Snowed In: Rehearsal Notes for Philly Dance Show

Snowed in all last week, unable to rehearse. I miss rehearsal when I can't get it! I believe that quality of work has a direct relationship to the time spent crafting it. I begrudge every hour missed. My fundamental goal as a choreographer is to make good work, work that at least I enjoy watching. This takes time.

I trust there will be enough time eventually. Spent rehearsal on Saturday with Alex sledding down and up and around and along the ramp. Such fun! So strenuous!

My mind turns already to the next section, the new section, but we have much cleaning and finishing up to do first. This is all to the good. My ideas about the new section are still hazy. How do we achieve the look of an animal? My mind fixates on this vision of successive limbs, bodies that follow just after one another, a kind of strobe light effect, Gathering in Near Reach Space, bodies almost, but not quite connected.

Dance is sensual. My sensations have been rather confused lately. I'm working hard, late into the night, I've been largely housebound…I have felt somewhat disconnected from my body. Snow days can be fun, but I need outside work: it balances me emotionally. Without it, I get thin-skinned, I grope for amusement, I lose touch with joy. It's ironic that work should be the key to relaxation, but balance is the great goal in life. How can you have release without tension? How can you find peace without conflict? It's confusing, but important.

Don't miss Human Landscape Dance's Philadelphia premiere of "January Night" at the Painted Bride Arts Center. Human Landscape Dance teams up with Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers for the Philadelphia/Washington DC Exchange on Saturday May 29 at 7:30pm and Sunday May 30 at 3pm.