DeAngelo Dance

A Halloween Thriller: Producing Art as Entertainment

2011-11-16T00:27:00.000-08:00

Ann Marie DeAngelo & Peter Martins

People kept asking me this year the question “Why was this the best gala/show ever”? Then at the dinner, when Peter Martins said....”You do what no one else can do, how do you do it?” - that got me wondering....what exactly it is that I do?!

I think the show stayed true to its self-invented theme, and it had a typical DeAngelo fast-pace flow. What I do each year in terms of eclectic programing remains the same. My vision is a mix of styles and genres - in a marriage of the old and the new. Because of such wide diversity and the best of the best in each form, the show is fresh. My formula takes variety to a new level by strategically arranging each piece and pinning them against each other. Or, positioning them in an unexpected way, that creates an “element of surprise”. The element of surprise is key to engaging audiences and to successful theater. This formula I use whether in one of my own ballets, directing a show by someone else or in these single even evenings. For gala shows, it starts In the selection process......the pieces are either excerpts from larger works (a Lynne Taylor-Corbett duet from Dracula); commissioned works (Mark Stuart’s to the Ne-Yo song); new innovative work (Noah Racey’s NY Song & Dance), evolutionary work (drumming and break-dance with The Street Beats Group); unexpected classics back-to-back such as National Dance Institute (NDI) in Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” following a Bob Fosse number from Pippin with Bebe Neuwirth - “Magic To Do”. Or placing the self-controlled classic of Giselle before an outrageous Lypsinka. The novelty of Pucci's “Surfing” number was a non sequitur, after the creepy dramatic impact of Bell Witch. And, ultimately the synthesis happens in less than 90 min. With 20 years of creating shows (as an artistic director and choreographer), it now takes place in my head (and on 100 drafts on paper). I believe that 'amalgamation' is the choreographic voice of the future (distinct voices no longer exist). Individual voices become more distinct when positioned together because the voice of the collective is always stronger. My internal message stays the same: “it is only through our differences that we discover our sameness”.

Ultimately, I CARE

Bebe Neuwirth (center)

Review:

A Halloween Thriller
Career Transition For Dancers
October 31, 2011 at City Center in NYC
Directed by Ann Marie DeAngelo

The show began with Bebe Neuwirth singing the lead in “Magic To Do” from Bob Fosse’s Pippin. A perfect Fosse-esque opener, staged by David Warren Gibson. This segued into NDI romping to Michael Jackson’s Thriller, choreographed by the Mary Kennedy, who did a fantastic job with 90 kids on and off stage.

National Dance Institute

Dracula

Then our illustrious host for the evening Chita Rivera, gave out the Career Transition For Dancers annual Awards, before she introduced an excerpt (last duet) from Lynne Taylor-Corbett's Dracula, that was performed by Carolina Ballet. It had just the right bite to it!

Chita

By the way, Chita changed from the evening gown she wore in the beginning, to this costume for her last entrance and evenings "thank you's".

What would the evening be like without tap-dancing Skeletons -- who came as an interlude between Dracula and Bell Witch, in order to cover up the fact that the stage hands had to strike the bed used in Dracula!

Tap City Youth Ensemble

Bell Witch moments....

Lynn Cohen

The next number was my Bell Witch that was a 4 1/2 min. theatrical re-creation based on my original one-act Bell Witch ghost story. Starting with a wandering EYE projected on the upstage Cyc, Actress Lynn Cohen (as the ghost remembering), spewed venom with her words.....”Yes I killed John Bell....he buried me alive.....imagine what it feels like to wake up with dirt in your mouth!”. Dancers Adam Hundt (as John Bell) being attacked by the ever-attacking Oriada Islami (as the ghost in action), was up for the kill.


Oriada Islami (as the Bell Witch) Adam Hundt as John Bell

The Kill....

So what do people in California do for Halloween” said the voice over. Coming out of the stage left wing was Peter Pucci’s SURFING number (photo left) from his larger work called Pucci Sport.

It was great fun. And Eric Dunlap who did our video projections rushed backstage between projections to be in the number! Then came Douglas Martin's piece (right below) with "America Repertory Ballet" - a very story story-ballet....

An old modern classic that suit the occasion - Mary’s Wigmans’ 1926 Hexentanz, was interpreted by Betsy Fisher (photo right) who came all the way from Hawaii to perform!

Another story-ballet followed called “The Raven” (photo below) by choreographer David Fernandez (edited from a longer version) that was very Poe. It was danced by members of New York City Ballet. Well, Chuck Askegard just retired, but Daniel Ulbricht who was the Raven, with Savannah Lowery are still members.

New York Song & Dance Company

The hit of the evening was an innovative Tap number (above) with body-percussion by Noah Racey's New York Song and Dance Co. - performed to Cole Porter's “Under My Skin” - and sung by Melinda Sullivan (former SYTYCD contestant).

By this point in the show I was feeling that the show was a bit “ballet top-heavy” and not because of my Joffrey Ballet background, but just because....people volunteer time and selections are based on availability. This I told the audience when I was attempting to do a hip hop duet with a dancing Skeleton projection. I thanked everyone for participating and introduced two former dancer/clients who spoke about their experience with Career Transition For Dancers and transition. They were Michael Deane, and Pat Cody (now a Lawyer).

The dancers from the Houston Ballet Karina Gonzolas and Connor Walsh did a wonderfully polished version of Act II Giselle. Bravo, hard to do out of context in an evening such as this.

Lypsinka

Mark Stuart Dance Theater

The one and only Lypsinka was next in her classic “telephone” number, flailing off-stage. This was followed by a new piece by Mark Stuart's company to Ne-Yo’s “Beautiful Monster”. It was the perfect representation of a contemporary/modern-dance hybrid - with his trade-mark lifts - and positioned nicely on the program.

Lastly came a very great "Dying Swan" that Paul (below) from the Ballet Trocadero performed - I had not seen it in a while, and it was so brilliantly funny.

The Dying Swan

Judith Jamison presented the Rolex Award to Nigel Lythgoe, and closing the evening was The Street Beats Group aka Industrial Rhythm (above) providing great urban drumming, and new young phenomenal break-dancers that could spin on their heads and performed old-school/new-time break dancing - like the guys I used to work with in the '80's. It was the perfect end to a wildly-fun evening! Not to mention a Congrats to Career Transition For Dancers for raising $1.1 Million!!!

Kudos when Nigel Lythgoe sent compliments during his acceptance speech - "Ann Marie DeAngelo put together a brilliant evening".......he didn't really have to say that!

Homage to Dancers

2011-01-02T02:05:00.000-08:00

Here is the "Homage to Dancers" segment from the 2010 Career Transition for Dancers Gala, which I directed. The script is just a guide to more or less what we all said, in the order we spoke. -AMD

Ann Marie DeAngelo

ANN MARIE DeANGELO: I want to thank all the artists performing here tonight for their time, talent and devotion to our dancer cause. As dancers we share a common spirt - that stays alive in us, even when we move on. We also share common struggles - simple things - like finding the courage to actual speak with our voices and not our bodies; how to replace the immediate gratification of performing (no one applauds a phone call). We have lots and lots of challenges even though it is what we did for love. Which reminds me......Last year after this event Marvin Hamlisch called to congratulate me on the show and wanted to use some talent on the program, and I thought it was a prank call because he didn’t say, "So-and-so gave me your number." Then when I realized it wasn’t I got up the courage to say, “You know, A Chorus Line is a brilliant classic and about many things but mostly it’s about dancers trying to get into a show. What about a piece about about the trajectory of what happens after - some dancers stay in the field, some move out of the field, some don’t stop - but whatever we do we never stop being dancers. The dancer stays alive in us always..."

Here are some dancers and former dancers, CTFD clients and supporters, who will share a few words on feelings about their "Act 2."

DAVID WARREN GIBSON
From our first step to our last breath, dance is a powerful force within us. It encourages us to be “all” that we can be in life. I always come from my power source—my dancer—when starting a new theater project, or when having a gallery opening for my paintings. Thank-you CTFD - the L.A. office for your support—and recognition of this life force.

MOLLY LYNCH
I moved from dancer, to director, to founder of the National Choreography Initiative—that gives opportunities to dancers who stay in the field. And as a teacher at the University of California at Irvine, I supported a study on Career Transition for Dancers that has raised awareness in the college arena. Just passing it on!

TONY WAAG

A few years ago, Gregory Hines received the CTFD Award. Gregory was an inspiration. When he was on the board of the American Tap Dance Foundation, where I’m Artistic Director, he helped us carry on the legacy of concert tap dance. As teachers or directors, the dancer in us stays alive when we pass on what we know...

CAROL BRYAN

My safe space was always in a dance studio, the place that’s mine where I can create and organize and be dedicated to my dreams. CTFD gave me the confidence to create an annual dance festival and educational program for the Stamford Center for the Arts. In turn, I’ve created a safe place that encourages the dreams of our youth.

RICK LAKE
I’m Rick Lake, competition ballroom dancer—and hedge fund guy. Ballroom dance brings the joy of dance to everyone—even financial types. I’ve been a supporter of the CTFD gala over the years. What a wonderful way to give back to the world of dance, that brings so much joy to so many.

MIKALA FRITAS
I learned from CTFD that you don’t have to give it up all at once. You can dance while setting a new direction. Twice, I’ve gone back for CTFD career counseling. Now, I have a successful healing and wellness practice. And I’m still dancing! As a dancer, I understand what people are feeling—and this led to my healing and wellness practice.

SUZIE JARY
When I received an educational grant from CTFD, I was still learning choreography on Broadway. I then earned a Master’s degree, and entered the counseling field. It all came full circle when I became a CTFD counselor. Now I travel around the country with CTFD’s National Outreach Program, empowering dancers to choreograph their future—just as I did.

MERCEDES ELLINGTON
I know CTFD helps dancers when they stop performing, but no one told me to stop! I’m still dancing. Even my dance injuries can have a silver lining. My knee replacement inspired me with the next choreography idea. Actually, dance empowers me to support organizations like the Duke Ellington Foundation, and as a Board member of CTFD for years.

JEFF EDWARDS
I first went to CTFD meetings as a soloist with New York City Ballet. The idea of a dancer being vocal, or preparing for a transition was a scary concept. CTFD let us know it was OK to plan seriously about the future. After graduating from Brown University, I realized I could translate the knowledge and mental skills I accumulated as a dancer into other disciplines. It really works!

CYNTHIA GREGORY
When I performed, I felt I had strings of energy connecting me to heaven and to the audience. Today, I coach dancers, and help them find their own powerful connections. As chairman of CTFD in the 90’s, I believe I helped to connect the growing organization with new, generous and dedicated donors, and countless dancers in need of our wonderful connecting services. To me, it’s all about connecting.

ANN MARIE DeANGELO: And so we spend a live time molding our instruments so we can be a part of the magic of theater. And inherent....or actually, the alchemy of magic is to turn fear into belief. CTFD dispels that fear. Lets fact it, the scariest thing for anyone is to NOT see a future, and the mission of Career Transition for Dancers is to connect dancers to their futures.

I am a dancer dancing when I’m moving or not, I am a dancer dancing even when I stop.

THE PROCESS: Discovery & Integration

2010-12-13T18:31:00.000-08:00

National Choreography Initiative: This summer I participated in Molly Lynch's choreography workshop, which is an opportunity to work on anything you want in a 3-week period. I chose to create a "piece about a piece" called The Process: Discovery & Integration. What is in this Blog is some of the Text I spoke on stage as I gave an insight into my choreography process - that of discovering what dancers can do in terms of different dance styles and abilities and then integrating their special talents into the final work. This workshop was about creating a piece about "creating a piece", as well as developing materials that could be used for the new Marvin Hamlisch song I'm Really Dancing, that I ended up creating for the Career Transition for Dancers gala on Nov. 8th in New York.

PART ONE: The Opening

Part One (me in rehearsal sweats)

AMD Text i.e. "me" speaking on stage!

(AMD moves on stage, crossing DSR to DSL)
Before I show you the dance material I came to work on for the new Marvin Hamlisch song, I wanted to give you a little insight into my creative process of “Discovery & Integration”. Although I come from a ballet background, my aesthetic is to mix styles (since the 1980’s actually) and one of the first things I do when I see a group of dancers for the first time, is them who can do 'more than one thing, more than just ballet".

(AMD hits her mark on stage, in the Upstage Left down-spot on quarter, I continue to speak)
Ben, showed me some Hip Hop and Break dance moves (will file that I thought); Chris showed me some Tap (not my most favorite dance form). And there you go, two of the most authentically American dance forms to use!

(AMD then walks thru dancers and moves back to DSR where her table and chair is)
Next I spent some time getting to know the dancers - asking them questions; teaching 3 aspects of Focus that is essential to dance. With Thomas I worked on Inner Focus - the power in standing still and doing nothing. With Pedro, Projected Focus in a simple walk - one of the hardest moves to do on stage. With Susan the “ography” part of “choreography”, which is the relationship of steps to space. I also learned things myself. When I gave Greg the gymnastic step called a Kip to do, he said to me....

Greg: A Kip is 1,000 tons of engineering!
AMD: Something about engineering.....anyway....

(AMD crosses DSR to DSL for the “chorus line”)
Then we all had some meaningful conversations that included why they danced; magic moments in theater; the importance of Art that allows the commercialization of it; transition. And I thought of maybe giving them all a chance to say something profound on stage, since dancers don’t talk, don’t get a change to have a voice...
Dancer one-liners (see video)

PART TWO: The Dancer Band
(AMD is DSR and Sits at Desk)
Then I wanted to show the dancer’s in their solos, but I didn’t have any music so I thought why not make our own music. I think it was Thomas who started it....the dancer band....

Part Two (Dancer Band)

PART THREE: The Duet
(AMD crosses to Center - then exits DSL)

In the middle of the whole process I felt guilty - that I should be constructing an actual piece that had a beginning, middle and end. And I had a piece of music from a show I was choreographing in China of 2 Homaii singers in it that I taped. So I decided to expand the solo’s that both Adrienne and Thomas started out with into more.

Duet: Adrienne - Thomas

Part Three (Duet)

End in a Downspot and AMD from DSL

Ok, so I had that ending for the piece (am glad you see it as clearly as I did!) which is a statement about connection - we’re human and need physical connection.....not sure the internet really provides that.

PART FOUR: The SONG! I'm Really Dancing (music only)

(Lights come up at same time as Hamlisch Cd)

INTEGRATION:(Verse)
OK - now it is time to show you the material I came here to work on. The Integration of what I discovered in the process before. Ted can you come measure? About 18 feet - 3 feet past center is what it would be at City Center.

Last year after one of the gala’s I produce and direct for Career Transition for Dancers, Marvin Hamlisch called me praising the show. I thought it was a prank call because he didn’t say “who” gave him my number - so I wasn’t very responsive. Finally he said he liked that I used a clip of his music (which was from A Chorus Line) in the film montage (about American dance) - he said...”you know I wrote A Chours Line”. It was at that moment that I realized tha it was not a prank call - and I said “Yes of course, I am a fan!”

Part Four (Integration - Marvin Song)
--
(Can you bring on the Piano, please?)

Anyway, I asked him to write a dance piece or a song having to do with transition - the spectrum of years. I said Chorus Line was about dancers trying to get into a show - but what about dancers who have stopped and the trajectory of what happens - staying in the field, moving into other fields or not stopping? Whatever, we never stop being dancers. The dancer is alive in us always. I am a dancer dancing when I’m moving or not, I am a dancer dancing even when I stop. So the song is about dancing no matter what else we do. Lyrics are by Rupert Holmes, the dance arrangements by David Caldwell. And what I have to show are these dance segments....
(Note: I might reference A Chorus Line as an American classic is root of commercial formatted shows like SYTYCD where the insight into people (their stories) and competitive-ness was first exposed in the Bwy show (the art). Can’t loose touch with the soul of where entertainment comes from...etc.)

(Dancers come on stage)

Soft Shoe/pseudo-tap bit....(use some of the material re-arranged later)

AMD counts maybe. Then the WALTZ comments (won't use any of this material)

BIG FINALE Dance Segment to End (this is what need be taught to some extent later in NYC)

(AMD comes back with Mic) OK great, thank you everyone! Ted can you get a lead sheet and sing a couple lines?

Ted sings “I’m Really Dancing”

Slow fade to BLACK OUT

END

I'M REALLY DANCING DANCE BREAK Segment!

2010-12-13T18:30:00.000-08:00

Ben Needham-Wood in a "mix of styles"

OK, the DANCE! How do create dance without dancers? I wish I could post my notebook of drawings and meticulously calculated counts for each dance style segment. Once I created materials at the National Choreographers Initiative this summer, the new challenge was how to get dancers in NYC who were available to randomly rehearse, and perform- and work for free. Not so easy. I loved the Marvin Hamlisch music for the dance segment, arranged by David Caldwell. David and I worked together earlier in the year on the musical The Promise, he as musical director and arranger, me as choreographer -- which was performed at the Shanghai Expo 2010 in May (see China blog). I asked if he would arrange the new song by Marvin and he was thrilled to do so. We all met one dripping hot summer day in July at Marvin's place, where he sat down at the piano and played the melody and sang the lyrics. "Don't mind me," Marvin said, "I can only sing in the key of C - that is not how the song is written!" He basically gave us permission to do what we wanted with it. Keeping the idea of having mature artists....maybe 3 or however many I "stars" I could get, juxtaposed against the dance which would portray a mix of styles and a spectrum of years.

Ben looking at Natalie Enterline (Marvin at the Piano)

This year I had about 130 performers who volunteered their time and talents for the Gala. There were 38 alone in this new piece! To put it together I had to make myself available to go work independently in different rehearsal spaces with the different groups. I knew I had Ben's materials and would bring him in the Friday before the Monday gala. Then I sought out Natalie, at the same time figuring out how to integrate Tony Waag's American Tap Dance Foundation Youth Program kids. It was a puzzle. The process itself being fragmented and over a 6-month period.

Natalie Enterline ia a unique artist who has a fantastic dance/baton routine down to extraordinary perfection. I asked her if she would be willing to let me rearrange her material and have her open the top of the show, be integrated during it and then kick off the dance break section in the new Marvin song. She was willing....

(with American Tap Dance Foundation Youth Program)

Ben, from the NCI workshop, got released from his company -- The Louisville Ballet -- and I began to edit materials of him on a video........and passed on the idea to him via MobileMe.....steps re-arranged, and edited yet similar to him. Something easy for him to do 3 days before the show, combining ballet, modern moves, hip hop, and acrobatics. Mind you, not easy for everyone....but for him!

Ben in side split jump

ABT II (American Ballet Theater's apprentice group)

Now, where was I going to find a group of dancers that existed as a unit? I knew I would never be able to get 10 freelance dancers in a room at the same time to re-create anything. So, I first thought of Dance Theater of Harlem. Virginia Johnson was the new artistic director -- and she willingly explored the possibility of using them, but scheduling did not permit. Next I asked Wes Chapman who was the Artistic Director of ABT II, via Kevin McKenzie. If they were free, just like the were in 2005 for another gala event, that would be fantastic. I waited, sweating for no other solution. When I found out they were free I convinced Wes that the segment would not take much of their time. Having calculated that I need them specifically for 8 - 8's of dance music. 8 more 8's of movement in place. And then a final 8 - 8's for the end finale.

World Cup All Stars

Finally, I needed my cheerleaders! How could there be a Finale number without them! The World Cup All Stars New Jersey Cheerleading are the #1 top competing group in the world. I originally found them in 2005 when Toni Basil was performing "Mickey" on the program. She loved them, and since I've used them again. I called up their coach, Elaine Pascale - said that I probably needed just one stunt group this year. Yes, they were "IN." And bring-it-on they did.

A VIDEO

The link below is a video of brief rehearsal of some of Natalie's materials at the top of the Dance Break, with notes about where Ben enters, where the Tap kids are; then some of ABT II and where they Cheerleaders are. It was what I sent to Lori our stage manager, and Brad our lighting designer because I had nothing to show them in the studio, since I could never get everyone in the same room together! And, it is incomplete.
Watch video

Last but not least is Ted Keener below and standing behind Trisha Brown who received the Capezio Award from President Anthony Giacoio (left). Ted was in the summer workshop and consequently assisted me in staging the choreography for the I'M REALLY DANCING.

I'M REALLY DANCING!

2010-12-13T18:29:00.000-08:00

Marvin Hamlisch at the piano with Natalie Enterline

About a year ago, Marvin Hamlisch called to congratulate me on an evening I produced and directed for the Career Transition for Dancers' gala called "America Dances." At first I thought it was a prank call because he didn't say, "So-and-so gave me your number." He was interested in using a young Mambo couple on one of his youth programs. It wasn't until he commented on liking the fact that his music was used in a film montage saying, "You know I wrote A Chorus Line," that I knew it was him.

I called Marvin back a couple days later and asked if he'd be interested in exploring something.....and writing something.....for the next benefit that had to do with a dancer's "Act 2." I said, "A Chorus Line is a brilliant classic, and about many many things, but what about something about the trajectory of what happens after....when dancers stay in the field, they move out of the field? No matter what, we never stop being dancers. The dancer stays alive in us, always. I am a dancer dancing when I'm moving or not, I am a dancer dancing even when I stop."

It took about 9 months to make this piece happen. But on November 8 at City Center, the 25th Annual CTFD Gala, "I'm Really Dancing" was heard on stage for the first time. Of course, it is insane to try to create a new piece for a benefit, when artists volunteer their time and it is impossible to pin people down to rehearse. In fact, the piece never was done with everyone in the cast until the actual show itself. Ninety percent of it was organized to a meticulous second in my head. I had to make the staging very simple for all the artists singing. Entrances and exits had to be directions I could send in an e-mail. Angela would start on Center Center with Marvin in a down spot light; Karen would move from Upstage Left to Downstage Right; Charlotte the opposite diagonal; David and Annie would come on from DSL (Downstage Left) to DSR (Downstge Right) - first wing; Chita from USL to Center with Marvin and sing; and Randy would enter from DSR - then pull Marge on and both dance across the front for the last chorus, before joining the line-up with everyone....

Angela Lansbury was great to work with. She requested her lead sheet and a CD of the melody months in advance. We asked if she'd be OK with singing it in the key of D which she agreed, but later I got a call from her music director in LA saying she really needed it to be in a lower key. She even came to a rehearsal on Sunday, the day before the event - a rehearsal that I tried to gather everyone in the piece - just to put it together - just to actually see it other than on paper - once before the show (but to no avail).

Angela started the song off by singing the verse of Rupert Holmes's lyric:

YOU CAN ALWAYS SPOT A DANCER ON THE SIDEWALK BY THEIR STRIDE
THEY SPRING AS IF CEMENT'S A TRAMPOLINE
AND THROUGH EACH HUMDRUM DAY ALL DANCERS FLOAT AND WEAVE AND GLIDE
LIKE ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE OR SILVER SCREEN

Karen Ziemba, what a trouper! She was working in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre. She had already memorized the whole song by the time I talked to her, a month before the event. She was not coming into NYC until the day of the show - in fact her plane was to land at 3:00 p.m. Our tech rehearsal was at 3:50, so she would clearly miss that. I asked Mary MacCleod if she wouldn't mind singing Karen's lines for that tech for continuity of the piece. Karen did get in - no delays - and rehearsed between by 5 p.m. I never even saw her until the show. She sang the first chorus moving from USR:

WHEN I'M STROLLING DOWN THE AISLE
OF THE CORNER CVS
WELL I MIGHT AS WELL CONFESS
I'M REALLY DANCING

Then came Charlotte d'Amboise from USL (see her behind Karen to the left above!). Charlotte
had extended her performance in Chicago so ended up not being free to rehearse on Sunday. She sang the lyrics below with Greg Butler escorting her across the stage:

WHEN I STOP TO POSE AND SMILE
AS THE CAMERAS START TO FLASHAT SOME AFTER THEATRE BASH
I'M REALLY DANCING

Next we had Desmond Richardson. He moved from
the second wing straight across the stage - so smooth,
and with such cool grace. People questioned me as to whether
he could sing or not. Well no question, he can sing!

(his lyrics)
THE CARPET MIGHT BE RED BUT WHERE I TREAD, I CUT THE RUGGING
THOUGH ELEGANT MY STRIDE, DEEP DOWN INSIDE I'M JITTERBUGGING

And now, for the last lines before the dance break, came Ann Reinking and David Warren Gibson. I had hoped Bebe Neuwirth would originally sing this with Annie, but she was performing "All That Jazz" just before, and she would have not wanted to be thrown into it without rehearsal. Annie did come to the Sunday rehearsal and we figured out that she and David would trade lines. Now, she insisted she could only sing certain lines because of her current vocal range.

Her lyrics were:
MY INNER GIRL WILL TWIRL SUBLIME
WHETHER DANCING OR ROMANCING
WHEN I CHAT WITH SHERRY LANSING
DON'T YOU KNOW I'M DANCING

She said she could not sing the first line, "My inner girl will twirl....". Hummmm, well how can David sing that, I asked. He can sing "Her inner girl will twirl....etc.". Great! I inwardly was thinking.....I hope Rupert Holmes won't notice because there is no time to ask his permission! The other little obstacle was that Annie knew me as a virtuoso dancer and had seen some of my acrobatic choreography. She was afraid I was going to ask her to do something complicated. "No, no, no," I said. "You're a director and choreographer....do what you want! I prefer you just walk - a simple walk to justapose the elegance and artistry of the mature artist with the bombastic youthful energy of the kids in the dance break section that comes in the middle of the song." She loved the idea. However, each time I saw her rehearse with David the steps increased and by the time she got on stage she was dancing and jumping and leaping into David's arms - the audience loved her.

The DANCE BREAK segment comes here - in a separate blog you will see photos of baton-twirling Natalie Enterline and the multi-dance talent Ben Needham-Wood, along with ABT II and World Cup All Stars (the top cheerleading group in the world).

In the photo directly below, you can see Chita Rivera entering on the right - Ben and Kevin were doing back flips across the stage and as she hits center in front of the piano the music stops and the boys were off stage. Applause!

As Chita entered the entire history of musical theater entered with her. Another real trouper. She had also returned from out of town the morning of the gala. It was miserable weather and she didn't want to drive into the city. So Dax, my assistant, made sure there was a car to pick her up. She had called my musical director, Jim Morgan, the night before to say that she had not memorized the lyrics yet and to make sure we had a back-up. I had Dax e-mail her assistant, Rosie, to say not to worry, she could read the lyrics, that it was just a fun number and no need to feel pressured. Which she ended up doing - right at the piano with Marvin.

Her lyrics:

AS THE YEARS GO MARCHING ON
I MAY LOSE A STEP OR TWO
BUT THE SOFTNESS IN MY SHOE
SAYS I'M STILL DANCING....

THOUGH MY GRAND JETES ARE GONE
I'M A WINNING DANCE MACHINE
ONCE BEGINNING MY BEGUINE!
JUST WATCH ME DANCING

And finally....

Last but not least came Randy Skinner, who was the associate choreographer on 42nd Street when Gower Champion first put the show on Broadway. He had danced on the program already in the Audition number from the musical, so I asked him if he wouldn't mind both singing in the finale and bringing on Marge Champion to boot! I called Marge, and she loved the idea. They both came on Sunday, and by the end of the rehearsal Margehad choreographed practically a whole number with some famous moves from her past. He sang:

MY KNEES NEED ICE AND ONCE OR TWICE
I MUST RECHARGE MY POWER
BUT DANCE WITH ME AND YOU WILL SEE
WE'RE JUST LIKE MARGE AND GOWER (Marge chimed in here)

At 91 years old, look at Marge in the blue
skirt - she definatly kicked the highest in the end group finale line-up!!!

An impossible task succeeds.....

THE BOWS!!!

Michi Barall's Rescue Me

2010-09-15T03:30:00.000-07:00

MICHI BARALL

(March 2010) Just saw "Rescue Me" by Charles Mee's wife - Michi Barall at the Ohio Theater on Wooster St. - between Spring and Broome - which by the way, will be torn down.

I can see the Mee influence and remember him saying something to the effect........that.... "nothing is new - how it is arranged and presented is a rehash of what already was". I will add, how it is arranged and presented is what makes it new. Someone's perspective can be new, or askew.

Aside from feeling like a high school or college play, I did like the style of it as fractured-fairy tale. Or, deconstructionismistic. But, I felt the piece was contrived. Whether it was in the writing or in the directing I don't know. The actors did not understand the timing, or simpl "timing" , and the way to deliver the humor. Each time they stepped out of the play to comment on something to the audience, or say they missed a cue, or tell the character something contemporary (about the character or himself) they did not believe it. So, we as the audience did not feel it was believable - but that they were just delivering text.

Specific. Fractured has to be specific. There needs to be timing and flow to what seems random and haphazard.

Why did it not feel relevant? Things are relevant when they present or represent something current. There was some pop music; there was some CNN take off moments at the end; there were re-creation of Elvis moments. But it didn't feel current. It felt stuck in an ancient past - that we did no care about. How could we care about the message? What was the message? Maybe that was the main problem, what did the play-write want us to take home with us?

What did I like?
The blue neon on the walls; the blue neon on the staircase upstage through the doorway; some of the idea of the CNN segment; some of the multi-media TV video of the feeling of ocean while talking about it; the deconstructive costumes; the guys first solo (one who did the choreography); and that's about it...

A friend who saw it with me said.....You know, it's hard to understand why she copied him (Mee) even to the point of offering sickenly sweet snacks. When he did that, it was at least related to the content. Another thought: Mee comments on contemporary culture and provides fresh ways to look at it; it's a culture that he knows. She on the other hand is transplanting onto a foreign culture and ancient society modern-day attitudes and styles in a way that just makes it a cheap, gimicky trick. I think your comment "self indulgent" was right-on.
--

FIREBACK: Ballet Corella

2010-09-15T03:23:00.000-07:00

3/18/2020

From the NY Times review quote:
Finally, he, his sister, Herman Cornejo and five other dancers led the first New York performance of Christopher Wheeldon’s exciting “DGV (Danse à Grande Vitesse).” Although this did not feature showoff turns and leaps, the audience, quite rightly, gave it the evening’s loudest and longest ovation. Wrong! it was not “exiting" I was there. The work was disoncertingly derivative. The movements were redundant, and the worst part of the ballet was that he had “nothing to say”. And example when bad becomes good. The good thing about the work is that it made me happy to not have to see another one of his. The audience in fact, gave a luke-warm reception and stopped clapping. There was a 3 second pause and people started to get up to leave - it was not a standing ovation. At least in the orchestra, they were already leaving.

Ballet Corella Castilla y León, from Spain

Respecting Roots: I was relieved to sees someone finally present an evening of ballet who has integrity and respect for the art form. It didn’t matter that his choreography was cluttered with steps, and more steps - normally for a new young choreographer. His spirit of joy and respect for the work shinned through. Something more important. It didn’t mater that some of the choices of what works to present were old fashioned. Old-fashioned and respecting history are two different things. Respect is an obsolete word. Congratulations for not throwing the baby out with the bathwater - and having integrity.
Cultural Roots: The best moment was the duet by Maria Pages by he and his sister, a well-known Flamenco dancer.

Gendance Interview with Ann Marie DeAngelo

2010-09-15T03:18:00.000-07:00

1. Looking back on your performance career, what has been your most memorable moment? How did you get there?
I always look forward so it is hard to look back! But, Robert Joffrey told me he’d never use me in his company because I was too short. A few years later, as a principal dancer in the Joffrey, I was interviewed for Time Magazine - and the guy asked me what it felt like to be “short”. I said, “I never felt short”. In that moment I realized that it took unadulterated commitment, focus and great passion to get there.

2. Tell us about your involvement with Career Transition for Dancers. Did they influence your personal journey?
As a former board member for 12 years - and always working with dancers to further their careers, I was thrilled to find an organization committed to these goals and more.

3. Tell us the challenges (and any funny stories as well) about being a movement coach for Bette Midler.
I met her through Toni Basil. She was more focused in ballet class than most dancers I teach today.

4. Being a principal dancer with Joffrey was....
......was influential to my current artistic aesthetic - that of diversity and appreciation for history.

5. You play so many roles: choreographer, artistic director, producer, teacher. What’s your favorite and why?
Each role competes with each other because I love them all. But, being a multi-faceted artist is to know that you can only do all things at once, if you do one thing at a time.

6. What is your wish for the next generation of performing artists?
To be much more committed to what is needed for creating the “art” in performing.

7). Besides dance, you love…
Yorkies.

Fragmented Acro-dance Deconstructionism

2010-09-13T04:30:00.001-07:00

What does that mean?

Fragmented acro-dance deconstructionism is a term I made up a few years ago to describe the current trend of popular choreography, in the ballet genre. What it is, is movement that is very physical, disjointed, on-the-edge, fast-paced, over-extended, creatively inventive with body-moves and basically disconnected from any core. This type of movement is easier to do, because it does not require the same kind of technique required for classical ballet. It is fun to watch but after about 5 minutes the repetitiveness of intent out-weights the ability to hold you attention, because there is no reason behind the doing except for the sheer pleasure of distortion.

A lover of dance actor friend of mine described such a piece of choreography they saw, as having great body-movement, but that it wasn't dance. What? They are moving but no one is relating to each other, the audience, the music or to any clear artistic intention, a reason to be doing. Nothing has been said, no message communicated. The duet for example, seems romantic but there is no inter-connection between the two dancers, and is not going anywhere.

Ah! You meant choreography - Choreo which means "steps" and Ography "the relationship of steps to space". So, you are saying that because there is no movement in space, and no connection to each other or to the music, and that there is no story or higher-minded poetic message trying to be communicated - that what we are watching is not dance? Yes, she said.

Thoughts on 9/11

2010-09-11T03:39:00.001-07:00

The detachment of American arrogance:
Today is a day that everyone is remembering where they were on 9/11. I for one, forgot it was 9/11 and made an appointment at the MAC store at 11 a.m. They didn't exit 9 years ago, and I decided not to go, and stayed home for the ceremony.

And so I sat and reflected where I was nine years ago - on the corner of 6th Ave. and 11th St. in Greenwich Village near where I live - coming back from voting. A woman pulled me aside and said "Look, that plane just went into the World Trade Center!". I looked and saw this sliver of a slit up top of the building with a bit of smoke going out the bac, but it actually didn't look like a plane had gone in it, and my first thought was, "Gee, what idiot would fly through the WTC"? Not for a second did I think any of it was true. None the less, I did see that low flying plane going I walked back to my apartment and immediately went to finish an e-mail "Someone just flew through the WTC" I wrote, and proceeded with my day. A few minutes later I decided to go down to the street as I heard some commotion and when I got there people began to assemble on 6th Ave. Still, no one was going on. I rushed upstairs and turned on the news, but there was no news about what had happened yet - so I went back down to see what the what was. Then the 2nd Plane hit and by then it was clear that something very bad was happening. People thought we were being attacked and were at war.

What was I thinking?
The only thought that came to my mind was "This is the beginning of the End". And what that meant was, this moment was the beginning of the end of everything we new and were about before. Nothing would be the same after....our safety, the way we did things, structures, new forms coming into being, belief systems....all would change.

But, where were my concerns?
But where was my concern as the buildings fell? I happened by a dancer I had known who worked with Billy Forsythe in the Frankfurt Ballet. In fact, we were both in the company at the same time. I was annoyed at the fact that this guy, who was American but had most of his career as a Forsythe "muse", could not get a grant from Career Transition For Dancers, because he hadn't worked in the US for something like "at least 7 years" as per the organizations by-laws. I ventured back up stairs in the midst of all the confusion to call the Ex. Director of the organization to see what could be done about it, "Its just not fair!", I said. My concerns were for a dancer's survival. Dancer's die two deaths, one when they stop dancing, and the other. The body fails but the spirit lives on, the choice for a dancer is already made for them. Until, as my sister says, "they make a body that lasts forever". Death was in the air that day, in many ways, on all levels.

And now St. Vincents has been put to death, the hospital where there were no survivors brought. And an imprint in my mind that will never die. Photo's plastered all over the walls looking for "missing persons" as if they were pets. That indeed was and still is a sad memory.

A New Marvin Hamlisch Song

2010-09-11T03:18:00.000-07:00

9/12/2010

A New Marvin Hamlisch Song

After the Career Transition For Dancers benefit Gala last year, Marvin Hamlisch called to congratulate me on the evening, and to say that he wanted to use these two fabulous young ballroom dancers I had on the program, Alexandra and John, on one of his events (it was actually their first big performing experience, and have since been on those dance shows et el). Anyway, I thought it was a prank call because he didn’t say so-and-so gave me your number! As I listened to see who was pretending to be Marvin until finally he said that he liked that I used a clip of his music (the clip was from A Chorus Line) in this great "opening film montage". The montage was about the history of American dance in a 3 1/2 min. with the theme "everybody's doing it". The clip was from A Chorus Line...... IT was then that I realized it was no prank call. "A couple days later I got up the courage to call him back --- "You know, A Chorus Line is a brilliant classic but it is basically about dancers trying to get into a show. What about writing a piece or song that is about the trajectory of what happens after - dancers stay in the field, they move out of the field but whatever we do (and some don't actually stop), but whatever we do do, we never stop being dancers. The dancer is alive in us always. I am a dancer dancing when I'm moving or not, I am a dancer dancing even when I stop." And, that is an empowering thing that we dancers need not forget.

The song, turned out to be one with Lyrics by Tony Award winner Rupert Holmes, and called "I'm Really Dancing". It will be performed on the upcoming CTFD Gala, Marvin will be playing and it will be sung by our evening Host, Angela Lansbury, along with guest artists Charlotte d’Amboise, Bebe Neuwirth, Ann Reinking, Desmond Richardson, Chita Rivera, Randy Skinner, and Karen Ziemba. The musical arrangements are by David Caldwell, who I worked with in China (see our T-Shirts below that he designed). And, I will choreograph the number using a mix of talent as I always do that includes ABT II; the World Cup All Star New Jersey Cheerleading - or as I call them the Cheerleaders; a wonderful baton-twirler/dance Natalie Enterline, a talented young dancer who can do all styles of dance including gymnastics, Capoiera, break dancing and hip hop, that was in my piece out with NCI (National Choreography Initiative). Ben Needham-Wood.

My writer for this year, JoAnn Young who wrote Marvin's last show (and also the TV special on Liza Minnelli last year) describes the song as a light-hearted anthem that captures the upbeat physicality of dancers that lasts a lifetime. But, I would have to say it is a tongue 'n cheek take on our profoundly felt inner dancer. We all have an "inner dancer", by the way....

David and Me: The shirts say Musical Director and Choreographer in Mongolian & Chinese!

ANYONE BEEN TO HOHHUT?

2010-06-24T03:57:00.000-07:00

The Promise "Bows" 6/25/2010

Ann Marie DeAngelo Visits China to Choreograph a New Musical

At the start of 2010 I never imagined that by the spring I would be working in the capital of Inner Mongolia, choreographing a musical for the Shanghai Expo. I guess there were signs - my astrology chart, for instance, indicated a "surprise" in April. But, China was never on my radar as a place to go or even see, except for Tibet.....is Tibet in China? Never mind – the point is, I spent two months there (and I did see a Temple and some Tibetan monks). This blog is the start of a journal-thru-time, the day-by-day account of what it was like to choreograph the first original musical ever staged in China.

Monk at DaZhao

The musical was called The Promise – at least until the last minute, when the Chinese producers decided to rename it Heart of Love. Whatever the title, this show is a hybrid of opera, musical theater, eclectic dance, and indigenous folklore. Many, many wonderful things occurred in the process – and sometimes the not-so-good turned out to be equally as good as the good.

The Arrogance of American Audacity
Before I go on, I have to acknowledge that oddly permeating the whole experience was this unspoken.....subversive if you will, underlying attitude, a faux sense of superiority. The producer/director was American, so was the musical director, and so am I. Not that we had this attitude. But, I feel it like a low-grade malaise whenever I work in other cultures (particularly the Third World). It is something that we as Americans don’t even realize we possess, something maybe inherent in our cultural upbringing, something unkind and assuming........i.e. we are the biggest, the best, the most, the authority, the only way to go or do things, the thats-just-the-way-it-is kind of attitude - that, that we inadvertently feel every non-American must succumb to. It was there when I started a ballet company in Mexico. We’re smart and everyone else is stupid.

Why is that? But anyway....

Rehearsal schedule posted....
when there was one in advance....

The Dancers
Dancers do not feel this. Dancers have a universal camaraderie that defies cultural differences and politics. I immediately felt connected to the dancers in our company – dancers whom I could not verbally communicate with, who lived in this obscure corner of the world, isolated from anything current or mainstream. From the onset we united and connected through a language known only to dancers, a sense of purpose realized only by the dance, a connection to the spirit that is unspoken, a larger-than-life purpose that we must share, and a willingness to go to whatever length it takes to do just that. We understood each other and knew it by feeling it, knew it by the dance vocabulary shared, new it by the completion of a step, knew it just with a look in the eye. I moved, they imitated me. I asked, they gave. They allowed themselves to be exploited - in a good way, in a way that in the end their potential was realized above and beyond what might have been expected.

In and of itself, the project was a big risk to undertake in China. It took these kids incredible courage to be open to new ideas, new ways of thinking and doing. With hearts on their sleeves and a childlike innocence our journey began – and from the first day we were family.

The 34 dancers I used were from The Mongolian Song & Dance Company. A smaller group of them comprised the contemporary dance ensemble, the ones I ended up spotlighting the most. They had backgrounds in classical ballet – I have no idea what pedagogy - but they were basically contemporary/modern dancers, with strong skills in Mongolian Folk/traditional dances. Some were better than others, with ballet technique the level of any principal dancer in the US. Others had more character-dance skills reminiscent of Russian Cossack dancers, where the men could out-jump any I’ve seen, and out-trick most ballet dancers. The woman ranged from a kind of lyric eroticism in their interpretations of folk-dance, mixed with those who had a better ability to tackle the most contemporary of American dance styles, e.g., jazz or hip hop. Oh, and the Chinese acrobats I got to work with were another layer of incredible all together.

Ann Marie in rehearsal in Hohhut (C. J., an American translator, is at the far left)

How I Worked with the Acrobats

Assembling what the acrobats had to do, and then putting it into a cohesive structure that would be able to fit into a dance within the context of the story, was a unique experience for me. The process went something like this:

1) I make a video of a routine they did, jumping and flipping through hoops at the end of long poll-like horse-catching hoops (they literally use these hoops to catch horses with in Mongolia).

2) I edit together a sequence of the best stunts into a phrase of 8 -8’s.

3) I show the lead acrobat the sequence on my laptop and ask him if he thinks they could condense the moves and the time-frame, later to be put to different music.

4) He communicates the idea; the acrobats practice it a few times and determine it is possible.

5) At the next rehearsal I put the sequence to the music. It would take them a few more times to be able to comfortably get it all in eight 8’s, but it worked beautifully and was still exciting as if they were doing their original routine.

Visit my photo gallery at Me.com for more shots of acrobats learning the 8 - 8's.

Chinese acrobat in “Catch the Girl”

The dancers’ work ethic was very different from what we in the West know. Remember the recent Olympics opening ceremonies - masses working together like clockwork? These dancers were used to rehearsing one gesture for weeks until everyone did it the exactly the same way. I witnessed a bit of that when I had their leader clean some of the choreography - and saw the way she pulled it apart, got each one to observe the other, sharing in correction. Hence part of the process of what becomes that synchronized precision dance characteristic of what comes out of China - of what we saw on the Olympics - and the power that comes from that kind of unison. And, what could never be done in the US.....no time (time is money), no patience or desire....even if we cared to do it.

End pose "Like a Horse"

My challenge then was how to put the dances together quickly, having never before seen these dancers, with no assistants who could share in the teachings; to rehearse as we do in the West; and help the dancers understand how to retain something foreign to them. The issue of doing things full-out and not marking them was a big one. Mostly because our translators did not understand what that meant, and couldn’t communicate it. Something that simple became a major challenge. I was able to acknowledge the limitations of the situation and decide to push the envelope anyway.

Our theater, where we performed at the Shanghai Expo 2010

The Dances Created

I think the biggest joy for me in the creative process is the process of discovery and integration, discovery steps that would become a vocabulary of movements. I am not a minimalist, and I rely on steps as a basis for expressing the essence of dance. In this process I would see someone do a step and then find a place to integrate that step in the context of the dance. Coming from a ballet background I have developed a lot of choreographic material over the years - like words, it can be reused and rearranged. In each situation - especially if I go into one without an assistant who is familiar with my work, or with a "sketch team" that is not my own - I draw on this wealth of material. However, dancers are dancers anywhere in the world and we share a common language regardless of a language barrier.

Exploitation is a good thing! In each different situation I look for what is unique to those particular dancers....what can they do that someone else can't; what potential do I see that can be realized; where are they open; where can I push or pull out of them. The dancers in Hohhut were some of the most open dancers I've ever worked with. The levels were varied - some not very high, and others equal to good dancers anywhere in the world. In the end, the dancers I was honored to have worked had their limits pushed and they grew from the experience.

One of the pleasures of working on this project was that I wasn't producing or directing, my only responsibility was to realize the vision of the director and do just one job: choreograph.

One dancer became my muse, and ended up being a kind of assistant. He didn't speak English, but he spoke dance. He was skilled in ballet, modern and character dances - had a great jump and also a lyric quality. He was able to adapt to new ways of moving quickly and I ended up spotlighting him the most. His name was Gouzhujia, but everyone called him Tsu for short. I could never pronounce it correctly, and only later found out I was calling him "cow"..... Ooops!

Tsu's Solo in Hong Yan
Tsu in Hong Yan

Discovery & Integration: working on material with the Men...

Left: Mongolian Welcome. Right: China Wonder (on the train to Shanghai)

The Process: Discovery & Integration - working with the women in the Mongolian Welcome dance

Ladies in Mongolian Welcome

Photos below: Like a Horse (Shanghai office scene)

Discovery & Integration - Men and Women in Mongolian Walk

Photos below: Mongolian Walk segment

Below: "Catch the Girl" from end of the piece when they all catch each other with horse lassos instead of the girl

Hair Parting Scene (Just One Time) with Tuoya and Female Danceres

A MUST listen!!! Check out this video of Homai singers - a kind of ancient Mongolian chant.

Singers: Chang Dian (and yes those guttural songs are coming from her!) Wen Li

Horsehead Fiddle: Fiddles & Dance segment in Mongolian Welcome

Horsehead Fiddle player

On a personal note.....The biggest success of all was that I never had to squat. Once I heard about the state of the public bathrooms in China, I was determined to never experience one!

MORE PHOTOS

I have added a few more random photos below, which include shots of Hohhut, my Beijing trip, and Shanghai. A couple are from David Caldwell's collection.
Enjoy browsing!

Hohhut

Store front in Hohhut (left); DaZhao Temple in Hohhut (center); Powerful Horse Symbol on building top (right)

Side Trip to Beijing

Left: Me on The Great Wall below (I am the red speck on it). Right: The Performing Arts Center

The "DONT'S" outside the Performing Arts Center

Shanghai

It's a city so big 5 NYC’s could fit comfortably inside of it.

Shanghai river skyline near Seagull Hotel (left); China Pavilion at Expo

Expo Logo...

EVEN MORE PHOTOS

China Diary Dance Photos

China Diary non-Dance Photos

FIREBACK: Step Up and MOVE!

2009-12-20T02:43:00.000-08:00

Step Up and MOVE!

(sent to the New York Times) I am writing in response to the article on August 5, 2007, in the Arts and Leisure’s section called “Often on Point But Rarely In Charge”, by Claudia La Rocco. Having worked in the ballet world for nearly four decades as a dancer, choreographer, artistic director, producer, as well as having viewed thousands of performances in dance and theater disciplines, I found the article lacking in many ways.

Female choreographers and directors have always played vital roles in ballet. In fact, many ballet companies were founded by women – American Ballet Theater, Britain’s Royal Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, The Australian Ballet, The National Ballet of Cuba, Ballet de Monterrey, and ballet companies in Atlanta, Pennsylvania, Boston and Houston, as well as many others.

Perhaps an even more relevant topic would have been, what is missing in current artistic leadership and how that impacts the future of ballet as a performing art. I believe the essential ingredients of vision and relevancy, are not always there.

An artist of vision produces a product that is fresh, vital, alive, engaging, provocative, illuminating or disturbing, and most of all ‘memorable’. Two aspects of vision in a ballet organization are its identity (we are a company that produces dance), and its character (defined by the artist). An artistic director should lead a ballet company to discover and nourish its distinction, its flavor, its relevancy. In so many ways distinction is missing today. Dance is about movement, and without vision the field has become mired in sameness - stuck. I believe that this lack of vision is in direct proportion to the loss of audience.

What is absolutely essential is the necessity for education in all areas within the field. Audience development and board education, especially when it comes time to select a director, are key components. The all too frequent challenges of tenuous financial support, mismanagement, and board control only defeat the quality of the product.

My point then, is twofold. The first one is that there are qualified women of vision out there to be considered, if so recognized. This allows more opportunities for identifying leaders with vision. The second point is that if men are at the helm of the current artistic leadership in ballet, then they are also responsible for what is lacking.

What’s my advice? Women step up! And, those at the helm - take your head out of your butt, and move forward!

Vision and Relevancy

2009-12-20T02:42:00.001-08:00

VISION AND RELEVANCY

In dance, in theater, in the roots of entertainment. The scariest thing is not to see a future. How can one have vision if they are afraid to see? Vision, be it personal or organizational, requires looking. In an arts organization the mission is the identity -- an organization that produces dance; but the character or real vision of that organization is defined by the "artist" -- who with vision, creates a distinct product. This is done by artists employed, programs done, collaborative endeavors sought. Speaking ballet, its is hard to find any distinction today. All companies are doing the same works. All follow the model Robert Joffrey set in motion - eclectic. Communities support the arts in proportion to their readiness. But, whats new? Whats new are works that evoke our time. Vision sees what is not there but the case today is that either those in charge don't have vision, or if they do, that vision is controlled by the limitations of the boards who hire them. Vision is connected to relevancy and relevancy is connected to topic of the human experience in relationship to those social, political or psychological experiences of the current times. With globalization - the unity of all forms has been set in motion. Works of ross-pollination, cross-genre, cross-media, collaborative fusion, blending and merging, are all relevant. Sameness emerge out of differences. Vision is intuitive - look around. Relevancy borrows from the old and blends it with the new or presents the known given in a different setting......Be, Stomp, Blast, De La Guarda, Do Jump, Thwak, Drumstruck, Riverdance, Contact, Movin' Out, Edward Scissorhands, Baz Luhrmann's "La Boheme", Broadway Underground, In the Heights, Spring Awakening, Absinthe.....

Choreographer or Movement Specialist?

2009-12-20T02:40:00.000-08:00

What is a choreographer? I have a hard time assigning that word to both George Balanchine, and someone who does moves for a Gap commercial. Just as there are labels being created within the dance world to define genres of (and the various styles within)...."concert dance", "theater dance", "commercial dance" (which I find insulting that the ballet and modern world seem to have shrunk to a combined non-populist form called "concert dance"). I think there should be labels for types of dance creativity:

Choreographer for those creating substantive ballets that last 2o minutes or longer - where there is story, message, or musical interpretations (constructed or in a deconstructionist fashion).
Theater Dance Choreographer for those creating in musical theater
Dance Theater which refers to expressionism or works of European influence or Tanzthetater as I call it;
Environmental Dance-maker for those who create with external elements;
Dance Arranger for those who take steps from various individual dancers - especially from different dance genres and pastes them together be it in concert dance or commercial dance;
Dance Routine Expert for those who create 1 - 2 minute dance routines for current reality TV dance shows; and,
Movement Specialist for those who use dance steps for moments in commercials.

Why I would feel better if new labels were invented.....because anyone is a choreographer in the true sense of the word as long as the body does steps and those steps move in space. Movement is inherent in everyone. All cultures have their own indigenous dance forms (what is ours....Square Dancing?). And, when we get to professional dance - where people are paid to create in dance -- 1 or 2 minutes of dance movements on TV, does not require the same same talent, skill, dance history, dance education, dance talent or vision as creating a full-length ballet.

The Confluence of Mish-Mash and Realty Dance

2009-12-20T02:39:00.001-08:00

So where are we at these days with dance on TV? It is the first time in history that dance has in fact been on mainstream network channels vs. PBS. Once something is in our TV homes it becomes integrated into our society. The fact that my young nephew knows the word "choreography" is a testament to that - not a lot of young men new that word when I was growing up. Our culture is dancing more than ever now, but what does that mean to people going to see dance - will it bring a new audience to the theater - or keep the old one? Now that people can see dance for free on TV, why get dressed up and go see in "live" - save for a show with the stars from TV. My original hope was that this new form of exposure would keep the performing arts alive, but now I am not so sure. After all, the arts are seminal to all forms of entertainment, and they make the commercial arena possible.

Here's a thought - what would SYTYCD be if A Chorus Line was never done? The Broadway classic opened a huge door of insight into the process of a dancer - in all ways. Simply put, it was a show about dancers competing to get a job - to make money. The audience got to experience the same sense of voyeurism as they do in "reality TV" - and hence the long lasting engagement of this hit show.
The story about the competing dancers on SYTYCD is the reason people can get interested in the choreography - plus the fact that it is explained to the audience. You get an insight into the process. In the dance world, we only do this for lecture demonstrations - and there is an arrogance about letting the public know too much. As if our work holds some sacred secret that if disclosed will kill the creative spark. Or possibly, creators don't really know what they are doing. The dance routines on reality TV (for that is what they are, routines from a dance class- not choreography) are spoon-fed to the audience.

To engage the TV audience more we have judges from who spew seemingly words of wisdom but who are not educated from any real substantive "artistic" arena - but put on a great show and allow for a fantastically arrogant criticisms. Most of which would not hold true for anyone working in the "concert" dance world. By the way, "concert" dance which means the entire ballet and modern dance world is considered insignificant to the commercial entourage. Mind you, I've had some of their choreographers solicit me for work in that arena, and anyone really good on the show has come from it.

The confluence of mish-mash on SYTYCD is pretending to educate, but in reality, it is using authentic forms of dance, that have been build over decades, as a means for developing a new form of entertainment, which is not reality. If the 1 1/2 minute dance routine where done alone, by itself with no background what-so-ever, the show would have been off the air long ago.

My point? We have a commercial and populist show that is an imitation of something authentic - and in order to keep one thing alive the other must be fed. Since the impact of their show comes from the arts - will there be a return. The arts need to be fed in all genres - in order to stay alive, and in order to continue feed more commercial forms of entertainment.

Is Bad Good?

2009-12-20T02:38:00.001-08:00

Is Bad Good?
Today in the performing arts or any form of entertainment, something is considered "good" if it actually makes it to the stage and gets presented. People are a lot less critical about the quality of what they see, if it has a message at all, or if it is actually fact "good". No one knows anymore. On one hand it is hard to create something of meaning in today's climate of pick-up companies and lack of rehearsal time in larger companies. Allowing, for the natural birthing process to emerge more flowered results.
The challenge to create cohesiveness when working in a fragmented way is impossible. Because choreographers write with bodies - the subtle poetic messages meant to be artistically communicated -- through the body -- never gets heard. This higher-minded message that is Felt vs. intellectually realized, is missing. And it is missing because Process is missing. And it is missing because of lack of funds. And lack means there is no heart in the art..... which can only emerge through process. Art reflects life, and life is process.

All the more so in dance, where the work is physical not mental. The real work need happen in the studio on bodies. Dancers too suffer - they learn something, perform it and break. Not enough rehearsal time for the body to transcend the physicality of the steps, in order to get to the higher realm of artistic communication.

Back in the day, my day, no one got injured. Performing was a sacred experience, the studio a holy place. Good emerged out of what was authentic, real, felt on a soul/gut level, spiritual even. Now what is bad is considered good, and there is no turning back.

NCI: Art vs. Entertainment

2009-12-20T02:36:00.000-08:00

I recently did a choreography workshop with NCI (National Choreography Initiative), created by Molly Lynch which is something we need more of in the dance world (workshops to develop material). I decided to do a piece about the process of doing a piece - something I've always wanted to do. And indeed it served as a seed for a larger project. Each day I decided to chisel out some time to talk with the dancers - to ask questions about things like.....why they danced, magic moments in theater, something Michelle Obama said at an ABT gala (that it is important to support the arts because they breed creative thinkers, and we need need creative thinkers more than ever now to solve the problems of the world); intuition, dance on television and so on. These great group of dancers came from ballet companies all over the country. Then the question of what was art popped up.....vs. entertainment. I love that question. In whatever medium creative artists are making work, it is all entertainment. Art is often rough around the edges and not in a neat tidy box. But what makes the more clear distinction about what is "art" boils down to what you take home with you. What you remember. What lives in your memory forever. That's art. The other is fun for the moment and easily forgettable.

Creating in Today's Climate - Ouch!

2009-12-20T02:34:00.000-08:00

How to Create in Today's Pick-up Climate

(8/25/07)

I've learned over the past decade what it means to be a freelance choreographer, have a freelance company and juggle freelance creativity. No different than it was in the 1980's, only then, it was easy to get studio space. Now, there is a dearth of space in New York City - and you can never get anything spur-of-the-moment, let along a week in advance. I direct a big dance-Show benefit each year. Everyone knows, that benefits are perhaps the hardest thing to assemble - because everyone is donating their time. For some reason, under the circumstances, artists feel like they are entitled to behave unprofessionally such as not returning calls, showing up for rehearsals or canceling after making a commitment, and then simply not doing the gig they signed on for (understandably if it was in substitution for paid work). Creating something new is almost entirely impossible, not just in assembling artists busy with other things, but mainly to actually get the studio space to do so.

I decided to create a dance that was piece Mixing dance styles. A multi-disciplinary-cross-pollination of talents in a variety of dance genres. My Mix included a pioneer Street Dancer - Mr. Wiggles, a Tap Dancer - Jason Samuels Smith, a multi-talent - Anthony Bryant (Julliard graduate), an Acrobatic duet couple formerly from Cirque du Soleil - Sara Joel and Kevin Gibbs, pre-professional Ballet dancers from the Joffrey school, the New Jersey World Cup All Star Cheerleading group; a female Hip Hop group - TruEssencia, and a DJ - DPOne - who does Break Dancing, and a Drummer - Dylan Giagni, who Wrestles.

I started the rehearsal process working with Anthony, at the Julliard Studio’s in May – a couple of 2 hour days. Quickly we set steps with his baton, hoop, ribbon and ball. The composer, Miguel Frasconi, came in one day – to create music for one of his magic-bag-of-tricks dances. I taped what we did and set the time for when next to see him in August.

August involved 3 days – I booked and paid for studio space at Studio 5-2. But, they called the day before my first rehearsal claiming a ‘computer glitch’ and canceled my first rehearsal. Mr. Wiggles was flying in from Europe - for this week of rehearsals – and this was our first day. I e-mailed Studio 5-2 – saying that I “did not appreciate the computer glitch – and would remember not to book space with them in the future”. Scrambling for last minute studio space, I found something at the dependable New Dance Group (which no longer exists). No sooner did we confirm, that they called to say the time they thought they had was wrong. Since I had already e-mailed the group of dancers who all had their own individual work schedules and commitments, I tried to keep the hours the same - because I knew it would be impossible to re-schedule everyone at another time. With much effort, I ended up with less time and less space but at least some kind of space - at another studio.

The next day would be better I thought – we had space booked at Ailey – an even more dependable place, because they make you fill out medical forms, do a financial back ground check, and have to see your passport, birth certificate, drivers license, and take your finger prints, as well as check to see you have valid credit cards in order to book space. We were confirmed for - and paid for space each day from 12 – 2. Several dancers were called and confirmed the days and times. When I got to Ailey at 11:30 I was told we didn’t have space at all. After more research and phone calls, they discovered that we did indeed have space – from 2 – 4 p.m. - different then what the contract said I had with them. "Impossible, " I said – "we have an invoice that says otherwise". Needless to say, with much effort, they were able to squeeze us in somewhere for that day from 12 - 2, but not the other days.

My Cirque dancer assured me that not only would things come together, and that she could e-mail me a video of her partner (who wouldn’t be with us until a couple days before the event) on YouTube – so that I could pick and choose various Moves that he does --- that I might want to use, in the dance. Gee, choreography by YouTube. Maybe I could just pull excerpts from the various artists video's and make a film and project that instead of creating something new and "live".

Next I was to discover that Jason, would be in Hawaii the week before the show – meaning that I would have to finish and set the final version the week before that - and there was an issue with his Tap platform. Where would it "live" once he brought it in from New Jersey?

TruEssencia can only work only work in the evening – and the 3 Ladies had totally different work schedules to work around. The Cheerleaders could only come into the city in the evening – but at times to avoid the NJ traffic - and in a studio space with high ceilings for their "throw-lifts". The ballet dancers were not yet committed and Anthony joined a company for the Fall and had a limited time to be available for rehearsals. Part of the Cirque couple lived in NY and the other in Las Vegas. I'd have to find a day with Kevin was in NY to set the piece. The DJ was in and out of NY with a touring schedule, and the drummer arrives a week and half before. I will go ahead and get space anyway, I thought, and demand that they show up. That idea did not work.

All in all, the piece never came together until the actual show itself. That is when I saw it for the first time. Lesson? Don't do something new on a benefit unless you have a working company and your own studio space.

Oh, Jason's manager got me another Tap dancer to work with will he was gone, and we worked out with Andre at City Center to let the platform "live" there the week before the show. But, we could not take it downstairs from the studio directly -- into the backstage door of City Center or we would incur $1,000 in stagehand time. A rule of the theater, if performing artists are rehearsing in the complex building. We ended up avoiding the cost by having my assistants take the platform outside the building the morning of the show, and bring it back in the loading dock -- the next door down the street - to come into the building as a prop. By doing this we saved money.

A Show withTap Dancers

2009-12-20T02:33:00.000-08:00

"I know you say you are musicians - instruments - but when you walk out on stage I see a person, not a piano or a horn. You are performers in a theater. Respect the fact that an audience pays not just to hear you tap, but to see you share who your are...." As long as people are performing in a theatrical setting the goal is to entertain an audience, engage them, be there to serve them.

“Its a road to nowhere”, a famous theater personality said about Tap. I saw the truth in the comment as I ventured into my experience with that community. I was determined to get eclecticism, diversity and performance out of the show I was working on - Thank You, Gregory is.

Now, the show is not “about” Gregory Hines, but honoring what he did for the tap community - his openness as an artist, his respect for history, his influences and how that effected the future of tap. After much viewing, I actually could not see the progress following the doors he opened. There was in the ’80’s a successful Broadway show - The Tap Dance Kid where the young Savion Glover learned choreography from Danny Daniels and his son Danny Giagni. Savion went on to create Noise/Funk but brilliant as he is, offered little to his work that was meant to engage an audience since. With eyes to the floor, his type of performance, it seems, could happen with or without an audience, and his influence is wide-spread over the current community. I find that his influence is more felt today......then that of the great potential of tap as a performing art genre, that Gregory did further, that could - if followed - have greater influence and longevity now.

Burn the Floor

2009-12-20T02:30:00.000-08:00

BURN THE SHOW (Ooops....I meant, BURN THE FLOOR):
Whatever you think this show might be in your head, that is what it is. Nothing new, all been done before. They do deliver a fast-paced slick presentation of it all though, hence "burning up the floor" but the 1st act is like the 2nd act and they could have done 70 min. with no intermission to be even more impressive. No big flashy lifts though like you saw in Swing. A more contemporary spin with drumming and tennis shoes. Though it wasn't bad, this review I found kind of sums it up:

REVIEW in VARIETY!

"Variety"
Let's call it "So You Think You Can Step It Up and Dance Your Ass Off With the Stars of America's Best Dance Crew." While ballroom blitz "Burn the Floor" has been touring internationally for 10 years, its arrival on Broadway clearly aims to cash in on the resurgent popularity of dance on television reality shows. But if you're going to invade the turf of Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins and Michael Bennett, you need to bring something beyond adrenaline and aggressive sizzle. Something like grace, style or wit. While there's only about 15 ounces of collective body fat onstage, there's also about 15 ounces of imagination.

ABT Spring 2009 Season

2009-12-20T02:28:00.000-08:00

New Works

Whats new at ABT is old (but whats new?). The new works looked lost in a time-warp. The evening started with Prodigal Son (although the program said the Ratmansky piece - which came last) the admirable Balanchine classic, and the fact that he took risks on the crotch showing and seduction, a bit shocking for the 1920's. But, it looked dated. Next came the Kedulka piece - his first one after retiring his career and becoming a baker. It looked like he pulled 3 duets from his full-length Romeo and Juliet or from any of his other ballets - strung them together and had group-work in between both upstage and downstage - doing non-dance steps. It was all in shades of pink/purple (the usual somber) with a backdrop of the Moon and stars - or maybe just a couple of stars. The tone was all the same and the feeling of waltz music was the same. Some of the movement was good but in general it was like one long continuous duet, going on too long. The best part of the piece were these flakes that fell from above - like a falling stars, every now and they - they seemed to be timed with the music. I wanted to find out how that was done, very magical! Later I found it it was random Cherry Blossom flakes from the next ballet, that accidentally fell from the rafters.
Finally the piece (Dnieper) we were all waiting for looked like something choreographed 20 years ago. He was telling (or trying) to tell a kind of Tudor-like story about 3 people. A soldier, his girlfriend and is new found love. Nothing happened. What often happens with us choreographers is the story stays in our heads. This piece was no different, I did not get it despite the fact that everyone in the piece did. They say I saw the wrong cast. But I am looking structurally, writing-wise. What I saw was simple choreography - groups moving in and out and between the lovers tale. There was nothing to take home, no passion or moments to engage you or a reason to come again (unless paid to do so). By the end of the piece I was waiting for something to happen....nothing happened. Oh, did I say nothing happened?

A Tap Show

2009-12-20T02:27:00.000-08:00

A Tap Show at the Kitchen:

1. Opening number: 3 ladies come out onto the tap platform in unflattering costumes - a kind of black unitard only - the left leg is in clown white making them physically unattractive. Each had their hair up and tied in a knot. The choreography consisted of tap steps done in the same spot -- never moving forward or back, to the left or to the right - or back to front. They just danced straight front for the duration.

2. Next a horn player appeared, behind a little scrim on Stage Left with his silhouette on Stage Right. Someone else was reciting a poem while he played music.....something about the heart.....that felt artificial. The horn player played for about 30 seconds more after the text stopped.

So far, I have no idea what the piece is about.

3. Then the 3 ladies come back and do another Tap routine that looked exactly like the first one....which is followed by one of them doing a Solo

5. Then the Horn player is back - in the same place, and we hear more spoken text about something - something about "showing those other musicians" how to do it....not sure what it meant...

6. Then the 3 ladies come back again - they had all black (unitard) on with some odd Fringe pieces attached. This time they did 2 numbers that looked like the first one.

7 Then the Horn player came back again - and the speaker had more unclear text....where did the text come from? What was it about? Who was it about? Why were we hearing that particular text? What time period did it come from? Why do we want to care? Oh dear, we don't care!

8. Finally one of the girls comes out and does a really fun and quirky solo. Followed by the other two girls in solo’s meaning to show off their skills.

Not sure if the Horn player came back again because I was checking by Blackberry for messages. There used to be open sides and an open back on the sides of the seating scaffolding at the Kitchen -- where you could climb down and slip out unnoticed...but not now. Drat!

As I looked up, the girls were back doing another “same” routine, followed by the Horn player doing more of his same.... the text said something about Bebop

10. Two more routines for the ladies (the same) wearing feathers and black shinny tights.

I still don't know what the piece is about, or if it is just supposed to be a recital for 3 female tap dancers.

Groovaloos: Groovey?

2009-12-20T02:25:00.000-08:00

GROOVALOOS

GROOVALOOS is a fun piece for anyone who wants to see good break-dancing and a lot Hip Hop dance in one sitting. The Show is especially good for anyone who has not seen anyone spinning on their head. I worked with the creators of these moves over 20 years ago, so little impresses me, despite the fact that what they do is impressive, and need be appreciated - finally - for the skill required to do so. Extraordinary.
What was wrong with the Show was the storytelling. Having worked with real Hip Hop pioneers, I didn’t buy any of their stories about struggle. But, none of these kids had any real struggle, as in the creators of the moves they now execute. None of them know what the revolution was. None of these kids understand the art of invention, and where that authenticity comes from. Certainly not joy, but the pain from which joy is found - there is a difference.
This hybrid-show is pretentious from the start. My date for the evening (being from the Broadway community) felt the say way. We really did not care about anyone whose story was being told, they were contrived and trite. And, the insight into dancers didn't come near as insightful as the show it borrowed the idea from - A Chorus Line. Especially I don’t care about someone from an upper class family having problems with their parents because instead of going to college, they are finding the meaning of life dancing with the Groovaloos.
More odd, WHERE was the "live" DJ, and why were the stories on Tape - and presented as voice overs? In a piece of theater I want to hear the actors talk about themselves. The stories got confusing and hard to follow them by the end. The show comes out of an LA mentality, glitter-ally and commercially.
The styles they sought to educate us with....old school Popping and Locking for example looked lame and inauthentic. Styles within the genre blurred. In the end, I thought it strong with dance elements with a narrator tying to be poetic, but very weak as a piece of theater. Def Jam is more insightful, and what ever happened to Jam on the Groove - the first Hip Hop show by Rock Steady Crew (Mr. Wiggles, Crazy Legs, Fabel and company) in 1995 - now that was the real stuff.

FELA

2009-12-20T02:20:00.000-08:00

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/fela-and-bill-t-jones-shake-up-the-colbert-report/

Great Section of FELA on Stephan Colbert - this is the show...

DANCE REVIEWS
DECEMBER:
Review: FELA 12/2/09
It is hard to comment on this relentlessly moving docu-show, FELA. And, I don’t mean moving-to-tears kind of moving - but rather, full of dance movement and joy (is joy a real thing?). I saw a version of it at NYU’s Skirball a few years ago - on Bill T. Jone’s company. It was unmemorable, and not being a fan of his, I hesitated when I received an invitation to go see the show that recently opened on Broadway. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinions and especially theater-goers who spend hard earned money to do so - and I mean no malice. I was surprised to love the music playing a great beat as we walked in and a fantastic colorfully busy scenic design that covered the outer walls of the theater as well as on stage. Masks, photos of political figures, a portrait of Fela’s mother, images that I am sure were significant in some why, that I didn’t understand but it didn’t matter. Great and fun collages. The upbeat African dances and dancers were refreshing. A free-form kind of movement ensued and we met the storyteller - Fela himself. The show was about his journey - kind of stream-of-consciousness, told through text and song. He talked about who inspired him musically and how he wanted to create his own sound. Then he showed us a break down of his music from drums to bass to “moving the pelvis”. He went to Europe to work and the US (where he didn’t understand the whole attitude against black people), but kept returning to Nigeria. He looked for guidance from his dead mother who would appear to him at times in the piece. The first was like a Vision - she standing in a glow of light above - through her and streaming out of her. It would connect with the photo image of her out in the audience glowing, shedding light it what looked like streams of falling tears. Another time she sang a powerful song - but the staging of it at the end was odd. When she reached the powerful ending guys were moving the staircase she stood on to the side - not good staging - it made your power moment and impact weak. Then there was an audience interactive segment where Fela makes everyone stand up and move their pelvis - learn the moves - using numbers around a clock to reflect the pelvis movement. The idea sort of worked.
All in all the music never stopped - the lead character never stopped with his storytelling and the dancers kept moving. If anything, it felt like a party that was never going to stop and at a certain time I wanted to go home. Some people did leave before the 2nd Act was over - which was less focused than the the first and had a decent scene that wasn’t clear why it was there. We didn’t find out too much about his personal life - except that all his wives and mother were killed by the police for some reason, that wasn’t clear.
I would edit both the first and second act a bit more - in fact a 90 min. version with no intermission would be move even more.

2009-11-13T12:33:00.000-08:00

AMERICA DANCES! CAREER TRANSITION FOR DANCERS BENEFIT GALA
Nov. 2, 2009 - City Center, New York City
Produced and Directed by Ann Marie DeAngelo
A 90 min. show

BRAVO!
Since 2002 (except 2003) with the evening called "Shall We Dance!" - A Tribute to Richard Rodgers, I have put together the eclectic dance shows that annually raise money for Career Transition For Dancers (approx. $1 Million for this one-time event). In my role as producer and director, I choose the theme, and subsequent works to represent that theme. This year we had AMERICA DANCES! - to not only honor all aspects of dance in our culture, but to a new sense of political optimism. The press paragraph was:
America Dances! celebrates a variety of entertainment that defines our American culture – Past, Present, and Future. The diverse evening is an eclectic assimilation and fusion of styles that move from theater to concert dance, to television and film, in a vibrant homage to an array of dance genres. A film montage will present crazes and evolution of American dance. America – a mover and shaker of all times.

The evening ended up being a reflection of dance in our culture today. It opened with a Film montage to the tongue-in-cheek first song called "Everybody is Doing It", and representing a broad spectrum of our American dance through time. Produced by JoAnn Young (Ex. Producer of the upcoming Liza Minnelli PBS special) and myself, and edited by her daughter Laura Young (who edits for PBS), the montage provided an upbeat and humorous start to the show. Then Jacques D’Amboise burst out onto the stage as our first speaker, who introduced the evening with an improvised dialogue about where choreography comes from. He used the example of Balanchine creating “Stars and Stripes” for Melissa Hayden and himself in 1956. Being injured at the time he had to do steps with a flexed foot - and those steps later became the actual choreography still danced today. His intro led into Ashley Bouder and James Veyette from New York City Ballet performing a fierce version of the pas de deux from “Stars and Stripes”. This kicked-off the multi-genre collection of dances for the evening - representing roots of neo-classicism. But an even older work followed, created in 1904 by Isadora Duncan called Dance of the Furies. It was performed by Lori Bellilove and the Isadora Dance Company. With this piece - tormented and not lyric, one could see the roots of modern dance - and every creator that followed. And so, the rich theme took off delivering what it promised - diverse cross-genres styles from old roots to new innovations. Benefits mind you, are assembled based on availability of talent and those wanting to donate their time in support of a cause. The process is not at all like how an artistic director would typically put a show together creatively or production-wise.

Other pieces and excerpts of works included: an African gum boot dance choreographed by Molutsi Mogami for the by Tap City Youth Ensemble followed by the one-of-a-kind sensational Lombard Twins, tap-dancing their own inventions; Mercedes Ellington in a tongue-in-cheek number to "Dream Dancer" from Sophisticated Ladies as a tribute to Duke Ellington's 110th Anniversary; a dissonant but intriguing duet called "Cold Song" by Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and choreographed by Benoit-Swan Pouffer was an audience favorite (danced by dance artists Jason Kittelberger and Acacia Schachte). This work is characteristic of a style of what contemporary choreographers are doing today that I refer to as "fragmented acro-dance deconstructionism".
A duet from Carousel to music from the song 'If I Loved You" created by me, was danced by Tony Award nominee John Selya and ABT soloist Nicole Graniero, and captured not romantic dance (that is centuries old) but the idea of romance in dance - which seeks but does not find. To music of Richard Rodgers, the duets visceral movements and classical athleticism, was a softer moment in the midst of the swift program momentum. The work was introduced by Broadway director/choreographer Kathleen Marshall, who then spoke a bit about the influence of dance on reality TV and visa versa. The impact that reality TV will have on dance as a performing art (because it is now on a mainstream channel in our homes, not PBS) remains to be seen. On a positive note, look what it did for sports!
The other duets that were on display to carry on the concept of "romance in dance", varied in feeling and styles from a duet called The Path We Left by "So You Think You Can Dance” choreographer Sonya Tayeh. Her dancers Melody Lecayanga and William Johnston embraced it with organic modernistically primal moves; a love-hate combative dance by Mark Ecktein of the Mark Stuart Dance Theatre (a new hybrid company), to music of The Red Rooster by Sam Cooke; and an act that no one expected would bring down the house - the Kids!
Ten year old Alexandra Gutkovitch and fourteen year old John Gaylan performed a Mambo with a precision and theatrical showmanship that not only comes with experience but with a presence that few performers have today. This was actually their first public performance, and a side-note is that Marvin Hamlisch called me the next day, wanting to use them on a program at Kennedy Center. The Urban segment of the evening though a bit raw and rough around the edges, featured a young Hip Hop B-girl group called Decadancetheatre in - The City Breathing - wearing costumes that mid-way turned into lights-in-the-dark visuals as they danced their acrobatics; and, Bullettrun - the first Parkour company to perform in a black-box theater setting/venue. The Street Beats Group banging on buckets a la Stomp, closed out that segment of the show. And there you go, from high- art to low-art of the streets (where much of American dance originated before being drawn into our theaters, or commercialized) and back again.
Last but not least was an excerpt from Bob Fosse’s DANCIN’ that paid tribute to America. It was recreated by Kathryn Doby and produced and directed by David Warren Gibson. Fun to have Nicole Fosse on hand to introduced the number. When will that show make its way back to Broadway? Dance is booming now, lets take advantage ot it!

Included in the evening entertainment was a “live” band conducted by Jim Morgan; two CTFD Awards given to individuals and foundations who support dance: Lawrence Herbert and The Lloyd E. Rigler - Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation; and the Rolex Award to Patrick Swayze, accepted by his wife Lisa. Other speakers and presenters on the program were Tony Award winner Laura Benanti, 4 time Emmy winner Valerie Harper, Tony Award winner Kiril Kulish, the one and only Desmond Richardson, Metropolitan Opera star Samuel Ramey, and former New York City Ballet and CTFD client, Jock Soto. Former dancers and CTFD clients (and who have given advice and support to dancers) also made an appearance - acknowledged on behalf of CTFD by former dancer and client, Gayle Conran. They were: Mary Barnett, Hope Clarke, James Crescent, Hans Kriefall, Krisha Marcano, Dottie Belle Meymann, and Leo Schmidt.

By the way, I have to mention that I have gotten several calls from people wanting to book talent on this program, so it seems that CTFD not only supports dances as they move out of the field - but to get work within the field as well!

THANK YOU artists one and all who participated in this event, to our sponsors, to the Chairs and CTFD Staff, DeAngelo Productions Staff, Artistic Committee and especially David Warren Gibson, who tirelessly worked for a cause more-than-worthy of supporting.

BRAVO again!

For more information on the event and CTFD programs please go to: www.careertransition.org.

Partial list of companies and works (several often new for the occasion) I've produced on these events 2002 - 2009:
American Ballet Theatre
ABT Studio Company
New York City Ballet The Joffrey Ballet
San Francisco Ballet
Miami City Ballet
Dance Theatre of Harlem
Atlanta Ballet
Ballet San Jose
Ohio Ballet
Ballet de Monterrey
Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet
Complexions
David Parsons Dance
Dancing Wheels
Peter Pucci Plus Dancers
Jennifer Muller the Works
Momix
Wylliams/Henry Dance Company
Lori Belilove & Isadora Dance Company
Cirque du Soleil
Big Apple Circus
Bullettrun
Decadancetheatre
Mark Stuart Dance Theatre
Sonya Teyah Dance
DTH’s Dancing Thru Barriors Ensemble
Lar Lubovitch Dance Company
Luna Negra Dance Theatre
Dance Times Square
Anti-Gravity
The Lombard Twins
Crazy Legs & Rock Steady Crew
Mr. Wiggles from the Electric Boogaloos
Jason Samuels Smith and Friends
Twyla Tharp: Sinatra Songs and Movin’ Out duets
Balam Dance Theatre
Drum Cafe NY
Sounds of Korea
Thunderbird American Indian Dancers
Ologunde
Sachiyo Ito
Donny Golden Irish Dancers
Parul Shah Dance Co.
World Cup Shooting Stars/All Star Cheerleading
Alvin Ailey school with Orfeh
National Dance Institute
Rosie’s Broadway Kids
Tap City Youth Ensemble
New Jersey Tap Ensemble

Several excerpts from Broadway including:
A Chorus Line
Carousel
Chicago
Crazy for You
DANCIN
Damn Yankees
Ghost Town
Oklahoma
Pajama Game
Pippin
Sophisticated Ladies
West Side Story
42nd Street

And artists:
Debbie Allen, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Toni Basil, Laura Benanti, Marge Champion. Sandy Duncan, Christine Ebersole, Sutton Foster, James Earl Jones, Jane Krakowski, Angela Lansbruy, Bebe Neuwirth, Melissa Manchester, Malcome McDowell, Richard Move, Liza Minnelli, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Phylicia Rashad, Chita Rivera, Donald Saddler, Brooke Shields, Tommy Tune, Ben Vereen, Karen Ziemba

DANCEFOCUS REVIEWS: Tere O'Conner

2009-11-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

11/13/09

Deciding to join my friend, the ever innovative Joanna Haigood to go see a Tere O’Conner performance at DTW, induced a kind of self-mutilation which often permeates the type of work that comes to that venue. I got there early to purchase my ticket and was thrilled to learn that the program was only 1 hour and without intermission - all performances now-a-days should be that (or 70 min.).

It is hard for me to describe the work - never having seen his particular “style” before, but it ended up being similar to other work of that nature, and I'm not sure what that means. Before the piece started, I noticed Tere had gotten a Guggenheim grant on a quick glance at the program. I asked Joanna why both she and he had received those grants, and not me. She quickly said “Well, did you ever apply?”. No, I hadn’t. Hummm....
So, as I tried to engage in the piece the first thought that came to my mind was that I could see why Joanna got the Guggenheim, but I could not see why Tere did. My next thought was how do you pronounced his name? Do you say “Tear” like in ripping something? Or “Terrrrrr” like a dog growling only not with a “G”? I know Joanna said Terry - but then why does he spell it Tere and not Terry or Teri or Terie or something easy for people who don’t know him?

Anyway, more minutes into the work there still was little dance vocabulary being executed by the 5 undancer-like-looking dancers. Movement there was - a good thing for a dance concert - just not dance vocabulary. Even so, I immediately liked the mind behind the work, because of the element of “insanity” ever-present in it, combined with pure non-sequiturism. He is nuts I decided and that is not a bad thing - not at all. The musical collage was dissonant yet at times engaging, or not, and varied.

The two men were noticeable un-masculine, yet moved with an innately wonderful plasticity that I liked.

Memorable moments: a manege of back somersaults, frenetic whirling-dervish spinning on half-point while looking up to pointed Yoga-arms/clasped hands (well, the blond guy looked up, the other one straight front.....it is hard to look up, spinning or not, because it requires risk and a leap of faith); and some other things that I can’t remember. Also notable, the blond guy was given the most movement vocabulary which included some visceral partnering with the girl in red who early on in the piece executed Martha Graham-like Jetes around the stage.

Even though it was not torture to be sitting in the audience, the best moment of the evening was when the piece ended - I was so happy!

Hip Hop Dance Theater - Sadler's Wells

2009-05-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

Just got back from an International Hip Hop festival held at Sadler's Wells in London created by Artistic Director Jonzi D -
I directed a piece for Mr. Wiggles called Gettomade: A Journey Thru Time. He wrote all the lyrics and music - and the piece is a part of a larger show that I am working on called IN THE MIX. Anyway, what a great surprise to see all the inventive work being showcased - and a new dance genre at that.....Hip Hop Dance Theater. Some of the pieces were based on Hip Hop moves that have codified into its own vernacular...others mixed various types of contemporary dance with Hip Hop. There was always more than one element with the dances....some pieces had props being used in interesting ways, others had acrobatics. One piece had a 3-d film....Star Wars meets X-Man....and the audience all had 3-d glasses. The dance and the film related of course, or tried to, and the audience was entertained and thrilled. The good thing is that all this great work is being made in Europe with an outlet to support it. The bad thing is that Hip Hop started right here in the Bronx and there is nothing in the states that has the same kind of support or outlet for work. A new dance form - one that has become international - whose roots are American with living pioneers still around - and it is popular and appreciated in other countries more than this one. And for the "art" of what it is and can further be, not simply the commercial aspect of how the form is exploited. Ironic.

Gerald Arpino Memorial 11-17-08

2008-12-02T13:37:00.000-08:00

A Tribute to Gerald Arpino

Sitting in the audience of the Auditorium Theater waiting for the memorial service to begin, I had a flash back - a rehearsal when the Joffrey first moved, 1995 – when Gerry yelled out at a dancer: “You think you’re doing it, but your not! You gotta get out of your own way, baby!” I had to dissociate from what he said next - a tirade of incoherent emotional mucky muck that often accompanied his insight. His correction was spot on about muscle memory - why dancers concentrate, focus-through-the-body, and move beyond the mind that says I can’t do that! Only with courage, the ego steps aside and we trust the movement. Gerry always expected more, and in my case what seemed impossible. In fact, in one of his ballets, “The Relativity of Icares”, a review in a Chicago paper by Ann Barzel said: “…the young DeAngelo jumped out of the wing and into a phenomenal solo that an older dancer knows is impossible….”

Gerald Arpino was one of the last of a generation who really cared. He cared about his dancers – saying anything he could, good or bad, to get us to move. “This is a holy place, throw your negativity into the burning flames of the Phoenix and move! Leave your garbage at the door”. When the Joffrey Ballet collapsed in New York and a small group of supporters decided to move the company to Chicago, I ended up by his side as Associate Director, reminding him that like the Phoenix, the company would rise again - because “The spirit of the Joffrey wants to live”. I spoke to him in wisdom-isms and metaphors then, getting him to do what I could to make him not afraid to move. I wasn’t afraid to jump on the Titanic.

Gerald Aprino cared about people, artists, and had a compassion for the underdog. During the transition period he’d often say, “I’m not doing this for me, but for Bob and you all”. I knew Bob was Robert Joffrey, but I didn’t exactly know who “you all” was (me and my two Yorkies?). No, now I could see it was/is for the city of Chicago, the dance world in having a place to work, and everyone who supported the company along the way.

And the Spirit of the Joffrey died (Monday, November 17, 2008):

The best part of the memorial tribute was a kind of documentary. Life-time board members talked of Chicago’s love for the Joffrey, of Arpino ballets with infectious energy that made everyone feel good; of him being a religious man with his -“bless your enemy” - belief (my mother’s too). There were clips of him talking about how he liked to discover the artist in each individual dancer, and what it meant to be a director, and how a company should provide a safe place for artists to be nurtured and to create.

Former Joffrey dancers spoke: only one mentioned his courage to start over at age 72; the current AD – read in a perfect “English” accent - a few words from another director (who had once dropped Gerry from a lift - ending his career). Someone else talked about his generosity, how he took on extra work to pay for company needs; how he always got dancers to rehearse for free; how Joffrey saw early on that he had a choreographer mind – and that there was no official training for ballet choreographers at that time, or now. Everyone mentioned his passion, and passion for passion – and that he expected it from his dancers, along with honesty. Shelly Zide gave the most insight into who he really was, a believer. No one mentioned his insanity.

Needless to say, the under-rehearsed company performed intermittingly - without passion or the “energy” characteristic of the Joffrey – of what people spoke about. The pas de deux from “Light Rain” lacked the over-extended sensuality and tingly tacky seductiveness that gives the piece its character; “Round of Angels” was mechanically staged and the dark lighting obscured the abstract romance of it (saved only by the music); and the last movement from “Trinity” was danced with neither the style nor spirit with which it was created - as if the spirit of the Joffrey died with Arpino. At the end, as in the ballet, dancers placed candles on the ground – in memory and appreciation. But as the last dancer left the stage he knocked several of the candles down, and all I could think of was the wax spilling on the Marley floor – and Gerry’s eyes rolling in his grave.

Gerald Arpino cared. He cared about making art, about the art in the performing art, about discovering potential - uncovering soul, about those magic moments in theater, that burn a hole in your memory. He was about that, the magic –something I find missing today.