hello beauties.
After landing in Bruxelles today right in your arms, i feel i should write some thoughts i had after work. Susanne brought up a good point, one that we can already begin to think about for our meeting tomorrow-no, later today...yes, it's 24 hours i don't sleep....
After establishing this rotating leadership, we now need to find a clear way of letting it flow, so that the group knows where we are going, and that everyone's propositions are considered.
Susanne brought up that we need to find a way of organizing our proposals, and i would add that we also need to hear from everyone who has not clearly led yet, and just see everyone's individual desires.
Yoann will use his mojo to guide us.
i should add:
what has happened until now is that the organization of an event for the group has guided our focus, and this usually came from the initiator of that event. 2 clear examples are when i set up the museum night, found a space, and proposed a clear beginning structure which we then all molded together. In fact, that structure was born from mixing the first FUNCTIONS description of Barbie with a previous MEMORY FRAME that we had done together in November with Didier as a guest musician. Not bad, but i see that it might not always fall into place so well,
so yes,
we need a system.
As for the Namahn Residency, again i have mapped out a beginning point with Hall's The Hidden Dimension, about social organization of space, and this was born together with the Namahn team when we met and talked about WHAT COMMON POINT CAN WE BEGIN TO RESEARCH AS DANCERS IN RESIDENCY IN A DESIGN STUDIO? That's also what went in the dossier to the VGC. Sorry if i haven't been clear with my darting mails until now.
I realize that as we will be working in a dance studio inside a place of business(!!!), sound will surely be something to be very delicate with. Maybe this is why i've been so interested to confront music while we have the perfect space for it--before we are in an environment that might push us to explore with silence more instinctively than being free with sound.
However, I see there isn't enough time to give it the proper depth now, using the viewpoint-like frame set by the author of the Music Lesson, a Spiritual Guide through Music. BUT, good news--this is due to the organic process that we are in now. Which means, if we are onto something, let's really go deep. As I won't be there in April to follow sessions until the day of the Antwerp show, I can only imagine us continuing on the same track we are one now.
So go Barbie go, let's make this "function recipe" as elaborate as we can. Jokers and costumes, gypsy bands or not...
see you soon
d
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Functions
Today we continued work from last week into Landscape work. I introduced the concept of Functions.
In the beginning we did a warm up, squeezing the parts of the body, moving energy and liquids, to increase grounded and weight...For some people this was visible and felt heavy at the end, I realized while doing it that for instance if we project up, while standing position, when people are focusing on feet down, help a lot and finally feels light and not heavy at all.
For the concept of functions we have three new ones: filter, elaboration and mirror, the fourth function is the landscape that now start to be named as "source" and it is the starting point for the piece.
We wanted first to be free moving in space to practice functions but this didn't work so we got directly to the structure and "functions game".Someone has to stay outside, this person gives an order and a function to the group. Always starting by a source function that will be the producer of material. Example:
Boris source-mirror
Dome filter
Ana elaboration
Susanne mirror
Boris start his landscape, continue, Dome filter, then Ana elaboration of the material of Dome, and then Susanne mirror of Ana. Like this we continue until the material reduced so much that it disappears and disolves.
Definition of functions:
Mirror: copy as much as possible, the more similar, in time, space and quality
Filter: reduces material
Elaboration: this is the more open function, can change space and time
Source:landscape provides the material for the piece
Once one piece finishes another source start again and the game start over!!!!
We go for more next week, as we all agree will be nice to go farther with this. I am interested in this work to see different possibilities to create and develop material. Some topics:
Individualities in the same piece
Togetherness
Simplicity
No over production
Dissolving/disappearing
Fluidity
Barbara
In the beginning we did a warm up, squeezing the parts of the body, moving energy and liquids, to increase grounded and weight...For some people this was visible and felt heavy at the end, I realized while doing it that for instance if we project up, while standing position, when people are focusing on feet down, help a lot and finally feels light and not heavy at all.
For the concept of functions we have three new ones: filter, elaboration and mirror, the fourth function is the landscape that now start to be named as "source" and it is the starting point for the piece.
We wanted first to be free moving in space to practice functions but this didn't work so we got directly to the structure and "functions game".Someone has to stay outside, this person gives an order and a function to the group. Always starting by a source function that will be the producer of material. Example:
Boris source-mirror
Dome filter
Ana elaboration
Susanne mirror
Boris start his landscape, continue, Dome filter, then Ana elaboration of the material of Dome, and then Susanne mirror of Ana. Like this we continue until the material reduced so much that it disappears and disolves.
Definition of functions:
Mirror: copy as much as possible, the more similar, in time, space and quality
Filter: reduces material
Elaboration: this is the more open function, can change space and time
Source:landscape provides the material for the piece
Once one piece finishes another source start again and the game start over!!!!
We go for more next week, as we all agree will be nice to go farther with this. I am interested in this work to see different possibilities to create and develop material. Some topics:
Individualities in the same piece
Togetherness
Simplicity
No over production
Dissolving/disappearing
Fluidity
Barbara
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Museum Night Fever
PLUS: performances between 20-21hr & 21-22hr!! (15 mins per performance - See programme on arrival for times)
One ticket provides you entry to all other dance activities in the evening organised by Unik vzw, as well as entry into other museums open for Museum Night Fever. See http://www.museumnightfever.be
Thanks to Charleroi Danses
museum tryout and impressions
i was thinking about the rehearsal yesterday and some thoughts came up. If you were there in the studio last wednesday, maybe you also felt that the events and actions were easier to see and work with at the raffinerie than in the museum.
When I stepped out, i noticed that a lot of concentration is taken by the space itself, so clarity is essential. what i mean is that so much is going on already just by being there. in a studio, the smallest action can be given importance by allowing it and nothing else to happen, thereby bringing a sort of "zoom" on the event. but this isn't as simple in this space. we are also writing IN RELATION TO THE SPACE and need to fit the event much more delicately in relation to it's specificity.
this is now a big challenge for us. how to make choices in relation to the space and ourselves. here are 2 things i remember thinking when i stepped out that i didn't think about while dancing:
"body as an object on display"
and
"the object looks back" (meaning: the object returns the gaze)
this is something that the space gives us just by being there. whether we use this imagery or not is up to us. but it is quite prevalent in that space....
i think one missing element was tuning score or warmup so that we can feel the space, each other, and our bodies before we make composition. maybe hanna has some thoughts on a viewpoints warmup to get us into the space on saturday?....
Thursday, February 26, 2009
25 Feb. "searching for museum structure"
As Hanna passed the mic to Barbs in her absence, she began by explaining a possible structure from a previous work process she did, concerning a lot of memory work, and a specific structure, not too unlike viewpoints, consisting of 4 main points. I was really excited as it seemed to touch the work I proposed last November working with the frame of memory.
Agos arrived and became our outside eye, which was really, really helpful. This is what we collectively created by the end of the day:
The structure begins by entering clearly the space to a beginning position. Once there, we begin to create a landscape, which should finish in the same beginning position. We worked a lot to be careful not make it too complicated. This is because after we arrive to our beginning position, we have to repeat the exact same thing. And again. By the 3rd repetition, we arrive to understand and see all the elements that are there, and they take importance. After this base is established, we begin to make choices. This is where the viewpoint work can be applied. These decisions are shifts, changes, and adaptations in duration, tempo....etc..... Replacements and playing with the "expected prewritten action" were very strong. Each action can be displaced from it's original context or "stimulas", creating a strong and visible difference. This difference makes the smallest action loaded with potential and reaction.
Again, the hardest part was to allow ourselves to be SIMPLE in the beginning. We learned to trust that there is already a lot a lot a lot in a simple, one minute loop, with simple actions and little dance. This gives a canvas to grow a composition.
As we have 3 sets of 15 minutes in the museum, we can benefit from this precise structure to make a composition.
I look forward to seeing it installed in the museum on monday. We can continue to adapt the structure from the information we receive there.
Yoann and Susu will be with us, making 7 in total.
I think structure will give us something clear and precise to work together on.
besos
d
Agos arrived and became our outside eye, which was really, really helpful. This is what we collectively created by the end of the day:
The structure begins by entering clearly the space to a beginning position. Once there, we begin to create a landscape, which should finish in the same beginning position. We worked a lot to be careful not make it too complicated. This is because after we arrive to our beginning position, we have to repeat the exact same thing. And again. By the 3rd repetition, we arrive to understand and see all the elements that are there, and they take importance. After this base is established, we begin to make choices. This is where the viewpoint work can be applied. These decisions are shifts, changes, and adaptations in duration, tempo....etc..... Replacements and playing with the "expected prewritten action" were very strong. Each action can be displaced from it's original context or "stimulas", creating a strong and visible difference. This difference makes the smallest action loaded with potential and reaction.
Again, the hardest part was to allow ourselves to be SIMPLE in the beginning. We learned to trust that there is already a lot a lot a lot in a simple, one minute loop, with simple actions and little dance. This gives a canvas to grow a composition.
As we have 3 sets of 15 minutes in the museum, we can benefit from this precise structure to make a composition.
I look forward to seeing it installed in the museum on monday. We can continue to adapt the structure from the information we receive there.
Yoann and Susu will be with us, making 7 in total.
I think structure will give us something clear and precise to work together on.
besos
d
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Dialogue
Last week I wanted to work on dialogue. The morning was a bit frustrating, as half the group showed up late...without warning me. I am a habitual latecomer myself, but being on the other side, waiting, having prepared to work with a certain number of people is not nice. So please, if you're late, let the others know. Just a reminder.
So after a little erratic warm up trying to not let my anger disturb me, finally the rest of the crowd arrived, and we could start the work. We played with weight, giving and recieving excactly 10, 25 , 50, 75, 90 and finally 100% of our weight. This evolved into carrying each other across the floor while sounding wide aaahhs. Interesting exercise to feel how to negogiate with breath and sound with a big strain on the physical structure, and also to stay connected with everybody else in the room as we were creating a soundscape together.
We finished the morning with lanes and grid work. It was really nice to see how this work is evolving. Keeping the simplicity of the task, it's more and more clear how I make choices and when I make a deliberate choice or one that is in accordance to what is happening.
After lunch in which I indulged in Italian ham that made me sick later on (I'm still suffering), and Susanne shared pictures of her holidays in NZ that looked kind of fake ;-), we finally got to dialogue work.
First we all learned a part (either A or B) of the dialogue (an extract from Harold Pinter's play 'the Lovers'), then we applied viewpoints of voice to it:
PITCH; VOLUME; TEMPO; REPETION; TIMBRE , I forgot Silence.
Again as in working with voice purely this was a bit like swimming exercises without water but proved invaluable, first to experience the distinctions and later give you freedom in making choices. In the end we went into space a couple at a time and played with the dialogue in the space. That's were it got real fun and where we ran out of time.
I think we should get back to this at some point to have more time to play with all the elements freely.
Out for more tomorrow in Hasselt.
So after a little erratic warm up trying to not let my anger disturb me, finally the rest of the crowd arrived, and we could start the work. We played with weight, giving and recieving excactly 10, 25 , 50, 75, 90 and finally 100% of our weight. This evolved into carrying each other across the floor while sounding wide aaahhs. Interesting exercise to feel how to negogiate with breath and sound with a big strain on the physical structure, and also to stay connected with everybody else in the room as we were creating a soundscape together.
We finished the morning with lanes and grid work. It was really nice to see how this work is evolving. Keeping the simplicity of the task, it's more and more clear how I make choices and when I make a deliberate choice or one that is in accordance to what is happening.
After lunch in which I indulged in Italian ham that made me sick later on (I'm still suffering), and Susanne shared pictures of her holidays in NZ that looked kind of fake ;-), we finally got to dialogue work.
First we all learned a part (either A or B) of the dialogue (an extract from Harold Pinter's play 'the Lovers'), then we applied viewpoints of voice to it:
PITCH; VOLUME; TEMPO; REPETION; TIMBRE , I forgot Silence.
Again as in working with voice purely this was a bit like swimming exercises without water but proved invaluable, first to experience the distinctions and later give you freedom in making choices. In the end we went into space a couple at a time and played with the dialogue in the space. That's were it got real fun and where we ran out of time.
I think we should get back to this at some point to have more time to play with all the elements freely.
Out for more tomorrow in Hasselt.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Voice
Last week we worked on the voice. It proved to be really tiring actually. We each chose a word with three syllables, like 'potatoe', that gives a structure of ABC. Then we played with this structure using the viewpoints of voice: Pitch, Volume, Tempo and Duration (which you cannot take apart like in physical work), Timbre (where the voice comes from in the body), one by one. These excercises were quite tiring mentally, but great to make the different elements clear of which sound is made of. And then with growing clarity and mastery being able to use a greater range of possibility.
before the break we also played with voice in relation to space, that is what shape the sound or word is making (ecclectic, as opposed to round, e.g.); and oral gestures (aaah!) that give you an emotion. which made me think of the question: are you running away because you feel fear or is the fear born in the act of running?...it works both ways.
in the afternoon Domenico and Dafni came to watch, which strangely disturbed the concentration of the work. It made me wonder if it is neccessary to have witnesses/audience more often or to exlude 'outsiders' for the sake of the intimacy of the practice. I wasn't the only one wondering.
We did some more grid work, basic viewpoints exercises and a brief recalling of the voice work of the morning to move on to making pieces, with and without music.
I'm curious about tomorrow.
before the break we also played with voice in relation to space, that is what shape the sound or word is making (ecclectic, as opposed to round, e.g.); and oral gestures (aaah!) that give you an emotion. which made me think of the question: are you running away because you feel fear or is the fear born in the act of running?...it works both ways.
in the afternoon Domenico and Dafni came to watch, which strangely disturbed the concentration of the work. It made me wonder if it is neccessary to have witnesses/audience more often or to exlude 'outsiders' for the sake of the intimacy of the practice. I wasn't the only one wondering.
We did some more grid work, basic viewpoints exercises and a brief recalling of the voice work of the morning to move on to making pieces, with and without music.
I'm curious about tomorrow.
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