Warm Beginning on a Cold Day

Dancers:  Norma Fong, Yu-mien Wu,
Mayuko Hosoai, & Kelly Del Rosario

I unlock the studio door and enter the room at 8:45 am this morning.  Being the first company of the morning to use the space, I enter the dark black box theater, drapes undrawn, mirrors covered, on one of the coldest mornings we have had in a long time.  My dancers start to arrive, barely awake, all bundled up, mitten covered hands holding their early morning coffee, but in great spirits.  Not one cranky person in the bunch, they all take off their outdoor layers, relayer their dance clothing, and begin to find what is at this moment a frozen body by warming up in the oh so cold space.

As they warm-up, I begin to run through the itinerary for the rehearsal period.  There are so many things to think about.  We have two months left.  And by two months, I really mean we have an average of about 12 rehearsals left.  The past several weeks have been so hectic in and out of the studio.  There's costumes, music, artists, fliers, posters, programs, etc. to think about.

Also, what about the piece itself?  Is the concept of Moveable Feast enough to intrigue the audience?  The bigger picture seems to be interesting but if the piece itself isn't well crafted and executed, then the concept becomes nothing else but a study.  I still want to engage the audience through the piece itself.  So in contemplating about each section, I came up with what I think the "story" or feeling of the piece is to me.  If I can create a plot for myself, I am able to find my beginning, middle, and end.  Once I feel at ease with the piece, I will then be able to concentrate on the concept of the whole evening.

So by 9:15 am, my dancers are ready to move.  We go over several sections, add, edit, clean, and work out kinks.  By 10:15 am, we are pinning costumes, and taking a 5 minute water break.  A new solo is created, we run a section of the final piece, and casting is reset.

Are we in good shape?  I'm still not sure.  There is more of a semblance of a piece.  I'm still fishing for it.  But on this cold February day, we keep on plugging away.

We all say our goodbyes at 11:15 am.  Everyone seems to be in good spirits.  It's 2 hours in the life of a dancer.  The cold and the darkness we walked into didn't interrupt the work we were all there hoping to get out of the day.  It's the love of creating that we all have in common.  And from that rehearsal, we all go to our next jobs and continue to create.

Performance Opportunities

When my husband and I decided to move to the Bay Area, I took a chance not knowing what opportunities would come my way in the dance field.  But as I get more involved not just as a dancer and teacher but now as a choreographer, I am finding that the community is very supportive of its artists.  There are other cities where I've encountered very territorial pockets of dance communities/ organizations.  But here in the Bay Area, I was surprised at how many organizations open up their centers not only to well established and renowned artists but to people like me- an emerging choreographer.  In the last two weeks, Project. B. received confirmation of two other locations where we will have the opportunity to perform.

Thanks to Levydance for making us a part of the Salon on April 2, 2011

 and to

Western Ballet for allowing us to show our work April 23, 2011 during Bay Area National Dance Week

Leaping into Technology

I remember way back when tape cassettes held all my dance music.  Editing music began with finding a pencil to wind the tape to where the clear part of the tape no longer touched the little felt square, then pressing play and pause on one side of my stereo, and pressing pause, play, and record on the other.

I also remember doing community outreach and having to carry a boom box twice my size.  I couldn't even imagine trying to bring a video recorder with me.  They were huge back then!  Not to forget the big book of CDs that I used to carry to every class I taught.  

But today, in my medium sized messenger bag, I was able to carry my laptop, a video camera, my iphone, dance clothes, a book, and other small items that require me to get through the day of directing, teaching, and dancing.  And on my back, these items, although they may seem heavy, weigh less because it makes my job so much easier.  

My laptop is the 7th member of Project. B.  Just like my dancers, I am so thankful for its efficiency.  Choreographing and working out movement, recording what we've accomplished in that day, giving my dancers the opportunity to see video by uploading the material, helps in the transition of rehearsing from week to week.

The concept of Moveable Feast is to create the same piece three times to three different types of music as well as changing the casting for each repetition.  Can you imagine how many possibilities are floating around in my head?  It doesn't always make for clear directing.  But I am always so amazed at how much we get done in 2 hours because of all the technology that makes everything so much more efficient.  I don't have to waste time on the dancers to see if prospective music will work with the choreography.  All I have to do is watch the video on imovie and presto chango!  I can try out a new musical choice.  I can see the composition of the piece and see what it is I do like and don't like and brainstorm on new changes or ideas before I even get into the studio.  My dancers won't have to repeat the movement 50 times until I come up with inspiration or some kind of idea.  Instead, we are able to move on and manifest ideas that I've already thought about.

However, my dancers still give me a lot of inspiration.  There are definitely many times during the process that they spark where the piece may go.  This weekend's rehearsal, I found a lot of potential on a men's duet.  Kelly and Bruce look great together.  

Tax Workshop for Artists with Joe Weatherby

Thanks to Dancers' Group, my fiscal sponsor, I was able to take Joe Weatherby's tax workshop for artists for free.  Although I've been preparing my own taxes for several years now, I wanted to make sure that with Project. B. finances and expenses, I am up to date on how I am supposed to file not just as a dancer and teacher but now also as a choreographer/producer.   It was great to hear what he had to say about filing and what were valid deductions as an artist.  I had no idea I could write off my laundry (mostly dance clothes)!  But best of all,  he made it clear how not to have a loss on my Schedule C.

If you want to check him out, his website address is www.taxes4artists.com

Happy filing!

A New Language

So far, Project. B. has rehearsed three times this month for a total of six hours.  I can't help but look at other dance companies and wonder how great it would be to meet for at least three hours at a time and at least three times a week.  One of my dancers, Chin-chin, was joking around with the other dancers during a direction I gave regarding manipulating movement and said, "Come on! Don't you know you have to be a smart dancer to dance for Tanya...."  I must say, I love how each one of them have such a great sense of humor and taunt each other.  

Dancers:  Chin-chin Hsu,Yu-Mien Wu

But looking deeper at the comment itself, I do find myself with all these ideas I want to explore.  I see the movement on their bodies, I get excited, I want to rework it, mold it, and direct it in a way where I see my vision coming to life.  I look at the time and 2 hours go by so quickly.  How can I do everything I want to see in that time frame?  The only answer I can come up with is- Hire intelligent dancers.  


So in 6 hours of rehearsals this month, I was able to create the beginnings of a piece.  Through several base phrases, we played with variations.  Through those variations and base phrases, we made a language.  I feel very blessed having the dancers I have.  They are quick, witty, and amazing technicians who are able to do anything that is asked of them.  They give so much for me to play with and I am so thankful for that.  


In February, the entire company is called back for rehearsal.  I can't wait to see the possibilities.

Conversations at Dinner

Dieter Rams, Jonathan Ive, and their designs

Last night, my husband and I had dinner at a friend's.  One of the topics of conversation was about a man named, Jonathan Ive.  From our architect friend, we learned that Jonathan Ive is the Principal designer for many of the Apple products and that in researching more about him that he was heavily influenced by a German functionalist designer Dieter Rams.  Our friend spoke about how Jonathan Ive seems to have found his vision and that his eye for design, although revolutionary to many, is actually deeply rooted in influences by his mentors.

As a dancer and now choreographer, rehearsals seem to be that process of finding out what my aesthetic and vision is.  I can't deny that my work is heavily influenced by my mentors and sometimes fight the movement that may stylistically resemble what in the past I have danced.  This to me, is the biggest struggle of all.  How much can I deny what has influenced me and why should I deny it?  It has made me the artist I am today and what drew me to their work is why at this point in my life I want to create my own work.  So in talking with our friend, he gave me a gift.  He made me realize that someone like Jonathan Ive found his niche because he distinguished what it was that influenced him in his work.  I shouldn't deny myself the freedom to create what comes naturally in my body.  In that self-expression, there might be a glimpse of my own aesthetic and my own vision. Through exploration, I will only be one step closer to finding it.  I may never realize that I found it but I don't know if that is as important as giving myself the freedom to create without boundaries.

Creating the Menu

Dancers:  Norma Fong, Chin-chin Hsu, Yu-Mien Wu

Today's 's rehearsal was the first time I had the dancers in the studio for the creative process of Moveable Feast.  What exactly is Moveable Feast?  It is three servings of the same ingredient.  And as I search more about how I am going to present this, I found myself very inspired with having bodies in the studio and getting my ideas out of what was for the longest time just an image in my head.  


It seems so perfect that the first time I made a Thanksgiving meal was just in 2010.  Preparing this piece is just like Thanksgiving.  What are the steps in order to make that happen?  Well, first off, you've got to create the menu.   


Even before the dancers came to rehearsal, there was still a lot of prepping.  I had to ask myself how I am going to present Project. B. through Moveable Feast.  Music, costumes, and casting visited my dreams every night for the last several weeks.  I went in to the studio several times on my own and tried to create movement that I thought might be useful for the imagery that I wanted to portray.  These were all just part of the first steps.  These were still just parts of the creation of the menu.  And my dancers, the music, and the costumes, just ingredients to what I am about to cook up.


I felt we got plenty done today.  Figuring out different flavors, finding how one can go with another, as well as how dancers work together....


Today, I invited a new dancer into the Project. B. family.  I think I found a new ingredient that might just add a bit of spice to the mix.  In the meantime, we've just started so stay tuned and we will keep you updated on what's to come.