March 18, 2018 TECHNICAL VIRTUOSITY, EMOTIONAL POWER, AND ALL HANDS ON DECK! Excitement was in the air as the Second Story team arrived to prepare for our showing. With a lot of meticulous planning and the generosity of friends and family working side by side with us to set up, we hit the ground running – and the show began! Our patrons and dancers shared an intimate, emotional, collaborative, technically challenging, and artistically compelling experience!
First, Jonathan welcomed the audience, both new and repeat attendees, and described the origins and development of our Second Story Dance Project. New patrons learned that they would be introduced to four works-in-progress and the process of creating those pieces. Returning audience members were encouraged to note the ways in which our work has developed and our process has evolved since our first showing last May. All patrons were invited to participate in group and individual process discussions following the performances. Then, Jonathan announced our upcoming collaboration with the Westchester Children’s Museum on April 15th. We have created a special choreographic children’s workshop called “Watch, Do and Make Dance!” in which elementary school-aged kids will be exposed to dance creation and performance. The Second Story dancers will perform small portions of the works presented in the showing, teach a phrase from each piece to the children, then help them develop choreography incorporating what they have learned. The dancers and children will put all the material together to create an original dance. Prior to the presentation of each work on the program, Sherri shared with the audience details of the context within which each piece was created. She outlined the artistic influences, psychological and emotional explorations, possible interpretations, logistical challenges, and major life events that shaped the development of each dance. Each choreographer’s style and way of approaching his/her work was discussed. The program featured 4 works: 3 sections of Lorena’s piece called “Voices” – one solo for Mandy and two duets danced by Mandy and Lorena – Mandy’s untitled solo for Lorena, Jonathan’s 3-part solo called “Embers and Ash”, and Jonathan’s duet for Lorena and Mandy with the working title of “Brittle Branches.” Following the performances, Sherri facilitated the process discussion following the performances, suggesting several potential topics to pursue. While a number of patrons made observations and asked questions, the stampede of many members of the toddler set made it difficult to continue the conversation. As often happens in rehearsal, we adjusted our course in response to the kiddie dynamics. Acknowledging the shift in the energy in the room, Jonathan invited everyone to help themselves to refreshments. As the dancers and guests mingled, our family and friends pitched in to clean up the studio, restoring it to its original condition. It really does take a village to mount a show, no matter how informal it may be. Despite greatly limited rehearsal time, the dancers captivated their audience with their technical virtuosity and powerful, emotional character portrayals. It felt like every single person at the showing was engaged in the process!
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March 14, 2018 LAST CHANCE FOR CHANGES AND CLEAN UPS BEFORE THE SHOWING Leading into today’s session Jonathan is concerned that his back pain will make it difficult for him to rehearse sufficiently before Sunday’s showing. He knows he will need to focus on practicing his solo during today’s rehearsal in order to perform on Sunday. Prior to rehearsal, Jonathan suggests that the dancers run through the pieces in the order in which they will be performed at the showing. Today’s session Jonathan warms up on his own to ensure he moves gently, given his back pain.
Lorena and Mandy review costume choices, trying on different options and debating which outfits look best on each dancer and are most appropriate for each dance. The ladies then stretch briefly before rehearsing. Jonathan begins with his solo as Lorena observes and takes notes. Sebastian bangs his stroller while running back and forth across the studio floor, narrowly missing Jonathan as he dances. It is challenging enough for Jonathan to work through his pain, but he must also stay focused despite Sebastian’s auditory and visual distractions. Not only is Jonathan able to make it through the first 2 parts of “Embers and Ash,” he continues on to organically create choreography for part 3 – much to his surprise! Following his run-through, he discusses with his colleagues whether or not he should include the third section in the showing. He acknowledges that the inclusion of this new material will allow the audience to catch the development of a section of the dance at its earliest stage. Lorena then shares her notes with Jonathan:
After putting on a video for Sebastian, Lorena asks Jonathan to take notes on the run-through of her piece. Before reviewing Jonathan’s suggestions, Lorena works with Mandy to clarify traveling directions, timing, and geometry relative to the center of the stage and to each other. Lorena also asks Mandy to do a “low modern dance run” instead of a more balletic, elevated run. Jonathan then shares his notes with the ladies:
Lorena and Mandy walk through section 1, clarifying the precise execution of a variety of movements, particularly the phrases where the dancers are connected and turning together. Jonathan recommends descending gradually into the crouched positions rather than dropping down quickly. He also suggests that Lorena and Mandy run separately to the pose that concludes section 1. Lorena reminds Mandy to allow the music to cue her moves. She also focuses on the qualitative details of arm positions and body roll technique. Jonathan and Lorena continue to address qualitative issues with regard to Mandy’s section 2 solo:
Jonathan now stretches and works through ideas for his solo while Mandy and Lorena rehearse Mandy’s piece. Mandy continues to use the abstract music (arranged by Neil Alexander) she experimented with last week. She will use the same music during the showing , but may later decide to switch to an original composition that Neil has offered to make for her piece. Lorena wants to review the choreography of a couple of phrases and clarify the execution of certain poses. Following a run-through, Jonathan and Mandy offer notes to Lorena:
Mandy and Lorena also dissect the execution of every element of the forced arch pose. Finally, it is time to work on Jonathan’s duet for Mandy and Lorena. Jonathan begins by sharing some ideas:
Jonathan then reviews some changes from last week’s rehearsal. Mandy and Lorena now run through the entire duet while Jonathan calls out reminders about gestures, spacing, and recent changes. Jonathan concludes the rehearsal with notes from this run-through:
Throughout the rehearsal, the dancers clearly wrestled with internalizing a lot of notes and remembering the most recent changes. As everyone prepares to leave, Jonathan recommends that the dancers review all of the pieces during the week to ensure that they comfortably integrate all of these notes and changes. The showing is in 4 days! March 7, 2018 NEITHER SNOW NOR POWER OUTAGES NOR HOME SALES NOR ILLNESS AND INJURY CAN KEEP US OUT OF THE STUDIO! Leading into today’s rehearsal Last Friday’s nor‘easter left Jonathan’s family without power for days, forcing them to move in with relatives 30 minutes north of their home and causing significant schedule disruptions. Lorena is swamped with selling one home, buying another home, and preparing to move. The New York metro area braced for another storm expected to begin last night. Given the large number of residents still without power coupled with the anticipated intensity of the storm, schools and studios preemptively announced that they would close on Wednesday. Of course, this is our 2nd-to-last scheduled rehearsal before the showing on March 18th. The Second Story team started brainstorming Tuesday night about the logistics of fitting in an “emergency” rehearsal in the next few days. However, coordinating dancer and studio schedules is daunting. Today’s rehearsal Mother Nature has delayed beginning the storm in earnest, so we text back and forth to determine whether we can take a chance and rehearse without knowing when the storm will intensify. Moreover, we discover that all the facilities we can think of are closed for the day. That is, all but one; Purchase College’s dance building remains open! We receive permission to use one of the studios, then race over to begin rehearsing as quickly as possible. OK, not quite as fast as we would if we didn’t have 5 young kids with us!
On the health front, Jonathan’s back is out, and Mandy’s medication for a sinus infection is making her drowsy. But they are determined to rehearse no matter what! Armed with iPads and movies, the dancers set up a play area in the studio for the kids in which they can watch a movie, eat snacks, and play with their toys. So far, so good as the dancers mark through Jonathan’s duet while he takes notes. They nearly make it to the final phrases when Mandy’s son Nate becomes upset. As Mandy stops rehearsing to console him, he finally explains that he can’t hear the movie above the noise of the dancers’ music. Very disturbing, indeed. Meanwhile, Sherri provides paper and pencil to Max so he can begin his portrait of his mother. With calm restored, the dancers go back to the section of Jonathan’s piece featuring movements on the ground. Jonathan clarifies the sequence and timing of the gestures and choreography, then decides to incorporate a change in approach to the phrases in which Mandy and Lorena move in unison: while Lorena executes the choreography on the floor, Mandy will do so in standing and kneeling positions. So, although their movements are similar, there is now additional visual interest, at once complementary and contrasting. Sherri helps Max figure out measurements for his portrait so he doesn’t interrupt Mandy for assistance. Jonathan then cleans up a series of partner traveling phrases. Jonathan attempts to go through all of his notes with Mandy and Lorena, but is continually interrupted by kiddie requirements. It plays out something like this:
Now it’s time for a full run-through of Jonathan’s piece. Jonathan watches while going back and forth across the studio to get Edgar and Eliza the various foods they request. He preemptively reminds the kids that they won’t be able to hear the movie well during this run-through. As Mandy and Lorena dance, Jonathan verbally instructs them to adjust spacing, stage right vs. stage left, upstage vs. downstage -- and relative to each other. The dancers identify areas of uncertainty about the choreography as they proceed through the dance, self-correcting in the moment. Eliza approaches her dad in tears because her peers won’t play games with her rather than continue watching the movie. Jonathan now focuses on a number of qualitative details, such as:
As Lorena and Mandy begin with section 5 of Lorena’s piece, Lorena decides to make some adjustments:
Mandy and Lorena are now ready to run through Lorena’s piece. Lorena asks Jonathan to take notes. As the ladies move through the 3 sections of the dance, Sebastian runs around the perimeter of the dancers’ space with his stroller. Lorena intervenes to redirect her son when he veers too close to Mandy during her section 2 solo. Lorena makes further changes to the section 5 duet so that she and Mandy repeatedly “meet in the middle” of the stage, then fan out in opposite directions along a diagonal. Jonathan then shares several qualitative notes:
At this point in the rehearsal, it looks like the kids have taken over: running and doing flying leaps around the studio, hanging off the ballet barres, launching toys through the air. Oh, and let’s not forget potty and diaper change time! Jonathan now begins work on his solo on the side of the room while Mandy and Lorena review Mandy’s piece. Lorena marks through the solo as Mandy watches and clarifies the choreography in various spots. To everyone’s surprise, Mandy puts on an abstract piece of music created by Neil Alexander; she wants to test whether the non-melodic music might sync well with Lorena’s choreography – and contribute to an atmosphere of abstract exploration of movement. Given that Lorena’s way of dancing is completely music-driven, she is thrilled with this change (even if it is only for today!). Jonathan interrupts his work several times to keep the kids away from Lorena as she dances. In turn, Sherri engages Eliza and Edgar in a discussion about the differences between dinosaurs and dragons to keep them from distracting Jonathan. Mandy and Lorena decide to talk through nearly every detail of each position, clarifying the execution, timing and sequence of steps and poses. Finally, Lorena tries to incorporate all of this information in a run-through of the piece. She finds herself naturally syncing her movements with the music’s syncopated and unconventional rhythms. Both Lorena and Mandy are pleased with the results, although Mandy wants to be sure that Lorena’s execution of the solo doesn’t become too coordinated with the music! The storm is getting worse, so it’s time to gather up the voluminous amount of food, toys, and clothes and get home ASAP. Everyone is grateful that we managed to salvage today’s rehearsal; the dancers feel much more confident about the upcoming showing, given our highly productive session! February 28, 2018 ANTICIPATING THE SHOWING Leading into today’s session Mandy and Lorena squeezed in a rehearsal during vacation last week. The session was surprisingly productive, given that all 3 boys, out of school on break, were in big-time boisterous mode in the studio. Jonathan has been under considerable stress as multiple extended family members are wrestling with serious – and in several cases, life-threatening – health issues. Today’s session Once again, Sebastian is rolling his toy cars over every conceivable surface in the studio as the dancers engage in a ballet-based warm up. Before long, Sebastian pulls mom away to keep him company on the side of the room. Lorena manages to stretch at a barre next to the side wall while talking to Sebastian. She later sets up a plethora of toy and food options that prove to be enticing enough for Sebastian that Lorena can start work on Jonathan’s piece.
Lorena and Mandy practice the last series of poses in Jonathan’s duet, at first without music. Jonathan calls out each position and the associated timing so the ladies are clear about these details. The dancers then go through this final section with music. Jonathan indicates the moments when he wants Lorena’s movements to initiate Mandy’s actions. Meanwhile, Sebastian slinks across the floor like an inchworm, pushing his vegetable pouch in front of him. Interesting way to go about getting mom to open it… The dancers decide to rehearse the last 3 minutes or so of the duet as Jonathan clarifies spacing and timing. Sebastian views this as a great time to speed push/bang his stroller in and out of the dancers’ space. At least he has the decency to announce “coming through” to avoid mowing anyone down! Mandy and Lorena begin the first of 2 full run-throughs of the duet as Jonathan takes notes. Sebastian, too, “runs through” -- literally, darting back and forth across center stage. Lorena assures her colleagues that “we’ll work around him.” Indeed, they do an admirable job executing the choreography and staying in character while gracefully avoiding collisions and deftly tossing back tennis balls to Sebastian. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Mandy and Lorena to remain focused on all of the technical and artistic details – not to mention remain upright. Sherri takes this situation as her cue to scoop up Sebastian and take him to another room for some imaginative play. Sebastian is fully engaged in this process, enabling the dancers to devote their full attention to the 2 run-throughs. After finishing the first run-through, Mandy and Lorena review Jonathan’s notes. They try to incorporate the technical details he is seeking when they run through the piece for the second time. Once again, Jonathan shares with Mandy and Lorena several minor adjustments he wants to make. He demonstrates the exact choreographic execution for a number of poses and phrases. Jonathan views this as “mechanically cleaning the piece”: refining timing, spacing, and spatial relationships between the characters. He is not delving deeply into qualitative details today. The dancers are eager to nail down these elements and approach this process with a somewhat heightened sense of urgency since the showing is right around the corner. Consequently, the time spent rehearsing Jonathan’s piece is very productive. It is exciting for everyone to get this work into performance-ready shape! Jonathan begins working on his solo on the side of the room while Lorena struggles to get her music to play through the stereo. Lorena gets creative and starts singing the melody so she and Mandy can rehearse Lorena’s piece as best as possible. Sherri and Sebastian return to the studio as Lorena finally rectifies the music glitch. Lorena and Mandy proceed to run through section 5 with music. Lorena works with Mandy on adjusting the spacing relative to one another, including dancing along diagonals as they approach and move away from each other, then using their respective choreography to create overall circular patterns. It is now time to run through sections 1, 2 and 5, pulling the piece all together. Apparently, Sebastian feels it is another great opportunity to race with his stroller, weaving in and out of the dancers. This time, Jonathan sweeps up Sebastian in his arms and whisks him away to play in the hallway. Once again, Jonathan’s intervention enables the dancers to fully concentrate on the run-through.. Next up: Mandy’s solo for Lorena. Mandy teaches Lorena a series of new poses that will conclude the part of the dance that will be performed at the showing. Mandy uses a variety of vocalizations to establish timing/rhythm in the absence of music. As Lorena runs through the piece, she and Mandy clarify several movement details. Mandy also changes specific arm movements to better enhance certain body positions. Finally, Jonathan runs through his solo with music. His gestural details are even more nuanced than ever before, and he uses his eyes and facial expressions to communicate a myriad of emotional experiences. However, the overall impact of the piece is not quite as dramatic as it has been in the past. Jonathan explains that he is trying to let his emotions flow through him organically in the moment. He is taking an approach that is “less operatic and more impressionistic.” The next couple of rehearsals will likely make it clear what these choices will actually look like. February 14, 2018 NAILING DOWN TECHNICAL AND ARTISTIC DETAILS The dancers kick off today’s rehearsal with Valentine’s Day cheer. Lorena’s announcements about her work promotion and Sebastian hitting a developmental milestone also fuel the high spirits. Jonathan, Mandy and Lorena do individual stretches while catching up on one another’s news, then move into a ballet-based warm up. Plastic cars fly through the air and race along the walls and mirrors – Sebastian is in the house! Jonathan and Mandy continue their warm up with across-the-floor sequences, while Lorena, in a burst of creative energy, listens to her music to generate new material for the last section of her piece. Without missing a beat, the dancers use their tendus to push Sebastian’s debris out of the way. Sebastian then occupies himself with drawing and pursuing Mandy and mom’s snacks. Everybody knows that other people’s food tastes so much better than anything you have. The dancers agree to begin rehearsing Jonathan’s piece, especially since he had to miss last week’s session. Mandy and Lorena decide to mark it through to “find the holes” while Jonathan observes and takes notes. Just as they finish the opening poses, Sebastian runs with his stroller in and out of their space – but then veers away, hovering on the perimeter. Phew. It is striking to watch Mandy and Lorena portray their characters with more intense emotional energy than in the past. Even their arm and leg extensions seem more expansive than usual. When they reach the first section in which Mandy dances a solo, Lorena jumps out to help Sebastian, then returns just in time for her “entrance.” Talk about seamless choreography! The ladies experience a bit of difficulty executing a challenging partner movement at the end of their entwined series of poses…struggle a bit with the timing of the floor segment…acknowledge the moments where they can’t recall the choreography…wrestle with the timing of the final poses. Jonathan, Mandy and Lorena then alternate between reviewing parts that the ladies feel need clarification and going through Jonathan’s notes. Highlights:
Lorena decides to put on a video for Sebastian, thereby minimizing future interruptions. The dancers spend a considerable amount of time breaking down the final sequence of poses, moment by moment. Since Mandy and Lorena are in their reversed roles, each dancer coaches the other on the details of the poses and the corresponding weight shifts. Jonathan then offers several more notes:
Mandy receives a call from school asking her to pick up her son Nate, who is not feeling well. Since she has to leave rehearsal now, she suggests that she and Lorena get together for an hour over winter break next week to review the material they worked on today. When Mandy leaves the studio, Jonathan and Lorena work on their respective pieces. Jonathan goes through the first part of his solo gesture by gesture, with particular emphasis on the details of the initial hand flipping sequence. He chooses to increase his use of staccato, jerking movements of his arms and hands. In contrast with the last time he worked on his solo, Jonathan seems to fully inhabit his character; he infuses each moment with emotional power. Jonathan explains to Sherri that he would like to experiment with changes in choreographic and qualitative details that more accurately reflect his current psychological/emotional context. Unfortunately, he does not have the time for this process before the showing; consequently, he must commit to his creative choices earlier than he would like. Meanwhile, Lorena plays her music over and over to make choreographic decisions about Section 5 of her piece. As her ideas take shape, she tests them out in her body. She later sits on the floor, using her fingers to trace possible geometric configurations she may use. Once again, she tests out these concepts, imagining movement trajectories for both herself and Mandy. As Lorena and Sebastian prepare to leave, Sherri and Jonathan discuss script ideas for the upcoming showing. What a productive rehearsal! Way to nail down those qualitative details! February 7, 2018 MINIMAL CAREGIVING = MAXIMUM PRODUCTIVITY Jonathan needs to help his mother who was recently hospitalized; consequently, he is unable to attend rehearsal today. He requests that Mandy and Lorena run his piece to mentally cement the choreography and build stamina – if time and kiddie demands allow, of course!
Snowy/icy conditions result in arrival delays for the dancers. Before long, though, Lorena and Mandy are engaged in separate ballet-based warm ups. Meanwhile, Sebastian starts drawing and loves showing his creations to mom. It looks like the pleasure of drawing is eclipsed by clicking the pen and crunching the paper! Despite her reservations about Sebastian spending too much time in front of a screen, Lorena decides to put on a movie for Sebastian to watch. As a result, the ladies are able to focus intently on their work. Starting with Lorena’s piece, Mandy and Lorena mark the first section, self-correcting some timing and spacing as they go. Next, they run it with complete movements, but not yet full out. Lorena has mentally made several notes, based on the first 2 run throughs of section 1. She takes Mandy through the entire piece again, highlighting the areas she would like to adjust or refine:
The dancers run through section 1 again, incorporating these changes. Watching the video of this run through, Lorena wonders whether the back and forth sequence is visually interesting enough. She also notices where she needs to adjust the position of her head and suggests that she and Mandy try to establish eye contact wherever possible. Mandy now runs through section 2, her solo, as Lorena observes. Lorena compliments Mandy on the quality of her dancing and notes that her timing is just right. She also offers a few suggestions:
Lorena and Mandy move on to section 5. Lorena repeatedly plays the music as she creates choreography in her head, then tests it out. Meanwhile, Mandy practices her part in this section. Lorena then brings Mandy into the process to figure out how to execute a choreographic change in a key phrase that is repeated. Lorena demonstrates sharp arm and leg movements in intricate patterns performed at a rapid pace. One person dances this repeating phrase while the other person executes a series of chaînés turns. The dancers then switch parts. Lorena works on the timing until it corresponds precisely to the beat of the music. Following a food break and diaper change, the dancers work on Mandy’s piece. First, Lorena marks through the choreography, working out technical details, while Mandy watches. Mandy clarifies the starting position and location she wants and advises Lorena to keep her head aligned with her spine. As Lorena runs through the dance again, she notes how different her natural way of moving is from the style Mandy is seeking. Therefore, Lorena asks Mandy for very specific instructions to help her execute the movements in accordance with Mandy’s vision. Mandy then teaches Lorena a new phrase. With the intention of working on dynamics, Mandy discusses with Lorena nearly each pose of the dance. She clarifies which movements should be sharp and forceful to contrast with the choreography that is smoother and softer. The dancers also review timing, a particularly tricky element since there is no music (at least not yet). Mandy and Lorena experiment together to capture the precise details of 3 phrases in particular:
In the blink of an eye, it is time to wrap up, so the ladies are unable to rehearse Jonathan’s piece. The dancers are very pleased with the high level of productivity achieved today. There is no question that Sebastian’s absorption in the movie allowed Lorena and Mandy to drill down deeply into the technical and artistic details of the dances. Minimal caregiving=maximum productivity! January 31, 2018 OUR BONDS DEEPEN Mandy brings Nate to the studio today as he has no preschool. Throughout the rehearsal, Nate is generally self-sufficient, content to eat his yummy snacks and play with a variety of games.
Jonathan is excited to have child care so he can stay for the entire rehearsal. Fingers crossed, it looks like his current babysitting arrangement will become permanent. Lorena arrives feeling under the weather, but is eager to work. However, as the dancers prepare to warm up, the conversation turns toward challenging personal and parenting issues. Given the bonds of trust, caring, and support that have already developed, the dancers instinctively take the time to share their feelings and experiences. They naturally put work aside so everyone can process these difficult dynamics and receive resonance and encouragement from their colleagues. This experience draws the dancers even closer together, facilitating greater cohesion and richer collaborations as they return to work. Lorena ‘s participation in the warm up with Jonathan and Mandy is sporadic as she must repeatedly jump out to attend to Sebastian’s needs. First up: work on Jonathan’s piece. Lorena begins by verbally reviewing the most recent changes and clarifications. This exercise enables her to identify areas in which she needs further information – for example, her gesture phrase once she and Mandy switch roles. Jonathan makes clear timing choices so he can help Lorena phrase this section to the music. The dancers then review the final poses of the dance, helping one another clarify the details of each pose. They are now ready to run the duet while Jonathan takes qualitative notes. This is a milestone moment; getting to this point indicates that the dance is now a complete, cohesive work! Moving forward, Jonathan can focus on cleaning up and refining the technical and emotional details. About ¾ of the way through, the dancers need to pause so Lorena can help Sebastian with a number of issues. While Lorena attends to her son’s needs, Jonathan begins to share his notes with Mandy. When Lorena returns, the dancers fix one section of the piece, then continue to run it from where they left off. Just as they arrive at the final pose of the duet, Sebastian runs to mom. Of course – just one more movement left to complete the piece and boom, Mandy and Lorena must stop. From another perspective, though, it appears as if Sebastian crashing into the dancers is the actual finale! A typical Second Story moment! Sebastian is repeatedly having frustrating toy assembly difficulties. Although Nate tries to engage Sebastian and Jonathan offers to help, Sebastian feels that only mom can rectify the situation. Given Lorena’s focus on Sebastian and the short time remaining for Lorena to work on her piece, Jonathan suggests that they review his notes at the beginning of next week’s rehearsal. As the dancers take a break, Mandy puts on a movie for the boys to watch. Before long, the personal discussions resume. There is clearly more processing needed before returning to rehearse. As Lorena and Mandy start working on Lorena’s piece, Jonathan begins to review his solo. Before long, though, Sebastian is torn between watching the video and going to mom. Realizing that it will probably be difficult for Lorena to get much more work done with Sebastian as a continual distraction, Jonathan takes Sebastian on a walk through the building. They play in the dressing room while Jonathan occasionally swings his legs and moves around to keep his body warm. Mandy and Lorena now have some uninterrupted time to devote to the finale of Lorena’s dance. However, it is difficult to focus on creating since this rehearsal has been so physically and emotionally draining. When Jonathan returns with Sebastian, the dancers agree to begin next week’s session with work on Lorena’s piece. It is wonderful to see a company of true friends and colleagues pull together to offer one another unconditional love and support. It’s what makes Second Story Dance Project so special. January 24, 2018 LAST PIECE FALLS INTO PLACE Talk about fluid contexts today: Lorena has child care, then she doesn’t. Lorena will be on time… no, now she will be late. Jonathan requests that the majority of rehearsal time be dedicated to finishing his piece since he has child care today and can stay for the entire rehearsal – but Lorena was also hoping for a significant chunk of time to work on her dance. But now that she is delayed, Lorena figures that Jonathan might as well take the bulk of the rehearsal time for his work. Just change the details and you have another set of typical contextual challenges for the Second Story dancers.
In fact, Lorena confides that there is so much on her plate right now, she must concentrate on bringing herself into the present moment so she can redirect her energies to rehearsing. Mandy and Jonathan warm up together, while Lorena stretches on her own. Sebastian is playing independently, absorbed with his new gift of “Cars 3” cars from Jonathan. He gleefully rolls these cars across every surface in the studio. Sherri re-directs him away from crashing the cars against the mirror and toward the scratchy surface of the “music cart.” The sounds produced by his cars moving over this different surface keep him occupied for a few minutes -- until he decides to use mom’s legs as highways. He then insists that Lorena accompany him to the lounge area before she begins working. Upon Lorena’s return to the studio space, Jonathan outlines his plan for working on his piece today: review the spacing work and choreographic changes from last week. He reminds Lorena and Mandy to keep their movements in and around the center of the stage. He wants to tweak a phrase in which the dancers move around one another while physically connected. Jonathan also intends to “fill in the hole” – create new material for Lorena—near the end of the piece. As Lorena and Mandy slowly walk through the dance, Jonathan verbally reminds them of last week’s changes and suggests refinements of various qualitative details. Lorena and Mandy communicate with each other about spacing as they mark through the piece, noting when they have drifted too far away from the center. Jonathan wants them to think of Mandy as the “center anchor” to keep the duo in the vicinity of center stage. Jonathan then puts on the music as Lorena and Mandy try to incorporate all of his notes. Meanwhile, Sebastian rolls his stroller around the studio and out into the hall. Jonathan does double duty, watching both Sebastian and the dancers while standing in the doorway. Sebastian then brings his stroller back in the studio, spinning it around and around right next to the dancers. Sherri entices Sebastian by offering her arms and head for him to roll his cars over. They also draw and read a book together. These distractions work for a while, but hanging out with mom trumps all other activities. Fortunately, Sebastian’s subsequent interruption of mom’s dancing is short-lived; redirection to his snack changes his focus. Mandy and Lorena now run through Jonathan’s piece with music as he observes, noting several timing adjustments. The dancers run it once again, this time trying to identify and self-correct their timing and spatial errors. After a stint at the barre imitating the dancers, Sebastian returns to the hallway. Jonathan resumes his post in the doorway to simultaneously keep an eye on Sebastian and call out timing adjustments to the ladies. He also talks them through the final poses of the dance. Mandy and Lorena identify the phrases that still need clarification and note the significant amount of stamina required to execute Jonathan’s duet. Next, Jonathan develops the missing choreography for Lorena’s character near the end of the piece. This material features the torso leading the turns and torqueing of the body. After reviewing the new movements several times, Lorena feels more confident in her execution of Jonathan’s choreography and wants to try it one final time. Alas, this is the exact moment when Sebastian’s finger gets stuck in the stroller, necessitating Lorena’s tender loving care. As Lorena soothes Sebastian. Jonathan works with Mandy to clarify certain partnering gestures and sequences. He encourages her to use/lead with her back muscles to initiate and facilitate the moves; Jonathan wants to “see the work” in Mandy’s back. He then adjusts the directions of Lorena’s movements relative to Mandy. The dancers shift their concentration to the floor segment, experimenting with and trying to agree on the exact timing of the movements. Jonathan wants to see more rapid rolls to ensure that the choreography feels exciting. Of course, executing these movements at a rapid tempo is challenging! The dancers conclude work on Jonathan’s piece with a review of the timing and spacing of the final phrases of the duet. And that’s a wrap – Jonathan’s choreography is complete! Next up: Lorena’s piece. She wants to practice the first two sections, then work on developing the final section. She asks Jonathan to observe and offer his perspectives. Soon after beginning the first duet, Lorena realizes that the spacing is off, so it’s “take 2” – let’s start again from the top. Lorena acknowledges the need to clean up the timing throughout this portion of the dance. Jonathan offers a few suggestions: maintain the crisscross motif throughout the section…Lorena should touch Mandy at a particular moment to maintain the sense of contact between them…consider making more of a progression in a specific phrase. After Mandy runs through her solo from Lorena’s dance, Lorena creates and refines material for the final section of the piece. The choreography is very fast, timed to the beat of the music. Movements are sharp and precise. The dancers try to figure out spacing relative to one another, experimenting until it feels right. While the ladies work on this final section, Jonathan revisits his solo. He seems to be testing it out – remembering the choreography, re-thinking certain movements, getting his body and mind reacquainted with this work. As is typical of most rehearsals, Lorena must continually shift her attention back and forth between her work and attending to Sebastian’s needs. While Lorena makes these transitions appear to be seamless, we can only imagine how frustrating and challenging it must be to inhabit these two roles simultaneously. It’s finally Mandy’s turn! She has been working on new choreography for her piece and is eager to teach it to Lorena. She also asks Jonathan to watch the solo and share his ideas. By this point in the rehearsal, Lorena has been working hard; she must push herself to maintain her energy to execute Mandy’s physically demanding material. Jonathan suggests that Mandy clarify what each movement is about and determine what body parts she wants to initiate each move. Jonathan encourages Mandy to consider where the dance is going…what type of structure it will have. Will it be episodic? Will it build to a climax? Jonathan proposes that Mandy “play with delineating the space” – determine what movements/tempo/motifs will appear in different spaces on stage. He also recommends deciding where Lorena’s character will focus in each phrase of the dance. Mandy is truly in the midst of her process and does not yet have definitive answers. She does know, though, that the piece will not have a musical arc. The dancers conclude rehearsal feeling physically tired but excited about finishing Jonathan’s duet and invigorated by today’s productive session! January 17, 2018 IT’S ALL IN THE QUALITATIVE DETAILS Mother Nature nearly sabotaged rehearsal today. The bad weather resulted in a delayed opening for Edgar and Eliza’s preschool and cancellation of their after-school child care. Disappointed – and somewhat panicked – over the prospect of another lost rehearsal, Jonathan frantically tried to make alternate arrangements. Although he was not successful, he calmed down when he realized he could still get in 30 minutes of concentrated rehearsal time. If he was focused—and the dancers were ready – and the children in the room would allow it – he could get a lot done. It was definitely worth it! Lorena and Mandy arrive first and are all warmed up by the time Jonathan walks through the door. The trio are ready to focus completely on Jonathan’s duet. Fortunately, Sebastian plays independently during this time, briefly interrupting only twice to solicit mom’s help with toy repair. Jonathan begins his notes. His goal for the piece is to have his characters’ movements in, around, or relating to the center of the stage. Jonathan wants to give the center special importance, a “gravitational pull.” It is a metaphor for external and internal forces affecting the characters’ relationships. It is also an aesthetic choice, clarifying design elements of the dance and a means of focusing the audience’s attention. Jonathan says, “I always want to know where the center of gravity is in my works.” Lorena and Mandy slowly mark through the piece, talking it through with Jonathan moment-by-moment. True to his intention, Jonathan continually clarifies spacing. He also feels free to change various choreographic details to create more elegant, sophisticated movement. He has been waiting for the “right moment to bring it up;” since much of Second Story’s limited rehearsal time is spent reviewing material, adding changes into the mix has felt premature. Jonathan is excited that the time is now right. To elicit more emotion and enhance beauty and visual interest, Jonathan makes several adjustments: Mandy executes a fan kick while lying on the floor in one of the opening poses…in a moment where both Mandy and Lorena pause in their respective poses, Mandy now assumes an arabesque position while moving her head and hand against her lifted leg…Lorena’ s balletic turns during a solo section now feature upper body arches and curves, giving these movements a “low, dripping quality.” Tweaking these qualitative details enables Jonathan to elicit more robust character portrayals. The dancers come to the end of the duet just as Jonathan has to leave. Although he still needs to address a choreographic hole for Lorena at the end of the piece, he feels that today’s refinements took precedent over creating the missing choreography. As he prepares to leave, Jonathan requests that Mandy and Lorena run through the duet one or two more times. In the past, Jonathan has explained that he generally takes a broad strokes approach to his work, sketching the outlines first, then fine-tuning layer by layer. It is so gratifying to reach the point where the dance comes together through its captivating qualitative details! As Jonathan requested, Lorena and Mandy run through his piece with music, trying to remember all of his spatial changes. This time, though, Sebastian is no longer content to play by himself; he interrupts mom mid-way through the duet. To finish the run-through, Lorena holds Sebastian in her arms and marks through the balance of the dance. After pausing for a snack, Mandy walks through her solo portion of Lorena’s duet while Sebastian plays with mom. For a short period of time, Lorena is able to join Mandy, who is creating new material for her piece. The movements are angular and shape-specific, featuring variations on certain positions from the beginning of the solo. Since Lorena’s calf is bothering her, she walks through the new choreography. Before long, however, the calf pain becomes too intense, and Lorena sits down, unable to continue rehearsing. Sebastian takes advantage of this situation and takes a flying leap on mom. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the final pose of the day! January 10, 2018 THE JOY OF CREATING CHOREOGRAPHY Jonathan is nursing his kids back to health and, therefore, cannot attend rehearsal. However, he is already looking forward to next week’s rehearsal to see how Mandy and Lorena refine his piece today.
The warm-up is somewhat subdued, but Mandy and Lorena become fired up once they begin work on Jonathan’s duet. To ensure that the dancers can adequately focus on their work, Lorena decides to give Sebastian a video early in the session. She expresses unease about her son watching a video for a long period of time, but concludes that it is necessary if the dancers are to accomplish their goals today. Lorena and Mandy choose to run through Jonathan’s entire duet, then target the section in which they switch roles for more intensive work. This is the smoothest run-through yet – that is, until Sebastian attaches himself to mom’s leg to insist that she adjust his video. At first, Lorena attempts to continue dancing with Sebastian in her arms, but it becomes too difficult once she and Mandy enter into the entwined phrases. Lorena hurries to remedy Sebastian’s technical difficulties, then resumes dancing the duet from the point right before they switch parts. Concentration is particularly intense as Mandy and Lorena help one another recall the choreographic details of the role reversal. As they reach the final poses of the dance, Lorena and Mandy try to recall Jonathan’s timing instructions and realize that they still need a little more material before the concluding phrases are complete. Satisfied with their progress, the ladies begin work on all 4 sections of Lorena’s piece. First up: Mandy runs through her solo portion while Sebastian runs around the studio with a jump rope, intermittently yelling, “oh!” Lorena and Mandy then rehearse their duet section. Lorena calls out timing and spacing cues as they progress. The dancers identify the choreographic details that are not quite clear – all the while dodging Sebastian as he runs in and out of their rehearsal space. Mandy returns to her solo portion while Lorena observes. As Mandy dances, Lorena identifies the moments when she wants Mandy to “push” and the places where she can take a softer approach. With Sebastian back in front of his video, Lorena spends a couple of minutes working through her solo portion of the dance. As Mandy points out, the feeling in this segment is bouncier and freer than the duet and solo that precede it. This brief solo features a lot of quick jumps, turns, and footwork. Moving on, Lorena and Mandy take a few minutes to listen to the music that accompanies the next duet segment. This music features both high and low vocal parts; each dancer’s choreography will correspond to either the high or low voice. To help Mandy distinguish between the two vocal lines in the music, Lorena sings Mandy’s part several times. She then teaches Mandy her choreography, creating and revising phrases as she tests out the new material. Mandy practices the new steps several times. In particular, she and Lorena work on anticipating and catching the first beat of the music. Lorena then integrates her part into the dance. Each dancer’s part features very rapid footwork and quick turns, in sync with the timing of their respective vocal parts in the music. Lorena is becoming increasingly excited as the choreography emerges. She and Mandy repeatedly practice their parts to get the timing right. Taking a break to eat and rest, the team discusses details of Second Story’s upcoming agenda. Finally, the ladies are ready to work on Mandy’s piece. They first review the most recent video of Mandy’s work. Lorena then runs through the dance as Mandy clarifies the timing of the choreography as it is not yet set to music. Mandy also demonstrates the execution of a quick footwork phrase. Mandy then teaches Lorena some new material she has prepared for today’s session. Like the first part of this dance, the choreography is quite linear and angular. Mandy decides to continue creating new choreography in the moment; she finds the experience to be exhilarating. She confesses that she never imagined she would enjoy the role of choreographer; who knew it would feel so fulfilling? As they conclude today’s rehearsal, Lorena and Mandy affirm the sheer joy of dance composition! |
AuthorsSherri Muroff Kalt, founder of Process Portraits, LLC and author of Portrait of an Artistic Journey: The Creative Process in Real Life Context, is a Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude graduate of Duke University with a B.A. in psychology. She began her career in marketing and sales in New York City with L’Oréal, Monet Jewelers, and Givenchy. READ MORE |