SECOND STORY REHEARSAL #29

April 12, 2017

THE BEST LAID PLANS…CAN ALWAYS BE USED ANOTHER TIME

Leading into today’s rehearsal

Jonathan sends extensive notes on his duet for Mandy and Lorena to the team.  Highlights include:  changes in the opening poses for Lorena…adjusting Lorena’s spacing relative to Mandy…creating a “conversation of gesture” between Mandy and Lorena, initiated by Lorena’s movements…additional gestures…ensuring Lorena does not completely face the audience…determine the timing of each dancer’s movements to allow them to physically reunite.

​Knowing that Sherri and Mandy will not be attending the April 12th rehearsal as they are away on break, Jonathan and Lorena plan to use the time to work on their solos.  In particular, Jonathan prepares a list of elements he would like to address during the rehearsal.

Today’s Rehearsal

​Edgar is on Spring break, so he joins Eliza and Sebastian in the studio today.  Knowing they are outnumbered, Jonathan and Lorena try everything in their bag of tricks to take care of their kids’ needs in a way that will still allow them to work.  Although the bag is impressively large and varied, the childcare demands are continual.  As a result, warm-up is “catch as catch can.”  After they get through a few exercises, the dancers feel good enough to get started. 

As far as creating goes, however, Jonathan is unable to address a single item on his list.  After a few attempts at ironing out a challenging sequence of turns, he becomes dizzy.  Eager to work out these phrases to his satisfaction, he continues to rehearse, despite the dizziness.  Before long, though, he becomes nauseated and must sit down.  He is surprised and confused as this has never happened to him before.  Later, he tries to work on other phrases of the piece without any turns, but is still too sick to move.  Consequently, he surrenders himself to caregiving and stretching.  To his further surprise, Jonathan is able to “open up” some chronically tight back muscles.  It may not be the kind of success he was looking for, but it’s certainly what his body needed. 

Lorena has a bit more success on the choreographic front, completing the opening section of “Prelude” in preparation for the upcoming showing. 

​The kids’ repeated interruptions remind Lorena and Jonathan of their context; the fluid, unpredictable dynamics of caregiving always determine what is possible on the “creating” side of the equation.   Interestingly, though, ideas must have been percolating because later, after an afternoon of recovery,  Jonathan easily figures out everything on his list while thinking through the piece at home that night.  Not exactly as planned…but all in all, a good day’s work!