Philadelphia - December

Tuesday, December 8, 2009
This past week or more, I’ve been going to sleep and waking, and returning many times a day, to Red Thread. Going over the piece in my mind, running my material, trying to tease out the patterns, both in body and space, searching for the essences in what we’re doing. A few days ago, when the DVD of the NY showing arrived, and I watched it, I began to consider what it is that we’re doing in this piece. Yes, there’s some dancing, but not a lot; yes, there are some intriguing images, but how compelling are they? In the end I decided that what this piece is about, that doesn’t really show on a video, is relationship, our relationship, and the elusive ingredient that livens performance when it’s present, and adds the necessary juice to even simple material, but that’s so difficult to capture with a still camera that’s recording merely for memory.



We began today by looking at the piece as we had left it in NY, our basic framework, trying to feel out which sections might accept all of us, 3 + 3, and which would work with which of the three other dancers we’ll be introducing during this 2 week work period – a conceptual exercise, but useful in helping us see how to structure our rehearsals most effectively. It was a relief to move after lunch, and begin to remember the piece physically. Once again, we were surprised by how quickly the material returns, even though none of us had spent much time with it during the interim – life, with all its myriad complexities, taking precedence over our intentions to work with it daily, Lisa doing most of the simmering in her twice weekly rehearsals with Meg. It feels good to be back in the studio with these women. We have grown even closer through this process of making, familiarity and ease with each other, knowing how to draw out the most constructive ideas, when to give support, how to challenge. We have a lot of work ahead of us, not just in making structural decisions, but also design choices. It’s a touch overwhelming, but stimulating and exciting as well.




Wednesday, December 9
Excitement builds. We spend the morning continuing to bring the piece back for ourselves. We clean the yarn section, the ‘kitchen duet’, and watch Lisa’s solo. Feelings of satisfaction at being back with, and in, the material, as well as questions, fill the air. We brainstorm over lunch about what we want to tackle first with the other dancers.

In the afternoon they arrive. Introductions over, we begin with the walking phrases. They learn fast. That, after all, is one of the skills young dancers have. Useful, when we have only these few days to both teach and develop material. There’s some jostling with too many ideas from too many choreographers, but Lisa reminds us that this is part of our process, that it took time for the three of us to learn how to work with it, but as rehearsal continues, when the new builds are introduced into our walking pattern, we’re all exhilarated by the complexity that happens in space, and with material and relationships. We end the afternoon teaching our solos – Lisa to Gabi, Vicky to Meg, and me to Michelle. Thrilling to see the young dancers embrace our material so fully, with so much individuality and commitment.

Lisa, Vicky and I are also thinking about costumes, colors, props. We find a color palette we like in the book ‘Earth from Above’, jumping off of Mimi Gross’ suggestion of earth and colorful. Lisa and Vicky are enthusiastic about making clothing decisions, Lisa sketches ideas, we speak about what we can buy or make. Time seems short again. There’s so much to do. During dinner, a communal chopping and cooking event, Lisa’s eyes begin to close and I realize she’s dozing while I’m telling her a particularly interesting story. Yes, we’re tired, but as we comment before heading off to bed, there’s nothing we enjoy more than being in the studio, in process, playing, exploring, making creative decisions. This is where we are in our element. Delicious.