"Looping" at the Choreographer's Canvas

     My second time presenting a piece for the Choreographer's Canvas, and my choreo is growing by leaps and bounds!  The first year, I debuted "The Lady in the Street."  It was my first true narrative and my longest piece.  A man seduces a woman and brings her back to his place, but once he gets her in bed she flips the tables and becomes the aggressor (aided by her vengeful fury henchwomen).  About 5 minutes with a cast of 4.  "Looping" is a different beast.

     9 dancers.  Over 5 minutes long.  4 individual vignettes that combine to illustrate an overaching theme.  It was an ambitious dance.  I loved creating it with some fabulous performers and I love the story it tells.  It's emblematic of the work that I enjoy doing.  About human connection.  Contemporary. Romantic.  Real.  I got a fantastic response from this one and I'm so proud to share it with the world.
Without further ado...

"Looping"

"Looping" dress rehearsal

     In Atlanta, I had an incredible experience sitting back and observing another person's process, but as soon as I got back to NY I needed to be my own artist again.  Stop watching, start doing.  So I began creating a new dance.  "Looping" was originally presented as a part of the 2012 Choreographer's Canvas at MMAC.  While I was rehearsing it, I realized that I wanted to extend my network of collaborators and meet new artists.  I opened my dress rehearsal to photographers who were potentially interested in dance photography.  I had a room full of incredibly talented dancers and had them choreographed to make some incredibly beautiful pictures.  So why not invite more people into that world, just to play and see what develops?  The photographers would have a chance to explore dance photography, the dancers would get some shots they may be able to use for self-promotion, and I'd get to meet some new talent.  Winning all around.  Travis Kelley ended up taking me up on that offer, and as a result I can't praise www.traviskelleyphotography.com enough.  He does stunning work and I'm so lucky that he came to document our rehearsal.  Here's some moments that he captured at our working dress rehearsal.

The Lady in the Street-Choreographer's Canvas 2011

Official video debut! I LOVED working on this piece. So many artistic challenges. The is the longest number I've choreographed to date. It's the most complex plot I've developed. A number of costuming elements. And we threw this baby on its feet in three rehearsals. Band of Gypsies consumed my calendar and took a priority so I had to focus on developing that piece. When "The Race" premiered, I had one week to get in the studio and make "The Lady in the Street" happen. And I got my people together. And we made it happen. And it was glorious.

I've gotten some great feedback on this piece. I feel like it made an incredibly strong impression in the context of the show and opened some really fantastic doors for me professionally. But more importantly, it feels like a success artistically. This is the kind of work I want to do. Looking at it with some perspective now, there are some tweaks I would make. But the core of the number feels solid and I'm so incredibly proud of the work and of the dancers that brought it to life. So grateful.

Choreographer's Canvas 2011 Production Photos

Still waiting on that footage but until it arrives I can tease out the piece with these production photos that the amazing photographer Ilan Harel was able to grab at the concert. I'm amazed that at ONE performance only we were able to capture these shots. It's a tribute to the photographer, to my dancers who KILLED it, and I guess to my choreography which had some really strong lines and moments that read. Very clean. So grateful to everyone who helped this piece come to life and to the Group Theater, Too which produced the evening. It was a memorable night.

http://ilanharelphotography.smugmug.com/