Down to the Wire: One Week Before Philadelphia Dance Show

New video clip of January Night:

At rehearsal today, I felt sloppy. I made some silly mistakes, messed up portions that I have known well for a long time now. Fundamentally, however, I think we are ready.

I begin to love January Night. Dancing it, I feel it like a comfy bed, an old sheet. It is an athletic piece, but my body is picking up the physical echo, so that it rings in my muscles before I even start to move. This is what it’s all about at this point: drilling, learning the movement by rote so that I don’t have to think about it. Once it becomes automatic, to some extent, then I can play with the movement while I make it onstage. This is one of the delightful parts of performing. When you can watch yourself as you move, then you can play with the movement dynamics at the same time. It’s a way to make a learned dance spontaneous again. It’s a way to make your dances live.

When we began this process, I set the movement on Alex, Amanda, and Florencia. When Florencia left the group, I was disappointed. I worried that it would not read as well on a different body, my body. Now, I feel so lucky to have this opportunity to perform again. It’s a more tedious process to choreograph for yourself, to constantly jump back and forth to the camera. But it is worth it for the joy!

One week away! Human Landscape Dance will premiere January Night and Closet Dances in the Philadelphia/Washington DC Exchange with Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Co, who will premiere Burn and restage The Big Dance. Join us at the Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia May 29 at 7:30pm and May 30 at 3pm.