Category Archives: the dance

Aug14

River/Body is here

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On Saturday, during one of our last rehearsals for River/Body, Cole, a young student from the Marvelwood School asked us two wonderful questions.  Cole is part of a team of young videographers working with their teacher, Ben Willis to create a documentary about the making of the dance.

First, he wanted to know if we had ever considered bringing something unexpected – an object, a surprising prop – into our performance.  He observed that the scarves we manipulate are wave and water-like, but wanted to know about something “outside the box”.” Dillon, one of the dancers, loved the idea and said, “Like what?  A refrigerator?”  We all tried to think what those unexpected things might be and how that would change the performance. Actually, I think Cole just gave us an inspiration for the next iteration of River/Body.

Secondly, he wanted to know if we had ever done any kind of ‘nature-art situation” before. So we shared with him our exprience of dancing with horses.  To me, dancing the river is similar in many ways to the equine dances.  We are entering and communicating with a different physicality.  Riding the currents of that different body.  Enngaging with the body-mind of that other being.  And yes, we see and feel the river is a being.

On Sunday we had to make a firm decision about whether to perform in a river that had become so high and fast running that we could not safely dance with her.  I have known horses like that.  It is important to know the limits.  It is disappointing not to dance in the Shepaug, but we were also happy to return to the beautiful Housatonic and know that all of our performances would be held kindly by her watery body.

UPDATE: all performances will take place at North Kent Road, Kent, CT

August 18 & 19 and August 25 & 26 will be performed at the river access at North Kent Road, Kent, CT.  We are limiting attendance to protect the site and work within the concerns of the town, so you will neeed to reserve your FREE ticket HERE.

Please join us.  We have made something beautiful, something surprising, something moving.

Thank you to Housatonic Heritage, Housatonic Valley Association, Berkshire Taconic Foundation and our loving individual donors

See you at the river!

 

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Jun25

river/body – into the waters!!

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DSC05245Dillon Paul in River/Body

Screen Shot 2018-06-24 at 12.22.05 PMAislinn MacMaster in River/Body

June 14 was our first 2018 rehearsal in the Housatonic River in Kent for River/Body.  Dancers Aislinn MacMaster and Dillon Paul entered the waters.  Pam White recorded some images and video.

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!

Performances will take place on August 18-19 and 25-26 at 5 pm.

Precise locations and directions to the Housatonic (in Kent, CT) and Shepaug Rivers (Steep Rock Preserve, Washington, CT) sites to be announced.

Performances are free to the public, children welcome.

Live music will be provided by beloved and acclaimed local percussionist, John Marshall.

SAVE THE DATES!!!

Here is a glimpse into our river rehearsals. . .

Mar25

river dancing

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On Thursday evening, Pam White and I drove down to the banks of the Housatonic River in Kent, CT to commemorate World Water Day.  Here is a a video that Pam shot of my dance with the river.

We are in the last 7 days of our Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for River/Body, which will premiere in and on the Housatonic in August 2018. 

This dance is for anyone who who has a body, who drinks water, who loves to take a shower, or a bath, or go for a swim, or appreciate any body of water at any time of the year in any part of the world.

This dance is for you.

We need your help! 

Please make a donation, and share with friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feb26

riding: the horses, the river

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IMG_3032Sanne, ridden by Brandi Rivera

I just posted a new page on my website, called THE HORSES.  I wanted to share a bit more information about my equine collaborators, Capprichio, Amadeo and Sanne. All three have worked with me in performances, and all three are my co-therapists in my Somatic Experiencing/equine therapy practice.  Each one is so unique, so clear in what they bring to a session or a dance.

As I wrote the page, I wondered, is this confusing?  I am sending out appeals for the INDIEGOGO campaign for RIVER/BODY, the dance that I am creating in the Housatonic River this summer.  Then I am posting about my equine work.  Soon I will be telling you about some solo performances coming up this summer, and announcing a book talk or a podcast.

I don’t feel the separation among these, but more and more feel the flow of connection among them and the way that they intersect and support each other. I can feel  how one led inevitably and naturally to the next, and then back again.

Many years ago I was privileged to take a 10-day Delicious Movement Workshop training with Eiko & Koma.  It changed forever the way I experience and understand movement.  During the workshop, Eiko said that she does not commute from her work to her daily life.  I realized that I did a lot of commuting and compartmentalizing, and separating.  In saying that, she helped me to find the deeper rhythms that underlie all that engages me.

Now, as I am expanding my private work, and entering the waters of a new dance, I am listening for the connections.  What is it to enter and hold the river of the horses’s movement and body within the banks of my own? How can I ride and be ridden by the river?  How can I support others’ capacity to connect with the deeper currents underneath that which seems to separate us?  What is this common body that we share?

DSC03869 dancer Amy Wynn in the Housatonic