Anthologized, on camera, and live on stage

Above is a photo of my latest work-in-progress: DOOKIE & LIL BASTID, danced by Arthur Aviles and Chisa Hidaka, photographed by Matthew Murphy.  "Dookie" is Duke Ellington, in a recording made live at the Cotton Club, and "Lil Bastid" is a monolog by 90-year-old humorist riffing on the opaque nature of high art.

It will be performed one night only, as part of:

Dance Conversations @ The Flea June 12th at 7:00

Tickets are free and can be reserved HERE

The Dance Conversations are billed as a "spirited debate on dance and dancers" and runs from June 4-14th. Each evening presents the work of 4 choreographers followed by a Q&A, moderated our night by choreographer Jody Oberfelder.   

It breaks my heart to show a dance only once after the hours of hard work Chisa & Arthur put in.  That's part of part of why I asked Matthew Murphy to take pictures of the pair rehearsing last week at DANY studios.  Matt had taken some great rehearsal photos of NOBODY'S DARLING a few years ago - a one night only performance that time as well! - which inspired me to make a video version of DARLING...

...which 2 years later is being included in the ADF Screendance Anthology, a DVD of dance films presented in that festival from 2010-2012.  I recently took a look at DARLING to see if I still liked it - and I do!  Check it out, here on Vimeo - or wait for details on how to order the anthology.

Meanwhile, I intend to create a video version of DOOKIE & LIL BASTID.  Dancer Andy Chapman calls this process editography: where the editor (me) adapts the work of the choreographer (me) re-arranging it at will.  I might even incorporate some of Matt's photos in the finished video, playing the still image against the moving image.

This work-in-progress, dance-to-video modus operandi has several things to recommend it:

the original material lives beyond a one-night stand

the dance, altered, is seen in a context other than a darkened theater

Chisa & Arthur continue to dance wonderfully even after their 50th birthdays have come and gone

I get to keep playing with the original source material

Because playing is my favorite kind of work, in case you haven't already figured that out.

Vote every day till May 31

Something about "vote every day" doesn't ring quite right. but in this case it's a good way to support Dance Films Association, on whose Board of Directors I serve.  In our case, if we make it to the next round of 5 finalists, we'll apply to create a new archive of dance films that can be accessible to a general audience.

DFA is one of 14 finalists challenged to get the most votes in support of their organization BEFORE May 31.  It's called the Business Unusual National Challenge.

So, please include DFA in your life every day until the end of May.

Vote here - and don't forget to brush your teeth!

Jordan Matter Photography, at ArtsBrookfield, one of DFA's new media partners

This just in...

Last post I wrote about my short film 890 BROADWAY screening as part of the Black Maria Film + Video Festival and Tour.  Well, I just learned it's touring right back to NYC!

Saturday, April 27th at 2:30 
New York Public Library
for the Performing Arts
40 Lincoln Center Plaza
3rd floor screening room

Featuring the talents of Ching-I Chang and Jenny Tortorello, it's under 5 minutes long. You can usually count on Black Maria to be a program worth seeing. More details about the other work showing when we know more...

I've started working on a new duet with my old friend, Arthur Aviles. In 2010, Arthur danced NOBODY'S DARLING (above) with Tina Vasquez. This year he turns 50, and I'm helping him celebrate by exploiting his indomitable energy and enthusiasm in something which will be shown June 12th as part of Dance Conversations @ The Flea.  I'll blog a little bit about the process here - as soon as I cast his new partner! 

[By the way, if you want to support the great work he does as Artistic Director of BAAD, contribute to their $50,000 goal - quick, before the man turns 51!]

Two other events will keep me busy this summer: 

        being resident artist at ArtsEnter in Cape Charles, Virginia
            (more news next post)

        directing a dance/film project with campers in New Hampshire.

Why work with campers? Inspired by archival photos of the Group Camps in Harriman State Park, I found my way to shooting & editing REGATTA 2011 - borrowed camera, spur-of-the-moment shoot -  which will screen as part of an exhibit at the Rockland County Historical Society celebrating the Centennial of the camps.  Of course, most of the footage is of kids competing in the end-of-summer canoe regatta.  But my favorite footage is of "the worm girls" - two 7-year-olds completely focused on a very important project involving a tree stump, rocks and the forced relocation of several worms.  Isn't that how you spent some of your happiest summer days?

Soon I'll share an excerpt from my first long-form documentary: THE CIRCUS ACCORDING TO CECIL. Like ARTHUR & AILEEN and the earlier WHERE THE DANCE IS, CIRCUS is a documentary that pulls back the curtain on the creative process.  And like them, it was made on a shoestring. 

But CIRCUS might be the last project in which I allow myself to borrow a camera and follow my nose without benefit of budget or crew.  Because subjects like Doug Elkins at Beacon School and Arthur being coached by Aileen deserve a wider audience.  Don't believe me?  See what Wendy Perron wrote in Dance Magazine.