SECOND STORY REHEARSAL # 30

April 19, 2017

OUT OF BREATH – AND LOVING IT!

​Lorena and Sebastian have been battling the stomach bug, so Lorena is only well enough to gently stretch on her own and, later, mark a bit of choreography.  She primarily attends to Sebastian who is starting to recover, but is still fussy.

In contrast, since Jonathan’s in-laws are in town – and watching Eliza – Jonathan is free to fully focus on his work.  And boy does he attack the warm-up with gusto!  Mandy and Jonathan are able to do more complicated and aerobically challenging exercise sequences than are possible when holding a toddler.  They hit each body part and complete each exercise; the dancers can’t remember the last time THAT happened.  They are completely out of breath – and couldn’t be happier!

Following the warm-up, Jonathan begins with a review of each element on his list of notes for his duet for Mandy and Lorena.  At first, Lorena can only watch and listen as she tries to console her son who wants to eat food his tummy can’t handle.  So Jonathan works primarily with Mandy, clarifying and adjusting a number of elements:  gestural details, height of turns, sweep of the leg on partial turns, and timing of certain phrases.  We see Mandy execute many complex turns using every part of her body.

Jonathan then suggests that he hold/entertain Sebastian so Mandy and Lorena can mark the duet from the beginning.  The dancers try to recall complicated choreographic details and work out intricate partnering movements.  With Sebastian in his arms, Jonathan clarifies spacing and timing during the phrases in which the dancers reunite after their solo segments.  All 3 dancers feel this part of rehearsal is very productive; they are able to work out a lot of choreographic details, executing the material in a way that feels more organic and technically effective.

After a break, Jonathan works on the beginning of Part 2 of his solo “Embers and Ash.”  He is determined to figure out the turning sequences that gave him trouble last week.  While the movements are challenging, he is eventually satisfied that he has made the necessary choreographic adjustments.  We see variations on motifs featured in Part 1 of this piece…expansive, expressive, repeating arm movements…seemingly endless curlicues and turns rotating in different directions and moving at different angles.  The physical exertion is high as Jonathan leads his movements with his back and torso, employs every body part in his vigorous turns, and executes it all with great speed.  He will need to build his stamina to meet his own choreographic challenges!

Mandy has been marking her solo in one section of the room while Jonathan choreographs in another.  Following Jonathan’s run-through of his piece with music, Mandy does the same with her solo.  Lorena is pleased with Mandy’s execution of the material and has no further notes today.

​At the conclusion of rehearsal, Jonathan and Sherri review details of the upcoming showing with Steffi Nossen’s staff.  With the studio’s enthusiastic support, Second Story is sure to have a successful event!