Find Love with the Paris Opera Ballet and Dr. Fisher
Join me on Monday night for just that: the Guggenheim Works and Process presents EMOTION & MOTION With dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet and Dr. Helen Fisher. I will be tweeting this event live at 7:30p from @lolastretch and @worksandprocess.
I will take you, 140 characters at a time, through the lecture and performance as Clairemarie Osta and Mathieu Ganio, ?toile dancers from the internationally acclaimed Paris Opera Ballet, will interpret various stages of love through dance, with discussion on brain systems that evolved for reproduction: lust, romantic love, and attachment by renowned anthropologist Dr. Helen Fisher, author of Why We Love and Why Him? Why Her?.
Interspersed between excerpts from Giselle, Emeralds and Caligula, Dr. Helen Fisher explores the connections between the dances and lust, romantic love and attachment. Today’s NY Times also references Dr. Fisher in an article about the business of finding love.
Happy Valentine’s Day! and hope to interact with you all on Monday night via twitter feeds!
xo
Candice
Dancing for Haiti
It’s horrible to hear of the tragedy in Haiti and how the devastation continues for the people who suffered from the earthquake recently - but it’s even more of a shock to know someone closer to home, in our own tight NYC dance community, who was hit personally by the aftermath.
The Haitian dance teacher at The Ailey Extension Program, Peniel Guerrier, apparently lost family members in the devastation and knows others in trouble there. Fortunately Ailey has donated time and space to offer a big benefit performance evening, with all ticket proceeds going directly to those in need in Haiti.
Though I’ve never taken Peniel’s class, I always feel a personal loss when I hear of sad news in the dance community (like the recent death of my teacher’s great ballet teacher, Dick Andros). The dance world is so small and I’ve somehow developed that strong empathy for those who’ve lost - so I am very glad to know I can do something myself to help this time.
I’ll be performing in the 9:30pm benefit performance this Saturday night (Jan. 23), and I’m really looking forward to being part of the cause. I’ll be dancing one of my favorite variations - Kitri’s Act 3 Variation from Don Quixote - coached by my amazing teacher, Kat Wildish.
If you’re in the city and want to give, I highly recommend coming to either the 7pm or my 9:30pm performance that night. A whole slew of talent is performing. Cash donations are also being accepted at the Ailey Extension front desk at their studios. Purchase tickets (and see more info) here.
“King of all Nutcrackers”?
I’m running errands about town and happened to chance upon this.
According to its inscription:
“This Nutcracker is believed to be the King of all Nutcrackers. Found in Saragosa during the 17th century, it is the oldest Nutcracker ever discovered.”
(Marquis Lorenzo Leonard)
So functional, non?
Opening Night of “Itutu” at BAM
It’s my day off today, and I plan to do nothing except try to see a masseur or a physical therapist. My back is super sore and my left calf won’t release me of it’s grip. I am in pain. The usual. But, I was really happy to see my friends last night who came to see me perform in the opening night of “Itutu.” It’s always an extra boost to know that friends and family are in the audience watching. The house was full! I think our company did exceptionally well last night. I could feel the “mystic cool” energy from everyone, including the audience.
It’s been a dream of mine to dance at the BAM stage! I am truly blessed. Two more shows and it’s over.
Come see us!
[Enter stage left]
Stage Door to Yale's University Theatre.
Well, not quite. After a full year of working behind the scenes and being tucked away from the world in a corner full of theories, case studies, histories, visions, ideas and concepts, however, I am definitely feeling somewhat … exposed.
As a second-year management student at YSD, I was presented with the opportunity to spend a term away from the School and at a professional setting (determined by the faculty). The motivation behind this–the Arts Management Fellowship–is that, in the performing arts, theoretical knowledge alone cannot, and does not, suffice; it must be applied and practised upon before it can be of use.
Michael Kaiser expressed a similar thought in his most recent article, published Tuesday in The Huffington Post:
Arts management is a young field. While wonderful impresarios have operated for centuries, serious codification of the rules of arts management began less than fifty years ago. And while we have a number of academic programs offered by universities across the nation, there are simply not enough of them, and several are too academic in their approach. Arts management, after all, is a practical field, like medicine, and must be taught through real-time, real world experiences.
And, thus do I find myself back on the Pacific Coast, this time in Seattle, Washington.
View of the Seattle Center and the Space Needle from the apartment.
I’ve just completed the first week of my Fellowship at Seattle Repertory Theatre, where I will be working closely under the guidance and mentorship of the managing director (a theatre’s counterpart to a dance company’s executive director). I’m very much looking forward to learning how Seattle Rep manoeuvres around the challenges presented by the economic downturn as well as to studying how the Theatre uses the attributes unique to itself to further its defining vision. It’s only been four days, but I am already impressed by the consistent deference made to the art. (In many, though not all, of my past situations, I sadly witnessed the opposite–the art was compromised before all else.)
Of course, the other wonderful thing about being in Seattle for Fellowship is that I am wonderfully close to PNB, which is located on the same block as the Theatre. I’m looking forward to progressing my recuperation from inside the studio as well as enjoying firsthand what promises to be a great season for PNB.
It was raining when I arrived in Seattle last weekend. (Surprise!) As I drove in from the airport, this rather large building housing a business called 1-800-WATER-DAMAGE did not go unnoticed.
Otis Houston Jr Has A Posse
Otis Houston Jr aka Black Cherokee has a posse and we are assembling. People are in play, talking to each other and working together. Case in point, member Chelsea Spengemann is curating FLOAT, the biennial series of performance and temporary sculpture at Socrates Sculpture Park, August 29 – 30, in Long Island City. For this show, Otis is crossing the river to install sculpture and manifest his concentrated human presence.
This social assembly requires consideration by promoters of online dance communications. It is another great example of how networking technologies can connect artists, viewers, producers and critics. The use of mobile video blogging (iphone 3gs) is new however there is something novel going on here beyond a mere technological advance, that is the treatment of the artist as the subject itself. Through the collective presentation and documentation of Otis’ life and work we build a group narrative around what we see in the artist, not only what he does but who he is.
The talk on Great Dance and DTW misses something else too. The grand narrative that surrounds the production and performance of “great dance” should not one of marketing or branding. Using the language of business is not the best way to conceive and develop relationships between artist and audience. A broader, more effective, grand narrative is that of social interactions rather than financial interactions.
The language of business is limited because it cannot properly conceive of itself. Otis’ support will never come from a bank or a tobacco company because he is their critic . Otis’ support comes from the people and the power they manifest developing social credit outside the logic of the marketplace.
Otis Houston Jr has a posse and we are assembling a story together.
Dress for Reality Success
I made this charcoal sheer mesh reverse wrap dress for LOLAliaison Melissa Sandvig. It is a pinch front halter dress that ties around the neck and wraps from front to back to tie at waist.
She will be wearing it tonight on SYTYCD–check it out and vote for her! She is the only classically trained lady left!
Moon Walking
Micheal Jackson
Today we lost an international icon. No other artists could do the things that Micheal Jackson has achieved. His dancing is so smooth and buttery that he has spawned generations to come. Usher, Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown and everyone else in the world just to name a few. Don’t lie, you know that you have been to a party and some Micheal Jackson came on and all of a sudden your grabbing your crotch and snapping your fingers, kicking your leg like its something to do. His music, his voice not too mention all of the countless ground breaking videos place him in a league of his own. (Did you know that Desmond Richardson has danced for Micheal Jackson?)
Growing up as a kid in Charlotte NC i watched a lot of MTV. When i say a lot, i mean tons. Loved “Buzz Worthy” videos and “Head Bangers Ball”. I loved them but my parents could not stand coming home and seeing me watching hard rock videos. The only times that they would come and sit down with me would be whenever Micheal Jackson released a new music video. We would sit and all be amazed by this man and the quality of his artistry, such a huge talent!
I remember the video for “Smooth Criminal” while watching it with my mom and dad thinking how cool it was to finally share an interests of music. After the video I would go into the kitchen/dinning room area, take off my shoes and moon walk for days on our hardwood floors. I would try and teach my parents and brothers how to do the moon walk and im laughing as i type this out because the thought of them is so funny to me.
Micheal Jackson has inspired and touched so many of us and we all have favorite Jackson moments and stories in our life. I shared mine. Whats yours?
B
AIDS Walk - San Francisco
Please click the link at the bottom of this e-mail and sponsor me for AIDS Walk San Francisco!
For 22 years, AIDS Walk San Francisco has evoked a powerful outpouring of public support. This year, please join me in making a meaningful difference in the lives of people struggling with HIV and AIDS.
In this year when clients need so much and resources are tighter, I am asking you to reach deeply into your heart and consider making a gift to help cover for those who are unable to give this year. I am set on surpassing my goal this year—Please sponsor me today by clicking the link below to visit my AIDS Walk fundraising Web page! The website is secure and all donations are 100% tax deductible.
If you prefer to write a check donation, please make it out to “AIDS Walk San Francisco” and mail it the address below—including my name along with the check. Be sure to let me know that you have made the donation so I can properly thank you for your support! Mailing address: AIDS Walk San Francisco, P.O. Box 193920, San Francisco, CA 94119-3920
The fight against AIDS is not over! Did you know…
• Every 9 ½ minutes, someone in the U.S. is infected with HIV?
• Nationally, 1 out of every 5 people infected with HIV don’t know it?
• There are over 25,000 people currently living with HIV in San Francisco?
The San Francisco AIDS Foundation has set new, bold and aggressive goals to improve HIV prevention in the Bay Area and help the rest of the country—and the world—learn from their example. The Foundation’s comprehensive array of services, advocacy and outreach ensure that individuals get tested, know how to prevent infection, and that HIV-positive people receive the treatment they need.
The AIDS Walk is our community’s single most powerful and enduring response to the AIDS epidemic. Thank you in advance for being as generous as you can and for joining me in this important cause!
Follow This Link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support AIDS Walk San Francisco
Hammer Pants Dance
The only thing that peeves me about this video is that i did not get a phone call to come partake in “Hammer Time”. I live and breathe for moments like these.
waiting years to get the ol’ “Hammer Pants” back on and i missed it:(
enjoy.
B
