Review: Merce Cunningham at BAM

Merce Cunningham Dance Company at BAM
Eva Yaa Asantewaa, Dance Magazine

Frankie Manning, Lindy Hop master, 94

Frankie Manning, the Ambassador And Master of Lindy Hop, Dies at 94
by Terry Monaghan, The New York Times, April 28, 2009

Berkeley crisis--Pt. 2: Body and Soul podcast

Carissa Kranz

Carissa Kranz is a ballerina and studies law at the University of California, Berkeley (Boalt). She's also one of many Berkeley students protesting proposed budget cuts that would greatly diminish the school's much-respected physical education department and its dance classes. Hear why this program is important to the 5,000 students it serves each year and how students like Kranz are organizing to save it.

Berkeley crisis--Pt. 1 featured David E. Garcia, a graduate student in the Chemistry department, dancer and choreographer.

Join the Save the UCB PE Department! group on Facebook.

"Don't Hurt the Body for the Mind" by 12 Lecturers of The Physical Education Program, The Daily Californian Online (March 13, 2009)

The Daily Californian

UC Berkeley Department of Physical Education

(c)2009, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

MP3 File

Berkeley crisis--Pt. 1: Body and Soul podcast

David E. Garcia is a graduate student in Chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley. He's also a dancer, a choreographer and one of many Berkeley students protesting proposed budget cuts that would greatly diminish the school's much-respected physical education department and its dance classes. Hear why this program is important to the 5,000 students it serves each year and how students like Garcia are organizing to save it.

Berkeley crisis--Pt. 2 will feature law student and ballerina Carissa Kranz.

Join the Save the UCB PE Department! group on Facebook.

"Don't Hurt the Body for the Mind" by 12 Lecturers of The Physical Education Program, The Daily Californian Online (March 13, 2009)

The Daily Californian

UC Berkeley Department of Physical Education

(c)2009, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

MP3 File

The audacity of Leichter

The Barnard Project--a collaboration of Dance Theater Workshop and Barnard College's dance department--brings students together with some of the foxiest choreographers around. The artistic residency program culminates in a season of new and developing works at DTW, and this year's lineup features pieces by Morgan Thorson (Minneapolis), Nora Chipaumire, Susan Rethorst and Nicholas Leichter.

Thorson's Monuments and Other Points of Interest: A Revisionist Construction of Closeness deploys an ensemble of bare-legged, skittering, sloshing women in bonnets that look like a soft-blue version of what the Sisters of Charity nuns wear in Doubt. There are also long tables wrapped in blue ruffled skirts, and I really can't tell what's going on here, but I enjoyed the tickling, eccentric musicality of the movements. Chipaumire's bismillah (which means, "in the name of Allah") evokes a tight-knit community of women. Among its subtle graces is the way the choreographer--herself, an extraordinary performer--has taught her young dancers to articulate the muscles in their torsos. Rethorst has shaped her corps of dancers into an ecosystem in a piece marred only by a tendency towards cutesiness. All three of these choreographers seem to be dreaming up societies and have shaped respectable, if not yet exciting, works out of these imaginings.

And then there's Leichter's Waltzes, Wonder and First Choice--made "with additional choreography and assistance by Aaron Draper"--which is a little bit different.

For one thing, it has a high-charged pop soundtrack--Mariah Carey and John Legend's "Born Again," Alicia Keys's "Falling," First Choice's "It's Not Over" and more. It has young men in business shirts and ties paired with women in--uh-oh!--midnight-blue party dresses. And you know exactly what's going on when it starts off with two of these dancing at--instead of with--each other, coldly missing opportunities to touch, hold and connect.

As the businessmen confront their dates--and, sometimes, one another--the mood becomes hectic, desperate and sometimes downright mean. The movement--broad and often awkward to a cartoonish extent--challenges each member of the hardworking corps with the speed and complexity of its isolations. I think Leichter, in working with these fledgling dancers, got the project precisely right. His work always strikes me as raw, almost like outsider art. He tosses street and club and folk stuff in with the fact of doing theatrical dance on a stage, and he refuses to smooth it back. I think these young Barnard dancers click with something there and grab hold and go with it.

The Barnard Project continues this evening at 7:30 and concludes with 2pm and 7:30pm performances on Saturday. Click here for information and ticketing.

Memories of Daniel Nagrin

To contribute to the Daniel Nagrin Digital Memory Book, please send thoughts, memories, stories, images or pictures about Nagrin either in the body of the e-mail, a Word document attachment or a .jpeg attachment. Submissions may be sent to Margie Wolf at mrwolf@mpsaz.org.

May 9th celebration of Nagrin's life and career (Arizona State University Herberger College Dance)

Further information: Beth Lessard at 480-838-5551, icexl@asu.edu

No Bessies in 2009

Danspace Project's site contains a brief announcement of the cancellation of the 2009 Bessie (New York Dance and Performance) Awards.

The future of dance blogging?

Here's an interesting--and, I think, necessary--back-and-forth about the shifting/drifting role(s) of the dance critic/blogger/"criticist"/whatever in these times (Times?).

The future will not be monetized
by Thomas Garvey, The Hub Review, April 20, 2009

Debra Cash replies here.

ArtsBoston

"Summer mornings"

Summer mornings
by Mary Baron, Storyknife: New & Selected Poems (Sheep Meadow Press, 2008)

(brought to you by Poetry Daily)

National foundation supports arts of native peoples

New Group is formed to Sponsor Native Arts
by Robin Pogrebin, The New York Times, April 21, 2009

L'Aquila

Pictures of L'Aquila

Actor and dance/theater publicist Jonathan Slaff writes:

"I rehearsed and acted in L'Aquila, Italy in February-March, 1989--about 20 years before this month's earthquake that changed the quaint medieval walled city forever.

"There has been much press coverage of the destruction, but I have seen few to no published images of the town before the quake. Since I had photographed as much of the city as I could between rehearsals, I have assembled a pictorial of the town for the benefit of people who have not been there. That would be most of us, since L'Aquila was "off the beaten path" for most tourists. I thought you might find it interesting."

I thank Jonathan for his permission to link to this photo collection.

An Earthquake Relief Fund has been established by Manhattan's nonprofit Italian American Museum (Joe Scelsa, president: 917-642-4922 and Maria Fosco, director: 212-541-1021).

Congratulations, Cotter!

Holland Cotter is one of my favorite arts writers. Hats off to him for this well-deserved honor!

2009 Pulitzer Prizes for Journalism
by The New York Times, April 20, 2009

Holland Cotter, Times Art Critic, Wins Pulitzer Prize
by Dave Itzkoff, ArtsBeat, The New York Times, April 21, 2009

UC Berkeley plan threatens phys ed dance

University of California budget cuts threaten to wipe out UCB dance classes
by Apollinaire Scherr, foot in mouth, ArtsJournal.com, April 19, 2009

Two more takes on Merce

Grand Old Master
by Tobi Tobias, Seeing Things, ArtsJournal.com, April 17, 2009

Merce Cunningham, Turning 90: Meanings Still Pour From Movement
by Alastair Macaulay, The New York Times, April 17, 2009

Two prominent dance critics weigh in on Nearly Ninety, which runs through tomorrow afternoon at BAM. And what did your humble blogger friend think of the piece? You'll have to wait for the Dance Magazine (or DanceMagazine.com) review to find out!

Publicist, spare that tree!

I'm surprised that, in this day and age, dance publicists are still cheerfully handing me press kits--or snailmailing me press releases, for that matter. Don't you guys know that there's this newfangled thing called the Internet? (George W. Bush pluralized it, I guess, because it must have seemed so overwhelmingly threatening to him, as well it was and should be.) And when I use this Internet thingee, which I do every goshdarn day, I can readily access all manner of text, photos, audio, videos, the whole megillah. It's quite neat.

So, why not use the Internet to simply email me a URL where I can immediately go to view or download all the information about your clients and access whatever supporting resources I'll need to do my work?

Instead, when I go to your shows, I'm handed these big folders--filled with sheets of paper and sometimes photos and DVDs--that a) don't fit in the smaller handbag I now carry; b) mark me immediately to everyone in the theater as "one of those" (ick!); c) threaten to suddenly empty their contents into theater aisles or onto subway tracks; and finally, d) fail to include some significant bits of data or media resources.

So, just stop it. Stop it right now. Save a tree or two or two thousand. Get with the 21st Century and use the Internet!

"I am the greatest!"

Calling itself the home of "the greatest performing arts online," Classical TV makes its debut with videos of opera, classical music, jazz and dance as well as a few blogs. See for yourself here.

Science dances

Dancing Science Quiz
by John Tierney, TierneyLab, The New York Times, April 17, 2009

Vandenbroucke reflects on Merce

Merce Cunningham's Nearly Ninety at BAM
by Aynsley Vandenbroucke, Reflections on Dance, April 17, 2009

Every Little Step

What They Did for Work (Love, Too)
by A.O. Scott, The New York Times, April 17, 2009

The New Economy Smack Down

Wed, May 13, 7pm

Galapagos Art Space and The Field present:

The New Economy Smack Down

Don't be brought down by the old economy, instead usher in the newness with an evening of lively debate, truth-telling, and prophesying...

Located at Galapagos Art Space in DUMBO
FREE with RSVP

Hosted by Jennifer Wright Cook of The Field and Robert Elmes of Galapagos Art Space, with PANELISTS:

Moira Brennan, Multi-Arts Production (MAP) Fund

Miguel Gutierrez, Miguel Gutierrez and the Powerful People

Brian Rogers, The Chocolate Factory Theater

Morgan von Prelle Pecelli, The Lost Notebook

RoseAnne Spradlin, RoseAnne Spradlin Dance

Jeff Hnilicka, Funding Emerging Arts with Sustainable Tactics (FEAST)

Co-presented by The Field and Galapagos Art Space as part of The Field's Economic Revitalization for Performing Artists (ERPA) program.

Revitalize your personal economy by visiting the ERPA blog...for evolving ideas, resources, and economic revitalization topics.

Shemy's "Arena"

Deganit Shemy's Arena is a knockout--honest and gripping choreography presented by a dream cast of dancers (Robin Brown, Ericka Eichelberger, Denisa Musilova, Leah Nelson and Savina Theodorou). This kaleidoscope should be seen not only once but returned to with pleasure as it offers up more of its mysterious, complex facets. The Israeli-born Shemy got a late start in dance (in her late twenties) and choreography, but she is already demonstrating a sure, masterful eye. Dance fans who long for work that puts movement first, undiluted, grappling with its endless possibilities, will especially appreciate Arena.

Shemy's previous ensemble piece, Iodine, touched off a buzz in New York and won the A.W.A.R.D. Show competition in 2008. But now, with Arena, and its ferocious vision of women athletes, this choreographer has made an unmistakable leap forward. Keep an eye on her.

Congratulations are also due Tei Blow (sound) and Lenore Doxsee (lighting) for their powerful contributions to the alchemy of Shemy's world.

Last shows: tonight and Saturday at 7:30pm at Dance Theater Workshop

Strongest candidate so far for IB mascot!

The Bo Peep Show (with must-see photos and video!)
by Sheryl Gay Stolberg, The Caucus, The New York Times, April 14, 2009

Graham on...

Martha Graham quotes (from About.Com: Women's History)

• There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost.
  

• No artist is ahead of his time. He is his time. It is just that the others are behind the time.
  

• I am absorbed in the magic of movement and light. Movement never lies. It is the magic of what I call the outer space of the imagination. There is a great deal of outer space, distant from our daily lives, where I feel our imagination wanders sometimes. It will find a planet or it will not find a planet, and that is what a dancer does.
  

• In 1980, a well-meaning fundraiser came to see me and said, "Miss Graham, the most powerful thing you have going for you to raise money is your respectability." I wanted to spit. Respectable! Show me any artist who wants to be respectable.

Martha Graham Dance Company at Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, May 12-16

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Eva Yaa Asantewaa

Physical Culture: Exotic Martial Arts

Choose Your Weapon - Exotic Martial Arts
by Mandy Katz, The New York Times, April 15, 2009

Gaga over Naharin

On Thursday, April 30 (8pm), 92YTribeca will host veteran Israeli filmmaker Tomer Heyman for a presentation of his 2007 documentary, Out of Focus, a "a candid portrait of Israel’s 'rock star' choreographer, Ohad Naharin, through an in-depth look at his rehearsal process with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet." Tickets: $12.

92YTribeca
200 Hudson Street, Ground Floor
Manhattan
212-601-1000

Petit above all

Same Man, New Wire and a Secret Midtown Venue
by Corey Kilgannon, The New York Times, April 14, 2009

And see my February 4th post on the BAC screening of Man on Wire.

Jody Oberfelder: Body and Soul podcast

Jody Oberfelder received a dream commission from the Brooklyn Philharmonic--to choreograph Stravinsky's A Soldier's Tale for a May 9th performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). Little did she realize that her project would become a casualty of New York's economic crisis when, like so many other arts institutions, the Philharmonic was forced to slash its budget.

Oberfelder joined me today to talk about her re-imagining of A Soldier's Tale, the ironic relevance of its theme and her renewed efforts to bring this production to life.

Web site of Jody Oberfelder Dance Projects

Daniel Goode's Critical Mass (U.S. premiere), with choreography by Jody Oberfelder, Thursday, April 30, 8pm at Greenwich House Music School, 46 Barrow St., (near Bleecker and 7th Avenue).

For more information, call 212-242-4770
http://www.myspace.com/northrivermusic
http://www.danielsgoode.com

(c)2009, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

MP3 File

Johnson takes the helm at DTH

Virginia Johnson to Become Artistic Director at Dance Theater of Harlem
by Gia Kourlas, The New York Times, April 12, 2009

Trillin

Half an Oaf
by Calvin Trillin, The New York Times, April 11, 2009

Okay, just trust me: There's actually something about dance in here! :-D

Arturo's Moving Castle...

...and Aki's sock-draw puppetization continue tonight at The Chocolate Factory and, though you might have a hard time getting a reservation due to the limited space for this show, you ought to try.

Domestic Partner consists of two simultaneous installation/performance works: Secrets of My Mother's Child by Aki Sasamoto and A New Theory of Biology by Arturo Vidich. The latter includes a sound/video program by Howard Huang, and the whole thing concludes with a music set (tonight: the band of Matt Bauder and Aram Shelton).

Show up in comfortable shoes; you'll mostly be moving around and dodging the oncoming performers and their unruly props. The look and atmosphere is more hip gallery opening than dance concert. And if you don't immediately warm to this roughly blended fantasia of personal and global, micro- and macro-obsessions, put it in the pickling barrel.

Tonight, 8pm at The Chocolate Factory
5-49 49th Avenue, Long Island City, Queens
(718) 482-7069

Listen to my Body and Soul podcast interview with Sasamoto and Vidich here.

Learn more about these artists here.