Friday, March 21, 2008

me, dancing

Yesterday afternoon MyFavoriteKid reminded me that I had agreed to host a slumber party tonight. I'm not quite sure how I managed to forget that, but I now have a house full of people and a sincere appreciation for the local Mom & Pop pizzeria that hosted our emergency dinner.

Since the environment here tonight won't allow for a post requiring any amount of thought (not that very many of them do), I bring you some video.

Here is the director's description of the piece:
An in-progress, rough cut of "Speed," by Dandelion Dancetheater, Cal State East Bay Department of Theatre and Dance, Clausen House Program for Adults with Developmental Disabilities and Rajendra Serber. More versions to come...

I am very nervous about putting this up here. In general, I'm not a huge fan of seeing dance on video. It always feels "flat" to me energetically.... although that isn't the only reason I'm nervous about posting video, that's for sure ;-)

This is not a fully edited version of a final project; this is a rough cut. Also, I was invited to participate in the Group Pieces only on the day of filming. I had never worked with most of these people before, nor was I familiar with the structure or concept of "Speed". I came to be involved becaue what was also being filmed that day was a snippet of "Spinal Fluid" that I have been working on with Dandelion Dancetheater. A spoken word performer was added into the filming our dance that day for continuity, so that "Spinal Fluid" could connect with "Speed".

This is a looooong video. It's 22 minutes. I think all of it is interesting, but if you want to cut to the chase and find me, I'm somewhere in the opening credits. I'm in a couple of group improvisations filmed in the large theater, and the "Spinal Fluid" phrase appears at 15 minutes 40 seconds.

My favorite part of this filming is the segment with the cellphones, and I also thoroughly enjoy the dramatic value of the stage exits of the Clauson House performer in the kimono.

4 comments:

JohnK said...

Yes, I watched the whole piece. My first thoughts are about the relationship of the body to the architectural space. Those corridors in the beginning and the stage lighting during your dance specifically. I agree that it needs some more editing, but yea super. And the framing within the video itself sometimes I think it needed to be opened up a little, or maybe more considered, but that's the editing. The kimonoed dancer as drama and the one slower mover (spinner) as a point about movement, they were my favorite parts. Oh, look at me. I could go on, but I should shut up.

Janice in GA said...

I watched it too. I really enjoyed seeing the different body shapes, ages, and styles of movement throughout the piece. And I wish they'd shown more of your segment from the front. But I'm very linear- and literal-minded, and don't always get artistic stuff.

Wheelchair Dancer said...

I watched the whole thing, too. More than once.

And

1). I could watch you forever ... I wish I had more opportunity to do so. hopefully soon..

2). It's exciting. It's beautiful. And its use of bodies is so subversive. I found myself appreciating the diversity of bodies as they contributed to the ordinariness of humanity -- no one body stood out as being different. Disabled. They were bodies. Dancing. And with that realization, the darkness and disturbing parts set in. I found myself confronting all kinds of stuff and wondering whether it was just me or did he really go there.

mmm

WCD

Anonymous said...

Yes! I finally got to watch this, and the whole thing, too, and I thought it was wonderful. So much to see here, so rich.

Re taped performance vs. live performance: In the last part where you were performing, I kept straining my head to see around the very competent and beautiful middle dancer -- because she was blocking my view of you and I wanted to see what you were doing! Ha! I kept being reminded that it was just a tape, and what I could see from this "seat" was all there was.

Someday I hope to watch you all in person. :) Meanwhile, thank you for sharing this.