Smooth Jazz Schedule

Hi MAC dancers,

Here is the final schedule for the next two weeks.

Mon 8/25: Melissa
Wed 8/27: Cancelled
Fri 8/29: Melissa
Mon 9/1: No Class (it's Labor Day, sleep in!!)
Wed 9/3: Melissa
Fri 9/5: Renee
Mon 9/8: Regular schedule resumes

Thanks, for hanging in there with me...T.

mmm...

for some time now, i've been working as a freelance dancer in portland, and for awhile i belonged to a steady company (see CAL), but have found that collaboration is always more interesting. years ago i approached some dancer friends about gathering together, sharing rehearsal costs, and spending time just playing around in the studio. of course there is no goal, no performance plan, just a haven to learn to create and work together. i never really thought that it would come to fruition, but tonight it is. a fellow dancer and i are meeting to just play around, and create a dance without having a performance goal. it's a little exciting, yet scary because i have no idea what's going to happen. i'm not one who gravitates towards improv jams, but i think my curiosity will be satisfied. who knows what might happen? i'll let you know.

polite applause...

I've always enjoyed supporting local art/dance performances. When I was a kid we'd always see the summer production at Carco (a local community theater group in Washington State). Soon, as we became more experienced with the productions, we'd look for upcoming shows that peeked our interest. Mostly we attended musicals like West Side Story, or Fiddler on the Roof. I owe much of my appreciation for the classic musical to my mother.

As an adult I try to support the local arts/dance community by donating time, performing, and buying tickets to shows. Unfortunately I haven't seen the sizzle on stage I've hoped for. It's mostly been fizzle. I don't dislike the entirety of the show, some parts/performers are fun, interesting, or provoking to watch, but mostly it seems the choreographers have lost their way. If a production does't quite work, it's not necesarily those you see perform at fault, usually it's poor choices by the one in charge, aka: the Artistic Director/Choreographer. The bad choices could come at any point in the chronology of the production, from the start with the theme or dancers, or occur at the end by making changes at the last minute during tech rehearsal.

The last dance performance I saw that made me get up and thankfully cheer for all involved was Paul Taylor. The perfect combination of his choreographic experience and the dancers' expertise perfected the performance. Mostly it was Taylor's ability to sysinctly make his message clear. Although he used repetition, reversals, cannons, and musicality to build each piece, I never felt like the point was lost in the clutter, unlike what has been presented recently.




There is promise however, KO&Co are performing this weekend at Conduit. I have friends performing, and the show sounds interesting. Plus White Bird is bringing in another big name for their anniversary season, Steven Petronio Company will be here in March.


I hope you get out this Spring to support your local arts.