Coming Home Changed

Written by Collaborator Bonnie Brooks

Plunging in to work with the Dance COLEctive and Margi Cole on the production of REboot feels mighty familiar.  It’s a new way of working with Margi, yet it’s on familiar (and nearly familial) ground.  Ms. Cole and I have gotten used to working together.  Yet each new time we take up a new shared assignment, I am struck again by the good fortune of finding a collaborator who offers so very much.

Bonnie at work! 

We met in 1999, when I moved to Chicago to chair the Dance Department at Columbia College Chicago.  A grad of the program (who’d gone on to earn an MFA at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), Margi was already teaching part-time and had spent a number of years working with Julie Simpson managing the Dance Center’s presenting series before refocusing her energy on her own dance company and on her work as an educator.  Through a series of what I’ll describe as fortunate circumstances, she advanced within the Dance Center team to become associate chair of the Dance Department for several years, giving me the “first round” of close collaboration.  We discovered we balanced each other out remarkably well.  I was often out fighting institutional admin battles, Margi keep the operation running back in the office.  I came quickly to appreciate her exceptional work ethic and the dedication she brings to what she does.  And I felt awe observing her juggle sustaining her small modern troupe, her teaching duties and student mentoring, and her admin work without, it so often appeared, missing a beat.  As time went on we came to be friends, friends who could actually work together (it’s kind of like being able to cook with someone, either you can or you can’t). 

When it came time to decide, post-chairmanship, if I would accept our Dean’s request that I take up leadership of the dance presenting series, I answered, “I can do it…if you’ll let me hire Margi to do it with me.”  She was the only person I knew who, I was certain, would be able to hit the ground running and who could read my mind as fast and accurately as I could read hers.  And so we did it – the relentless work of fundraising, producing, scheduling, keeping the internal bosses updated on all things financial, and doing our best to keep our guest artists informed and happy (that latter isn’t do-able at the Dance Center without the amazing Kevin Rechner and his tech crew, it truly takes a village).   Today, Ellen Chenoweth now runs the presenting series and continues to benefit from all the knowledge, skill and history that Margi brings to that work.  All I can say is I could not have done my part in those challenging years without her.

Last summer in beautiful Maine!

Mind you all the while Margi sustained her artistic project with the Dance COLEctive.  When she told me three or so years ago that she’d decided to re-imagine the Dance COLEctive’s mission and re-orient towards project work with a wider frame of participating artists, I remember thinking, “that’s gutsy and generous and practical.  Just like Margi.”  Giving up a steady ensemble of dancers for is no small decision for a choreographer, but Margi wanted a bigger and more flexible world.  Since making that decision, she has forged through several years of testing the waters and new short-term collaborations, she has added several solos to her personal repertory choreographed by the likes of Margaret Jenkins and Deborah Hay, and most recently she participated in a three week international residency at the Art Omi Art Center in Ghent, NY.  You can read about that in her blog posts here.

Now we are a few short weeks out from the first public performances of the Dance COLEctive since the big change.  It’ll feature Margi’s choreography plus work by Colleen Halloran and Pete Carpenter.  I’ll write about the concert in more detail an upcoming blog post.  But what she’s doing, in a way, is coming home changed.  She’s working with familiar dancers and collaborators.  The concert will be in a relatively new space dreamed up and realized by an old friend.  She’s dancing as well as choreographing.  And she’s got a back-up producer in Third Way Projects (that would be yours truly) who is also doing some re-inventing in post-institutional life.  This time I get to work on her project.  How grand is that?  It’s definitely different, but it’s also definitely like coming home. 

Opening September 14.  We so hope you will be there!

Week One at Art OMI

In 2001 Deborah Hay asked a room full of artists in Findhorn Scotland, including me, “What if where I am is what I need?”.  Deborah has been asking herself this for a long time so it was not new to her.  But, it was a new idea for me and I ask myself this question often now, in different moments on different days for different reasons.  It has been echoing in my mind ever since I arrived on July 16.

Where am I?

Art Omi (OH MY)  is a not-for-profit arts organization with residency programs for international visual artists, writers, translators, musicians, and dancers. Art Omi believes that exposure to internationally diverse creative voices fosters tolerance and respect, raises awareness, inspires innovation, and ignites change. By forming community with creative expression as its common denominator, Omi creates a sanctuary for the artistic community and the public to affirm the transformative quality of art.

Omi International Arts Center is located in beautiful Ghent, New York, two and a half hours from New York City. Omi is situated on 300 acres of rolling farmland with spectacular views of the Catskills and the Hudson River Valley. The Fields Sculpture Park is a public exhibition space featuring over 80 contemporary sculptures. Open year-round, the park provides thousands of visitors the opportunity to experience the impact of important international contemporary sculpture in a striking natural setting.

Art Omi

My Quarters

My Room

My Room

My View

What do I need? 
Time
Space
Curious minds and bodies
Inspiration
Meaningful Dialogue
Permission to focus on process without product
  

 What is happening?

Week one was a whirlwind of meeting new people (check them out here), sharing what we are curious about in the studio and in the world and deciding together where to direct our creative and collaborative efforts for the next two weeks.  We have begun the collaboration phase and are spending our days in and out of the studio experimenting to see if our ideas hold any water.  Some things have already revealed themselves as interesting and desirable to pursue.  Other ideas have been explored and filed away.  We are working toward an informal showing at the end of the residency.

Is Where I am What I Need?

Our studio Space in an old Barn

I am sure of it.  There is so much magic in the coming together of strangers as a clean slate with an abundance of generosity in our hearts. Everyone has been open to each other’s offerings and knowledge and accepting of the person I am in this moment.  I have been reminded that I still have the capacity to deeply feel and be present, which has felt far reaching for me for a while.  I am truly enjoying and growing from this experience and I am very excited to see what else will transpire as it continues to unfold.   More soon!

Collaborating as an Artist vs. Collaborating to build a Home

Julie Boruff on her Bike and Build trip

Collaboration by definition is working with another person or group to achieve a common goal. Before I became a dancer, I was highly involved in team sports and obviously the goal is to win. To win a few things must be acquired by all participants, such as communication, dedication and perseverance. These three things can relate off of the field and on to different aspects of group focus. Collaborating as an artist to create a work has many similarities and few differences as collaborating on a construction site.

So what’s so similar? For one, there is a leader. In my experience as a dancer there has always been someone to lead the project. On a construction site there is the Site Supervisor who demonstrates, teaches and corrects the workers to keep them on the right track. In both situations the group whether dancers or workers are given tasks to perform. If there is a problem or a misunderstanding communicating those problems with your “teammates” and leader are necessary for the project to move forward. Secondly, in both situations all members must be dedicated to the work. Sure everyone has off days but a work can’t get completed or a house won’t be built if people slack off. In both areas depending on the project some days you work independently and other days you work with everyone. Either way commitment to the overall product is essential. Furthermore, to accomplish a goal perseverance is essential particularly in setbacks. A few set backs on a construction site could be the weather; sometimes there’s not enough work for everyone or you simply may not be good at hammering. Everyone has a different set of skills but toughing it out shows true commitment to the overall goal. With creating a work a set back may be an ailment in the body, not enough time, or simply not fully understanding the concept. Either way, persevering through problem spots is a necessity in both types of group collaboration.

The main difference between working as a dancer and working on a construction site is how the product is assembled. A choreographer can start out with an overall concept of what they want a work to represent but, may have a different outcome as rehearsals progress and new ideas are formed. When you are building a house it has to be planned completely. In the end the house has to be built exactly as the blue prints whereas a dance can form into something completely different than the original idea. However the thing that is important between both is that they cannot be completed single handedly. Collaboration is a universal tool that aids in a successful outcome whether that is a winning the game, building a house or creating a new dance work.

Submitted by TDC apprentice Julie Boruff on Saturday, May 3, 2014.

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.

Season Reflection

Receiving the opportunity to apprentice with The Dance COLEctive this season has provided me an environment of artistic and personal growth.  Almost every rehearsal begins with a company class that focuses on technique, strength, and movement pick up, ext. I look forward to this every week and have learned that it is a gift to be able to have class before every rehearsal.

Photo by Eric Olson

I have always enjoyed creating movement and learning different techniques on how to approach the creation process of dance. As an apprentice this year I have learned that collaboration is a key to success and growth. I have learned my habits as a mover, meaning the type of “moves” I rely on. This year I have been challenged to abandon these signature moves to create characters, relationships in space and to experience a new vocabulary of movement in my body. For example I have learned that as a mover I tend to create quick, sharp and whirly phrases but this year I have tried to break out from my norm. I am learning that taking the time to experience the movement can then in return tell what is important, what the viewer needs to see.

This year I have enjoyed collaborating with the other company members. Before joining The Dance COLEctive I had only a little experience in partnering. I was always hesitant to giving or receiving weight and simply not knowing how to create a duet. This year I have had to be challenged to create many duets and how to trust in partnering. Now something that was outside of my comfort zone is becoming an aspect of dance that I look forward to pursuing.

This season has challenged me as a performer to really see the audience. In my past experience as a performer there has always been a separation between the viewed and the viewer.  I have found it difficult yet intriguing as a dancer/artist to look at the people watching, to talk to them, to engage with them while moving.  This season is teaching me to more than a dancer on the stage but to just be myself while performing. I am looking forward to what the next season/year will bring. There are always new things to learn, more movement to discover and opportunities for growth.


Submitted by TDC Apprentice Julie Boruff on Sunday, May 5, 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.

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.

Dance is like poetry of the hips not the lips...

Dance is like poetry of the hips not the lips
when i tell others i'm a dancer i clarify with,
"but i don't make any tips"
making dance is fun but its definitely no party.
Here's a taste of the creative process with Margi.

It starts with an idea, maybe a book or some quotes
we talk it over, think it out, and each jot down some notes
we use our official notebooks to write stories and words
when it comes to the creative process
we leave no resource unturned.

Its a full body experience, from your fingers to your toes
using every fiber and every ounce to make solos
we rub them into duets and smash them into trios
Margi adds her flare here and there
and the dance, its starts to form.

We watch and give notes, we try one thing then another
we space it out and pace it out and when it doesn't work
we take a breath or even ten and regroup to start again.

Sometimes its hard to see the vision but we know we're always close
we put our faith in our fearless leader and she pulls all the ropes.
She asks us questions or gives us directions
she knows the big picture but never forgets the small
her magic is in the details and how she composes it all.

It has to be a challenge at 9 O'clock at night
but she's always ready, always thinking
always challenging us with what we're making
the point of the toe or touch of a hand
it never slips past her when it comes to small details
she is a master.

It can be frustrating and it can get long
there's no formula and sometimes there is no song
you just have to get out there and start with an idea
you let it grow and sometimes change
you give it life and then a name
we make it ours and hold it close
and then share it with those who love dance most.

Tuesday and Thursday nights at our beloved Drucker Center
we meet with Margi, its no party
but we're proud of what we do and who we do it with
and in a month and a few weeks you will get to experience it.

It's a very open forum, this creative process
its ever changing always engaging
and i can only hope i will get better at it with time.

Submitted by TDC Dancer Olivia May on Tuesday, December 4, 2012.

The Creative Process – A Glimpse of How it Starts

There’s something so magical about starting a new work. It’s refreshing to begin a process not knowing where it will end up. The movement developed is interesting but also flat in the sense that it has yet to be shaped and pulled to suit a larger intention. Interactions are clear but not yet defined. The meaning of each touch will become embodied through time, with repetition, and after it has been examined through the lens of intention for the overall piece.

In TDC, most of Margi’s new works begin with some sort of reading, research, writing assignment, or discussion. It’s always very self-reflective and thought provoking, which increases the level of investment us dancers have in the work. The way Margi uses our input changes for each project. Sometimes her homework assignments drive every element of the piece, from the way we develop movement and relationships, through the arching story of the piece, and even to the text we speak. Other times, its influence is only peripheral, driving certain elements, such as time and relationships, rather than the actual ideas being brought to life on stage.

Though Margi usually keeps her ideas secret until she has them fully formulated in her head, in a casual conversation I got a glimpse of what’s to come. Without revealing the plan, I’ll just say that she hopes to use information gathered from a popular book many of the dancers have read and use it to set boundaries that define our relationships as we generate movement. I think it will be a fascinating translation from fiction to dance and I am really looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.

---

Submitted by TDC Dancer Maggie Koller on Sunday, October 7, 2012.

There’s Always Room to Grow!

What never ceases to amaze me about dance is that there is always more to learn.

I have been dancing since I was 3 years old. Though I think we can all agree that a tiny child in a tutu with her butt hanging out isn’t really committed to dance, I’d say from age 7 or 8, my training has been pretty rigorous. To calculate the number of hours I have dedicated to practice in the studio would be too much to handle. The point is, after 25 years of daily practice in my body, I am still amazed by how much more there is to discover. Or more specifically, by how many muscles, bones, and flows of energy I have yet to master or fully connect.

Something I have always struggled with is the placement of my rib cage on my spine. I have a tendency to splay my ribs open in the front rather than connecting them down to my center. There have been many times over the years when I have made a major connection and (seemingly) course corrected this tendency toward imbalance. However, day one back in the studio this season and I am getting corrections from Margi about softening my sternum. Really? Yes. Still something that requires focus.

All the boo-hooing aside, I think I might have figured something out! Imagine my arms in fifth position above my head. By shifting my arms forward more toward my brow line rather than being directly above my head, the entire position of my chest shifts downward. Really, Maggie? Duh. But it has taken me all this time to realize that it is ok to move my arms out of this above-the-head zone where I perceived a need for my arms to be to achieve classical ballet accuracy and into a space where I can be connected through the vertical center of my skeleton.

And by shifting my arms forward, I’m actually experiencing a new sensation at the bottom of my rib cage. This may not be the most inspiring example, and I would never use this when teaching, but I am feeling as if a limbo bar is pressing across the bottom of my ribs. That’s the image I get when I feel connected. It’s an activation of the muscles and a connectedness in my bones.

Just a little something I’m working on these days in class. Now, to be able to achieve that alignment and maintain that awareness while moving through all the planes, balancing on one leg, upside down, through the air, leg above ninety degrees, while my spine snakes…oh, dance. Never a dull moment.

---
Submitted by TDC Dancer Maggie Koller on Sunday, September 30, 2012

A Journey to The Dance COLEctive by Maggie Koller

This is my seventh season with The Dance COLEctive (TDC). W-o-w. That means for the last 6, going on 7 years, I have spent almost every single Tuesday and Thursday night, and every other Sunday morning, rehearsing at the Drucker Center. I have performed in multiple dance venues, parks, stairwells, and other site-specific locations in and around Chicago. I have toured, done residencies, taught, performed and improvised across the Midwest and Southern United States. I have devoted my time and energy to the activities both in and out of the studio that support the mission of TDC. And in return, I have learned, sweat, laughed, cried, and grown tremendously with an absolutely amazing group of women.

For me, this journey began at Beloit College, my alma mater. TDC came to do a residency sometime during my senior year. I took class and rehearsed with Margi for a week that culminated in a performance by her company and a work she set on the Beloit dancers. The TDC women were all strong, as were the works on the program. I was very intrigued by Margi’s exploration of relationships and use of partnering. I also remember seeing the dancers warming up in the dressing room and wondering how they were able to do so many push ups…now I know.

At the end of the performance, each dancer was given a personal thank you note from Margi. Mine ended with something along the lines of “When you’re back in Chicago, don’t hesitate to look us up.” A few weeks after graduation from Beloit, I ran into Liz Carlton (a now retired TDC dancer) at Lou Conte. She said, “We’ve been looking for you!” and asked me to come to an invite-only audition for the company. Feeling equally nervous and confident, I reached out to Margi and accepted her invitation to audition.

After completing a pretty grueling set of essay questions about my perception of women in dance and women in the media, technique class, and several chunks of difficult company repertory with an intense level of partnering, Kaitlin Bishop, Jessica Post, and I were asked to join the company as apprentices. The beautiful thing about Margi’s apprentice program is that performance opportunities are no different for apprentices than they are for full company members—the only difference is that you don’t get paid. So, I danced my pretty little head off that first season as an apprentice, and have been given an equally beneficial opportunity to perform with the company as a full member ever since.

Through the handfuls of other companies and independent choreographers I have danced for, TDC has remained the backbone of my professional dance career. I continue to learn so much from Margi. She is an excellent teacher, an amazing performer, an extremely intelligent businesswoman, and has grown to become a great friend. I am so appreciative of the level of detail and professionalism she brings to the organization. I always feel that my time is valued and well spent, and that is very important to me. The dancers she cultivates tend to grow not only as a palette of bodies that gel together on stage, but a group of women who have become incredibly close both in and outside the studio.

Season seventeen for the company. Season seven for me. I still can’t believe how much time has passed. And I have no doubt this will be another amazing year.

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Submitted by TDC Dancer Maggie Koller on Monday, September 24, 2012.

Hello and Welcome!

Hello and Welcome to the very first official blog post of The Dance
COLEctive!

A new season with TDC brings new work, new dancers, and new ideas, one of
which is this, the official TDC Blog. With the vision and hope of offering
our dedicated and invested audience an in-depth look at the  the inner
workings of The Dance COLEctive, its Director, dancers, and affiliates,
this blog will serve as not only my voice, but that of my dancers as well.
The Dance COLEctive has always been just that, a collection of ideas,
minds, bodies, souls and energy, coming together to create something new
and vibrant, of which no single person can claim sole ownership. Under my
leadership the work TDC has created and presented, both on the stage and
off, has never been a representation of my own thoughts, feelings, and
vision. No. The work of TDC has been that of US. The dancers, the
collaborators, the audience, the teachers, and yes, with a little
guidance, from me.

The same can been said for the inspiration behind this blog. This view of
TDC represents not only my thoughts, history, ideas, and words, but those
of TDC's greatest asset: the dancers. Each dancer will take the
opportunity to contribute to this blog, offering you a glimpse of who they
are as people and dancers, their journeys to and in TDC, and the place
they feel they inhabit in the space of this COLEctive.
You will hear from me directly from time to time but to kick things off
for us, I bring you Maggie Koller, a dancer coming into her 7th season
with TDC.

Maggie's post is coming soon.........