The worst blogger in the world...

Once upon a time I was good at blogging semi regularly. These days not so much. Blame it on the crazy schedule as a freelance artist, the changing seasons, the fact that for once I am intact and in great physically functioning state... whatever! 

Today is Luminarium's fifth birthday and I'm so proud of what Merli and I have done in the past few years- artistically, sustainably, there is an every day need  to keep forging ahead with momentum and vigor in this profession, so every now and then I can clear my head of the daily work and realize what we have actually accomplished. Here's to many more multiples of five years!

The biggest news besides Luminarium turning five today is that very soon I'm breaking ground on my Masters of Fine Arts degree (focusing on Interdisciplinary Arts) at Goddard College. I've wanted an MFA for a long time, not so much for status and letters but for the chance to submerse myself back in process and identity and how who I am is reflected in the art I make. It's been so easy to dismiss going back to school for the sake of time, money, schedule, but the low-residency format of this program allows me to maintain my life as a professional artist at home while also allowing myself to get back in the pool of learning. I'm so looking forward to continued learning, self improvement and an additional new community to join. It's easy to forget that everyone always has more to learn and the ability to grow. 

In choreography land there's lots happening: I showed a snippet of brand new rough work at the Luminarium Gala on Sunday (nerve-wracking but ultimately great), but that deserves its own post. 

Below is a mysterious sneak peek at a second new work I'm starting tonight. (Yes, I managed that tiny amount of sewing all by myself - I'm very handy in every other medium, just lousy with thread!)

Something refreshing in dance-film-ville

Here is short film that's been circulating Facebook-land.  Maybe you've seen it already but I wanted to leave it here because I think it's beautiful.  

Often (opinion) dance films are strangely void of, well, dance.  Possibly over half of the dance on camera I seek out seems to be comprised of hand gestures, artistic shots or pedestrian movement, but not a lot of bodies moving in athletic, intricate, choreographed ways.  The other half of the time I find myself watching a dance that has consequently been filmed, as is, for the stage, which doesn't really quality as a dance film.  

The selection below melds beautiful vigorous movement with a solid argument for being a film piece, not live work.  The choreography holds equal weight to the choices made in setting up the shots, the location, the music, the costuming, the editing.  Everything is genuine, intentional, any hand on a body (one's own or the other's) is super deliberate... refreshing.  All of the components are incredibly well balanced and actually deserve to be a semi-narrative film piece that can be categorized as a dance film. 

Valtari- Written & Directed by Christian Larson. Choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui

Now, is the top removal near the end a bit cliche?  Maybe.  I could very well be sick and tired of people taking off their clothes onstage in dance/theater/perf art, just for the hell of it.  Then again it's kind of nice that the pair of dancers has the naked torso skin-on-skin happening.  Doesn't it feel really lovely to lay your bare back against someone else's?  Yep.  

Also-also, does the warehouse setting remind anyone else of a post-apocalyptic version of the game Portal?

Life goes on but I'm about to miss the bus...

The only good thing is that the silhouette of the neighbor's cat in their kitchen window is exactly the same, untouched and unaffected. She holds very still and her ears twitch towards things invisible in the dark.

A bit of a preface, disclaimer...
I obviously am horrified that someone would do disgusting violent acts to our city.  I do think that whoever was responsible for the acts needs to be held accountable.  I drove through the city last night, I felt robbed of my personal safety, I've felt tense all week and I was confined to my house all day.  I get how bad of a situation this was.

What I hate is that there are NO positive outcomes to this situation.  Not a single one.  Plenty of innocent people lost their lives, limbs or life as they formerly knew it.  Many more people lost their peace of mind and faith in each other.  At the same time, I can't help looking at this smooth-faced curly-haired guy thats seven years my junior, and feel so sad for him.  Maybe he was of sound mind and so much hatred for Boston that he really wanted to do this.  Just for a minute, though, suppose this was not his idea?  Maybe his brother masterminded it, or he was forced into it from a larger organization that wanted to harm Boston, and he was a pawn. Now, he is the only one left to take the blame.  This guy that crawled into a boat to hide and bleed to death is wished dead and held in such powerful contempt by so many strangers.  To be completely honest, I hope he opens his mouth in a public forum or in court and spews sincere cold hatred for Boston, perhaps that is the only time we will know for certain our community hatred for him is accurately placed.

Then I think about the adorable little boy that got killed, the 20-something girl, the student from China, the young policeman last night...

(I'm not so much doubting he did it, more wondering about the circumstances?)

There is NOTHING that is 'right' here.  Especially not the 'we got him's and death wishes for this man on Facebook.  Now is the time to be glad our community is safe, and grateful to those that keep us secure, but it is also the time to be quiet, humbled and reflective.  Bloodthirst makes me queasy.

My mom said long ago I could never be a good lawyer because I could never stop seeing the position of both sides at once.  I feel this is still the case.

The biggest problem for me right now is preparing to present new art tomorrow.  I am showing my contributions for the Threading Motion project at the quilt museum tomorrow, and I am feeling so gross about it.  Art is, if anything, a statement every time it happens.  What I am showing tomorrow is done, but it's so soon after so much mental turmoil, it's not AT ALL what I want to open my choreographic mouth to say!  I'd rather keep it shut, I need to process and get past all of these jumbled ridiculous thoughts and happenings, before I make a statement with my work that is misinterpreted (or fluff).  The show must also go on.  Where does my scale balance?

Again, please don't misinterpret my musings, these bombings were WRONG and someone does need to answer for and explain the violence and destruction.