“Partners in Mime” – LA Unbound Spring 2012 – (R) Chiabella James

There is a lot of news to share.  In the past month I have debuted not one, but two pieces of my very own choreography.  For someone who has dreamed of being a choreographer, this was a huge milestone in my life.  One piece was a traditional show ballroom routine for a studio showcase where I teach.  Classes have been slow so I decided they needed some inspiration, which came in the form of a rousing and really fun cha cha routine. I learned a few new lifts and had a really great time matching  up movements to the lyrics of my chosen song.  Sadly the show itself was stymied by a painfully bad floor.  We got through the routine plenty fine and I’m sure few in the audience really noticed, but all I was thinking the entire time was “where are my feet” and “please, don’t let me face-plant while trying to impress these people with my dancing.”  Fortunately no accidents were to be had, but I must admit it was less than ideal.  The good news is that it seems to have done the trick and generated more interest in classes.

The other piece was my aforementioned project with LA Unbound.  I debuted “Partners in Mime,” a piece that blended pantomime, jazz, mambo and samba into one seamless dance.   I ended up performing in the piece, which I had not initially intended, but ultimately was for the best. (By the way, that’s me hanging upside down in the photo!) It was an extremely gratifying experience to have finally accomplished one of my big dreams – to choreograph a ballroom fusion dance piece for stage AND have it performed!  To be honest, it still feels a little surreal.  I am so grateful to the folks at LA Unbound for the opportunity and my amazing dancers for their hard work, efforts and being open-minded. At the same time, it was terrifying to put my dream, my baby, out there to be judged by the world.  Fortunately it was well-received and my mind is already churning out more ideas for future shows.

Looking back, I’m amazed at just how much time, energy, thought and money I put into these projects.  It demanded so much of me, at every level.  I really had no idea going in just what it would require of me.  While taxing, it was absolutely worth the experience as well as the satisfaction of having done it.  I learned so many things about the nuances of staging, how to use dancers, how to run a rehearsal and more. I learned a lot about myself, what I’m capable of  and that this is truly a deeper calling.  I’m sure there is still plenty more to learn and that the learning process itself is a life-long journey.  However, I can proudly say that I took the first step and made it happen.

http://www.dancearchives.net/2012/02/27/technique-riccardo-yulia/

So, what do I have in store for audiences? Let’s just say it’s a mix of jazz and partner dancing with some pantomime thrown in for fun. I don’t want to give away too many details, as that will take away from the surprise.  I will say it is a lot of fun to teach classically trained dancers ballroom dance moves, both in solo and partner work.  They have all been open-minded enough to push their boundaries and I’m very grateful for their hard work.  Likewise, the ballroom dancers have been equally open to learning classical movement.  I feel very blessed to have such a great group of dancers.  Plus it is invigorating to mix and match ideas and patterns from such diverse areas of my training.  Leaps followed by samba walks and voltas followed by emboites  en tournant.

My hope, of course, is that this piece will be the first of many to come to fruition and successfully at that. Perhaps it will open the doors to more complex creations, collaborations with other dancers and artists, bigger venues and events. In the many interviews I have posted my all-time favorite question is to ask choreographers what advice they have for other dancers. Every answer I read gives me hope, inspiration and invigorates me to not give up on my path to choreography. It is time to pull back the curtains and find out what lies out there. It is exhilarating and nerve-wracking all at once.   So far, the journey has been a learning experience, a validation of my desire to choreograph and a challenge to bring all the pieces together, but I have loved each and every step.

Jamie Benson - "Bowel Movement" - All rights reserved

What is your background?

I was classically trained as a studio jazz dancer then switched my focus to modern forms while attending Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts.  I’m still trying to reconcile the experience of these very different worlds.

What’s the underlying philosophy and purpose of your work?

A lot of the work I do plops dance into everyday experiences in order to playfully demystify the, sometimes enigmatic, presentation of dance. Much of it straddles lines of entertainment, high concept art and humor, enticing the untrained eye, jump-starting new audiences for dance, while offering the academic world something new to wrap their minds around. It’s not meant to be either goofy or fresh for the sake of being so, but rather to surprise. Hybridization is very 21^st century; that’s one way you can make an experience stand out when our world seems so saturated with regurgitated ideas. People seem to struggle with how to place it though. My friends in the fine arts mix call it  “entertaining” while my entertainment pals note how “artful” is. This has never been more apparent then with my, perhaps most shocking, dance experience, Bowel Movement.

Briefly tell us about “Bowel Movement” and what you hope to evoke in your audience.

The piece is in the vein of The Nutcracker’s dream sequence, wherein a very refined lady battles her darkest fear, her own excrement. This will be a balletic  “paux de poop” – the costuming keeps the piece from being a traditional paux de deux. The original version was included in our first full evening work called Bathroom Follies, showcased at Highways Performance Space in Los Angeles. Personal bodily functions are still a very taboo topic, whether in conversation or the arts, and we hope Bowel Movement will provide an opportunity to face our humanity in as humorous a way as possible. It’s being presented as part of the Triskelion Arts’ 3rd Annual Comedy in Dance Festival in New York, a niche we hope to take by storm.

If you could wave a magic wand, what would you like to see for your dancing in the future?

Eventually I plan to have a larger company of dancers to work with.  Future works will continue with a strong thread of human and public experiences, further integrating modern, jazz, ballet and ballroom styles into long form works. I aim to translate past work and create new work in the film genre as well (hear that filmmakers?).

Do you have any words of advice for aspiring dancers and choreographers?

It’s important to get involved with a community or “cult” of dance.  School and training is of paramount importance, but make sure you are near a strong dance community to engage with.  Immerse yourself in a strong community of people doing the kind of work you want to do.

Also, marketing and fundraising are your two best friends. It’s crucial to know how to present yourself, how to ask for money and the digital platforms entailed in that process. Good luck!

For more information visit:
http://www.jamiebenson.com/
http://andraegonzalo.com/
http://www.shannongrantdance.com/

https://www.facebook.com/events/358595404161699/

Full press release:
http://www.jamiebenson.com/Publicity.html#bowel_movement

In fact, I am thankful dance shows like that exist because the vast majority of the population would otherwise not know about how wonderful partner dancing is.  PBS’s coverage of Ohio Star Ball all these years is commendable, but let’s be honest, outside of our grandparents, very few people are sitting around with bowls of popcorn waiting for the annual installment.  I have never met a single person who from watching that coverage had any idea who the dancers are or about the various style categories.  Dancing with the Stars changed that and brought partner and ballroom dance to mainstream media and to the masses on a regular basis.  Instead of thinking I’m a freak, people are coolly impressed with the fact that yes, I ballroom dance and yes, I have competed.  Yes, with the sparkly costumes and the fake tan in the fancy hotels.  For once part of my identity is met with admiration instead of snickers over my geek status.

Anyway, back to the question.  So why really don’t I watch Dancing with the Stars? After all, YouTube is replete with clips and Hulu could backfill me on every episode to my heart’s content.  There are a few reasons beyond simple lack of time.  The first is the cinematography.  If I truly want to watch dancing of the highest caliber, I’d rather search out videos of world champions or attend actual events which highlight these amazing dancers, without the distractions of editing, commercials and screen cuts to the audience and singers. Fred Astaire had it right!  I must admit, I long for the days of the 1930s when limiting the number of shots and holding the camera steady for long sequences of dance were the norm (as a result of Astaire’s influence).  I realize commercials can be hard to avoid in the world of television, but I find the camera tricks and switches to the reactions and vocal entertainment on these shows to be disrespectful to the talent of these dancers.  I recall watching a professional dance couple being showcased (not regulars on the show), who at the time were ranked among the best in the world and were people I knew personally. I actually went out of my way to watch that particular episode because I enjoyed their dancing so much.  Yet every few seconds the camera turned some funny angle or they showed the audience or singer on stage.  Really?  Cheap camera tricks are in order for poor quality dancing by non-dancers, not people with world credentials.  And they cut out half the routine by switching the camera focus to others.  By the time they were done, I turned off the show and never returned.  I was so disappointed.

Second, the problem with mass media is…well, it is mass media.  Which means everything is cast through that lens.  They only show dancing which looks impressive from a television screen.  They have to.  However, there is a lot of dancing in the world, amazing, over-the-top, take-your-breath-away dancing that will never look good on television.  It is a limited medium and as such, there is a lot that it cannot show.  Also, ballroom dance in particular is designed to travel and be seen from all four sides and at close range.  So while television gives a glimpse into partner dance, it will never fully hold my attention when there are other options in the world.  There’s also the hyped build-up of who will win a given episode, the drawn out results and time-consuming format overall.  Honestly, I have better things to do with my time.

Third, the low quality of the pro-star dancing, which really is just glorified pro-am dancing.  The point being if I want to watch a professional dance with someone who is early in their training, there is ample opportunity at most local studios and at any professional competition in the syllabus pro-am events.  There just isn’t enough draw for me to watch someone who is not skilled at dancing when there are so many opportunities to see professionals who have worked hard all their lives to produce beautiful movement.  It’s sad to think millions will watch shows like Dancing with the Stars while small dance events by spectacular and highly talented artists struggle and are performed in empty theaters to an audience of forty.  That’s part of why blogging has been so fulfilling to me.  I really enjoy doing my part for the underdogs of dance who in all likelihood will never have that kind of audience.  Even attending big dance competitions is more fun, since I can keep my time focused on the high quality professional and high level amateur events.

Finally, I’m truly not into celebrity culture.  I could probably walk into a room full of celebrities and make a fool of myself because I honestly wouldn’t know who two-thirds of them were. Or who knows, maybe they’d all love me…

Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate what Dancing with the Stars has to offer in terms of exposure and entertainment for the larger viewing audience.  It will likely get many people interested and started in this beautiful art form and social activity that would never have otherwise.   But for me personally, it is not a gratifying way to experience dance.

The Flowering of Desire - Donna Sternberg & Dancers (c)

The dance ranged from slow movements, mimicking how plants track the sun, to crawling over benches and trees, much like a vine may intertwine upon its surroundings.  Partnering work called to mind the movement of pollen in search of a flower to join.  Brightly colored costumes and earthy movements transformed the dancers into living flowers.

The use of the grounds themselves was highly enjoyable.  The dancers moved to five different sections of the park, making the use of existing flora, benches, sculptures and open grass.  Moving in and out of the natural surroundings in an outdoor setting made it easy to identify with the botanical themes.  I would love to see this piece performed in a formal garden, such as Descanso Gardens.

Perhaps the most interesting part was watching the faces of random pedestrians passing by while on an afternoon stroll or run.  Amusement, surprise and even fascination could be seen.  What a great way to connect the public with dance performances.  Overall, an engaging piece and one that showcases Donna Sternberg’s strengths in site-based work and scientific themes as inspiration.

For more information about Donna Sternberg and Dancers, visit: http://dsdancers.com/

Pre-show with Jamie Nichols

Celebrate Dance 2012 held up to its reputation as one of the leading concert dance events of Los Angeles.  Nine companies brought their best and once again Jamie Nichols must be credited with giving these amazing dancers and choreographers time on the big stage to truly shine.  Much as last year, I had a fantastic time at the pre-show reception meeting new people and catching up with friends in the dance community. All in all the show continues to exceed itself and provide with a unique and breathtaking evening of dance to the delight of its Southern Californian audience.

On to the performances…

D-Minor, La Diego Dance Theater

Starting the evening off strong with a contemporary piece, La Diego Dance performed a well-composed work set beautifully to Vivaldi.  What I truly loved was the quality of the arm movements: intricate, flowing and seamless.   The unexpected use of the bare backstage wall as a dance element was a gutsy move and I applaud them for thinking outside the box and using the contrast of the dancers against the inky blackness to good effect.

Read the pre-show interview

One-Two-Many, Regina Klenjoski Dance

A wry, witty commentary on the consumer society we live in, One-Two-Many hit its mark and garnered strong audience reactions.  The audience’s laughter I think represented both the comedy of the piece and perhaps the unease of knowing we too often fall prey to the folly of consumerism. The piece had Klenjoski’s strong athletic style accentuated with beautifully composed lines.   Her innovative partnering sets her movement apart and provides an intense feast for the eyes.

Read the pre-show interview

"Bouncy" Hysterica Dance - Photograph (c) Tim Agler

Bouncy, Hysterica Dance Company

Manic energy, like a massive overdose of caffeine, would be an appropriate summary of Bouncy.  An impressive large cast with many male dancers, the piece embodied its name with full enthusiasm using strong athleticism, partnering and filling the stage with non-stop movement.  I found the music somewhat too abstract for my taste, but otherwise enjoyed the rush of adrenaline I felt after watching this flurried spectacle.

Read the pre-show interview

Silver and Gold, Malashock Dance

An emotive and provoking duo, Silver and Gold weaved and intricate story of two lovers told through beautiful partnering.  Highly relatable, as evidenced by the audience’s responses, the piece portrayed humor, delicacy and the changing subtleties of love over time.

Read the pre-show interview

Vista, Monat Dance

Vista is a beautiful homage to the roots of classical dance.  Strong dancers, clean lines and poise dominated the feeling of this piece.  Her unusual use of sliding movements on pointe shoes highlighted the amazing talents of her dancers as well as Sophie Monat’s creativity.

Read the pre-show interview

"Give Me Wings" Invertigo Dance - Photograph (c) Tim Agler

Give Me Wings, Invertigo Dance Theater

An inventive, humorous piece, Give Me Wings was a delightful twist in story-telling that lay members of the audience easily connected with while artfully playing with the experiences of dancers on and off stage.  I loved how it gave a voyeuristic glimpse to the highs and lows of the dancers’ lives while performing through an ingenious use of staging.  The dancer’s themselves gave life to the whimsical movement, using high leaps, anxious energy and artistry.

Read the pre-show interview

Desperate Love, Malashock Dance

An all-male trio took fierce choreography and touched on the sadness and difficulties we face in our search for love.   There is something about the intensity of male dancers that is amplified without women on the stage, and this athletic and bounding choreography made the most of that masculine element.  Overall, a powerful and touching piece.

Read the pre-show interview

The Dancing Man, a fairy tale, RhetOracle Dance Company

An imaginative tale with great storytelling that artfully intertwined humor and the macabre.  The Dancing Man took the audience on a journey of highs and lows.  I loved the juxtaposition of using traditional Irish music as a setting to the contemporary choreography.  While the audience seemed somewhat shocked at the twisted ending, I thought it held true to the Grimm inspiration and praise Nate Hodges for his boldness and integrity.

Read the pre-show interview

Memoriae, Lydia Zimmer

Lydia Zimmer is a newcomer to the Los Angeles dance scene, and is sure to steal hearts and captivate audiences with her breathtaking artistry.  A one-woman tour de force, she commands attention and fills the stage with her presence alone.   She has an exquisite sense of control, stillness and movement balanced perfectly that leaves you amazed.

Read the pre-show interview

"nana" L.A. Contemporary Dance - Photograph (c) Tim Agler

nana, L.A. Contemporary Dance Company

A visually stunning piece, it told stories inspired by the choreographer’s “nana.”  While I loved the spectacular beauty of the cards flying in the air and floating around the dancers and enjoyed the quality of the inherent movements, I found it somewhat difficult to follow the narrative.  It certainly left me to question the life the piece’s inspiration had lived.  Overall, a piece of dynamic and full choreography that ended on an engaging note.

Read the pre-show interview

http://www.rkdc.org/

Photos by Rose Eichenbaum, "Emoticons" Regina Klenjoski Dance Company

Tell us briefly about your dance company and its underlying philosophy.

Since 1999, the Regina Klenjoski Dance Company has been captivating audiences with the inventive choreography, fierce athleticism and poetic storytelling that has made them a staple in the Los Angeles dance scene. Under the artistic direction of Regina Klenjoski, the company of six dancers along with an impressive roster of collaborating artists, continue to create and perform diverse, social, abstract and emotion-driven contemporary dance theater.  RKDC is based in Long Beach, CA and rehearses at Alva’s Dance in San Pedro.  The company has been an artist-in-residence partner with the City of Torrance since 2001.  There, they offer over 50 weekly classes in youth and adult dance and fitness classes to the community, mentor two youth performance groups, and through 2008, produced the yearly SOLA Contemporary Dance Festival, a project that paired exceptional high school dancers with local contemporary dance choreographers.

What piece will you be performing at Celebrate Dance 2012?

“One-Two-Many” is RKDC’s newest work set to premiere at Celebrate Dance 2012.  Choreographed by Regina Klenjoski, it features an original score by one of RKDC’s long time collaborators, composer Mark Fitchett.  The artistic team also includes costume designer, Denise Lichter, RKDC’s resident costume designer since 2002.  ”One-Two-Many” is a fast paced, hyperkinetic trio that begs the question “Are you a buying what they’re selling?”  The dance reflects the choreographer’s ongoing thematic exploration of media’s seductive influences and America’s cultural compulsion towards over-consumption.
What do you hope to evoke in the audience with your piece?

For “One-Two-Many” and with any of my works, I wish for the audience to be entertained, inspired, emotionally moved or philosophically intrigued.  If the choroegraphy and all its supporting elements are crafted with thoughtful intent then my hope is that there is an access point for everyone to take at least one morsel of delight home with them

How did you hear about Celebrate Dance and become involved with the show?

Celebrate Dance has a long history in LA and I’ve known Jamie for a long time.  Jamie is a champion of local dance in Southern California and has seen RKDC in action many times.  She invited us to perform in Celebrate Dance 2011 where we premiered “Emoticons” and asked us back again this year.  Thank you Jamie!! We love being among such a wonderful collection of dance artists.
Any words of advice or inspiration for other dancers and choreographers?

Be authentic.  Be generous.  Be adventurous and above all curious.  Believe in longevity and perseverance.  Experience other art forms and let them inspire you.  Don’t kid yourself – dance is a grueling profession.  Be prepared for the hard work and always be learning.

For more information and tickets, visit Celebrate Dance 2012.

http://www.rhetoracle.com/

Tell us briefly about your dance company and its underlying philosophy?

RhetOracle Dance Company was founded in 2006 with a mission to bridge the concert and commercial jazz worlds. With so many dances either created around an idea, but were cryptic or inaccessible or created to be entertaining, but without saying anything or effectively conveying their intention, the goal of our company was two-fold. The “Rhetoric” part of our title referred to our mission to create dances using effective and articulate structure, choreography and theatrical elements to aid in accessibility and understanding without dumbing anything down or affecting the artistic integrity of the artists. The “Oracle” part of our title referred to our goal of picking topics and subject matter that either created a dialogue, educated, or inspired. Basically, we want people to not just enjoy watching dance, but to really “get” what they’re watching and feel like they are part of the discussion we create.

What piece will you be performing at Celebrate Dance 2012?

RhetOracle will be performing a premiere called, The Dancing Man. The dance, which is a narrative fairytale in the style of contemporary jazz inspired by The Pied Piper and The Red Shoes, is an allegory loosely based on a real-life experience and focuses on enchantment, disillusionment, and the loss of innoncence. The music, costuming, and libretto is all period set, but the dancing itself is contemporary. It has been an exciting challenge translating such a narrative concept, rooted in children’s literature, to an adult dance format without it feeling silly or condescending. We are very excited, as it’s our first narrative we have performed in a Celebrate.

What do you hope to evoke in the audience with your piece?

I think we forget that sometimes we just need a really good story. Yes, it is one thing to be entertained, and we need that as well, but it feeds the soul to be entertained in a way that makes us think, relate, or question at the same time. In essence, fairytales were designed to entertain children but also impart a sense of morality. I’m not saying that I agree with all of the Grimm Brothers’ ideas, but I like the idea that a tale is more an allegory than just a simple story. I hope to engage the audience in the story we have created, hopefully losing themselves, like we did as children, in these people’s journey with the Dancing Man. Ultimately, I want them to feel the same way they felt back when they first read Grimm’s fairy tales: whimsical, enchanted, and a little unsettled. It is then, we hope the audience will put themselves in the characters’ roles to question their own intentions and feelings.

How did you hear about Celebrate Dance and become involved with the show?

I met Jamie in 2007 after the debut season of my company. RhetOracle had blasted onto the scene with our first show and it had resulted in 13 Lester Horton dance award nominations. At the ceremony, Jamie had won for Best Dance Festival. She gave an impassioned speech and my company watched as she moved around the room talking to all the people we had regarded with respect for so long. I decided this was someone I wanted to know. I introduced myself, we had a nice quick chat, and she told me to send me video of my work. Soon after Jamie contacted me about participating in Celebrate Dance 2009. It was a big deal for my company, which had, at that point, been solely based in Long Beach and Orange County and we were sharing a show with amazing companies like Method, Ledges and Bones, Lux Aeterna. We communicated a lot and the end result was Siren, a dance that was later nominated for Lester Horton awards for Best Short Form Choreography and Best Performance by a Company. We have since had the pleasure of being asked back by Jamie in years since to showcase our work to an amazing audience in an amazing space.

Any words of advice or inspiration for other dancers and choreographers?

As an artist, I am always looking to grow, and it feels weird, at times, giving advice when I am always looking for some. But, I can share the one major thing I have learned since starting my company. Be yourself. Every time I have compromised my vision, my instincts, my natural voice, my final work product has suffered, felt contrived, and been ultimately unsuccessful. The times that I have thrown all caution to the wind and delivered something that I feel is very “me”, it has been received amazingly. I think trusting myself and knowing that what I do is different than what other people are doing is a strength that I can’t afford to forget.

For more information and tickets, visit Celebrate Dance 2012.

www.invertigodance.org

Tell us briefly about your dance company and its underlying philosophy?
Invertigo Dance Theatre is a Los Angeles contemporary dance company, founded in 2007 and under the artistic direction of Laura Karlin (me!).  We work to tell compelling stories by blending athletic movement, theatricality and original music – I have quite a whimsical aesthetic, so that comes out in a lot of our work.  I always want people to have a huge range of experiences during our shows – from laughter to desperation to delight to thoughtfulness.  Ultimately, it’s all about connection – connection between people, between ideas and ideologies, between images and stories and realism and surrealism. . .

Invertigo encourages collaboration between dancers, musicians, choreographers and theatrical designers, and we strive to create performance and outreach programming which draws in a wide range of artists, audiences and participants.  You can find Invertigo online at www.invertigodance.org and hang out with us at www.facebook.com/invertigodance

What piece will you be performing at Celebrate Dance 2012?

This is a new piece, called Give Me Wings.  It’s a play on words (I love puns, thanks Dad!) because it’s not about wings-as-in-bird-wings – it’s based on the fact that I haven’t choreographed for a proscenium stage with wings in quite a long time.  Stage wings are a fascinating choreographic element.  They are an in-between space, a place of transitions, not quite onstage, not quite offstage.  They are a place for entrances and exits, arrivals and departures.  They are about what an audience does and does not see.  There’s a lot to play with, theatrically and choreographically!

What do you hope to evoke in the audience with your piece?

We will be showing people both the Onstage experience and the Offstage experience that dancers have.  For the Offstage, you’ll see that moment in the wings, waiting, adrenaline rushing.  You’ll see the range of experiences offstage, from the elation of a great performance to the desperate humiliation of a flubbed one.  For the Onstage, the dancers will be soaring, bursting, leaping onto the stage from the wings.

How did you hear about Celebrate Dance and become involved with the show?

When I first came back to Los Angeles in 2006, I knew two things about dance in LA.  I knew about the LA Contemporary Dance Company, because I was there to work on a commission for them, and I knew about Celebrate Dance.  Now we’re in Celebrate Dance and LACDC is performing their beautiful piece Nana in the same show – it’s amazing to me to see it all come together after 5 years here!  The biggest thing about Celebrate Dance is Jamie’s determination to give LA choreographers access to a highly professional, well-produced showcase with great production values and wide-reaching marketing opportunities.  It’s a pretty huge deal to me personally and the company professionally to be involved this year.

Any words of advice or inspiration for other dancers and choreographers?

Love what you do.  Don’t be afraid to fight for it.  Turn things inside-out and upside-down and have a look at them.  Things happen in their own time, but you can make sure you’re ready to pounce when they do.  Let people help – they want to.  We all work damn hard to do what we do, so remember to enjoy the big and the little moments.  Love what you do.  Love what you do.  Love what you do.

For more information and tickets, visit Celebrate Dance 2012.