March 26, 2008 at 2:18 pm · Filed under dance, choreography, BRIAN, tag sf, chroeographer, paper magic, online showing
…This was a one-day only showing on March 26th. Maybe if you ask Brian nicely, he will do this again for his next work!…
Why did I decide to do Paper Magic? My honest answer is that I want to date Natalie Portman. It’s true.
The real reason why I want to do an online showing is because I want to get my work out to the general public after it is complete as soon as possible. I am always thinking about different performance ideas with a huge back catalogue of movement that I have created solely for the purpose of being able to retain the choreography. The Artist Group San Francisco (TAG SF) was created for this reason.
We want to be able to produce and create our own works. Seasoned mature artists, along with younger dancers whom bring a different dynamic mixed with visual artist’s, filmmakers, musicians and other artists of different backgrounds all working together to make the highest quality work possible. Thus far we have been able to do so with no to very little money. We are self-producing all of our own works because we genuinely want to create and collaborate with different artists whom share the same interests.
If I were to wait for grants and commissions to get works produced we would have very little to show. You have to do work to get work, if you don’t get work how do you do work? So it ends up being a catch 22. The talent, imagination, creativity is all there, we have things to say and we do. The works that we make are all things that we would be interested in watching ourselves.
Paper Magic was created as a companion piece. It is two parts of a much larger whole. I made a conscious decision to not use any multi-media this time around so that we can use other inventive ways to set up tone and atmosphere for the works. Paper Magic is simple yet effective.
I had a great time making this and I hope that you all enjoy!
Peace,
B.Gibbs
Recent Posts by brian
March 4, 2008 at 12:14 am · Filed under dance, art, san francisco, new york, choreographer, edwaard liang, BRIAN, tag sf
(Drew Jacoby and Rubi Pronk, photos by Dikayl Dunkley)
(Garen Scribner in a still pic from the film “Sunburst” by Mattew Taylor)
This past week i just got back to San Francisco from NYC. I was Intown for 10 days working on the first leg of a series of projects that i am doing for TAG. The artist’s that i was working with were Drew Jacoby and Rubi Pronk. Originally we were supposed to work Friday of the day that i arrived but i decided to cancel rehearsal and go out to dinner with the dancers. I was eager to do so because i knew Drew from SF while she was dancing with Lines. Rubi on the other hand i had never met, so i thought it would be best to get a face to face before we started work and i could explain to them my process.
I tend to go through various phases of interest in my movement vocab depending on where i am in the that particular moment in time. This time around i was in “Earthy/ Organic/Symbiosis” almost modern type mood. Hell, I spent 4 years doing it so it is mos def in my blood. It was cool working with the two dancers in the studio trying to figure out the movement. Me demonstrating and molding both parts with the dancers while they were eager to jump in and figure it out for themselves. What i loved most was how open they were. Here you have two classically trained virtuostic bodies wiling to throw themselves into new terrain no matter how silly they initially felt. The result after it all was said and done brought a smile to my face and that is a great way to leave something.
My mood changed the next morning. The Winter Snowstorm had halted production because we were going to shoot on location and Dr.Bacon - the man who directs and edits all of our films, my “Thom to his Jonny”(Props if you can get that reference.) - was not able to make it up from DC due to to the icey roads. It all worked out for the best though.
My time not rehearsing was spent with me shooting uptown and downtown and everywhere else within the town having various meetings. My fave was meeting Ms.Sloan! Very cool in person. I went to the Movmnt Magazine’s blogger forum hosted by David Benaym. It was great to see him again and a few of the fellow Wingnuts, Taylor Gordon, and Tony Schultz. Back to the Snow Storm being a blessing in disguise, a few of some really important meetings in terms of my career and future projects got cancelled so i get to re-schedule them for when i come back for the re-shoot later this month.(i know i jump around) My last night in the City i went out with a few friends from ABT and had a great discussion with Ethan Stifel about what he wants to do for NCSA as the new dean. I was very impressed with what he had to say. I know that he will do great things with my old stomping ground.
My time spent in the City was productive and most important for me was i got the movement done with the dancers. Now when i go back i can run it a few times, do some cleaning and then put it through the mill.
___________
This next part of the post is a couple months old. I wrote it out but was hesitant about posting it. A little bird gave me some encouragement so here you are:
This past week has been very busy and hectic with me having to get up earlier than usual which is super early, and having full loads during my work day. Last night after getting home i wanted to go out. All of my housemates were in rehearsal or yoga so i did some work on my computer waiting for all of them to get back. While on my computer i called up Liz to see what was going on for the evening (I love Thursdays) but of course she was on her way to a hockey game all the way in San Jose. The news came as a funny surprise to me seeing how i know more about hockey than Liz and i know nothing. As i was asking her about why she was going to a hockey game she told me that i should take her friend out who is in town setting a piece for the SFB Gala. Normally if left to my own devices i tend to keep to myself/close friends and not too interested in meeting new people so much. Luckily it is the new year. My resolution is to be more outgoing and with that in mind i decided to go out with Ms.Miners friend Edwaard Liang.
He and i went out for drinks and had some great conversations about dance , the industry and business. Neither one of us have seen any of each others work, yet we still had an equal respect and admiration for each other. I asked about the duet that he was setting and then quickly /kindly asked him to not explain the piece to me because i would rather form my own opinions. I wanted to watch it myself and draw my own opinions “OPINIONS”, a popular theme that kept popping up during our discussions…. “Opinions”.
Ed was speaking to me about how some of the best art that you might see could be in your home tucked away somewhere while other pieces that are not so good can find they’re way into the general populace for no other reason than luck, which is very true. A perfect example could be 95% of what is presented to us on a daily basis concerning pop culture. How many times have you paid to see your favorite band only to find out that they suck live? Or wonder why your really talented artist friend can’t get a break while other artists with far less talent are getting work? What about being super juiced about seeing a film just to find out 2 and half hours later that you will never get that time back. Yet all of these examples sell. That is how the biz industry judges it’s products. Numbers. Numbers are never wrong. 2 will always be “2″ and 0 will always be “0″. No way around it. This was an arc in the conversation: How do you judge art? With the understanding that good is “Good” and bad is “Bad”, everything else fall’s into opinion land. I know that i have gone to see shows by some of my favorite artist and left feeling let down because i felt no connection to the piece aside from the amazing dancers or movement. Even though i might not have enjoyed it i cant call it bad because i did not like it. What about all the others whom rant and rave about it for weeks to come? They are in no ways wrong about they’re opinions. Ed was saying If one person walked out feeling inspired than the artist did they’re job. TRUE.
The best part about the entire evening for me aside from the free drinks was that i was able to speak to someone whom is in the position to give me some accredited advice. I am fast approaching some major changes in my life that will take me out of my comfort zone and embark on a new chapter in my life. It is very exciting and scary at the same time. I was telling Ed that i am excited about moving on in my life and career because i will be able to have more resources and opportunites to work with other artist that i respect. He was playing devils advocate but not trying to disuade me. Simply keeping it real about the path that i am about to embark on. Paying close attention to him i could not tear this huge grin off my face. I was explaining how i am open to new challenges and that is what i am activly looking for. My fear will help keep me focused and sharp.
Something that i will retain from the evening conversation is that we all have something to say. As long as you have something to say and just have to get out, you will find ways to communicate. That’s what counts.
phewwwwwww…cant believe i wrote all of that.
pace.
B
Recent Posts by brian
