Happy New Year with Free Art.
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Beginnings..
SYREN has begun work on our 18th piece.. We have a campaign running to help underwrite the (huge) costs of studio space here in the city. I hope you’ll check it out by clicking above! Feel free to re-post/tweet/facebook~share anywhere. It would be a big help to us.
We have had small pieces with 2 people and street clothes, we have had big pieces with eight dancers, fancy costumes and lots of “stuff” going on. Everything is different right now. We are starting from a different place altogether. A quintet. A fugue. An approach by me that is more about listening, watching, and crafting.
This approach has been a huge learning process and we’ve just begun. We are having a rich and powerful time in the studio right now. Improvisation. Studies. Assignments. Notes. Trial. Error. Retry. Regroup. Try it slower. Quicker. Upside down. Such a journey! What a gift to share space with these incredible dancers.
We are truly digging in to this new work, and into the music (Bach’s fugue). We look forward to sharing glimpses of our creative process with all of you Wingers! See you soon!
Oh by the way! We are hosting a 1 day Fall Workshop on November 12th at Mark Morris Dance Center. Drop me a line if you’re interested! Or just click here for details: www.syrendance.org
Thanks for listening, Wingers-
Kate
5×4
Hello.
This post is for everyone who lives in San Francisco and the greater bay area. Not you? Discontinue reading BUT you cant because your eyes like the pretty pictures.
My company TAGsf is kicking off its fall season 5x4 at Kunst-Stoff Arts on September 23rd and 24th and I am very proud of the program of this program. The program is very intimate with an MTV unplugged type feel. Well…. that’s the feeling that i get but you can be the judge of that. This is the first time that I have invited fellow dancer Alex Jenkins to create a new work titled Town of Wood which from what I have seen thus far is SICK and Im very proud of her work because she is proving to be a truly uniquely talented dance maker which is hard to find often times. On my end Ive been working like a mad man on a new dance theater work titled NEMESIS which explores the random life encounters that can lead a person to good or evil and explores the concept of identity/the mask. How you see yourself vs how you are seen. Aside from myself and another dancer I’m using a couple actors with no dance training which is funny because whenever i show my friends rehearsal footage they think that they are dancers which is good. Another exciting feature about the evening is that we will be showing a new motion picture by the same title as my piece shot by the talented Quinn Wharton. The program is an hour, short and sweet because everyone growing up in this high paced society has a short attention span which is another discussion within itself. All of the info is posted below and I’ll see you at the show.
posted below is the NEMESIS teaser trailer that which you can see sooner than later.
and just cause here is rehearsal video.
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Art imitating life
Hey guys.
I hope everyone is well. I want to start off by saying thank to everyone who helped my friend Quinn Wharton of the San Francisco Ballet get his project funded through kickstarter. Im sure he has a lot of photos to send everyone:)
Currently Ive been working on producing a new season of works through my company TAGsf here in good ol ‘San Francisco called What it is? at Kunstoff-Arts on September 23rd and 24th. The evening consist of a new work by one of my dancers Alex Jenkins who is making a new 15minute work which I’m sure is going to be super high energy and out of control. There will be another special guest choreographer who will be showing another 15min work and I’m closing out the evening with a new dance theater piece titled Nemesis. My piece is rooted in my childhood growing up on comics and anime. Nemesis explores the random chance life encounters that shapes someone for either good or evil. The piece also looks into the theme of identity/mask and how we see ourselves/ how we are seen. One of the coolest things that has me excited about the show aside from the actual work process is the online campaign. Every week I will be showing new content through FB, Blog, Twitter and my website. I will be showing behind the scenes in depth looks into the process through pics, music, art and video. There will also be made for web dance films with numerous special guest artist (Im sure you might know some of there names) that tie directly into the show. There is also going to be new music which I’m getting asked all of the “Where can I get it?”.
Below I posted a quick clip of a section called 1minute warning danced as a solo(its not gonna be a solo though) at the San Francisco West Wave Dance Festival along with some rehearsal pics. I am go on record and say that I am the first person to execute an intentional plank onstage btw.
If you wish to stay up to date with all of the happening for the show you can go directly to my website at Btroubles.com where you can also help support us get the show funded so that we can pay the dancers, get costumes, sets, online support. We already have the space booked and right now we are hard at work rocking and rolling to give everyone an amazing evening.
pics by Natalia Salazar Turienzo
Me turning on the fan before rehearsal
Watching a run through
Planking
Still here
Hey Wingnuts!
Right now it is 5:12pm pst and we are still here so enjoy the video that I made for the Rapture.
A little challenge for anyone who lives in San Francisco and is able to guess the special guest artist that is not me and I will buy you dinner. Make your predictions in the comment box.
For all of you who enjoy my post you can follow my blog No Expectations
peace
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Special Guest Blogger Quinn Wharton of San Francisco Ballet!
Hey folks.
I was recently approached by a very talented friend of mine name Quinn Wharton about doing a guest blog on this site. We have known each other for years now because he and I were in school together at the North Carolina School of the Arts along with fellow Winger Matthew Murphy. Quinn is now living and working in San Francisco at the San Francisco Ballet with fellow Winger Madison Keesler. (See how small this crazy mixed up dance world is?) Quinn is well known for his magnificent ability to capture great photos of dance with his work been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, Pointe Magazine, various galleries, Album covers and tons others but you catch my drift! He has some information that he would like to share with all of you so without further ado……………..QUINN WHARTON!
Hey everyone, my name is Quinn Wharton, I am a dancer with the San Francisco ballet. A few years ago I went through an injury that took me out of dance for about 9 months. While I was rehabbing and wallowing in my misery I tried to find things to take up my time creatively. One of the things I turned to, among many, was photography. I had bought a nice camera on a whim during a tour and never really touched it. During the injury I decided it was high time that I figured out how to use the thing and take advantage of my investment. The first shoot was me and a friend on the beach for a few hours at sunset. I posted the pictures online afterward s and got some really great feedback, so I did another one, and another. Opportunities just seemed to keep coming and I kept getting more and more interested in what was possible with a camera. I have always longed to make dance more accessible to a larger audience, and to take off the pretty little princess sheen, photography seemed a great way to broaden the audience. I prefer to show ballet as a very real, athletic, graceful art form. I try to get my work to reflect that, as well as whatever piece of inspiration I had found for the shoot. I was recently approached by one of the Principals in our company, Tiit Helimets, to see if I would be interested in photographing/filming a tour to his home country of Estonia. I jumped at the opportunity, free reign to film and photograph a really talented collection of dancers?Why would I not be interested, its a fantastic opportunity to build my portfolio, and an amazing experience. Unfortunately this is the first year of the tour and as an arts endeavor it is on a slim budget. The tour doesn’t have extra funds to bring along an accessory like a photographer, they need to focus their money on the dancers and procuring rights to the ballets they are performing. So I have set up a kickstarter donation site to see if we can raise the money for me to go. There is a video on the site that I put together of all the dancers, a preview of sorts for what they will be performing, and some of who is involved. There is also an interview with Tiit explaining what the tour is about and why its so important. Its really an amazing collection of artists and the work I could create will be stunning. I just need a little help in getting there. So take a second to visit the site and support if you are able. I really appreciate it.
Here are some pics of my work and you can click HERE to help raise funds for this great opportunity!
Below are some photographs of my work. ENJOY!
Stepping into show week…
Chanelle Lagace and Lynn Peterson rehearsing “Dolce”
I can hardly believe it’s here! We enter production week on Tuesday, technically, but it really started yesterday as we sat in one of the music rehearsals. All of the performances will be accompanied by live music (two different programs) so it’s a lot of logistics to get instrumentalists, composers, conductors, sheet music, tempo checks, etc etc etc all together for the big week. This year we are beyond thrilled to be working with Artemis Chamber Ensemble, conducted by Matthew Oberstein for Program “A” (”Dolce” and “the last of the leaves”) and for Program “B”, “Toward Home”, we are working with six incredibly talented musicians (The Paumanok Trio, and Simon Boyar, Oren Fader, and Mat Fieldes) who are brilliantly bringing Damon Ferrante’s score to life. It is all so breathtaking to see it coming together before my eyes and ears! This week is what it’s all about. All aspects coming together.. dancers, musicians, choreographer, visual artists, and perhaps most important, our AUDIENCE!!! It has been nearly two years since our last Season in New York, so we are so excited to share the work and welcome our audience in for such an exciting week.
We hope some Wingers will join us!! (as always, enter discount code “winger” for discount!). Tix here: brownpapertickets.com
Matthew taking notes in rehearsal
Jeremy Neal and Nico Li rehearsing “Toward Home”
Mat Fieldes and Simon Boyar rehearsing Damon Ferrante’s “Toward Home”
Chanelle and Lynn
This time always feel like a dream come true. I suppose that is exactly what it is. Dances in my head, dreamed of over and over again coming to life. This is a special time and a precious collaboration. I am very proud indeed of what is to come this week.
xoxo
Kate
The Danish are Coming Monday March 21st
You are cordially invited to attend the next Works and Process at the Guggenheim Museum live stream.
Who: The Royal Danish Ballet
What: Will be performing excerpts of August Bournonville’s The Jockey Dance, La Sylphide, A Folk Tale, and Bournonville Variations, plus Nikolaj Hübbe’s new staging of Napoli, and Jorma Elo’s Lost on Slow.
When: Monday March 21st at 7:30pm–SAVE THE DATE
Where: Works and Process at the Guggenheim Museum. However, the show is Sold Out so you will be able to stream it on DIYdancer.
Why: To celebrate the beautiful, clean artistry of the Danish style, and as a preview to their American tour in May and June. Artistic Director and former New York City Ballet principal Nikolaj Hübbe will share his vision for the company in a discussion moderated by John Meehan, Professor of Dance at Vassar College.
I hope you will join us for the stream and live discussion with Candice Thompson.
Click here to read a short interview with Nikolaj Hubbe about his new staging of Napoli.
Live Stream of W & P Monday Night on The Winger
Once again, Works and Process at the Guggenheim Museum has sold out and they are offering a live stream of the show. Tune in to The Winger or DIYdancer tomorrow night, February 28th at 7:30pm, to see John Zorn’s Music Interpreted – New Choreography by Donald Byrd and Pam Tanowitz.
Each choreographer was commissioned by W & P to create new works to the music of composer John Zorn. Below, is an interview with John Zorn and Pam Tanowitz to get you warmed up for the show:
I will be moderating an online discussion in real time via Ustream and Twitter. Hope you will join me!
P.S. You can view the video from the last live stream of PNB: Giselle Revisited here.
