Matchmaker, Matchmaker...I'm Willing to Settle

   I love new work.  I also love projects where I get to do double-duty.  For this one, I got to be choreographer guy but also got to assistant direct and dip my toes in those waters some more.  I like those waters.  This gig fell into place because of some genius actors that I'd worked with in a showcase.  NIKKI MACCALLUM and KELVIN MOON LOH cowrote a show based on Nikki's experiences with online dating.  An autobiographical musical about Manhattan romantic disasters.  Nikki played the lead and Kelvin directed.  I was brought on board to spice up the concert with a few choreographed moments.  There was a margarita shaker salsa dance, a nasty 'swingers' swing number, and a personal highlight, the opening number and its 'boobie-time' choreography. 

     The show was presented at ARS NOVA and it was my first time working in that amazing intimate space where I'd seen so much great work by so many inspiring emerging artists.  Thrilled to join their ranks.  And to work on a brand-spankin' new musical.  And to discover that even though I can be uber-serious guy, I can actually make funny choreography that people laugh at.  Who knew?  The show sold out, the performance kicked butt, the authors continue to develop the piece, and I got some artistic growth.  So much win! 

Looping vs. Looping

The NEW YORK JAZZ CHOREOGRAPHY PROJECT gave me the chance to reinvestigate "Looping".  In a majority of the dances I present, I'm rehearsing under the gun.  Paying for studios, getting friends to dance for me for low/no pay, doing my best to work calmly and cleanly.  I don't like taking advantage of people's time (which they're mostly donating), so I generally put things up quick and dirty and let the cards fall where they may.  This was the first piece I got to step away from for a bit and rediscover.  Distance is crucial.  I could see what was working, what wasn't, and revisit.  The one thing I couldn't control was cinematography.  I'm not overly pleased with the video.  Focus issues, missed moments, lack of closeup.  But it was out of my hands.  The CHOREOGRAPHY part of things feels like a success.  Clarification of moments.  More intricacy.  Better set-up at the beginning.  A sculpted lighting design.  Cleaner.  Here for the first time I an present a side-by-side comparison of the evolution of a piece.  Very proud of this dance.

First, the original...


Now, the new and improved...

Looping 2.0

Looping was a beautiful dance. I loved it and was thrilled with the way it turned out. But it wasn't quite fully developed. We had an abridged rehearsal process, not nearly enough tech time, and at the single performance there was a technical mishap and the stage went to blackout briefly. All in all, not ideal. So I wanted to revisit, make some tweaks, and show it again. That opportunity came up with the NY JAZZ CHOREOGRAPHY PROJECT.

I'd known one of the artistic directors, Merete Meunter, through events at the SDC and she invited me to apply.  I sent off the video of the original and it was immediately accepted into the fall showing.  Unfortunately, many of my dancers were unavailable.  Booking little things like national tours and, oh, BROADWAY.  I got to explore the movement with a new crew who brought their own flair to it.  And they were gorgeous.  Here are some pictures from the dress rehearsal we had courtesy of Travis Kelley Photography (he who got such brilliant pictures of the original).  Obsessed with his composition and some moments he captured.  Looping 2.0 will always hold a special place in my heart as the first piece I ever remounted.  I'm starting to develop repertoire!  Awesome development in my dance path!

"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"

Band of Gypsies 2-The Race: Production Photos

The uber-talented Nicholas Ziegler captured some fantastic moments during the tech rehearsal. I love when the physical pictures I create inspire some breathtaking images from a fellow artist. Movement captured into a preserved moment. Another person's creative perspective illuminating thoughts in my own. It's cool. Collaboration is fun!

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/

Choreographer's Canvas 2011

Debuting ANOTHER piece. I gotta say, I feel like I'm really starting to get some nice momentum. This showcase features 15 great choreographers and it's new and different to consider them my 'co-creators' instead of 'people I want to hire me.' Rebecca Thomas, a choreographer I just danced for with R.Evolution Latina, is also presenting. In the space of a month I went from performing FOR her to presenting a piece ALONGSIDE OF her. That's kind of a cool transition!

I'm really excited about the number I'm presenting for a number of reasons. It will be the LONGEST number I've choreographed so far. It has the most complex story of anything I've worked on. There's some really fun costuming moments. Very athletic. Very intense. Strong acting intentions and character. It's a story/theme that I think is worth exploring. I think it's pushing boundaries and will get a reaction. And I feel that there are really well-defined choreographic moments and a structure to the number. After working on something abstract, it's nice to return to clarity. I'll try to get footage, but it might be a bit tricky with this one. Hope to have video up...eventually.

Band of Gypsies 2-The Race

Here's the ROUGH edit of my number. What I was able to capture with just my dinky camera during tech and the one show. Hopefully I'll be able to fill in the holes and get better footage with actual videographer footage down the line, but I love the piece so much I didn't want to wait. So sharing the unpolished version with the world...

Band of Gypsies 2!

Well, it's time. Debuting a new piece tonight. This was a MAJOR challenge and pushed me as an artist in the best of ways. I've never choreographed a piece for dancers with a cast this size before (7!). I've never collaborated with a composer and worked with original music before. I've never had to deal with the logistics of scheduling and getting space for a dance of this size. And the counting and rhythms of this number...well, when I post it eventually you'll understand.

Thanks to Katrina Phillip for spearheading this showcase. Thanks to AJ Hughes, Adam Lendermon, Stanley Martin, Alfie Parker Jr., Zachary Denison, Jose Luaces, and Mark Donaldson for giving me their time, bodies, and sweat. Thanks to Kevin Boursiquot for allowing me to create with his intricate and evocative music. We've worked together, created something beautiful, and tonight we release it into the world. I'm so proud of the product and can't wait to share it!

Band of Gypsies 2

www.bandofgypsies.net

Manhattan Movement Arts Center

May 4

7:30

Official video-Sunday Interlude, NYC

It's my first post in a bit. I've been busy doing the 'performer' thing instead of the 'choreographer' thing. Working on a holiday show at Walt Disney World is giving me the chance to stretch some underused dancer muscles and build up the bank account. Unfortunately, it's not giving me the chance to really work on my own combos. I've decided to use the time to overhaul my marketing materials so that come 2011 I can submit a polished package. New reel(s), new website, and new seamless edits of my work.

I finally got the videographer's footage from the Band of Gypsies showcase and have been playing around with my imovie program. It's amazing the difference an abrupt transition or a bad crop job can make in the flow of a video! Putting this version together was my own personal trial-by-fire class in film editing and I learned so much. Good thing too, because I have the feeling I'll be doing many more of these in the future. So here it is at last, the best representation of this duet I can come up with based on the footage I have at my disposal. I love this piece and, if given the chance to set it again, will do my best to get HD footage. It really makes a difference. Until then, I present...

Sunday Interlude Pics

The shots from the Band of Gypsies concert finally came out and there are a few stunning ones that really capture some gorgeous moments in the piece. Just thought I'd share.

Band of Gypsies-Sunday Interlude, NYC

I can't begin to say how proud I am of this number. Band of Gypsies marked my NYC debut as a solo choreographer presenting my work. It was also the first time I've been able to choreograph for dancers. The process really stretched me as an artist and I loved every minute of it.

I first approached Chip Abbott and Tiffany Ocvirk about dancing for me and when they agreed I was totally thrilled. I've been in class and auditions with them for a while and both are truly incredible performers. We had a number of rehearsals and I constructed the piece around their abilities. Then, four days before the concert, Chip was forced to pull out of the number. I was booked solid for the next couple days with other projects (In Between Men shooting, Andy B. intensive). We scrambled to find a cover and lucked out with the unbelievable Cort Larson, a friend of Chip's. I was unfamiliar with his work, but when he came in and learned the entire piece in one rehearsal I knew that he would be totally fantastic.

I couldn't have done this one without so many great people in my corner. Thanks to Katrina Philip for bringing Band of Gypsies together and asking me to be a part of it without knowing my work as a choreographer. Thanks to Chip for creating and being an amazing assistant/videographer when he couldn't be in the show. And thanks to Cort and Tiffany, my radiant dancers. You made this everything I wanted to be.

PS-This is a rough edit with my personal footage. Official videographer video coming in the future.

************UPDATE*************

This is the new and improved official edit.