What's Next?

Photo by William Frederking

After what seemed like the longest, most dreadful, never-ending winter, The Dance COLEctive is looking forward to a couple of exciting performances. While this year has not been one testing us on our powers to prepare for performances it has been one to test us on how many layers of clothing we can don while side-stepping mega pot holes on our way to rehearsal Tuesday and Thursday nights. All said, the upcoming month should prove to be a special one as we comb the vaults for video to re-create  "13", a comical and equal parts gut wrenching and heart warming look into the lives of thirteen year olds. One of my favorite TDC pieces to perform, it also happens to be a crowd pleaser and getting to dig back into our characters in the piece will be like trying on a familiar comfy sweater.

For the love of Brooke.... to call up my character (a fashion faux-pas, crowd hovering, wedge picking young lady of 13) takes a whole different level of awkward exploration. She is mildly clued in to her un-coolness, but despite many efforts cannot seem to crack the social acceptance code. To her credit she wears her personality on her sleeve and holds her chin high, literally. While it is easy to find comedy in all that Brooke is on stage, it is mildly heart breaking to know that she is inspired by real events and experiences, mostly mine. Don't feel too sorry for Brooke she might bump and clatter through puberty but her resilience will prove to be her strongest quality, and know there are Brookes everywhere, even within you.

After recently spending sometime working with the wonderful Peter Carpenter on our skills to better vocalize while moving we head into these performance projects armed with tools to dive deeper into the text that already colors "13". As always it is my hope that we take the material and performance to a new level finding more meaning within the sub-text and connecting with a new audience who has yet to experience this piece.  Hope to see your at our next performance at the Elgin Ties Dance Festival on April 25 at 7:30pm. 

Submitted by TDC company member Olivia May on Sunday, March 31, 2014.

Overwhelmed in a good way

Photo by Eric Olson

Nearing the end of my second season as a part of TDC, I’d like to talk a little about my experience with the Company. 

I began abruptly as an apprentice to the company in the Fall of ’11, and was thrown into the fast-paced process of recreating, actually exactly reproducing the piece, Pull Taut, which I had seen the year before and particularly enjoyed. You could imagine my excitement when I learned of the Company’s plan. I had learned movement from video before, but this was unusual because I was trying to find my niche within the Company as a new member, while at the same time discovering material that was counter-intuitive to my body (since it was someone else’s). It was uncomfortable and difficult for me to handle both, but I was glad that I was put into something like that. It was a learning experience and something that I will always remember when approaching new things. After the dance was reproduced (it seemed like it was done in minutes), we moved on to our new material that would form into Moving Stories, a piece that we also recreated for the Pritzker Stage this past April. It was my chance to bring forth my own material, and show the Company what I could contribute. I was overwhelmed in a good way and couldn’t wait for more. 

I re-auditioned as a company member, and started my second season the Fall of ’12. It was interesting because the newest additions of the company, Molly Kirkpatrick and Julie Boruff began their time with TDC learning 13 from video, an experience I was all too familiar with. I understood how intimidating their position might be but they were so laid back with their ability to adapt and go with the challenges with which they were presented. We then got started on some new material which developed into in orderly fashion. This piece gave the Company the chance to work in a completely different way from what we were used to. I loved the intimacy and awkwardness of the material. It  made for an interesting piece. We performed this on Stage 773, another experience that was new for the Company. The venue was incredibly intimate, which benefited the piece, I think. From that performance, we went on to the recent FlySpace collaboration which I’m sure you have been savvy to. If not, you definitely need to check out what’s been happening. 

So now we have returned to our regularly scheduled programming, which is the Company member produced COLEctive Notions. This production consists of 3-6 brand new works presented by TDC Company members, on TDC Company members. It is a smaller production, usually performed at Links Hall, but recently, we have been presenting in the Fasseas Studio of the Drucker Center which is much more ideal. You definitely need to stay up to date on that performance, as it will not be taking place until the beginning of November. We are also in the middle of auditions and callbacks. It was so exciting to see all of the supporters of TDC and the people who are interested in the Company! So that’s my story with TDC. As of now, I’m looking forward to new experiences, both for the Company, and as a member. As we all know, the times are changing for dance companies and The Dance COLEctive has been admirably on top of some pretty innovative ways to stay in the business, so stay tuned! 

Submitted by TDC Dancer Madelyn Doyle, on May 20, 2013.  

Past- Forward

Photo by Eric Olson

Past:
I was first introduced to dance in the 6th grade, I was told “cool” girls dance. I guess I wanted to be cool so I took a class and fortunately got hooked. However, before coming to Columbia College Chicago I had no real formal dance training, but that’s a whole different story. My first modern dance technique class was with Margi Cole. I had no
idea what I was doing. I was swishing on the floor, doing contractions, getting acquainted with my sit bones, experiencing the prance for the first time and more. Through my inexperience, I desired to learn. Margi was a teacher that I highly respected. She helped me find the technique that was buried in my body. My freshman year of college, I saw a few dance shows, but the one I remember the most was The Dance COLEctive’s when I saw 13 for the first time. I remember connecting well with the piece. I was not only inspired by the content but also by the dancers. I admired their presence, movement vocabulary, humor, and ease with speaking on stage. It was a level of professionalism that I wanted to embody. Entering into my junior year of college, I auditioned for TDC. I did not make it into the company that time around but I knew I would try again. I had Margi as a teacher a few more times at Columbia, but in my final semester, I grew as a dancer and performer under her direction. She taught a Performance Rep Class during that semester, teaching our class how to behave, learn, grow and perform like a company. I respected the way she treated us and how she was able to handle any situation. So when summer came around, I again auditioned for the company.

Forward:
Having the opportunity to be a part of TDC this year has been a true joy. It was surreal to be a part of the recreation of the piece 13 because that was the first piece I had seen  my freshmen year of college. I have been challenged as a performer through different performance spaces, audience awareness, movement vocabulary, text and content of the various pieces we have worked on. As an artist/dancer, being challenged both mentally and physically is crucial, and TDC provides that environment of growth. We are currently polishing up Moving Stories, a piece to be performed during the launch of FlySpace on the Pritzker Stage next weekend April 12-14. There is such a natural raw beauty to the work that I have not felt in a long time. The piece is honest, intricate and very human. I am excited and dazed to be able to perform with The Dance COLEctive not even a full year out of school on the Pritzker. I am looking forward not only to our next performance but to what the next year will bring.

Submitted by TDC Apprentice Julie Boruff on Thursday, April 4, 2013.  

From Stage to Stage

Blinding stage lights, an old wooden floor with crumbled rosin in the corner, thick black billowy curtains, and red plush seats gazing back at me.  There, as a five year old I stood, a gloomy little rain cloud, in The Phantom of the Opera recital. I wonder how my thoughts, feelings, and views compare back then to being on stage now. I never had a care in the world, but I remember being so happy in my tutu, tights, leather ballet slippers, and make up with a high bun. That feeling stuck with me growing up, and even though I never danced consistently throughout my childhood, it later emerged in my life and now I couldn’t imagine myself without it.

Photo by William Frederking

There are many great images and sayings I have learned, which now have become engraved in my head from teachers along the way. Some of my favorites include, “Pretend your feet are sinking in mud – Feel a warm sunburst on your face – Just be in the position, do not move, hold – The only person who’s going to push you is yourself.” Another inspiring teacher wanted to make sure we asked ourselves these questions:

What are we doing? Why are we here doing this? What do we want to do? Who are our heroes?  


These things that stick with us make us dancers who we are. Dancing isn’t just about technique, it’s about passion, creativity, and awareness. Along with those teachers, Margi Cole is also a voice of reason in my head, “Keep your ribs knitted together, drop your shoulders, keep your head-tail connection, don’t hold your breath.” I was drawn into the way Margi taught, moved, and the way her movement invention felt right in my body.

Throughout college, I monitored TDC, like all of the modern dance companies in Chicago. I went to auditions, got cut from them, and didn’t give up. Margi’s movement made me feel alive, so I continued to attend company class. I assisted TDC backstage in the January concert is its 13th season. I got to know the girls and was able to see how the company worked. One of the pieces I helped tech was “13”; little to my knowledge would I reconstruct the dance 4 years later…

I had the pleasure of being an apprentice for my first 2 seasons, and after working my way up and challenging myself, I’m now in my fourth season. One of the things I love the most is that Margi allows us to create our own movement and perform it. There is always a new way to generate movement and she gives us the guidance and spice to construct, disassemble, mash, and layer our work. Working weekly, year round, allows us to create intimate, yet dynamic movement. I have had to pleasure to work with wonderful women throughout the creative process and I only feel like I’m just getting warmed up.

Submitted by TDC Dancer Katie Petrunich on Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Late but on time

So I am officially late for my latest self-imposed scheduled blog post.  (Not so self-imposed, Kaitlin Bishop is keeping me on track!)

We had a great final rehearsal in the studio yesterday.  I am not joking when I talk about how lucky I am.  We had a big list of things to accomplish:  transitions, costumes, social media, details about schedule...  We got everything done and then some.  It has been great to have former dancers Molly Grimm-Leasure and Alaina Murray with us this week.  I am grateful for their eyes, feedback, and desire to see our latest projects.  It has also been great to have the outside eye and assistance of Kaitlin Bishop too.  You won't see her on the dance floor, but her creative presence has been felt throughout the season!  Jacob Snodgrass, our lighting designer, and Sabrina Kramnich, our stage manager, are probably more ready to get into the theatre than I am!  I never feel like we have enough time, but here we go, ready to show you the reconstruction of an older work, 13, and a new work featuring an original sound score by Philip Elson and (sassy) costumes by Atalee Judy! 

I had the great privilege of working with Molly Shanahan today on my solo.  I can't tell you what a difference it makes to be in the room with the choreographer as a witness again.  Molly's feedback was supportive and challenging!  Challenge was one of the many reasons I wanted to work with her.  Molly has some very interesting ideas about the body, how it moves through space, and how having witnesses changes the way you "perform".  It was satisfying and timely to revisit these ideas today in preparation for the performances.

Here is a little blurb that Molly wrote about Leaving and Wanting for our press:

"I made Leaving and Wanting with Margi in the final three weeks I was in Chicago before leaving to start school in Philadelphia. My mom died while we were working on the solo. My life was in massive upheaval, emotionally and logistically. I was getting through one breath at a time. The dance is about leaving something you love, loving someone who leaves, and about leaving even before what has been started can be completed. It is also about the finding, discovery that comes when one surrenders to longing as an energy of love. We made the dance during the heatwave in July; the heat was extreme. Margi was deeply committed, and her dancing contains a profound vulnerability combined with ferocious spark. I approached our collaboration with nothing to prove, but I wanted to give her something honest that could be truthful for both of us, together and separately, as choreographer and dancer. All of this allowed us to get to a level of communication quickly and with almost immediate shorthand."

All this said, I do hope you can come and see the show! I am excited about the new space we are performing in (Stage 773) and extremely proud of all the work of the dancers and collaborators! I look forward to seeing you this weekend!

free [BOUND]

January 17–20 Thursday–Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.  Stage 773 1225 W. Belmont Chicago, IL

General admission is $25, $20 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, visit http://bit.ly/SszbAg or call 773-327-5252.  Submitted by TDC Artistic Director Margi Cole on Monday, January 14, 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.

TDC starts work on restaging 13

It’s official. I have now been in TDC long enough to be reconstructing a piece in which I was an originating dancer. YOWZERS!

This week, TDC starts work on restaging “13,” a 30-minute piece created and premiered four years ago during TDC’s 13^th season. It’s an interesting experience, to go back in time, watch work I created in a previous life, and try to understand the decisions made and inspirations used. It makes me reflect on the passage of time, and how, while four years may not seem like too long ago, it was actually a lifetime ago. I lived in a different home, I was not married, I had a different job, I moved differently, I lived differently. I was different. To watch myself dance from so long ago, I might as well be watching a total stranger. Fascinating!

Another difficult aspect of reconstructing work I had a hand in creating vs. reconstructing work I did NOT create is readjusting expectations of the experience. It can be very easy, when resetting previous work, to expect things to feel the same – lifts should feel the same, contact with other dancers should be the same, the timing should be the same, EVERYTHING SHOULD BE THE SAME!!!!

100% of the time however, it’s not. It’s impossible. For “13,” there are two returning original dancers. There is literally no way this piece will even remotely resemble its original version, as the dancers inhabiting the space are completely different people. Different bodies, different minds, different perceptions. Everything, and I mean, EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT. Which is really hard. It can be so difficult to let go of those experiences, those sensations, those journeys. When a dancer feels a sense of ownership over the material of a work, it can be such a frustrating experience to let that go – but that is what we have to do. Otherwise, reconstructing work is the equivalent of pulling teeth. It sucks. 

So here we are. Starting a new journey I’ve travelled before. What keeps this fresh though is the fact that I am a new person, and this time around, this journey will resonate within me in completely new ways, leading to new movement invention, new partnerships, and new experiences.  This, in and of itself, is just one more of the many things that makes modern dance so engrossing and engaging, performance after performance, piece after piece, year after year. Even old work feels new, and old experiences become new journeys. 

Submitted by TDC Dancer Kaitlin Bishop on Wednesday, October 31, 2012.