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.

Touring with TDC

One of my favorite past times in The Dance COLEctive has been touring.  I had the opportunity to travel to Beloit College and Knox College last season and I enjoyed every part of it, from getting our coffee and hitting the road to performing for a new crowd of curious students. Being crammed in a car, sitting still for hours together is something uncommon for us. Our main experiences together are usually on the dance floor and/or animatedly socializing in open spaces. And choosing a food place on the road can be indecisively tricky. Staying in a hotel room and trying to "keep it down" is quite difficult for a group of women and our handy crew (especially when "catchphrase" is a required nightly tradition).

It's not just the behind-the-scenes quirkiness that I love, it's the opportunity to observe Margi teaching, and students learning. Taking class with a new student body is always informative. We have a chance to pick up new things from Margi. Being one on one with students is refreshing and different. And of course, performing each night and introducing who The Dance COLEctive is to everyone. Each stage is different, each audience is different, and each response is different. It's always exciting to hear feedback and know how Margi and The Dance COLEctive impacted the students and faculty. Although I love dancing in my awesome city of Chicago, I am definitely excited to get out and tour more. I just love the all around experience. 

Submitted by TDC Dancer Shannon McGuire-Edwards on Saturday, December 29, 2012.

Asking for your support

Dear Dance COLEctive Enthusiasts,

I am writing to you today quite simply to ask for your help.

Almost 17 years ago I founded The Dance COLEctive as a way for my friends and I to produce our work. Today it is much more than that.

In addition to being a vessel for creating thoughtful new work, TDC is deeply committed to mentoring young artists to be well rounded professionals capable of succeeding independently. The ability to make & produce work, think entrepreneurially and articulate themselves as artists are all key skills imparted to our promising dancers and collaborators.

Currently the company is comprised of 8 thoughtful and sophisticated young women (you can read some of the writing about their experiences here) who are helping me to realize and fulfill my desire to mentor and make new work.  Their dedication and remarkable growth as artists - some of them for as long as ten years - inspire and energize me to keep finding ways to create performance and mentorship opportunities and to keep going when things get tough. 

For The Dance COLEctive the current economic climate is formidable. Disappearing resources on the the state and city level, as well as more limited support from local foundations has had a very real impact on TDC's ability to support itself and its artists.    This is why we need you more than ever.  Many of you have been collaborators, students and mentors.  Many of you are family, friends, peers, acquaintances, family and friends of current or past dancers, board members and audience members.  You know first hand my passion for dance and the power a positive experience can have on you!

Photo By William Frederking

Please consider a donation in support of TDC.  Please help me continue this important effort and please know this:  when you choose to make a donation to The Dance COLEctive it will be invested in the continued growth of TDC’s vision and my unwavering desire to creating new work and teach and mentor promising dancers.    





To make a donation of any size you can go here or you can send a check to our snail mail address.
  
Thank you so much for your continued interest in the company and have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Sincerely,


Margi Cole
Artistic Director


PS:  We are looking forward to our annual self produced concert happening at Stage 773 in January, the opportunity to perform on the stage of Jay Pritzker Pavilion in the Millennium Park April 12-14, our Summer Workshops, Company Classes and annual opportunities to mentor our dancers.  Please help us make all this possible in 2013!  Thank you!


The Dance COLEctive is a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

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.

I began dancing, like many others, at the ripe old age of three

I began dancing, like many others, at the ripe old age of three. I began at a studio in Dixon, Illinois. I spent almost the next decade studying the basics and dipped into the world of competitive dance. Although I had a short run in competitions, I learned and saw things that would forever shape my dancing; awareness. Soon after I moved with my mom and sisters to Chicago where I began in a more classical curriculum in the city. It was a program that emphasized strict discipline and poise. So there I picked up a new essential in dance studies. I later studied dance in my Chicago High School program. There I witnessed and learned the depth of modern dance. I learned to watch and analyze dance in a literate manner. I attended Columbia College and majored in dance. There, I was enlightened. I found a purpose in dance. I discovered the art of dance. I did more than take class, I participated in dance discourse and  embodied a new texture through improvisation and release based techniques. I took one of my last required classes in my very last semester at Columbia. Margi taught the Repertory Performance Workshop. In the very first class, Margi reviewed with us three basic movement principles; walking, running and standing still. Those being things we learn in life many times before we even talk, this lesson was still profound to me. Because in dance, we forget how to just stand, just walk, and just run. When standing still, there is purpose and presence. Walking and running is human and powerful as just that. As a performer, this deeply resonated with me. She continued to the shape and refine our performances with both major and subtle notes. Not feeling completely quenched in just one semester, I registered for The Dance COLEctive's Summer Workshop so I could squeeze more out of Margi. Although I would miss most of my family's annual reunion, I went to the audition the Saturday after the workshop. Thankfully I did, because I graciously accepted the company's offer to apprentice in the 2009-2010 season. The following season I accepted a company member position. I have been ecstatically dancing with The Dance COLEctive ever since then.

Submitted by TDC Dancer Shannon McGuire-Edwards on Thursday, December 6, 2012.

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.