To me, originally, the whole point of starting TS/MP was to create a vehicle to create! I was sick of auditioning, and knowing in my heart I needed to make work and get it shown, and I knew there had to be other dancers out there that felt the same. I love that I can create work within this group and have the support to do so, yet I can also accept constructive criticism safely and without taking it personally, and THAT is making me stronger as a dancer, creator of dance, and a human. I also love the emergence of creating a so-called "theme" under which work gets created for our shows. This structure keeps me in check without feeling too restricted. On the other hand, I also feel the supported freedom to branch out on my own choreographic adventures as well, should I choose to do so.
Stacy
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
thoughts on why
Personally, I believe that organizational structure on the small scale (and we are definitely the small scale) needs to becreated in support of larger intentions. In other words, the way we set up our organization makes a statement about what we hope to contribute through our artmaking. I believe that the underlying social organization is part of the meaning of the work, and informs the creative process on every level.
Therefore, because of my own personal social intentions, I am not interested in creating or perpetuating a microcosmic social structure in which one person's ideas and intentions get imposed upon the bodies of others. There is enough of that going on in the world. I prefer to work in an organization in which all participants are viewed as equals, and in which everyone has a voice.
I don't like the way in which the competition for funding can push people to compromise themselves, both in terms of withholding support from colleagues/friends and in terms of bringing all of our best parts with us into the work that we do with others (as opposed to holding back our best so that it will only serve to further one's own interests). It is my hope that we are creating a community in which we are all able to focus on diversifying and sharing our strengths.
I believe that my setting as an intention that all particpants have something important to contribute, and that the structure and the proccess should actively invite all participants to bring forth their BEST, the work created is more meaningful. It is my hope that we are actively engaged in researching ways for humans to live which increase the degree to which we respect each other as individuals.
On a less obtuse note, I really enjoy the proccess of linking my work to the work of others. We definitely function as individual choreographers, but we also seek to find cohesive meaning and structure. Learning to hear one's one voice, and be true to it, while at the same time hearing and incorporating other voices, is an excellent practice in mindfulness and self awareness.
I have been so challenged by this work as a group, and those challenges have definitely helped me to grow. I have witnessed myself feeling threatened by the considerable talent of my colleagues, frustrated by the strength of all our voices, proud of the way my work looks and feels within the context of the group. I have also witnessed the implications of this range of feelings on the dynamic of the group and my own well bring. And at every step I have felt so encouraged by my colleagues to work through it all in the name of creating/contributing something larger than ourselves. That is good practice for living, and on some level it is present in the work we create.
Therefore, because of my own personal social intentions, I am not interested in creating or perpetuating a microcosmic social structure in which one person's ideas and intentions get imposed upon the bodies of others. There is enough of that going on in the world. I prefer to work in an organization in which all participants are viewed as equals, and in which everyone has a voice.
I don't like the way in which the competition for funding can push people to compromise themselves, both in terms of withholding support from colleagues/friends and in terms of bringing all of our best parts with us into the work that we do with others (as opposed to holding back our best so that it will only serve to further one's own interests). It is my hope that we are creating a community in which we are all able to focus on diversifying and sharing our strengths.
I believe that my setting as an intention that all particpants have something important to contribute, and that the structure and the proccess should actively invite all participants to bring forth their BEST, the work created is more meaningful. It is my hope that we are actively engaged in researching ways for humans to live which increase the degree to which we respect each other as individuals.
On a less obtuse note, I really enjoy the proccess of linking my work to the work of others. We definitely function as individual choreographers, but we also seek to find cohesive meaning and structure. Learning to hear one's one voice, and be true to it, while at the same time hearing and incorporating other voices, is an excellent practice in mindfulness and self awareness.
I have been so challenged by this work as a group, and those challenges have definitely helped me to grow. I have witnessed myself feeling threatened by the considerable talent of my colleagues, frustrated by the strength of all our voices, proud of the way my work looks and feels within the context of the group. I have also witnessed the implications of this range of feelings on the dynamic of the group and my own well bring. And at every step I have felt so encouraged by my colleagues to work through it all in the name of creating/contributing something larger than ourselves. That is good practice for living, and on some level it is present in the work we create.
Monday, August 11, 2008
August 9, 2008 - Voice of the City festival performance
Date: 8/9/08 Location: the firefighter's memorial park at Diversey/Kimball
Dancers: Mika, Megan, Larisa, Stacy, Maggie
Duration: 10 minutes
Soundtrack: Beethoven piano sonata
Improvisation around a structure, with the objective of a clear beggining, middle and end, and with the challenge of one injured dancer chairbound.
What I thought worked:
-I thought the playful energy of the piece was really approriate for the setting and the audience.
-I felt that the structure we set was clear and left us a lot of room to create spontaneously, but also shaped the experience nicely.
-I felt very aware of a great, sizzling creative energy between the dancers. We were there to have fun, and I think this was very clear to the spectators.
-The way the music turned out to contribute to the piece was a surprise, maybe an accident or maybe just kismet. That was fantastic. I felt like I was in a silent movie!
What could have been better:
-Personally, I felt really out of practice with improvised weight sharing work and would love to see this come back into our regular practice.
-I thought the things we clarified for ourselves (starting slowly, subtley, and building) were right on and I am pleased we seem to be growing so much in our ability to shape a work on the spot like this. Personally, I felt I got onto the stage and had trouble following through with the slow start and subtle energy. This is something I think I could develop in practice.
-The moments that were best, to me, were the ones when I felt most aware of where the other dancers were in space. I am also aware that at moments I felt lost from you and stuck on my own. I think working on the things I mentioned in the last point would help prevent that.
All in all, I thought this was a great time and I'm so glad we did it. I would love to do more of this kind of work, I think we are getting better and better at it. We were talking on the way over about time passing and the growing breadth of the shared experience we've had dancing together. I felt that energy informed this performance, and made it something more than just a thrown together improv.
Nice work, my friends.
Dancers: Mika, Megan, Larisa, Stacy, Maggie
Duration: 10 minutes
Soundtrack: Beethoven piano sonata
Improvisation around a structure, with the objective of a clear beggining, middle and end, and with the challenge of one injured dancer chairbound.
What I thought worked:
-I thought the playful energy of the piece was really approriate for the setting and the audience.
-I felt that the structure we set was clear and left us a lot of room to create spontaneously, but also shaped the experience nicely.
-I felt very aware of a great, sizzling creative energy between the dancers. We were there to have fun, and I think this was very clear to the spectators.
-The way the music turned out to contribute to the piece was a surprise, maybe an accident or maybe just kismet. That was fantastic. I felt like I was in a silent movie!
What could have been better:
-Personally, I felt really out of practice with improvised weight sharing work and would love to see this come back into our regular practice.
-I thought the things we clarified for ourselves (starting slowly, subtley, and building) were right on and I am pleased we seem to be growing so much in our ability to shape a work on the spot like this. Personally, I felt I got onto the stage and had trouble following through with the slow start and subtle energy. This is something I think I could develop in practice.
-The moments that were best, to me, were the ones when I felt most aware of where the other dancers were in space. I am also aware that at moments I felt lost from you and stuck on my own. I think working on the things I mentioned in the last point would help prevent that.
All in all, I thought this was a great time and I'm so glad we did it. I would love to do more of this kind of work, I think we are getting better and better at it. We were talking on the way over about time passing and the growing breadth of the shared experience we've had dancing together. I felt that energy informed this performance, and made it something more than just a thrown together improv.
Nice work, my friends.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
class description - August 3 & 10
Following our blazing hot, speed driven and high intensity classes with her in June, Larisa returns in August for another two week teaching stint. In contrast to the last one, this time she will focus on working slowly, towards fully inhabiting every minute detail of the dance with full energetic focusand intention. Class will include time for improvisation as well as structured warm up. We will be focusing on opening the pelvis and sternum to unlock the full epxressive potential of these mysterious bones.
We will build towards a long luscious phrase, which we will work on with the intention of sucking the marrow out of it. We will strive to dance as if it were the last day of our life.
We will build towards a long luscious phrase, which we will work on with the intention of sucking the marrow out of it. We will strive to dance as if it were the last day of our life.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Orbit - official change to the piece
I need to get it in print somewhere. I am officially changing the name of the piece. The new name of the piece is: Orbitism
I was looking for that up until the last moment and I just stumbled onto it. I hope to grow the piece more in the year ahead, but the new title reflects more clearly (and perhaps illuminates better) the underlying thematic content.
thank you,
Larisa.
I was looking for that up until the last moment and I just stumbled onto it. I hope to grow the piece more in the year ahead, but the new title reflects more clearly (and perhaps illuminates better) the underlying thematic content.
thank you,
Larisa.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Why do we do what we do?
Ok, question of the night.
Why do we go through the struggles of working the way that we do, as a collective?
GO!
Why do we go through the struggles of working the way that we do, as a collective?
GO!
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