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!)