My mentor and comp teacher, Neta, made it to my latest rehearsal, and she had some great advice that really cleaned up and amplified a few parts of the dance- it's starting to look like a real thing for a real show! (Good thing, too- there's an Unshowing next Monday, and our first performance on March 25th!)
With Neta's help, we added traveling to better use the space, and asked for a sense of deliberateness with the dancers to clarify movements. Personally, I feel I'm getting much stronger at giving clear and assertive directions to mold what I want of the piece, and Neta provided me more example along those lines with her help. Before she arrived, the dancers and I extended the duet moments in the middle to feature more reliance on each other. For the last part, I used a hairpin hidden on one of them as the object for my dancers to find and transport, for more novelty with that improvisation. We also used some music by Explosions in the Sky which worked out great. Here's the video from before most of our improvements (we went over time, so I didn't record at the end!)
We plan to have a different rehearsal time next week so out photographer can be with us. Visiting choreographer Joanna Mendel Shaw is sitting in on my comp class' rehearsals, and there's a chance she can make this time (otherwise there are unfortunate time conflicts and I'll be left out of that benefit...)
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Brain music
Here's some interesting music my research professor from the CSEA lab told me about- it's made from EEGs!
I'm thinking it might be interesting to use this in contrast to emotional movement. We could develop our movements with emotional music, then replace it with this for performances.
The five brain piece is good, and the sleeping music is even more interesting, and there are some very intriguing sounds on the learning process one!
I'm thinking it might be interesting to use this in contrast to emotional movement. We could develop our movements with emotional music, then replace it with this for performances.
The five brain piece is good, and the sleeping music is even more interesting, and there are some very intriguing sounds on the learning process one!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Here's the story
I'm going to try to type this up for editing purposes... plus its really fun for me to imagine this all at once :) As of now, here's how I see things progressing, and I have phrases for the majority of these sections.
As the lights fade up, there is a set of semi-transparent colored screens of irregular rectangular shapes scattered on different planes and at different heights within a central part of the stage area (hopefully to be viewed in the round). The dancers are at the edges of this environment, on opposite sides of it, and the photographer is barely noticeable at the edge of the larger performance space- their role in relation to the piece begins as questionable.
The dancers (two, now- but more would be fine or good) enter from opposite ends of the labyrinth environment, tracing their own seemingly novel paths towards a common experience. Resonance seems to accidentally occur between them along the way, and they are only aware of themselves and their immediate surrounding- if even that much. They move towards the center gaining focus, at their own pace. When they arrive, they are facing where they came from, not where they are going. The photographer hovers around where the dancers began, at the edge of the labyrinth.
Together in the central space, the dancers end up back-to-back, and their movements ("babydoll" phrase) begin to align and coincide. They start to have opportunities to develop awareness of each other as they enter each others' range of vision from their back-to-back position- their bubbles are being entered. With an "anxious-ambivalent" nervousness, when this happens and their awareness is intruded upon or they are touched, they withdrawl back into the comfort of their own space and facing. The photographer enters and withdrawals during this section. As this continues to happen, their gaze solidifies into meeting of eyes; the familiarity of their movements begins to merge into one world and they understand each others' movements as their own. The photographer is able to stay closer to them, is becoming drawn into the movement and the audience sees her role as distinctly part of the piece.
When this happens, they mature together. (Incidentially, the "saltyface" phrase here is based on a more mature topic for me.) They are not doing identical movements, but each is their own contributor to the whole movement. They are aware of each other, getting to know each other more deeply through this cooperation and interplay. From their meeting point, their relationship grows and develops, expanding what it holds and refers to- deepening in understanding each other ("saltyface" exploration). They curiously, tentatively explore each other in their new intimacy and understanding, beginning to move away again from the central meeting point, but together to a new place (paper-passing). Here, the photographer is very close, practically part of the dancers' process.
The photographer can't continue observing at this point- she has to become involved. This is the point where the artist and art meld, and where the observer embodies the emotion. Before she can follow this urge, the photographer pairs with an audience member, taking them into the performance space, just to the edge, and begins sharing the photographic process (through movement only). The camera is passed on to an audience member, and the photographer reenters the main of the space, joining with the dancers on their way to the core of the environment. The new camera-holder is left to consider how they, as a representative of the audience, will carry on the process of capturing and understanding emotions/the dance. As the lights fade shortly after this transition, it is left for us to consider accepting the invitation to follow the original photographer's path of understanding and involvement in the scene.
Installation setups of the environment or the piece itself provide interesting options to extend this idea of the audience's role.
As the lights fade up, there is a set of semi-transparent colored screens of irregular rectangular shapes scattered on different planes and at different heights within a central part of the stage area (hopefully to be viewed in the round). The dancers are at the edges of this environment, on opposite sides of it, and the photographer is barely noticeable at the edge of the larger performance space- their role in relation to the piece begins as questionable.
The dancers (two, now- but more would be fine or good) enter from opposite ends of the labyrinth environment, tracing their own seemingly novel paths towards a common experience. Resonance seems to accidentally occur between them along the way, and they are only aware of themselves and their immediate surrounding- if even that much. They move towards the center gaining focus, at their own pace. When they arrive, they are facing where they came from, not where they are going. The photographer hovers around where the dancers began, at the edge of the labyrinth.
Together in the central space, the dancers end up back-to-back, and their movements ("babydoll" phrase) begin to align and coincide. They start to have opportunities to develop awareness of each other as they enter each others' range of vision from their back-to-back position- their bubbles are being entered. With an "anxious-ambivalent" nervousness, when this happens and their awareness is intruded upon or they are touched, they withdrawl back into the comfort of their own space and facing. The photographer enters and withdrawals during this section. As this continues to happen, their gaze solidifies into meeting of eyes; the familiarity of their movements begins to merge into one world and they understand each others' movements as their own. The photographer is able to stay closer to them, is becoming drawn into the movement and the audience sees her role as distinctly part of the piece.
When this happens, they mature together. (Incidentially, the "saltyface" phrase here is based on a more mature topic for me.) They are not doing identical movements, but each is their own contributor to the whole movement. They are aware of each other, getting to know each other more deeply through this cooperation and interplay. From their meeting point, their relationship grows and develops, expanding what it holds and refers to- deepening in understanding each other ("saltyface" exploration). They curiously, tentatively explore each other in their new intimacy and understanding, beginning to move away again from the central meeting point, but together to a new place (paper-passing). Here, the photographer is very close, practically part of the dancers' process.
The photographer can't continue observing at this point- she has to become involved. This is the point where the artist and art meld, and where the observer embodies the emotion. Before she can follow this urge, the photographer pairs with an audience member, taking them into the performance space, just to the edge, and begins sharing the photographic process (through movement only). The camera is passed on to an audience member, and the photographer reenters the main of the space, joining with the dancers on their way to the core of the environment. The new camera-holder is left to consider how they, as a representative of the audience, will carry on the process of capturing and understanding emotions/the dance. As the lights fade shortly after this transition, it is left for us to consider accepting the invitation to follow the original photographer's path of understanding and involvement in the scene.
Installation setups of the environment or the piece itself provide interesting options to extend this idea of the audience's role.
Rehearsal and meeting our photographer!
Another good rehearsal: we learned phrases that I created while watching Rainer's Trio A, and developed them into a way of moving through a labyrinth that we created with tape on the floor. I have some video from when we stood gym mats up as blocks towards the end- choices I experimented with included taking cues and inspiration from the other dancer, and when traveling could occur. I may post some of this video. What I really enjoyed was seeing the movement take so well- I hadn't put much into it, as it came from selecting bits of a 10-minute improv, but love the look of it as the three of us moved together. It's something I'm eager to mold to the choices and layering I'm beginning to make.
After rehearsal, I sat outside in the sun and began writing out a sort of storyline that got me really excited (to be posted soon). It's unfinished because I was actually waiting to meet with our photographer, L., and we had a good time sharing our interests! She showed me some of her work, including ideas that I've also experimented with like the blurring of movement. She asked what I imagined her role being, and at this point, I see her as moving from the fringe of the piece to within its center, and possibly becoming a dancer within the movement towards the end. In her photography, I want to see what draws her more trained eye before I begin defining things- my plan is to offer challenges and make choices along the way like I do with the dancers. In this way, I hope we can begin to feed on each others' creativity to build things up and make the most of this photography opportunity.
The timing doesn't work out to have L at our regular rehearsals, but fortunately I work with awesome people who are willing to meet at other times to make it possible to rehearsa all together some. It works out fine that way, as much of the rehearsal time won't need L present anyway- I want her role to be fresh, and not to wear her out with the same subject all the time anyway. Her role is more in the performances and some particular rehearsal opportunities that I'll choose for prep purposes. I was really glad to hear how excited she is to be part of our piece, and it's going to be great to have her as a resource and member of the "company!"
Note to self: post the videos of the Trio A response phrases for dancers
After rehearsal, I sat outside in the sun and began writing out a sort of storyline that got me really excited (to be posted soon). It's unfinished because I was actually waiting to meet with our photographer, L., and we had a good time sharing our interests! She showed me some of her work, including ideas that I've also experimented with like the blurring of movement. She asked what I imagined her role being, and at this point, I see her as moving from the fringe of the piece to within its center, and possibly becoming a dancer within the movement towards the end. In her photography, I want to see what draws her more trained eye before I begin defining things- my plan is to offer challenges and make choices along the way like I do with the dancers. In this way, I hope we can begin to feed on each others' creativity to build things up and make the most of this photography opportunity.
The timing doesn't work out to have L at our regular rehearsals, but fortunately I work with awesome people who are willing to meet at other times to make it possible to rehearsa all together some. It works out fine that way, as much of the rehearsal time won't need L present anyway- I want her role to be fresh, and not to wear her out with the same subject all the time anyway. Her role is more in the performances and some particular rehearsal opportunities that I'll choose for prep purposes. I was really glad to hear how excited she is to be part of our piece, and it's going to be great to have her as a resource and member of the "company!"
Note to self: post the videos of the Trio A response phrases for dancers
Monday, February 14, 2011
Rehearsal Mon Feb 14
Thanks to my dancers for being with me on Valentine's Day!
For a short time, we thought we'd have a third, but alas no- I'm at a point where I'm fine with two now. We do have a photographer who I'm meeting with on Wednesday, though!
I combined elements of phrases we've worked with to follow a developing relationship between my dancers. I haven't completely imagined the introduction that will precede these videos, but here's what we worked on in rehearsal today...
There's a small connecting bit missing in my video records, followed by this...
I'm imagining now the environment as solid-colored plastic tablecloths suspended in the air as different sized vision-blocks. Not sure about the practical end of that, however...
For a short time, we thought we'd have a third, but alas no- I'm at a point where I'm fine with two now. We do have a photographer who I'm meeting with on Wednesday, though!
I combined elements of phrases we've worked with to follow a developing relationship between my dancers. I haven't completely imagined the introduction that will precede these videos, but here's what we worked on in rehearsal today...
There's a small connecting bit missing in my video records, followed by this...
I'm imagining now the environment as solid-colored plastic tablecloths suspended in the air as different sized vision-blocks. Not sure about the practical end of that, however...
Monday, February 7, 2011
In the round
This video is from last Monday, showing a lot of what we did in the unshowing. I really like the effect of this...
Elegance of Science contest
I need to get in on this!
A contest at UF for visual art linking the arts and sciences- I thought I'd missed it, but I can definitely enter some photos!
A contest at UF for visual art linking the arts and sciences- I thought I'd missed it, but I can definitely enter some photos!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
This or that
I had a lot of driving to do this past week, and what better way to keep my mind engaged (and not zoning out) than to think about my piece!
I thought about the possibility of making my piece an installation piece vs. a staged work.
Staged work:
-audience is removed from the piece, harder to relate or get involved
+the work is "framed" by the stage situation like my original media are
+more lighting control: I have the option to reveal through flash only, and to fade in/out
+/- 2D audience view, unless I use live video feed walking the perimeter
+more control of environment setup (but may be difficult to transport for Symposium performance)
Installation piece:
-where to put it? what place seems appropriate?
-less light control, I take what I get
+audience can be VERY involved, can have them be photographer
+/- 3D audience view, but will they walk around as I'd hope?
+ audience can engage the piece from within as an installed environment when not performing
- concerns of getting proper and not passing attention for the piece if it's a "lobby" work
-difficulty with transportation and setup of the environment
So you can see why I might be torn with the benefits and concerns each brings. Basically, I guess as an installation, I can do more with audience involvement, but face certain logistical difficulties. Neta is gearing for the novelty of an installed work, but I really don't know where I'd like it to go. I guess in the process of writing this out, I'm leaning towards a staged work as usual. Well, that helps I think!
I also considered the photographer's role... I'm getting in touch with a student who wants to work with dance and photography, so I can have a solid person on this soon, hopefully. But I've also considered having audience members or guest photographers rotate in for each performance or within a given performance to show different perspectives.
For rehearsal tomorrow, I hope to expand our vocabulary and (pray pray) maybe we'll have another dancer if anyone's found a friend to join to make it a fuller cast. I'd love to have three dancers to possibly represent the SAM dimensions. Or even five to each personify an individual categorical basic emotion! With a successful first showing, maybe it'll be easier to find interest...
I thought about the possibility of making my piece an installation piece vs. a staged work.
Staged work:
-audience is removed from the piece, harder to relate or get involved
+the work is "framed" by the stage situation like my original media are
+more lighting control: I have the option to reveal through flash only, and to fade in/out
+/- 2D audience view, unless I use live video feed walking the perimeter
+more control of environment setup (but may be difficult to transport for Symposium performance)
Installation piece:
-where to put it? what place seems appropriate?
-less light control, I take what I get
+audience can be VERY involved, can have them be photographer
+/- 3D audience view, but will they walk around as I'd hope?
+ audience can engage the piece from within as an installed environment when not performing
- concerns of getting proper and not passing attention for the piece if it's a "lobby" work
-difficulty with transportation and setup of the environment
So you can see why I might be torn with the benefits and concerns each brings. Basically, I guess as an installation, I can do more with audience involvement, but face certain logistical difficulties. Neta is gearing for the novelty of an installed work, but I really don't know where I'd like it to go. I guess in the process of writing this out, I'm leaning towards a staged work as usual. Well, that helps I think!
I also considered the photographer's role... I'm getting in touch with a student who wants to work with dance and photography, so I can have a solid person on this soon, hopefully. But I've also considered having audience members or guest photographers rotate in for each performance or within a given performance to show different perspectives.
For rehearsal tomorrow, I hope to expand our vocabulary and (pray pray) maybe we'll have another dancer if anyone's found a friend to join to make it a fuller cast. I'd love to have three dancers to possibly represent the SAM dimensions. Or even five to each personify an individual categorical basic emotion! With a successful first showing, maybe it'll be easier to find interest...
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Setup considerations
Today in comp we talked a lot about my structures and how to implement that.
First of all, what they should be made of is a subject to consider. The acting blocks are well-used and recognized in the department, and with the shapes I put them in, they're pretty cumbersome and impractical for setting up during a show. I want to look into other possible materials. Maybe paper, foam, wood structures of some sort... At the moment I'm leaning towards some fabric option. I'm thinking curtains with cutouts either giving full view, or with a sheer fabric obscuring it somewhat. The loss with many of these options is the lack of structural integrity, which changes the opportunities available to my dancers in using them to play off of. They've been letting the blocks bear their weight, which I enjoyed, but maybe a softer material could give other opportunities, or I could find a suitable sturdy form.
We also discussed the black color of the blocks- some felt it's just getting old, but I need to consider my purposes. I want them to represent loss of information, and on a black background I think black would achieve that. In another setting, that's trickier. (Random poll, when asked my roommate says the color of "missing information" would be blue, because it seems sad. Noted.) I thought maybe different colors and fading them away could carry in the idea of information that gets lost. Or white, since it truly does not hold color information- though it does grant the information of shadows... which could be advantageous in cueing audience curiosity in what's hidden - or revealing where I may not want to be.
We also talked about setting. There was brought up the possibility of making my piece an installment as an environment, even one which the audience could even walk though approaching the showings. This would allow me to have a more elaborate setup without so much consideration to stage crew handling concerns. I think I would miss lighting opportunities in a stageless installment, and it would make more optional my idea of using a video camera to show the piece from its perimeters.
Other interesting points about the environment included the amount of information that some audience members got when they looked in the mirrors in the studio we showed in- they saw tons more of the piece. I think I want the audience to just wonder what's behind the blocks and not be able to have that answer. Or, I can think of it as offering a different perspective- which I do seek to include- that could be an alternative to using the video camera to show the other angles (though it lacks the technological touch and range of view of the latter). I think I prefer the video option here- it gives more points of perspective.
I was also interested that one of the other dancers saw the structures of my blocks as an exploded particle... They definitely saw negative and positive space, and even characterized the block structures as a Chinese screen or coral reef.
First of all, what they should be made of is a subject to consider. The acting blocks are well-used and recognized in the department, and with the shapes I put them in, they're pretty cumbersome and impractical for setting up during a show. I want to look into other possible materials. Maybe paper, foam, wood structures of some sort... At the moment I'm leaning towards some fabric option. I'm thinking curtains with cutouts either giving full view, or with a sheer fabric obscuring it somewhat. The loss with many of these options is the lack of structural integrity, which changes the opportunities available to my dancers in using them to play off of. They've been letting the blocks bear their weight, which I enjoyed, but maybe a softer material could give other opportunities, or I could find a suitable sturdy form.
We also discussed the black color of the blocks- some felt it's just getting old, but I need to consider my purposes. I want them to represent loss of information, and on a black background I think black would achieve that. In another setting, that's trickier. (Random poll, when asked my roommate says the color of "missing information" would be blue, because it seems sad. Noted.) I thought maybe different colors and fading them away could carry in the idea of information that gets lost. Or white, since it truly does not hold color information- though it does grant the information of shadows... which could be advantageous in cueing audience curiosity in what's hidden - or revealing where I may not want to be.
We also talked about setting. There was brought up the possibility of making my piece an installment as an environment, even one which the audience could even walk though approaching the showings. This would allow me to have a more elaborate setup without so much consideration to stage crew handling concerns. I think I would miss lighting opportunities in a stageless installment, and it would make more optional my idea of using a video camera to show the piece from its perimeters.
Other interesting points about the environment included the amount of information that some audience members got when they looked in the mirrors in the studio we showed in- they saw tons more of the piece. I think I want the audience to just wonder what's behind the blocks and not be able to have that answer. Or, I can think of it as offering a different perspective- which I do seek to include- that could be an alternative to using the video camera to show the other angles (though it lacks the technological touch and range of view of the latter). I think I prefer the video option here- it gives more points of perspective.
I was also interested that one of the other dancers saw the structures of my blocks as an exploded particle... They definitely saw negative and positive space, and even characterized the block structures as a Chinese screen or coral reef.
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