Summer Update
This summer my little sister, Isabel, was at Chautauqua in Workshop 1. This is her second summer there and I have also been to Chautauqua for two summers. We both love it there! The teachers are wonderful and the grounds are beautiful.
Isabel and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux
Isabel taking class, she is on the left
Isabel
My summer at SAB was cut short two weeks ago. I dislocated my knee cap during class and had to go home to recover. I am starting physical therapy today and should be dancing again soon.
Shout out
I wanted to give a shout out to my kids in Savannah who started me back on my right path and who were there from the beginning with me in Savannah.
I have been in Charlotte, NC for about a month now after giving my studio in Savannah up to do a little growing and finding some “more” myself. It has been a little crazy since my living situation is still up in the air, I haven’t unpacked really and haven’t sent my students the letters I intended to as of yet. Anyhow I am here and it has been…interesting. I have been offered to take a “combo” class for advanced adults,you know-a little ballet, a little jazz, a little..haha, many teaching jobs but maybe not the kind of job I am exactly suited for, given my strong ideals. It has also been mentioned to me that I may not teach wherever I want-I should sign a “non-compete clause”. Well I say to those who have presented themselves, that I will not. I mean, I will do what I want and not be controlled as always. I will drive the car, the car will not drive me.
I have spent a nice amount of time at North Carolina Dance Theatre where my daughter is taking class and I got to visit with my student Emmaline Turner. Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Ayisha Macmillan have been so welcoming to me. What a great place, supportive and nurturing of those dancers who need it.
Most of all, it has been a good thing spending time with my own children transitioning in a new place where the ocean isn’t so close by.
It wasn’t an easy decision to move for me, but the decision was made and so it goes. I have never been afraid of change and I think it is going to be a good adventure for me. With that said-adventure I will.
I have a lingering need to thank some very special kids who made me remember who I am and who I will always be. I teach, I don’t teach with any agenda, I just teach those who want it, the ones who were so like me who needed someone else to know that one person got it. I did. I got it you guys. And also, so importantly to Kristin, thank you too:)
Those kids are Bonnie Henneman, Caitlin Dutton, Angela Novelli, Skye Cornwell, and Isabel and Alston Macgill. Without you guys I may have forgotten what I was supposed to do. I have not forgotten and THANK YOU. So this is my shout out to you. I look forward to seeing you change the world as we know it and I will help try to do that too.
Girl Walk // All Day Filming - Today
Girl Walk // All Day from jacob krupnick on Vimeo.
Just a quick note to let you all know about a dance project that’s being filmed today.
Director Jacob Krupnick is creating an album-length music video using the Girl Talk album “All Day” as a soundtrack, with improvisational dancer Anne Marsen and a supporting cast of contemporary dancers.
They’ll be filming a ballet scene at Steps on Broadway @ 4pm today, and are looking for a few dancers to join them.
Please email girlwalk [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com for more information if you’re interested.
New Choreography in the Rotunda: Win 2 Tickets to Jonah Bokaer’s “On Vanishing” at the Guggenheim
This Thursday, July 14th, the Guggenheim Museum will be presenting a new work by Jonah Bokaer, the prolific dance media artist, in the Rotunda of the Museum. Described as the first choreographic dialogue with sculpture, the 40-minute work will be accompanied by a live performance of John Cage’s One? (1991) for solo cello.
This presentation is on one night only, and we are thrilled that the Guggenheim has given us the opportunity to offer Winger readers a chance to win 2 tickets (6pm show) for what is sure to be an incredible dance experience!
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To enter, send us a message at win [at] thewinger [dot] com with the correct answer to this question:
What dance company did Jonah Bokaer dance with from 2000-2007?
Please include your full name and telephone number in your reply.
Entries close Wednesday evening (July 13) at 7pm.
One winner will be selected at random, and notified on Thursday morning (July 14th).
For more information, or to purchase tickets, please visit guggenheim.org/onvanishing.
Good luck!
Award-winning dance and media artist Jonah Bokaer has created a new site-specific choreography to be performed on the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum’s Rotunda floor in response to the exhibition Lee Ufan: Marking Infinity.
Referencing Lee’s multidisciplinary use of space, On Vanishing unfolds as an uninterrupted 40-minute work and presents an accumulation of changes in the bodies of five performers of diverse backgrounds. Through movement and gesture, dimensions of space grow and expand over time, while other dimensions decline. In his first-ever choreographic dialogue with sculpture, Bokaer poses the question “How does the body erase itself, to prefer matter against presence?” Loren Kiyoshi Dempster contributes music with a rare live performance of John Cage’s One? (1991) for solo cello.
Join SFB for the AIDS Walk of 2011!
When I was living in Germany it was very hard to become involved in any type of community work due to the fact that I didn’t speak the language. I often saw the Hamburg Ballet involving itself in work that supported important causes, and it was something I didn’t want to forget. I remember sitting in my room during one of those dark winter days when I came across an article on the AIDS Walk in San Francisco. I told myself that not only would I endeavor to participate in this important and good cause, but that if they weren’t already involved, I would get my company to participate too. Having an opportunity to be a part of something that is greater than you is an amazing experience, and that is what the AIDS Walk represents to me.
Last year I approached SFB with the idea of getting the company involved in the walk. It had been done before, but to my knowledge it had never been initiated by a dancer. I didn’t want people to just hand me money in the name of the cause (although that is a very important part of fundraising), I wanted people to truly get involved. I wanted the community to see that SFB is a company that sees the problems the world is facing, and wants to be an active part in helping to overcome them. I wanted people to understand that our work as a company offstage can be as revolutionary as the important work we do onstage. I was thrilled to quickly learn that many people in the company were just as excited as I was about joining the AIDS Walk. I was simply a girl who came in with an idea, but the San Francisco Ballet Team did all the hard work. Our HR team was quick to take over the many areas that I had no idea how to handle; I’m so grateful for all of the generosity that they showed. In the end the San Francisco Ballet Team was a complete success in the AIDS Walk of 2010, and many people in the company got involved: dancers and non-dancers alike.
One of the most important dancers to join the SFB Team last year was Garen Scribner. I’m happy to report that he is leading the way to this year’s AIDS Walk in many ways – so far he has already raised $1,800! Not only is he leading the way in fund raising, but he and our HR Coordinator Kate Schroeder are working hard to organize everything for this year’s team.
Now that you have heard a little background it is time to get to work! We want to raise as much awareness as possible, so please take a moment and visit the AIDS Walk SF website by CLICKING HERE.
Once you are signed up it’s time to start fund raising! Even a simple post on Facebook about your fund raising goals can make a difference. Every dollar counts!
The physical walk itself will talk place on July 17th. I hope to see you all there!
End of the Year Performances
On June 3 and 9, The Rock School performed at Longwood Gardens and the Merriam Theater, respectively. At the gardens, we danced on an outdoor stage with large hedges as wings, and a fountain behind us. The stage had uneven spots, which was a little unnerving, but it was a beautiful day and it was exciting to be performing outdoors. At the Merriam Theater, the school performed our Spring Showcase. My level also performed our Showcase piece, choreographed by Justin Allen, at Longwood Gardens. After our performance at the Merriam (it was our last of the year), we all stayed on stage and said our goodbyes.
My solo
We performed our Showcase piece
Our Showcase piece - I'm in the middle
Isn't the stage pretty!
Performing at the Merriam Theater - I'm on the left
More of my level's Showcase piece
After the show at the Merriam was over, we all stayed on stage and said goodbye.
All photos taken by Justin Allen and property of The Rock School for Dance Education.
Now that the school year is over, I am heading to the School of American Ballet for five weeks this summer!
Dynamics of Dance
This week and last week The Rock School performed for elementary schools in Philadelphia. We showed the students some of a classical ballet class and a few modern combinations. Afterwards duets, solos, and an ensemble were performed. In two of the casts for the shows I performed my contemporary solo and in the other cast I performed in the ensemble. It has been super fun to show the kids dance and our passion for it! Here is what the Rock School has to say about the Dynamics of Dance:
“Rock School Faculty member Grabriele Guma led the dancer through barre work and warm ups at the Philadelphia School [one of the schools we performed at]. Guma also explained some of the history of ballet to the young audience and opened the floor for a Q&A after the Rock School students performed.”
The ensemble, Inertia, choreographed by Justin Allen. I'm in the middle.
The ensemble, I'm in the middle again.
Demonstrating barre
My contemporary solo. The kids' faces are great!
There are just a few weeks left of classes and our end of the year performance is coming up soon! I hope to share a post with pictures from that.
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
b
To watch us dance, is to hear our hearts speak
Recently we had our Spring Showcase at Muse Arts Warehouse. It was a beautiful and moving performance.
Every year at our end of the year performance, before the last show, I give out “awards” to my dancers. They are not your typical awards, but it is my way of letting them know that I know how hard they work and how much they mean to me.
“My Cowboy”-Skye Cornwell, “Dance us to the end of Love”-Angela Novelli, “Our Knight in Shining Armour”- Matt Agudelo and “Most Likely to Succeed”-Candice Johnson all graduated this year and are going on to dance at University of Oklahoma, University of South Carolina and the Joffrey traineeship program.
I would also like to congratulate Isabel Macgill, 10 will be at Chautaqua and the Rock School this summer and Emmaline Turner, 11, will be at North Carolina Dance Theatre both with scholarships!
I am so proud of what we all have accomplished together. This show was particularly special to me since I will be moving to Charlotte, NC soon-but I will fill you in on all that officially in some future posts.
Here are some pix from the show taken by Mary Margaret Macgill:
Avery, Erin, Olivia, Kate and Sofia
Isabel
Katie
Mimi
Matt and Shakira
Karina
Candice
Skye
Angela
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