Gearing up...

"Where focus goes, energy flows. And if you don't take the time to focus on what matters, then you're living a life of someone else's design." - Tony Robbins via The Daily Love

I'm taking some time the next couple of days for some concerted planning and designing. There's only a year and a half left of graduate school for me. I want to make the most of it!

Fall Quarter Synopsis

I realize that I say this every quarter, but I'll pretend I don't and say it anyway - "This quarter was incredibly intense!" I think it's fair to say that I took on way more than I ever imagined I could (or probably should have) and I lived another day to talk about it. Two major factors contributed to said intensity.

1) I started my journey in WFTDA skills testing so that I could skate in bouts with the Ohio Roller Girls. WFTDA stands for Women's Flat Track Derby Association for those who are new to derby. I'm a baby in this sport. It's frightening, humbling and exciting all at the same time. And it's engrossing.

2) As for my course work, this quarter was completely tech heavy. I went to Gaga technique once or twice a week as an independent study, but other than that my physical practice really involved skating, hitting, and falling during derby practice. If it weren't for derby, I really wouldn't have had much time away from the computer. BUT a lot of great things came out of this quarter. Here goes:

Since the video file is too large, these are some snapshots from an animation I created in Maya. This was my first class in modeling, animating and lighting objects using software - yet another new world I visited this quarter. More humiliation perhaps, but a lot of little discoveries. I'm not sure what the future holds for me and Maya, but I do know that I would like to take the concept from this project and apply it to a redesign of my website.

And then there's "Women of the Flat Track." For my Dance for Camera/Video Editing class, I decided to focus on derby. Hey - it's movement! Kind of hard to deny that. What I discovered was that I wanted to make a feature-length documentary about the Ohio Roller Girls. My final project became a trailer (since obviously I wasn't going to make a documentary in less than 10 weeks). I'm super psyched to make the documentary now. Some of the footage will actually tie into my MFA project as well, which is tentative called "Portraiture and Perception." (That's another thing, I handed in my first draft of my final project to my committee. Things are moving along with this grad degree business!) You can find the trailer at my vimeo account, however, you'll need a password to see the video. Let me know if you have any questions....

As a continued independent study project, I am collaborating with Maree ReMalia and Michael Morris to develop merrygogo, Maree's website that examines her choreographic process. The attached image is a screenshot of "my" process. The mind map was started by Michael and at this point, I was just testing how the embedding of the map was going to work. I have more formating and transparency issues, but development is coming along.

It's already the week of Christmas. Now that I've wrapped up the 2010 Fall Quarter, I think I can move on (well except for the fact that all of these projects are continuing in one way or another). For now though - Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Skatemare Before Christmas 2010

Skatemare Before Christmas is Today!

My first public scrimmage is today! It's interleague, meaning that we split our league into two teams and play each other. It's the Roller Ghouls vs the Jingle Bells. We have to create skate names for this particular bout. Mine is LaRue Morgue (based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe). Here are some preliminary costume pics. More pictures and video to follow.

In Rehearsal with Woody

In rehearsal with Woody circa 1993. Sometimes it just helps me to look at this picture.

Yeah For an Extra Hour

What a great weekend! I spent most of it at home working on Maree ReMalia's website for her MFA project. While I'm excited by the possibilities of future animations for the site, I'm really happy with the current state of the design right now - simple. A nice clean design makes me smile. I'll post the web address when it's ready. The logo was designed by Michael Morris.

Reality of Being a Grad Student

There are so many wonderful opportunities at this big university and in Columbus. I have fallen in love with roller derby. The fact of the matter though is that grad school requires a lot of time - that really goes without saying. Tonight, instead of going to derby practice I'm working on a video project for my editing class (albeit the video is about roller derby) and hopefully getting some sleep tonight. I'm exhausted!

I also have an animation project coming up. Below is a short animation that I'm building on:

Next Performance coming up!

this physical body is the meeting place of worlds
a presentation of writing and choreography

Fellow graduate student, Lisa Ferrugia Atkinson, will present her Master of Fine Arts thesis project. I am honored to be a part of her project. Enjoy some art on a Monday evening!

Monday, November 8, 2010, 5:00pm
The Ohio State University, Sullivant Hall, Studio 1
1813 N. High Street at 15th Avenue and High Street
Free Admission!

Phew! Back After a Blogging Break

I can't believe a month has already passed since my last entry. I've been busy trying to get a handle on this quarter. It's definitely different from last year. While Gaga technique serves to save my sanity and my joints and muscles, I'm predominately preoccupied with technology and roller derby. After derby practice at night, a morning Gaga class works out muscle soreness nicely! I am thankful for this. I am also thankful that I have Friday off to rest, spend time with David or have meetings with my new advising committee, Valarie Williams and Melanye White Dixon. Friday makes all the difference, especially since the weekend seems to be full of going to performances, volunteering for derby events and completing chores. There's still barely time for homework. That said, today I am combining a derby practice with storyboarding homework. I'm not skating today, but am going to practice anyway to do my storyboarding. We'll see if it helps with inspiration or if it's just plain distracting.

My final MFA project will consist of several video shorts that have a documentary feel. I am taking a project I did last fall and developing some of the ideas and concepts. Here's a link to the 100th post.

Autumn 2010 Class Begin

First day of classes started today. I've held off reporting what I will be up to this quarter till I knew exactly what that is and now, finally (I think) I know.

Mondays, Wednesdays

• 10:30 - 12:00 - Gaga Technique by visiting artists from the Batsheva Dance Company. (An hour and a half non-stop moving - really - you can't stop and you can't talk. Perfect!)
• 12:30 - 6:30 - working at The Wexner Center

Tuesdays, Thursdays

• 10:00 - 12:00 - 3d Computer Animation (crazy excited for this!)
• 12:30 - 4:30 - working at The Wexner Center
• 4:30 - 6:30 - Video Editing and Video Dance (again - very excited)
• 9:00 - 11:00 - Roller Derby practice (that's right 9-11 at night) Check out Ohio Rollergirls for more information about the league - http://www.ohiorollergirls.com.

Saturdays

• 4:15 - 6:30 - Rehearsal with Maungsai Somboon for his MFA final project

Sundays

• noon - 2:00 - Roller Derby practice

It's going to be another full load. Well, less than 15 credits, but I'm adding roller derby to the mix and still working 20 hours at The Wexner Center. Also, I'll be doing an Independent Study concerning web development for dance sites. This ought to be an interesting quarter!

Upcoming Performance at CCAD

I will perform with fellow dancers Abby Zbikowski and Amanda Byars at the art opening of Columbus College of Art and Design's Faculty show Wednesday, September 8th in Ric Petry's video installation/performance. Susan VP Petry facilitated the movement. The piece runs 11 minutes and will repeat between 5:00 and 7:00.. One can watch for 11 seconds or 11 minutes!

http://www.ccad.edu/events-2010/faculty-biennial

Preliminary script - "I've Been Watching You" Part One

I’ve been watching you.

I’ve been watching you.

And you

And you

I’m watching.

I see you!

I’m checking you out! Concentrating, contemplating, considering, catching you. I’m keeping my eye on you!

I’ve been watching you.

I’m having a look-see, a listen, a look. I’m laying my eyes on you!

I’m watching you.

I’m examining, evaluating, inspecting, investigating, ogling, googling. I’ve noticed what you’re doing and I’m making a note of that.

I’m following you, facing you. I’m feasting my eyes. I’m taking it all in and giving it the once over. Wow! Get a load of that!

I’m scanning, scoping, scrutinizing, spying, surveying. I’m straight out staring at you. Look, I’m paying close attention. Pay attention! I’m your witness.

I’m watching you……

What I Discovered in Claire Porter's Workshop at Bearnstow

Now that I've had plenty of time to process my experience, I think it's high time I share my overall thoughts - the big picture if you will about what I've gained.

Reading my submission for funding about why going to Porter's Moving and Writing workshop was important, I have to say - that yes, I got what I was after - to examine storytelling as well as Porter's pedagogical style. What I learned will undeniably influence my final MFA project, but a little clarification is in order. What I was looking for was intentionally general. One can never tell what discoveries will be made at a retreat. That's why retreats exist, right? Here are more specific, important things that I learned:

• We didn't study storytelling in the workshop. I knew going in that it wasn't a narrative writing class. Instead, we examined words, which is exactly what I wanted. I have always been leery of using text with movement. Both elements need to stand on their own or one shouldn't combine them. That said, I'm very attracted to voice and movement work that works well together. To me, Porter is a master. Throughout the week, she took us through exercises that allowed us to explore sounds and movements that words can inspire. While I understood the improvisational exercises, I really didn't know where it would take me. Not every attempt worked well for me. By Friday, I think I arrived at a place where something made sense. I had the beginnings of a new solo, that without forcing a narrative, will certainly tell a story. I'm really glad that I took notes on the exercises we went through so I can refer back to them. I also started a reading list based on Porter's library. In this sense my initial requirements and reasoning for funding were fulfilled.
• To go further, I also found space. The unique environment of Bearnstow and the peacefulness the land affords gave me room to listen and be ready for ideas and directions. It gave me a chance to see others; to be quiet until it was my time to say something somewhat worth hearing. (I am almost nervous about starting the Fall quarter. So much noise, so many distractions.)
• I also had time to do a different kind of writing. I mapped out my professional interests and what I believe in as an artist. I came up with the following mind map for the next couple of years:

• I also had the chance to talk one on one with Porter and about how she markets herself as a soloist. I am always amazed by a successful choreographer/soloist. A solo artist has a lot to take on alone. After showing her Bear Traps and Other Impressions I was able to talk to her more extensively about what didn't work this time around. More specifically, we talked about vocal treatment that needs a little work. I'm not sure I'm ready to advertise myself as a soloist, but I do think I have more solo performances that need booking. Solo or not, I discovered that I am nowhere near ready to stop performing. I found this realization reassuring.
• Most unexpected were my discussions with Vicki Angel. I keep thinking about the Lincoln Center Institute and how I need to take at least one of their workshops. I'm curious how an artist can maintain artistic vision and still successfully engage in public service. I think my next step is to talk to as many long-established artists regarding their work and how they've maintained their vision. I'm interested in talking with Liz Lerman. Eventually, I want to talk to Bill T. Jones. However lofty these dream conversations may seem, I think both Lerman and Jones (whose Ghostcatching project is in public schools via a partnership with Lincoln Center) could teach me a lot about community and artistic vision. I also can see how my continued conversations with Columbus artists and educators will help me understand the community in which I'm currently involved.

I see a path and I'm breaking into a jog.

Leaving Bearnstow

Okay, I’ll admit it. It was hard to leave. Seemed strange to share so much in a short amount of time and just get in the car and drive away. Terry Conlon, my passenger/new friend, and I got in the car and drove off at around 10 am. The drive turned out much longer than last week. Traffic was at a crawl in Massachusetts, but so what. We still made it to New Jersey before dark and nothing tragic happened. The long drive gave us plenty of time to review our week with each other and talk about stories from our individual pasts that surfaced along the way. Fascinating how that happens. One goes to a retreat for a specific reason and a ton of unexpected emotions, memories and situations reveal themselves. I wish I could capture that on video. Or maybe I did. We’ll see when I review the videos I took during the week. I’m anxious to see the work I shot and the voices I collected. After hearing Ruth’s stories (Ruth bought the property for $8,000 in 1945 when she was in her twenties!), I have this strong urge to produce a documentary about Bearnstow, but I’m getting way ahead of myself…

The rest of the way back to Columbus will be a solo one. I anticipate replaying Claire saying, “You’re doing good work Rashana” over and over again. And then I’ll think of ways to edit my new solo. As for now, I’m waiting for coffee and for my friend Lindsay to come downstairs so we can get a quick conversation in before I leave again.

(I wrote all the above earlier this morning, but was unable to post till now. I'm home now, fresh with ideas about solo work and my MFA project brewing in my head! Now for laundry and bed!)

Bearnstow 2010 - Day 5

For our last full day of the workshop we began with a morning movement and vocal warm-up. We told stories to a partner across the room and then shared the stories with the rest of the group. Although they were exercises in projecting our voices, some really interesting stories were told. Some of the stories could have been their own scripts already.

For the rest of the morning and early afternoon, we were left to our own devices. I finished what was to be my first draft of a script. (I still don’t have it titled though.) I gave myself about 125 words to memorize. I was a little worried about this since we were showing our work at 3:30. I used my time to focus on the words, think of a spatial pattern and gather an idea of what kind of movement I was going to perform. I never had a chance to rehearse movement full out. I found myself muttering a lot yesterday - just wandering around imagining what I “might” be doing while I uttered words. (It turned out fine. I improvised movement that wasn’t too complicated and only forgot two words that were probably unnecessary to begin with.)

3:30 rolled around. A few community members who joined us Wednesday at the community center came back to see what we came up with. Overall, I thought we all presented wonderful beginnings of work that I think most of us will continue developing. After showing all the pieces, Claire had us go up to each other and talk about what we saw. I loved this approach! It was like having a cocktail party instead of a straight feedback session where we all take time for one person individually and skim over our reactions. Claire’s approach allowed for more time for everyone and everyone gave feedback. I’m going to have to steal this method!

After dinner – another wonderful, delicious dinner – we convinced Claire to perform for us. We shared our work after all - it was her turn! I am always so amazed by her. So clever this human being. She performed about 20 minutes worth of Namely Muscles, which she will perform next week. I hadn’t seen this one before and I completely loved it. Her character development is always thorough and her performance spot on (of course). I love being reminded why I am so attracted to someone! She’s the kind of performer/choreographer I aspire to become. She seems at home being in front of people, speaking, moving - creating little worlds for the audience to step into. She has a certain…. She just has a way about her that is different than most performers and I don’t quite have the words yet. I’ll get back to you.

Bearnstow 2010 - Day 4

Yesterday was a relief. I wonder if the fourth day of workshops here are typically like this. Like Monday in a regular week has a certain feel, Wednesday, definitely Friday, of course Sunday – does the arc of workshops play out similarly? Just a curiosity. Here’s how my Thursday at Bearnstow played out:

We worked on theme and variation, starting off by picking movement based on any movement we created earlier in the week and then manipulating it. We moved next to text. We wrote one phrase and worked on variation. Here’s where things took a turn for me. Without painfully searching for something particularly clever to write, words just came to me. “I’ve been watching you.” Many possibilities here. Many comedic possibilities. I finally have a kernel of a new solo that feels relevant. I won’t have a finished product before I leave. Claire isn’t expecting a finished piece by the end of Friday (er, that would be today), so I’m happy.

I must mention a couple of other wonderful happenings today. 1) I had a long discussion with Vicki Angel concerning the Lincoln Center Institute and arts education. Vicki’s participation in this workshop has been a very happy coincidence for me. I see a visit to the LCI in my future! 2) I helped Claire create a Facebook event for her upcoming shows in the New York Fringe Festival. We are also coming up with plans to redesign her website. I'm super psyched about this! (Check out her current website for information about her performances – http://www.cportables.com.)

To sum up my Thursday at Bearnstow, I would have to say I am once again excited about possibilities. I am getting a lot out of this week – not only choreographically, but also professionally. I am inspired! This is why we come to Bearnstow isn’t it?

Bearnstow 2010 - Day 3

The rain continued through most of the morning, but eventually cleared up to reveal a gorgeous day. During the morning session, we worked with a partner to explore movement and voice at the same time. Eventually we took one movement and word idea and worked on developing it. I kept finding myself changing what I wanted to work on. I came back to the idea that my movement should be able to stand alone without the use of words. I am also reminded about all the physical theatre work I did in Seattle. I think a quick survey about what worked for me might be in order. I felt all over the place today.

During a mid-day respite, I went canoeing to a neighboring island and picked blueberries. While hanging out at the island, I waded in the water and thought of video work. I might try out some ideas tomorrow if I can get someone to man the camera.

I'm hoping for more clarity tomorrow.

Till then...

Bearnstow 2010 - Day 2

So much happened yesterday that I scarcely think I will get to it all in this little post. First of all - and this is pretty insignificant, or at least I think it is now - the rain started. It eventually let up in time for afternoon swims in the lake, but returned with a vengeance around 10pm. I guess this what Maine is like in the summer.

The morning session was great. We ran through some time honored improvisational warm-ups - follow the leader, mirroring, voice warmups, tongue twisters. We created a sound score based on Monday's writing exercise and from there chose an animal to go along with the sound of the words. Then we paired up and performed duets in an A-B-A structure, using overlapping transitions to connect our solos. I enjoy pairing up and creating duets. The performance of my own material quickly ratchets up when joined with someone else - especially someone with whom I am just beginning to know.

The afternoon session was intense and somewhat intimidating for me. Claire started the second session by announcing that we will be receiving a "present." "Rashana will perform for us." This was not a surprise to me. I asked her if I could show my work and receive feedback. I just didn't expect the word "present" to be associated with my showing. Don't get me wrong - I had something I wanted to offer. I just hoped the viewers would enjoying receiving such a "present."

The reaction to Bear Traps and Other Impressions was completely different than I had experienced. Not a peep out of the eleven observers. The lodge that I performed in was the most intimate of spaces. When I revealed my legs during the last half of my solo, they saw every mosquito bite, bruise and scar. During my performance I peered at them, they peered back. They were definitely watching my solo with critical eyes. I am in fact the youngest attendee at this workshop. My audience has a wealth of experience at watching dance. I didn't expect otherwise, however, during my performance I wondered what I was thinking by revealing so much of myself. Talk about vulnerability.

The feedback:

Claire saw a lot of grief. (I think the crying was more profound in this particular performance space - people commented on it a lot.) She thought some of my vocalization seemed forced and she wasn't sure why I sang. We talked about changing the treatment of my humming. She enjoyed the weightiness of my movement and wanted to see more. She felt like the solo was a psychological exploration.

Liz Keen offered some suggestions of changing the sequence of events, for example starting the piece already in movement. Vicki Angel (also an OSU alum) wanted to see more of each snippet. To her, I just piqued her interest before moving on. I received this comment last spring as well, but like last spring there were others who enjoyed just seeing snippets. Soooo - whatya do? Linn Schlaifer suggested I make it longer. I bemoaned making a solo that was longer than 5-6 minutes and she questioned why. Perhaps I'm not confident yet. Or maybe it depends on the venue. The whole group engaged in a discussion about the title. Due to the heavier interpretation of the solo, I received more serious title suggestions like Mine Fields or Mind Fields. All things to consider. All in all, the "present" at the beginning of the afternoon session was really a gift to me.

After taking up part of class (which admittedly I felt a little bad about), we continued our work with combining words with movement, overlapping transitions and giving/receiving more feedback. Before dinner I spoke with Claire about creating, managing and promoting a solo career. I have a few more ideas about how my MFA project can feed into my work after graduation. The conversation was extremely helpful and useful - yet another gift.

The day finished up beautifully with a spectacular meal - thai fish stew followed by a light and tasty lemon bundt cake. Looking around the table I wondered if I was in the midst of a kind of family reunion. Granted I didn't know these people before arriving at Bearnstow, but I definitely felt like we came from the same stock. Eh, or maybe it was the wine. In any case, it was nice. Also, Olivia, Claire, Liz, Judith and I ended our evening watching episode one of the latest season of Project Runway. So entertaining!

Bearnstow 2010 - Day 1

Good morning Parker Pond! (This is what I see in the morning.)

Today we worked on Theme, Content, Structure. Claire gave wonderfully useful directives and limitations. We shared our phrases with each other, learned each other's phrases and gave titles to what we saw - one that I might consider using is: Down the Other Street.

Shortly before lunch we were invited to peruse Claire's books. The following are books that I would like to have for myself:

"Action Theatre"

"Acting Games"

"Theatre Games"

"The Art of Comedy"

I had a relaxing nap by the lake (well, they call it a pond) while my feet dangled in the water. Heaven! And then it was back to afternoon class.

What do I want to work on Claire asks. Writing several short (very short) stories and creating work from them. I suppose my theme is Memory. From a particular memory I drew these lines. They were spoken by other dancers as I moved:

She tossed the clean sheets over the hyper chickens.

He told me to move on and then he kissed my hand.

He kissed my hand.

He kissed my hand.

He kissed my hand.

I kissed his hand.

This came from a dream about Woody a couple of months before his passing. Obviously I have a lot of work to do, but this was the first thing to come to mind.

Another highlight of the day - talking to Vicki about taking performances into schools. She is involved in a program that takes Bill T. Jones' Ghost Catcher into schools. I read about this earlier this year and was intrigued. Now I'm in a workshop with one of the people making it happen. I need to find more time to talk with her this week!

One last thing - I asked Claire if I could show her my solo, Bear Traps and Other Impressions. She said absolutely! I show tomorrow before the afternoon session. I'm looking forward to it!

Time to slip under three blankets to prepare for a cold evening/morning. I froze last night! (But I secretly loved it.)

Bearnstow 2010

I managed to make it to Bearnstow! Two beautiful days of driving and I'm here! There are ten of us taking the workshop and of course Claire Porter leading us. I've enjoyed meeting everyone and getting settled. Each day I'm adding a little reading from Terry Barrett's class. And how fortunate that today I chose the preface to Kitchen Table Wisdom.

At the onset of writing her book, Rachel Naomi Remen was asked by her editor to write an outline. (Remen was unsuccessful with the outline, but successful at putting my mind at rest when it comes to knowing what will come out of this week.)

“What is the book about?” she asked.

I did not know.

“Rachel,” she said. “When you meet a new counseling patient, surely you identify their problem, decide what to do and in what order you need to do it, and make a plan, don’t you?”

I had felt exposed.

“No,” I said. “I don’t know what people need to do or who they need to become. When I first meet with someone, I have no idea where we are going, and where we end up is usually a surprise to us both.”

She sat back in dismay. “Then how do you get quality outcomes?” she asked.

“I just follow the natural process of things."

So that's what I'm going to do....

Summer of Wheels

This summer I'm training a little differently. Cycling and roller derby. It's all about the wheels!

Summer Time!

It's been a year since I drove into Columbus - July 4, 2009. It's been an incredibly intense year and now I must admit, I'm really happy that it's summer. While I still have school work and work at the Wexner Center, I'm pleased to have more time at home. David and I are getting to know each other again. We walked to Whetstone Park Sunday to watch fireworks. They were over fast, but they were beautiful. Fifteen-minute fireworks. Sixty minute round trip walk. Invaluable time with the hubbie.

We started clearing out the front yard. This is something I put off doing until I had weekend mornings to devote. Since it's hot out now, I only work in the morning and try my best to stay in the shade. David doesn't seem to mind working in the hot afternoon sun. Right now I'm trying to come up with some kind of analogy to give you a good idea of how much sweat David produces. Horses, pigs... Anyway, I digress. We're finding a lot of plants we didn't know existed underneath all the ornamental grass. This poor yard has been neglected for so many years. It's obvious that at one time the landscaping was quite stunning, however that was several owners ago. So sad. It's hard for David and I to continue living in this house without taking care of the front yard properly. I don't care if it is a rental. Now, if I can only convince our landlord to purchase some mulch....

The other, non-academic noteworthy development is my acceptance into the Ohio Roller Girls Derby team. I'll have more on that later. Tomorrow is my orientation. We're meeting at a bar in German Village. I'm looking forward to working out three times a week with these women. They're sooo going to kick my rear-end.

Media in Performance Overview

I'm in the process of looking over my Media in Performance class notes, videos and just generally reviewing. Blogging actually helps! You can click on the images if you really want to read my notes.

During the first couple of classes we talked about our experiences with media in performances - what we liked and what we didn't. I talked about working with Lifeforms in the mid-nineties and how for me it was more about coming up with choreographic ideas rather than projecting it during a performance. It was my first taste with integrating software into the choreographic process. My fascination with video editing and animation is ever-present, however Lifeforms is a distant blip on my choreographic EKG.

I enjoyed reading "Saturday." Above are some of my notes. I felt it useful to transcribe some entries that denoted time for me. I'd like to read it again this summer when I have to time to actually savor it! Another reading that was particularly useful and one I will revisit many times I'm sure is Ann Bogart's "A Director Prepares." I wrote about this earlier during the quarter. Here's a quick link to that entry: http://rashanaworks.blogspot.com/2010/05/quick-note-from-reading-1.html. An additional thing I will say about directing - I feel like I move slowly. I want to think it's me trying to be patient, but I'm not quite sure about that. I was a bit frustrated during this process. I couldn't always find the right words for Joda. Some metaphors worked and others did not. I need a directing class. Naturally, I would have loved more rehearsal time.

To the left are notes from our first study. Alexis Del Sol, Joda Lee and I had the task of creating work that utilized a computer monitor (or TV screen). This was particularly challenging. With a projector you have more choices about what to project the images on. With a monitor - that's it. That's your surface. Further, there were some discrepancies about whether we were supposed to use the large TV screen connected to a big tower, a laptop, or smaller computer monitor. I went ahead and used the large TV screen just to make things a little more difficult for myself. Once in place, I couldn't move (what I like to call) the Tower of Technology.

It was heavy and clunky and of course, full of wires. On the other hand, it made me think about the content of the video and the integration of movement by Joda Lee, my dancer for the study. The study was only two minutes. For something so short, I still think I could work more on this without going over two minutes. I wanted more time to direct Joda and investigate more movement options. Time continues to be problematic throughout the quarter. (How interesting that we would start the quarter reading about time!)

Something positive that continued to come up for me during the quarter - video examination. I have elements of Joda examining the video of himself in the first study, of him videotaping himself, of him responding to seeing himself, etc. I have also been examining videos, literally picking them apart - not only for this class, but also for the "Theories of the Body" class. For my final paper in that class, I took three videos and examined camera angles and framing, timing and pacing, and sound in order to determine the motives or intensions for the videos. I'm completely fascinated about how sound can completely alter our "gaze." I just scratched the surface on this idea, but I will be diving into it a lot more this summer during an independent study project.

I found it useful to draw out the space for our final project. I still wish I would have used the space differently, but I felt like, for the purpose of a 12 minute piece that needed to accommodate all three of our pieces, we did okay. At one point there were layers of projections through screens that I really liked, but the logistics of moving those screens for other sections of our final project seemed to overrule the necessity of the layers. I was and still am incredibly intrigued with projecting small images onto objects (or large images onto small objects), however, I would like to do it in an installation environment instead of a traditionally laid out stage space. If anything, this final project gave me more ideas about collaborating with other artists to actually create objects for which to project from and onto.

Below are technical notes for the final showing. I ran lights for Mair, Tiffeny and Kristen. On the left are the notes for those cues. I really enjoyed working with light. I want to do more! I especially think this is important when there's projection on stage. I appreciated Shawn Hove's lighting suggestions - it's amazing how much (light) bounce you can get from white scrims. Too bad I didn't use them.

On the right, are Isadora notes for my group's work. I would have enjoyed working more with Isadora and I definitely can see myself doing this. It's not even a question of "if" - it's "when". Luckily Isadora has great tutorials, so maybe I can work on my own. Shawn mentioned getting Isadora in the media lab. I really hope so! That could be a great class all on its own.

Finally, here are the feedback notes I took after our first showing of our last project. Bebe, as usual, brought up some great questions. I just can't help wondering what this process would have been like if all of us weren't so overcommitted this quarter. Nevertheless, this project was shown and the class is over. I'll see where all this video, projection, lighting, and Isadora-ing will take me next. Or rather, I'll see where I take video, projection, lighting and Isadora!

Pile Up - The Last Show of the School Year!

Pile Up is the last show this quarter, this school year. Don't miss it! Dante's Chalk Boundaries will be shown again, but augmented to fit the space of Studio One. (I'm performing in this one too. Fun stuff!) Maree ReMalia's and Abby Zbikowski's work will also be shown. I can't wait to see what they've been working on. This showing holds great promise! Make it out tonight for one last hurrah!

See you at 7pm, Sullivant Hall - Studio One - on the OSU campus (High and 15th Street).

Poster credit - Erik Abbott-Main

Three Shows in Two Weeks

Spring Dance 2010

Two Concerts, Four Nights

Program A:

May 26 & 28 - Wednesday & Friday @ 8:00pm

(I'll perform in Betsy Miller's El Otro Lado/The Other Side and Dante Brown's Chalk Boundaries.)

Program B:

May 27 & 29 - Thursday & Saturday @ 8:00pm

(I'll perform my latest solo, Bear Traps and Other Impressions.)

Both shows are at Sullivant Hall Theatre

1813 N. High Street at 15th Avenue and High Street

Tickets at the door

($10 General Admission, $5 with BuckID)

Poster credit: Bernice Lee

Media in Performance Showings

As part of the Media in Performance class final, we will present a collection of our work. Public is welcome! We would love your feedback. Admission is free!

Thursday, June 3, 2010, 5:30pm - 8:30pm

The Ohio State University, ACCAD Building, Emma Lab

Get a hold of me for directions.

Photo credit: Rashana Smith, Performer: Tsung-Hsin Lee

Pile Up

Come see an informal showing of new dance works presented by MFA candidates Dante Brown, Maree ReMalia, and Abigail Zbikowski. (I'll perform in Dante's Chalk Boundaries.)

Friday, June 4, 2010, 7:00pm - 9:00pm

The Ohio State University, Sullivant Hall, Studio 1

1813 N. High Street at 15th Avenue and High Street

Free Admission!

Poster credit: Erik Abbott-Main

Last Few Weeks

Almost done.

Hard Quarter.

Hard Year.

Too much.

Sleep deprived.

But

Growing.

Hopeful.

Finally! The last set of readings (#8)

From the Forward written by Richard Shaull in Paulo Freire's book Pedagogy of the Oppressed:

"I am encouraged when a man of the stature of Paulo Freire incarnates a rediscovery of the humanizing vocation of the intellectual, and demonstrates the power of thought to negate accepted limits and open the way to a new future. ...Freire is able to do this because he operates on one basic assumption: that man's ontological vocation (as he calls it) is to be a Subject who acts upon and transforms his world, and in so doing moves towards ever new possibilities of fuller and richer life individually and collectively. This world to which he relates in not a static and closed order, a given reality which man must accept and to which he must adjust; rather, it is a problem to be worked on and solved."

In addition to this book, I perused articles regarding Freire's work in preparation to helping lead a class next week regarding Pedagogy of the Oppressed. The articles were quite helpful in giving good examples of how to engage students in the classroom. Freire's work centered around adult education in Third World countries, but the same can be applied in many educational systems. I think this will assist me a lot in my teaching at Easthaven Elementary school (something I realize I haven't even mentioned on this blog until now). Most notable about Freire's book, well - the chapter I read most intently (chapter 2), was his idea of the "banking" concept opposed to problem-posing concept in education. This relates most directly to "teacher-centered" opposed to "student-centered" instruction that was discussed earlier in the quarter. Right now, I really just want more experience putting these ideas into action. Relevance, relevance.

Okay, with my readings done, it's time get something to eat and ready myself for four hours of rehearsal after which I will come home and start writing multiple papers. (Come on summer!)

Quick Note from Reading #7

So this is a big 'un. A lot more complex. Harder to understand. Theoretical, etc. Judith Butler's book Gender Trouble. Here's my selected quote:

"The theories of feminist identity that elaborate predicates of color, sexuality, ethnicity, class, and able-bodiedness invariably close with an embarrassed "etc." at the end of the list. Through this horizontal trajectory of adjectives, these positions strive to encompass a situated subject, but invariably fail to be complete. This failure, however, is instructive: what political impetus is to be derived from the exasperated "etc." that so often occurs at the end of such lines? This is a sign of exhaustion as well as of the illimitable process of signification itself. It is the supplement, the excess that necessarily accompanies any effort to posit identity once and for all. This illimitable et cetera, however, offers itself as a new departure for feminist political theorizing."

Okay - I had to read this over and over again. I gather that what she means is that the notion of a "subject" (man or woman) for Butler is formed through repetition, through a "practice of signification." Butler uses examples of "parody" (drag for example) that shake up normative ideas and make apparent the invisible assumptions about gender identity. There are illimitable (i.e. in the et cetera) ways of asserting one's identity. According to Butler, positive politics can emerge from redeploying practices of identity and exposing failed attempts to "become" one's gender.

Hmmm. Chew on that for awhile. Today I have rehearsals for my own choreography which I initially termed "Gender in Choreography" however as of last quarter I started thinking of it merely as "Identity Studies" and in this quarter, because of my use of video as the medium in which to present my work, I think of this project as "How We Perceive Identity." It's never-ending....

Quick Note from Reading #6

From "is any body home?" embodied imagination and visible evictions, I pull this quote:

"Our culture's increasing valorization of the visible has greatly reduced the sensual thickness of lived experience to a single and dare I say soulless dimension."

A few things are running through my head, mostly images of.... well, images. Thursday I posted a manipulated photograph of myself to represent how I felt at the time. I was thinking about intensity and about how I would see the manipulated photograph and how my eyes in the photograph might reflect how I see. On a more embodied level, I am working with this in my solo Bear Traps and Other Impressions when I stand on stage looking at people in the audience; seeing them see me see them and then I proceed to play through different scenarios of how I feel perceived or the excuses I might make for my first impressions. The act of performing this solo is my attempt at addressing my lived experience, regardless of how it is perceived by the audience.

Quick Note from Reading #5

This year I have had the awesome opportunity to work with Maree ReMalia through her choreographic work and now as someone helping her document her process. Tonight I took some time to re-read a draft of her MFA project proposal. From her proposal, I offer this quote which I think is timely:

"In her book, A Director Prepares, Anne Bogart discusses distortion and states that the 'instantly definable is instantly forgettable.'" (How wonderful that I was just reading that this morning.) This quote says so much about Maree's process. Being in her rehearsals, I can attest to Maree's use of distortion. Having performed in Within a Formal Circumstance I have first hand knowledge of enjoying the work by discovering what issues come up for me personally instead of Maree telling me what to feel. Read more about Within a Formal Circumstance on her blog at http://mahiree.wordpress.com/mfa-project-rehearsallabs/.

Photo credit: Tsung-Hsin Lee