Aim, Journey, Tackle

Photo by Eric Olson

I have been around The Dance COLEctive block a couple times. Heck, I’d say I’ve been living in the neighborhood for quite some time. Margi Cole began COLEctive Notions the first season I joined the company (2009-2010). I was able to be a part of each year’s process since then, observing the ins and outs of each choreographer’s decisions and being aware of all the behind-the-scenes action, and learning what it takes to put an entire show together. Allowing the time to become a stronger dancer and letting the techniques and customs of TDC sink into my body and thought processes made the wait well worth it.

In order to choreograph for this dancer-produced show, one must be a company member for two years. Starting as an apprentice for my first two years and then continuing on my TDC journey as a full company member - four years later, I was eligible to submit a proposal for the upcoming show. I felt seasoned and ready, and luckily, I had an idea. (And fortunately for me, Margi was also supportive of that idea.)

I had a wonderful experience working with my fellow dancers, Julie Boruff and Shannon Edwards. They worked wonderfully together, trusted each other and trusted me, which I appreciated tremendously. Their dynamic movement styles fueled my idea, bringing the duet to life. Their vulnerability spilled over, leading the piece to its fullness - sharp and soft movement sweeping the floor.

My initial concept shifted throughout the process as well, but I accepted the flow, rode the wave and let it create itself. I had to trust my gut in that I was making the right decisions, which came fairly easy. I grew up choreographing, in high school mostly, and it’s always been an artform that I thoroughly enjoy.

I would definitely choreograph again if I was given the chance, and another concept sparked my brain. I already have the wonderful opportunity to work with a great group of dancers, which makes the whole process fun, easy, inspiring and completely satisfying.  Margi has graciously given us the chance to take the stage in a different way and I am thankful to have her support and expertise. Her willingness to let us represent our voices under The Dance COLEctive’s name is an honor and definitely one of my biggest accomplishments as a professional dancer.

Read the review about the show here in The Huffington Post. 

Submitted by TDC Dancer Katie Petrunich on Sunday, January 12, 2014

Cryptic thoughts from an Artistic Director nearly in production week

Have you ever wondered what goes through the mind of an Artistic Director as they approach show week?  Well, here is a little insight.


I need more time! (Rinse and Repeat about 1,000 times)

Why did I think it was a good idea to choreograph and perform and say text live...

Must create next social media blast.

Creating the program is the bane of my existence.

This goes in the Monday pile.  This goes in the Tuesday pile...  and so on.

Oh yes, I must remember to thank them too!

Choreographer trunk. Everything you need for a rehearsal and more.

I must remember to do THAT and that and...

Thank goodness for these dancers and collaborators.  I could not do this without them.

A glass of wine later is gonna be really nice!  Really nice!

Just add it to the list...

Why didn't I get more feedback?

I wonder how pre-sales are going?

Emergency cliff bar.  Check!

What am I forgetting? 

Is anyone going to come to the show?

But seriously, even after nearly 17 years of making and producing dance with my company, the fear of being under prepared, the self doubt about my engagement with the work, the need to give myself a personal pep talk in all areas, is all still very real!  These are the same feelings I had in the first season of the company.  And while I may feel all of these things, I do know that my experiences have enabled me to be a better collaborator and leader.   I am better at gathering the right people around me to ensure integrity and success, even if I personally am still worried about whether I am a viable performer, creator and leader.

I will keep you posted on how things are going next week!  Stay tuned...

Submitted by TDC Artistic Director Margi Cole on Wednesday, January 9, 2013.

Layering of text over movement

For me one of the most intriguing developments in modern dance is the layering of text over movement. I have been excited about speaking in dance since the first time I saw/heard it. I was in high school when I first saw it, but in college when I finally exercised it. I was extremely impressed when I saw Joe Goode Performance Group perform Staying Together and Deeply There (stories of a neighborhood) at The Dance Center of Columbia College in 2007. The next semester I was thrilled to have Liz Burritt as a Dancemaking teacher. From her I picked up techniques and determination in the world of text and dance. It is quite possibly the scariest thing to do on stage for a dancer; dance while speaking. And in my fourth season with The Dance COLEctive, we still continue to create with text.

In our upcoming show we are restaging 13, a comedic dance that explores the oddities of being 13 years old, we are adding the element of text to our movement. This has been both
stimulating and amusing. At one point in rehearsal I felt completely tongue tied, both vocally and throughout my body. We were working on a section improvising our text with our movement phrases. It was a huge challenge for me to think of words, let alone the right words, while dancing. Connecting movement is so natural for dancers. It happens in our bodies and really takes little thought processing. So when we are faced with challenges like improvising text while moving, interesting things happen. I found myself blanking on my movement, stammering my words, and sometimes standing blankly among the rest of the dancers. We have had several laughs, head scratches, and plenty of mess-ups. However, we are all deeply invested and Margi has had patience during this process. It is always a challenge to speak authentically while dancing, but it's such an awesome challenge. The work hits the stage in January and we are all enthusiastic about it.

Submitted by TDC Dancer Shannon McGuire-Edwards on Thursday, December 13, 2012.