Argentina. In 2006 he went to the big city, Buenos Aires, to join the Teatro Colón school and Julio Bocca‘s school. That same year he became part of Bocca’s Company and toured all over Europe and Argentina. Then in 2008 he arrived in Texas to study at Houston Ballet’s Academy, becoming part of the pre-professional company, Houston Ballet II, in 2009. At the Prix de Lausanne, he performed a classical variation from August Bournonville’s La Sylphide and a contemporary solo, Caliban, from Cathy Marston’s The Tempest. In addition to winning PDL’s top prize, Amuchasetgui also brought home the “Audience Favorite” award. In the wake of his win, Amachastegui was kind enough to answer a few questions about his experience at the prestigious competition, his training, and his life outside of dance.

Congratulations, Emanuel. I’m sure you are still riding a current of excitement since your win at Prix de Lausanne. Can you describe what it has been like for you?

It has been an incredible experience! I learned so much from all the teachers and also from the other competitors.

You were one of three PDL finalists from Houston Ballet’s Academy. Obviously they are doing something right. If you could choose only one attribute of the school that accounts for your success (and the success of your peers), what would it be?

I will say “passion” because that’s what all the teachers put every single day into classes and rehearsals. Also the students have to give every day in order to improve and get results.

Emanuel Amuchastegui; Photo by Jean Bernard Sieber

Were you nervous in the preparation for or during the competition?

Actually I wasn’t nervous at all. I was very comfortable. I think it’s because I wasn’t there to win, it was more like a window for me to show myself and to meet different teachers, experience different cultures and strengthen my technique.

It must have been incredibly rewarding to have your parents present in Switzerland. I read that you had not seen your father in over a year. How important has his support of your ballet career been?

He always supports me in everything, same as my mom. They both were there for me and respect the decisions I have made. I’m very glad because I know that there are some people that don’t have such support from family and it’s really important. It makes me happy knowing that they are there and that gives me the strength to keep pushing and follow my dreams.

It’s been said over and over what a gracious competitor you are. This, in addition to your performance, was likely a factor in your selection as Audience Favorite. What would you say to those who feel intensity in competition means having a ruthless attitude toward others?

I don’t know.. that’s a hard question. I think I am always myself, that’s the way I’m am and I think that always brings the best out. I never felt competitive with the other dancers, overall it was very nice energy at the Prix. Maybe the answer is to be yourself and learn from others and from your own errors.

Emanuel Amuchastegui; Photo by Jean Bernard Sieber

You are known, among other things, for your ballon in jumping. This was evident in the classical variation you performed in competition. You seem to have a natural talent for achieving “hang-time” in a jump, but we all know even natural abilities must be refined. Has there been an image or instruction given to you along the way that made a big difference in your jumps?

Well, I never knew that I could jump that much! [laughs] My teachers were always there and they just know what to say or what to do in order for me to give 100% every rehearsal. But I think that when I dance with my heart, everything else disappears and I am able to do things I never thought I could.

Do you have a preference for either classical or contemporary?

The Bournonville style goes well with my body. I focus a lot more on my contemporary because it has always been my weakest style. Since it’s something I have to work hard at I always enjoy it and try to do my best. When I started ballet it was because the magic of dance (that moment when I’m on stage and it’s just me dancing, it’s magical). Dance makes me forget everything else and be in the moment. I try to express that to the audience and I think when I achieve that, when the audience receives all that I am feeling in that moment on stage, it is beautiful. The classical is easier for my body and I really love it too, but with the contemporary I can show myself.

During the probably very limited time you have when you are not studying at HB’s Ben Stevenson Academy or dancing with HBII, what do you enjoy doing?

I love cooking with my roommates! Watching a movie and having fun. Going out with my friends it’s something that on the weekend is always a goal. Also I spend a lot of time talking to my family and friends in Argentina.

What is next for you now that the competition has ended and you have emerged a prizewinner?

Well, I don’t know yet. But I know how hard I’ll work and how much passion I’ll put towards dance. Of course dancing abroad means missing my family, but dancing is what I love to do and they are all supportive of me and I’m the happiest person knowing that.

Watch Amachastegui’s Classical Variation on YouTube: Part 5 – 0:12

Contemporary Variation on YouTube: Part 9 – 1:15

The timestamps for Houston Ballet Academy’s other finalists can be found here.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Category: Ballet/Pointe, Blog, College and Career, Dance Companies, Dance Styles, For Inspiration, In the Spotlight, News and Events, Performance, The Dance World, Toolbox

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Ballet: In the Upper Room; Choreographer: Twyla Tharp; Dancer(s): Elise Judson, Emily Bowen & Artists of Houston Ballet; Photograph: Amitava Sarkar

Houston Ballet unveiled Ben Stevenson’s production of The Nutcracker over 20 years ago. Since then it has become an audience favorite in Houston and beyond. Scores of ballerinas have made their Act II appearance as the Sugar Plum Fairy. This year, corps de ballet member Elise Judson will have her opportunity to shine in the role.

A native of Sacramento, California, Elise joined Houston Ballet in November of 2007. The 20-year-old has been featured in Stanton Welch’s Falling, the first pas de deux in Antony Tudor’s The Leaves are Fading, and recently performed as a member Twyla Tharp’s “bomb squad,” the red-pointe-shoe clad dancers from In The Upper Room. She took a moment to chat with me about her upcoming performance in The Nutcracker.

Dance Advantage: Elise, you’ve danced the role of Clara with Houston Ballet but this is your first turn as the Sugar Plum Fairy. What do you find most exciting about dancing this role?

Ballet: The Nutcracker; Choreographer: Ben Stevenson; Dancer(s): Mireille Hassenboehler & Linnar Looris; Photograph: Amitava Sarkar

Elise Judson: It is every little girl’s dream as a dancer to perform as the Sugar Plum Fairy and I am so excited to take on this role. I love the technical challenge that it poses for me as a dancer. This will also be the first full length, classical pas de deux that I have performed on stage, which is another milestone for me in my career. There are so many new and exciting things to look forward to performing this role. I can’t wait!

DA: Like most ballet dancers, I’m sure your training provided many opportunities to perform The Nutcracker. Do you remember your first time dancing in this holiday staple?

EJ: The Nutcracker is the first ballet that I remember watching as a child, which makes it a meaningful ballet to me. It was also the first production I performed in as a child with a professional company. My first role was one of Mother Ginger’s Children in Act II at age seven with the Sacramento Ballet. Later in my training, I also got the chance to perform the Lead Flower Pas de Deux and the Snow Pas de Deux in my first two summer intensive programs here at Houston Ballet.

DA: Were those experiences influential in your pursuit of dance?

EJ: Performing at such a young age in a huge theater with professional dancers helped to start my love of performing, as well as making me more comfortable on stage early on in my training. Also, it was after participating in those two summer programs in Houston that I realized I wanted to pursue dance professionally.

Ballet: The Nutcracker; Choreographer: Ben Stevenson; Dancer(s): Tyann Clement; Photograph: Amitava Sarkar

DA: How does it feel, knowing that your performance could inspire the next generation of dancers?

EJ: Incredible and surreal! I never dreamed that I would get the opportunity to perform the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy so early in my career. I know how much The Nutcracker inspired me to pursue dancing, so to know that I could have the same effect on children in the audience is truly incredible.

DA: The are so many renderings of the holiday classic. Each company puts its own spin on the tale. What is special about this version of the ballet?

EJ: In this production, there is something magical and joyous for every age. Magic tricks, flying cooks, and snow fill the stage with excitement and wonder. There is also the beautiful music played by the Houston Ballet Orchestra, as well as the incredible sets that bring the show to life. Not to mention beautiful dancing in a wide range of styles by the members of the company. It is an incredible show.

DA: Your older sister Carolyn is a dancer with Texas Ballet Theater (the North Texas ballet company helmed by Ben Stevenson). Both companies perform this particular Nutcracker, have you both danced in this production?

EJ: Yes, we’ve actually performed most of the same roles! My sister trained at Houston Ballet’s academy as a teenager and performed in Houston Ballet’s Nutcracker, as well as now performing the same production at Texas Ballet Theater. It would be fun to get to dance in it together!

DA: Houston Ballet is celebrating its 40th birthday this year but you are celebrating an anniversary as well. You joined the company two years ago. Which experiences have inspired the most growth for you personally during this time?

EJ: It is amazing that it has already been two years since I joined the company. I have been very lucky to perform so much already in my career with Houston Ballet. I think I have grown the most when I’ve been involved with the creation of a new work. Being in this company, I am lucky to get to perform in several world premieres each season. Our artistic director Stanton Welch is great about letting the dancers develop our own characters and have input when he is creating new works. I think that it is this creative process that has helped me to know who I am as a dancer as well as push myself to find new styles and personalities in my dancing.

Ballet: The Nutcracker; Choreographer: Ben Stevenson; Dancer(s): Katharine Precourt & Linnar Looris; Photograph: Amitava Sarkar

DA: What are you most looking forward to in 2010?

EJ: I am most looking forward to working on and performing Stanton Welch’s new production of La Bayadere. Performing in new works is one of my favorite parts of being a dancer at Houston Ballet. La Bayadere is also a new production for me, in that I have never performed in the full length version of it. It is an extremely challenging production and I can’t wait to work on it.

DA: I’m sure you dreamed of dancing in a professional company long before it happened. If you could offer one piece of advice to young students with visions of Sugar Plum Fairies dancing in their heads, what would it be?

EJ: Love every minute of it. Ballet is a difficult, but very rewarding art form. Years of classes and rehearsals can be tedious and strenuous, but when you get the opportunity to take your bow on stage in front of an audience and hear their applause for you, there is nothing more rewarding. It is all worth it!

Houston Ballet will give 35 performances of The Nutcracker in the Brown Theater at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets may be purchased by calling 713-227-2787 or logging on to www.houstonballet.org.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Ballet/Pointe, Blog, Dance Companies, Dance Styles, News and Events, The Dance World, Toolbox

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Joseph Walsh in Stanton Welch's Swan Lake // Photo: Amitava Sarkar

I do a bit of writing and reviewing in Houston and it has been my pleasure to have the opportunity to interview some of the area’s finest dance talent. I don’t always cross-post my stuff here but when I get to talk with someone about their training and experiences, I like to share that with Dance Advantage readers. Last season I interviewed graduating HBII dancer Garrett Smith. This season I was fortunate to speak with one of Houston Ballet’s rising stars. Enjoy!

Houston Ballet corps de ballet member Joseph Walsh is having a great season so far.

This summer it was announced that he had been recognized as an emerging talent in dance with a Princess Grace Award. As a recipient he’ll be joining the esteemed company of past winners such as Ethan Steifel, Robert Battle, Gillian Murphy, as well as five previous winners from Houston Ballet (Yin Le, Carlos Acosta, Tiekka Schofield, Li Cunxin, and Martha Butler).

Now, hot on the heels of a performance in Manon which kicked off Houston Ballet’s 40th Anniversary season,  Walsh will perform this weekend as the company unveils Without Boundaries. The program features three works that traverse that sometimes tenuous line between classical ballet and modern dance and will include the world premiere of Artistic Director Stanton Welch’s Elements, as well as company premieres of Twyla Tharp’s In The Upper Room and Jiří Kylián’s Falling Angels. Despite his busy schedule, Walsh took a moment to speak with me about developing as an artist, performing classical versus contemporary works, and attracting young audiences to ballet.

Dance Advantage: First of all, congratulations on being honored with a Princess Grace Award.

Joseph Walsh: Thank you so much! This has been quite the whirlwind start to the season. I cannot say enough about how honored I feel to have even been nominated for this award by our artistic director, much less how amazing it feels to receive it! I will be attending the award ceremony in New York City next month, which is extremely exciting.

Joe Walsh in rehearsal // Photo: Amitava Sarkar

DA: I read your essay which was part of the application process for this award and was impressed with your candor. You describe the feeling that the stage sometimes feels safer than the studio. It is said that we are our own worst critics, do you think that is particularly true for dancers?

JW: Absolutely!  Dancing professionally, there is not as much instruction or coaching on a daily basis as there might be in the school in terms of really showing the dancers exactly what to do.  In that respect, self-critique is important because there are so many company members and our instructors can’t possibly focus on every individual as much as they would like. As a student we become accustomed to getting critique in class, but in a company you are in charge of your development; it is up to the dancer to understand how their body is working, what he or she needs to work on.  The mirror is sometimes the tool that helps us to understand that.

“The lesson for me to learn is how to bring the stage to the studio. It is finding the same level of confidence that I have on stage even with all of those “faces” in the studio standing before me, including the one I see in the mirror.” — To view Walsh’s essay visit Houston Ballet’s blog.

DA: You give examples of lessons you are working to internalize so that you can more fully trust your instincts as an artist. Are there steps you take or things you say to yourself to stay focused and confident when doubts creep in?

JW: Although I am still figuring out better ways to keep my focus throughout the process of rehearsing and performing in roles, something like the Princess Grace Award has really shown me that I can have confidence in myself and in the choices I make in classical or contemporary roles, so long as I deliver them in a way that I understand. Also trying to really open myself up to feedback from the artistic staff and other dancers from Houston Ballet has helped tremendously.

DA: In your essay you also mentioned overcoming a fear of leaving home to attend a boarding school for the arts in Massachusetts. I’m a Pennsylvania native and to my younger self, I might well have gone to school on the moon as to leave home for Boston. How old were you?

JW: I was 15 at the time.  I knew ballet was what I wanted to do.  I also knew I had to leave home to achieve my goals in dance by getting exposure to the best training I could. The initial fear was really a perceived fear.  Once I became fully involved in the program there was no time for fear, only hard but exciting work and a chance to perform in a significant way.

DA: Where did your interest in ballet originate?

JW: I have been attached to ballet for virtually my whole life, starting at age three when I was exposed to it while my sister was dancing.  It is actually hard for me to think that there was a time in my life when I did not dance. My interest in dance flourished over the years through intense training and exposure to amazing instructors and great people in the profession.

DA: You are certainly flourishing at Houston Ballet, this weekend you’ll be dancing in two of the three works on the Without Boundaries program; Stanton Welch’s world premiere of Elements and Twyla Tharp’s acclaimed In the Upper Room. Can you tell me a bit about your role in Elements and how it differs from the more classical works you’ve performed?

JW: I am the Element “Air.”  As Stanton Welch recently explained to us, Elements is a minimalist ballet piece, where character is not conveyed so much through acting, but through dancing.  When I contrast that to classical ballet pieces where there is a story line, the dancer thinks of giving more in terms of acting. In Elements we are trying to give exactly what the choreographer wants.  If we give any less or any more, it will lessen the integrity of the piece.

Elements — Choreography by Stanton Welch

Dancer: Ian Casady // Photo: Pam Francis

Dancer: Jonathan Davidsson // Photo: Pam Francis

Dancer: Peter Franc // Photo: Pam Francis

DA: In the Upper Room originally premiered in 1986 and is one of Tharp’s signature works. Why is it significant for Houston Ballet to finally have a Tharp piece in the repertory? And how is this opportunity significant for you personally?

JW: In my view, the introduction of Tharp’s work continues the efforts to bring to Houston Ballet world-class choreography.  Tharp is in that category and it is great to have her work as part of the resume of the company. For the same reason, it is just as important for a dancer personally, to dance in pieces of as many great choreographers as possible.

DA: The work can be pretty fast and furious, driven by the Philip Glass score. What has been the biggest challenge in learning and executing the choreography?

JW: As in most Philip Glass scores it is minimalist, but with much repetition.  Tharp also went along those lines In the Upper Room by introducing a lot of repetition and speed to go along with the score. There are many moments throughout when I will almost lose my place in either the choreography or the music purely because of the repetition in both. It can be a little disconcerting at points, but as we have started to put the piece on stage it has become much easier to handle.  It is an exciting and challenging piece.

DA: Do you think works like those being premiered in Without Boundaries can serve as a gateway for younger audiences to discover and delve deeper into the art of ballet?

I think what you are saying is really the basis of our company at this point; keeping the integrity of the art form while improving on it by bringing new life and energy through these types of pieces.

DA: Offering a little incentive doesn’t hurt either. In fact, Houston Ballet has been trying some new things lately to reach out to a younger audience. They recently launched their Young Professionals program for the “under 40″ crowd. And they have Under 25 Friday night performances for which 18 to 25 year-olds get a steal on tickets – $15 for one or $25 for two. I don’t think it is a secret that patrons of ballet and often dance in general are a more “mature” crowd. Why do you think it is harder to get younger “butts in the seats?”

JW: Young people are simply not as exposed to ballet as they are to popular sports and other forms of entertainment.  There is not the same level of cultural awareness of ballet.  Many younger people still see ballet as a stale art form. This is one reason Houston Ballet is doing exciting and fast paced ballet pieces like the triple bill next weekend.  And of course, approaches like the Under 25 program are helping to make it much more affordable.

Walsh in William Forsythe's The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude // Photo: Amitava Sarkar

Originally from Pennsylvania, Joseph Walsh trained at Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts near Boston, American Ballet Theatre and Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy. He was a member of Houston Ballet II prior to joining the professional company in 2007, and since then has been featured in a variety of contemporary and classical roles including Lensky in John Cranko’s Onegin, Charles d’Artoise in Stanton Welch’s Marie, and William Forsythe’s The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude.

Houston Ballet will give six performances of Without Boundaries at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets may be purchased by calling 713 227 2787 or by visiting www.houstonballet.org

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If you are a dance company representative and your organization didn’t get listed here, you can still show up in the “tweetbacks” below. Just tweet about this post and include its permalink – something like: Joining the dance company Twitter parade at Dance Advantage! http://danceadvantage.net/2009/07/26/dance-company-twitter-parade/. (feel free to copy and paste) You may want to mention your company’s name if your Twitter username does not make it glaringly obvious. Your tweet (along with a link to your Twitter account) will appear as a comment below!

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One ballet company in particular, however, has taken YouTube dance videos to another level. While many organizations focus solely on the performance, Anaheim Ballet has been prolifically creating video podcasts which feature way more than dance. In the almost two and a half years they’ve been podcasting, nearly 100 videos have been posted. These include profiles of past and present company members, “Ask a Ballerina” sessions which answer viewer’s questions, rehearsal and class footage, unique montage videos, and every once in a while some excerpts from their repertory. They raise awareness of important issues, they display ballet as an artistic and athletic art form, and they do it all with flare and personality. It’s relevant, it’s entertaining, and it’s smart! Anaheim Ballet’s video sharing initiatives have certainly enhanced their presence online and the presence of ballet as well.

Here is just a sampling of what you’ll find at the Anaheim Ballet YouTube Channel:

A fun explosion of stop motion

Ask a Ballerina

Raising awareness about genocide in Rwanda

Alum Aria Alekzander – now with Houston Ballet (woot!) – her parents are the artistic directors of Anaheim Ballet. Read a little about Aria’s dancing family and her love of the Nutcracker at Houston Ballet’s blog.

The silly side of things… don’t miss the blooper reel for this one!

• You may see more videos and subscribe via Anaheim Ballet’s YouTube channel or view the videos at www.morethandance.com.
• Want to purchase the original music that accompanies the videos? Check out morethandancemusic.com or search iTunes® for Anaheim Ballet.
• If you’d like to learn more about Anaheim Ballet, visit the website. Or, connect with the company on MySpace for additional news, updates, and behind-the-scenes footage of podcast director, Evan Rosenberg in action.

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Garrett Smith; photo by Trent Nelson

At 20 years old, Garrett Smith is a recent graduate of Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy and already an accomplished performer and choreographer. As a member of Houston Ballet II, Houston Ballet’s pre-professional company, he has toured internationally to places like Budapest and Japan. In addition, Garrett has set four works on HB II, often doing double duty as dancer and dance-maker.

Even before being awarded a scholarship to the Academy in 2006, Garrett’s ambition and dedication won him numerous honors. Originally from Riverton, Utah, he has performed off-Broadway and in the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Summer Olympics. Garrett is a national title winner of the New York City Dance Alliance competition, awarded in the Junior category at age 13 and selected as Teen Male Outstanding Dancer at 16. And, as an NFAA youngARTS winner, he was one of 20 students selected as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts in 2007. And those are just his dance achievements!

Clearly, on the fast-track to a bright future, Garrett took some time to talk with me about his early training as a young man in dance, his passion for choreography, and what lies ahead for him.

Dance Advantage: You began dancing at age 9 but you didn’t start with ballet. What prompted you to try dance in the first place and why did you decide later to give ballet a try?

Garrett Smith: Sports just weren’t doing it for me so I tried tap, jazz, and hip hop. I loved it. I was silly at age 9 wanting to be famous. I thought if you were a jazz dancer, it meant you were dancing on screen with the Utah Jazz [laughs]. I tried ballet because the studio I was attending was dying down and I switched to this great ballet school in Utah called Jacqueline’s School of Ballet. I changed so much there, as did my opinion of ballet. I guess I never knew what ballet really was until I was in a correct ballet academy.

DA: As a young man with an interest and passion for dance, have you ever experienced teasing or taunting by peers or pressure to not be involved?

GS: Ugh, yes! From 3rd grade until 9th, it was pretty bad. I came home crying some days. But, through the years I improved and realized that I was going far at a young age. I knew what I was doing with my life, unlike the boys who called me names.  The teasing made me work harder to prove them wrong and to be successful. When I went to Europe at age 13, I realized that they were so wrong because I was having so much fun dancing.

DA: In your opinion or experience, how important is it that boys have male teachers to inspire and encourage them?

GS: It is very important. In my training it made the world of difference. I had to leave my home to train in a place where boys were better than me. It was nice when I was the only boy getting all the attention but, at some point, you need competition to compare yourself to. And you need teachers that understand a male dancer’s body and how a man needs to dance on stage – jumps and partnering in particular.

DA: How did you balance school and other activities as your study of dance intensified?

GS: I was born into a religious family with great values. My mother taught me that I am a young man that dances, not one being raised to be a dancer. As my dance training became more serious throughout high school, I tested out of gym classes, left school early to drive down to rehearsals, and I did my whole senior year independently. I think that a normal upbringing in public schools, developing social skills, and being raised with values and good morals helped me balance my life as a young man and dancer.

DA: Do you feel you missed out on anything by making the choice to finish your high-school education from a distance?

GS: No, I don’t feel I missed out on anything really. I think that I was pretty normal for going to most all of my schooling, church activities, and doing drama and musical theater performances outside of school. My drive comes from my love of art and doing what I do best. Wanting to get better and better and seeing the improvement over the years, the amazing places I go and friendships I make, gives me the motivation to continue on this path to becoming a dancer.

Garrett Smith; photo by Trent Nelson

DA: You’ve been an honored recipient of awards in nation-wide competitions and arts programs. As a result you’ve worked and taken instruction from some of the world’s most renowned professionals. Not every dancer reading is interested in pursuing dance at this level but many do participate in conventions and competitions. How might students at any level make the most of master classes or other experiences which take them beyond their home studio?

GS: When you are at any type of dance convention, it’s important to watch others and observe how the teachers move their bodies. Listen to what the teachers’ motives are behind the steps. Also, don’t be afraid to get in front of the group of dancers and show yourself. Be confident but be open to correction and adapt to change. The right way to dance a step might not always be what you learned at your local studio.

DA: What did you take away from your experiences at summer programs like School of American Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet?

GS: I was introduced to great dancers from all over the world. I learned a lot about myself. I learned that I was a little behind in my men’s technique and partnering. I was so skinny and weak but, I was more versatile than most any dancer I came across because I had opened myself to a wider vocabulary of movement. Maybe they could to a triple tour, but I could tap, sing, play the piano, choreograph a ballet, I knew hip hop, and was successful with most any contemporary ballet thrown at me.

DA: What advice would you give to a dancer that is seriously considering either a short-term or long-term continuation of their dance study away from family and friends?

GS: I think that when you are young, it’s scary to think of moving away and being alone, but now I wish I could have moved away to train earlier! Away from my family, I depended on myself to cook, do schooling, and it was all up to me in the end. Nobody but me was getting myself out of bed to class. That’s how I knew that I was really serious about ballet!

My advice to other young dancers is to just be honest with yourself. Don’t go for any other reason than for yourself. Friends should not be the reason you are going, you are not there to party, you are there to work. If you know you want this, then when you are mature enough and ready, go to the schools that will benefit you the most, even if it happens to be in another country.

DA: You were awarded a scholarship to attend the Houston Ballet Academy through Youth America Grand Prix and you’ve continued with your study there. What’s made the Academy a good fit for you?

GS: Over the past three years I have become a strong partner. I did the pas de deux in the Spring Showcase this year which means so much to me because I never thought of myself doing this kind of role before. I had other offers before Houston, such as PNB, and the Kirov, but I decided Houston Ballet’s Academy would be the best fit because of the diverse training that is offered. They have great men’s technique here, really good jazz and modern class, character, pilates, and a very well taught pas de deux class.

Most important for me has been the multiple choreographic opportunities that have come along, for which I am so grateful. It all started with the Houston Ballet’s summer program workshop, American Festival for the Arts (AFA). You have two weeks to work with dancers to set your own piece. You even get to costume it and light it on stage. It is really cool. This is what made me realize, “Wow, I love this!”

DA: Your work has become a fixture at the Academy’s Spring Showcase. Tell me a little bit your last piece, “Of Opposing Nature,” your creative process, and inspiration for the work.

GS: Jiri Kylian, David Dawson, and Stanton Welch are all great choreographers in this generation, and they all inspire me. For this piece I experimented a little bit more with lighting ideas. There are 7 movements in the ballet and I have used amazing music by Vivaldi. The work is for 5 men and 3 women. There is a conflict between the men and women, as well as connections, diversity, discovery, and subtle romance. After working long and hard for the piece this year, I was very excited for its premiere.

“..unique with an appealing unpredictability. The dancers slid and skidded along the floor, carving through the space with large, dynamic movements, and then a flick of the wrist, a moment of measured restraint or stillness, swiftly changed the mood. An unusual costume device utilized by the five male dancers featured fabric extended at the neck like a scarf. Whether stretched over the face or ferociously wiggled, its use illustrated Smith’s creativity and willingness to take risks.” – from my review of the 2009 Spring Showcase

DA: Okay, big question, I heard you may audition for So You Think You Can Dance? Is this still a possibility?

GS: I won’t be able to audition because I now have a contract for the 2009-2010 season with Houston Ballet!

DA: Assuming you’re a regular viewer, what do you think is different about watching dance on television as opposed to seeing live dance performance?

GS: I still always watch my friends dance on the show and never really miss an episode. That is the kind of dancing I grew up with. It is just disappointing that it has become so much about hip hop and sex appeal. I think ballet needs to be better respected and given some credit on the show, and done correctly. I guess that is what is different about America watching dance on TV rather than live.

DA: You’ve done so much for someone a mere 20 years old. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

GS: I see myself in my dream company, dancing awesome parts in amazing ballets, working on new masterpieces, hopefully for Houston Ballet and other companies. Maybe getting married [laughs].

If there’s anyone that could do it all…! Thanks, Garrett.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | One comment - ADD YOURS! | Category: Asides, Blog, Dance Companies, For Inspiration, For Students, The Dance World

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Dance artists and companies are beginning to find ways of making use of this technology, giving audiences that previously may have been out of reach, access to their art.

It is exciting to think that someone on the opposite side of the world can tune in to watch the work of an artist known only on their home turf. And, I find it really thrilling that students unable to attend a live performance due to location or other circumstances have the opportunity to access a work they may never have seen otherwise.

So….

Today I’d like to connect you to TenduTV, a broadband television channel that is delivering live concert dance, documentaries, and dance for camera works to an ever-widening audience.  Their videos, many of which show complete (rather than excerpted) contemporary dance works  for stage and film, offer excellent opportunities for students to connect with the dance world beyond their own studio.

Live performance video of Robert Battle’s “Overture,” Julie Voshell (from “Movin’ Out”) and Duncan Cooper (see my report on his recent interview here) in Leda Meredith’s “Pair of Jacks,” and works by Jonah Bokaer (which I’ve written about here) are available via TenduTV. There are also several award-winning screendance selections and an inspirational documentary film about the difference dance has made in a London women’s correctional facility. It is not to be missed.

I also want to note that TenduTV is to be commended for working to help dance artists utilize current technology without sacrificing the integrity and copyright protection of their work. I always look forward to the new selections posted on their channel via Sling.com and encourage you to keep your eye on this project. TenduTV is continually finding new spaces and places to broadcast, including millions of home televisions throughout the U.S.

Check out TenduTV’s channel at Sling.com

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© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Category: Blog, Dance Companies, Dance Media, In the Spotlight, The Dance World

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Isadora Duncan was an American dancer born in San Francisco in the late 1800′s. Adopting a free-form, expressive style of movement which she performed barefoot and in loose-fitting tunics (a departure from the rigid attire of the time), she became one of the fore-runners of modern dance.

Her early public appearances in the United States were unsuccessful and, like many of modern dance’s early pioneers, Isadora traveled abroad to Europe. There, her work garnered recognition and appreciation by audiences. Her dances, inspired by ancient Greek sculpture and philosophy, were characterized by expressive and free-flowing movement and gesture. They captured the imaginations of those familiar only with the convention and structure of ballet, an art form which was experiencing a decline in the early 20th century.

A rebel at heart, Isadora defied social norms. She was outspoken in her disdain for marriage and even jazz music which was gaining popularity at the time, preferring instead the classics of Brahms, Wagner, and Beethoven. Her two children, who later perished when the car in which they were riding rolled into the Seine river, were fathered by two different men. Her choices garnered public and political attention. She was both revered and ridiculed, considered by some to be a revolutionary and labeled a harlot by others. In Russia she met a poet seventeen years her junior and married him in 1922 so that she could bring him along on tour to the United States. Accused of being a Bolshevik agent, Duncan fled America for the final time.

She lived the rest of her short life on the French Riviera where she died tragically when her trademark long, flowing scarf became entangled in a motorcar wheel, strangling her. An innovator ahead of her time, her natural and free dance liberated the dance formula and paved the way for the development and acceptance of the modern dance art form.

“Isadora Duncan.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 13 Apr. 2009.

More About Isadora

• Isadora was also a dance educator, founding and inspiring several schools of dance. Read more about her legacy and the history of her “Isadorables” at the Isadora Duncan Foundation for Contemporary Dance whose resident company, directed by Lori Belilove (a third-generation Duncan dancer), performs the Duncan repertoire.
• From the Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco, a fascinating account of Isadora’s life, including glimpses from her childhood. Written by Samuel Dickson, this was originally one of the KPO/KNBC radio scripts, later printed in “San Francisco Kaleidoscope,” Stanford University Press, 1949.
• Short and sweet observations by Henrietta Cullinan, made after her attendance at the Royal Ballet’s  recent performance of the ballet, Isadora. I just enjoyed her comparisons to Madonna and her remarks regarding Isadora’s dislike of jazz music.

• 

  www.youtube.com/watch?v=68mbHx32xsE

  — Thanks to Dancing as One for pointing me to this video.
• Ismene Brown looks back at Isadora’s controversial life and asks, “Isadora Duncan-- sublime or ridiculous?” A really interesting article.
• Did you know that San Francisco Bay Area dancers are given the opportunity to be recognized and honored by the Isadora Duncan Dance Awards Committee? The awards and ceremony are known as the Izzies and dance blogger/San Francisco Ballet principal, Maria Kochetkova is a recent recipient.
• Did you know that Isadora Duncan is the subject of a graphic biography (i.e. comic book)? You can read an interview with author, Sabrina Jones at comicbookresources.com, and a review/description of the book at Girl w/Pen.
• Photographer, Hila’s beautiful shot of Tamara Rojo dancing Isadora Duncan Waltzes, choreographed by Frederick Ashton. Check out the accompanying video for an excerpt of this work.
• A lovely poem by Kirsten Olson entitled Isadora Duncan’s Fire. “My mother played piano. And I, Isadora, would dance.” Read on…
• Catherine Galasso will be premiering a new work in San Francisco about Joshua Norton, an eccentric businessman in the city’s history. The work will feature Isadora Duncan in its cast of characters and the blog provides reference material regarding this work-in-progress. There is interesting documentation of the process of recreating Duncan, and using her movement style as the basis for a contemporary re-interpretation.

Your Mission Should You Choose to Accept It…

Find ways of studying, incorporating, re-inventing Isadora Duncan in your classes or at your studio, (even if you don’t teach modern dance)!

List some ways you can or have done so in the comments below.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | 4 comments | Category: Blog, Dance Companies, Dance Styles, History of Dance, Modern/Contemporary, The Dance World, Toolbox

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Ballet: The Nutcracker; Choreographer: Ben Stevenson; Dancers: Katharine Precourt & Linnar Looris; Photograph: Amitava Sarkar

In the music industry artists often release new renditions, called covers, of previously recorded and released songs. Often these are explorations and reworkings of the original material, designed to pay tribute to the original, reach a new audience demographic, and/or encourage the listener’s interest in the artist by hooking them with a familiar tune. For similar reasons, dance companies worldwide add their versions of The Nutcracker to the fray, making it the most “covered” ballet narrative in the dance world. In this sea of re-hashed material, how does a dance company create a variation that will be a stand-out and beloved at the same time? While there may be no concrete answer to this question, Ben Stevenson’s  choreography, as performed by Houston Ballet, is an excellent model of this elusive formula.

From the opening scenes, the ballet promises a traditional take on the classic story. Characters file across the stage in 19th century costumes indicative of the tale’s setting. Men, women, and children gather at the Stahlbaum family home, complete with a large tree sheltering imagination-powered gifts and toys, for a Christmas party. Where many established versions have failed in making these scenes come alive for a contemporary audience, Stevenson’s take on the familiar scenario offers an engaging and action-packed opening that resonates, in particular, with families who’ve come to see the show. Long segments of courtly dancing are not to be found, traded instead for vignettes that capitalize on familial interactions and have a look and feel of authenticity, despite a heavy use of slapstick. Children, all from Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy are a joy to watch, and wriggle and squiggle as they’re tossed about by uncles or cousins. Elder relatives guzzle ale, from which comedy ensues. And, with his reserve of slight-of-hand and theatrical magic tricks, even Drosselmeyer, played here as more eccentric uncle than mysterious (and creepy) conjurer, is strikingly genuine.

Not just in this opening scene, after which the ballet’s plot inevitably comes to a halt, but throughout the remainder of this version of The Nutcracker, Stevenson has woven humor and inventiveness into the fabric of his choreography. From the ridiculousness of rotund mice scurrying en pointe, to the nostalgia of Clara chasing snowflakes embodied by dancers in flowing skirts, to the originality of flying chefs with angel wings in The Land of Sweets, this Nutcracker keeps viewers entertained. Even in Act II, which has the potential to become for the audience a seemingly endless parade of divertissement and pas de deux, captivating partnering and whimsical innovations make each section memorable.

Houston Ballet’s performance of this endearing rendition of The Nutcracker is strong and polished. The cast fluctuates, sometimes rotating corps members into principal roles, yet from the level of performance it is clear that audiences will see a top-notch show on any given evening. For many dancers, myself included, The Nutcracker is typically an event worthy of evasion, regarded as a song that’s been covered one too many times. However, Houston Ballet’s The Nutcracker, delivers a worthy reinvention of a classic that could melt anyone’s wintry heart.

Performances of Houston Ballet’s The Nutcracker will continue now through December 28th. See their website for details.

Ballet: The Nutcracker; Choreographer: Ben Stevenson; Dancer: Oliver Halkowich; Photograph: Amitava Sarkar

What are your thoughts on The Nutcracker versions that you’ve seen? Have there been any that particularly captured your imagination or are you “over it?”

Click here for BalletMet’s detailed history of The Nutcracker.

AND DON’T FORGET!

Ovation TV’s Battle of The Nutcrackers: Grudge Match is on! Watch, vote, and weigh-in on the six versions being shown on this arts network. Polls will close on December 19 and the winner will be broadcast on Christmas Eve!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | One comment - ADD YOURS! | Category: Blog, Dance Companies, The Dance World

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Photo ©Michael Hart

The Texas air was, for a change, a bit chilly. Groups of people stood together on a long, industrial loading platform. Those who had remembered their warmer clothing or coats waited in relative comfort, while others huddled in the crisp night air, thankful for the promise of only spending ten minutes of this evening’s event outdoors. The lights of a vehicle focused across the narrow parking lot, casting illumination on a single garage door in a warehouse that mirrored that of the DiverseWorks gallery and performance venue. Known for hosting experimental works of both performance and visual art, this 25 year-old establishment was likely not surprising much of its audience by briefly displaying a portion of the evening’s dance performance outside. However, as it was late November, only in a city with a climate such as Houston’s could this have been accomplished without protests from the patrons.

Those gathering waited to see the latest offering from an accomplished dancer and choreographer from New York who has already, at the age of 26, received many accolades for his work. Jonah Bokaer, upon joining the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in 2000, became, at age 18, the youngest professional ever hired in the ensemble’s history. In 2002, Bokaer led a group of artists and choreographers in the foundation of Chez Bushwick, an organization based in Brooklyn that focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration between artists of all disciplines, and fosters the development of new work through public programming and by offering much-needed rehearsal space to artists at the subsidized rate of $5 per hour. In addition, Bokaer has co-founded the Center for Performance Research in New York, is a published writer and activist, and drives the spheres of digital media, motion capture, and contemporary technologies to new levels of innovation and interconnectedness in their applications for movement research and development.

With the highway traffic of I-10 roaring nearby, Jonah Bokaer took a turn as performer in False Start, a brief prelude to his feature work The Invention of Minus One, and the reason for which the audience assembled outside. As a lone figure he stood silhouetted before a garage door on a concrete loading dock. Though he began standing, much of the dance was executed at a low level, his body folding and unfolding on the narrow, gritty space within the glow of strategically placed headlights. A rapid flurry of crisp and articulated movements was interrupted by broad strokes, occasionally accented with the rumbling of Bokaer’s feet striking the metal door as he skillfully used it to propel his lower body and shift weight into his hands. During a brief moment of rest for Bokaer, a vibrant image of reds and blues (a projection of Jasper John’s painting, False Start, the namesake and inspiration for the solo) appeared on the garage door. Within the image, an almost skeletal figure took shape and began its own series of folding and unfolding gestures, its lifting, sliding, and flopping a result of the gravity-free motion of unembellished computer animation. Echoing the movements of the figure, Bokaer re-created the phrase. Moments of illumination and darkness followed as the headlights toggled on and off and Bokaer teased the audience, backing up and hovering much too near the edge of the three or four foot ledge, dipping a toe beyond the brink.

False Start is not always presented outdoors. Performers and choreographers often have to make adaptations in dance as they move from venue to venue. In an interview with Nancy Wozny, Bokaer responded to a question about how he planned to adjust the solo for the DiverseWorks stage. Without divulging any details, he commented,  “I look forward to adapting to the space at DiverseWorks and making sure that the piece can “live” there in a way that complements the beauty of the venue.” True to this mission, False Start, seemed at home in the tarnished environment of the Warehouse District. Had it inhabited the same location as Minus One, the solo perhaps would have felt more like a “false start” to the dance that followed. As it was, the piece was fully permitted to stand alone. Despite the occasional distraction of cars meandering through the parking lot, and that the distance was perhaps too great between the tiny makeshift stage and the spectators for comfortable viewing, False Start was an intriguing, rich work, and a fitting opening act to the evening’s main event.

Inside, DiverseWorks’ intimate performance space seemed more equipped for a photo shoot than a dance performance. The stage was set with an assortment of tripods, projection screens, and three wardrobe carts draped with bits of clothing and feather boas. Fifteen white photography umbrellas, installed in a rectangular pattern on the back wall, revealed their purpose as The Invention of Minus One began. Projected upon this unconventional backdrop were two faces. In silence they waited, spoke, and shared brief moments of laughter and sobriety. It was a candid moment shared by the dancers before they physically took the stage in an upstage corner. The three performers would visit this location often throughout the duration of the piece, standing shoulder to shoulder in a row as if collecting themselves before moving onward to the next chapter of their visual story.

The dancers, Bokaer, Alison Cave, and Jimena Paz, wore simple but slightly absurd costumes designed by Isaac Mizrahi. The lone male figure in the trio, Bokaer donned a military-style jacket that seemed a bit cumbersome in appearance with epaulettes heavily beaded with what looked like uncooked macaroni noodles (I believe they were actually wooden beads). Paz was sleekly and femininely dressed in silver leggings and a shimmery top that could easily have come off the Mizrahi fashion line rack at any Target store, while the androgynous Alison Cave’s apparel combined these two looks with silver leggings beneath a less decorated military jacket.

Like many of the key players in Modern Dance, Jonah Bokaer’s investigation and exploration of movement and concepts grows like a branch on a family tree. His work with Merce Cunningham is an unmistakable influence, yet Bokaer presents strong and identifiable themes in a way that Cunningham’s purely kinetic work does not. Although it is left to the viewer to draw their own conclusions about how or why they relate, in The Invention of Minus One, Bokaer has presented vignettes that clearly interconnect and even hint at an underlying meaning. For example, the use of visual media and technology and the way humans interact with it was a common thread throughout the piece. Video projections (designed by former Cunningham dancer, animator, and college professor, Michael Cole) formed a corps of additional performers. The images displayed were varied and included immediate and live footage of the dancers, cutouts of the performers, à la the Vitruvian Man, that bent and twisted like paper dolls as they floated across the screen, and graphic representations of cameras and Polaroid snapshots which shifted and whirled into formations or materialized unexpectedly. Pieces of the set were manipulated and relocated in a similar fashion. At one point the women took Polaroid shots of one another as Bokaer danced on. Once created, these became an effective addition to the collection of props used ingeniously throughout the work.

The sound score, composed by Christian Marclay, crackled, whirred, and pulsed, giving auditory support to a visual feast. In fact, the sounds themselves seemed to give off a kinetic energy that could almost be seen. At times the trio of dancers performed in silence, accompanied only by the award-winning lighting design of Aaron Copp. They responded and connected to one another in a purposeful yet entirely undramatic way. Although the work made great use of gesture and expression, which ranged from unconscious tics to hand signals, to awkward or silly chortling,  the majority of the dancer’s movements appeared simple and pedestrian only because these performers are so skilled. By nature, choreography that is created using simulated or animated dance forms, a method which is at the heart of Bokaer’s work, presents certain challenges for a performer. Although technology can mimic human locomotion, it can produce transitions and sequences that would not be the first (second, or even third) choice of the dancer who must translate the movement onto their body. It is to the credit of these movers that they were able to make the sometimes disjointed choreography look effortless.

There are many memorable moments in The Invention of Minus One which were imprinted in my mind on that chilly November evening. Perhaps an homage to the Cunningham and Cage chance principles, one such episode engaged the dancers in what looked like a slight-of-hand parlor game as they passed a coin between their fingers and beneath their hands on the floor of the stage. In another passage, umbrellas, lit from the inside, turned Jimena Paz into a jellyfish-like creature. Her subtle movements had the effect of whispering, demanding that the viewer pay closer attention. Later, overturned wardrobe carts and focused lighting framed the soles of each dancer’s feet as these appendages performed their own, unique pas de deux. For the most part, although clearly presenting human interactions with technology and with one another, Minus One delivered movement devoid of theatricality. However, in one of the rare moments that this work ventured into emotional terrain, the ambiguously dressed Alison Cave, bathed in a blue spotlight, sat surrounded by the Polaroid photos which she had just collected. One by one she gazed at the photos as if memorizing or recalling the details of each. As I write this review of The Invention of Minus One, this image, in particular, resonates. I realize I am doing the same. Capturing, collecting, and recalling these snapshots in time and space. They remain with me as if caught by the flash of a camera.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | One comment - ADD YOURS! | Category: Blog, Dance Companies, The Dance World

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photo by cobannon

We all face adversity in our lives. Obstacles for dancers can come in many forms. They may be physical (a chronic injury, muscular or structural limitations, sometimes even a person’s height can stand in their way).  They may be in the form of other people (a discouraging teacher, a negative co-worker, an unsupportive family member).  They can be mental obstacles or those that come from within ourselves (an eating disorder, procrastination, perfectionism).  In fact, probably the obstacles that most dancers face fall into the latter category.

It is inspiring to know that people can overcome great odds.  And it can be uplifting to realize that, not only are there others who struggle against adversity, but those who perhaps face greater obstacles than oneself.  In honor of those who have overcome, I would like to share just a few stories of hardship and triumph with you.  Perhaps they will help us (I am including myself) gain perspective regarding our own struggles. The list is a wide variety of examples, some may seem less significant than others but all of these achievements present very real difficulties in the lives of the dancers who have struggled to make their dreams come true.

Inwardly rotated hips and naysayers didn’t stop this dancer from becoming a professional.

Lauren Anderson – the first black American promoted to principal ballet dancer in a major U.S. dance company.

Alvin Ailey overcame poverty and prejudice to found a world-famous dance company.

Judith’s Story: the begginnings of AXIS dance company

Paraplegia did not stop this former professional ballet dancer.

The story of Tai Lihua, who lost her hearing at age 2 and now leads the China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe.

National Dance Institute transforms the lives of thousands of NYC public school children. Here is the story of just one of the students whose life has been altered by this program. The program and the stories of its participants are also highlighted in the following documentaries: He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin and Who’s Dancin’ Now?

Lisa Bufano is a double amputee and dancer/performance artist. See her story and her work.

Sometimes age can seem like a disability but Liz Lerman proves that everyone is a dancer.

I wanted to highlight the story of a blind dancer but had difficulty finding one person’s story. However, I did discover Touchdown Dance, whose work and workshops combine visually impaired and sighted dancers using contact improvisation techniques.

These are just a few of the personal stories of dancers and performers.  There is inspiration everywhere.

If you know of an inspiring story you’d like to share or would like me to highlight on Dance Advantage, leave a comment or contact me.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments | Category: Blog, Dance Companies, For Inspiration, In the Spotlight, The Dance World

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