SECOND STORY REHEARSAL #68

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:

• Widen initial leg stance and keep body lower to the ground during the entire first section.
• Your focus should start coming up gradually.  Make the change of focus more important.
• Keep focus on hands when you start moving.
• Suspend impactful moments.
• Pause before moments when music changes to make them more defined and meaningful.
• Make certain movements more dramatic.
• Be sure entire hand flutters/rotates, not just the fingers.

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:

• The dancers’ movements are not quite mirroring each other as Lorena intended.
• Commit to a choice in a certain phrase.
• Use your back when you move the upper body forward to give the movement a lighter appearance.

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:

• Using the side body, lift upper part of your back higher.
• Use back to power the runs.
• Drop forward more fully in a particular phrase.
• Make sure shapes originate from the spine.
• Suspend movements where you can to underscore their importance.

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:

• Use less spine,,,get to the edges faster so your limbs appear long and stretched out.
• Add more sequence of body part movements into your poses rather than moving everything at once.
• Keep a lower stance in particular poses, and keep your heels down in the footwork section and certain turns.
• Remember to use your core to power several moves.

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:

• In opening and closing poses, stretch arms out like branches.
• In a traveling phrase, use your hand to pull your head back – which, in turn, initiates the next movement backwards.
• Be clear about your gestural conversations.

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:

• Hands throughout the piece should convey images of claws and branches.
• Raise a leg during the agitated gesture sequence.
• Jonathan reviews precise placement of hands when the ladies are entwined.
• Finish arm movements in side swipes.
• Jonathan clarifies Mandy’s spacing relative to the center in a series of phrases.
• Adjust the timing of a particular phrase.
• Jonathan clarifies Lorena’s spacing while traveling relative to Mandy.
• Keep back open and elbows stretched out on landing of leap.
• When you lean back over your partner, you should feel solid and supported.
• In later entwined poses, place your hands unevenly on partner.
• Make sure “conversations” of gestures are clear.

​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!