The end of the week brings with it a wave of relief and contentment! Last evening, we premiered our third work for film, "Kitchen Table" after much worry over if it would be finished in time, or not. The rest of the work needed to put the finishing touches on the film were completed only two days before the screening, but everything turned out just right in the end. Both Mackenzie and Laura were in town to help me with the event. Mackenzie, lending her dancerly skills, while Laura offered her voice. Such fun we had! We presented to an intimate audience of about fifty people, all of whom seemed to enjoy the contents of the evening. From the presentation of the films, to the inclusion of the music, to the glorious cake and Mr. Potato Head making during the reception, everything was absolutely charming!
I think I was most happy to see so many familiar faces in the audience last night, who have made it out to the last few events we have had in town. I love knowing that there are people out there who truly want us to succeed! In addition, there were some whom I know, but have never attended an event of mine, like my colleagues at High Point U, as well as some of my students, and there were even a few faces I had never seen before. I feel like things are finally beginning to roll! I remember just a year and a half ago, when I gave a performance for only one, and how hurt and deflated I felt at my failure to build an audience in my own community. Since then, we have had a rash of amazing events, none of which have been empty!
I had a triumph last evening, too! Laura and I had agreed that I would sing one of the songs with her during the evening. I was beyond nervous, as the thought of singing in front of people is terrifying to me! But, I sang our little song without a hitch, for the most part. Robert (my husband) said he could hear in my voice that I was nervous, and one of the audience members asked if this was my first vocal performance during the Q & A, which leads me to believe that the audience could tell, too. However off it may have sounded, Laura was so gracious and supportive, and having Mackenzie dancing around on stage near me made it all ok. I know that next time I get up to sing, it won't be nearly as nerve racking, and perhaps, I might be able to breathe a little next time!
After the success of last evening, I am so excited to send this film out on the film festival circuit!
Film premiere aside, the week has also consisted of some activity for the NC Dance Festival, on which Mackenzie and I are dancing this season. Our activities this week involved some outreach to some high school students at Weaver Academy in Greensboro. Weaver is an arts magnet school, and I have taught master classes there before for NCDF 2007, so I just knew I would enjoy myself this time around.
On Tuesday, I gave a class for a lovely group of ninth and tenth graders of varying levels. Mrs. Brenner, their teacher said she was looking forward to watching how they interact with another teacher, and how they would take to someone else's movement. They did great! I felt like I really challenged them, but they rose to the occasion with smiles on their faces.
The next morning (after a very late night of delayed flight arrival) Mackenzie and I performed for a full auditorium of students at Weaver. We shared the show with Autumn Mist Belk, who teaches at NC State U and has a company called Code F.A.D., and Lauren Kearns, who teaches at Elon University and directs her company, Kearns Dance project. The performance was interesting. I had forgotten how ruckus high school students are! I was also reminded that most high school auditoriums are pretty interesting places, technically speaking. The sound is what ultimately did us in. Though the dancing went well, we could not hear our music on stage, the EQ was totally off and during Autumn's piece, the sound dropped out completely! However, I thought of this technical issue to be a good opportunity to speak to the students about the realities of live performance! The Q & A session was really great. I was glad to know that the students were engaged, even with the sound issues. There were some fabulous questions asked, and the students had many more questions and comments for us in passing post performance!
All in all, a wonderful week. Battling a ridiculous cold, but I'm sure I will feel better soon. I plan to take it easy this weekend. No dancing. A little teaching, but nothing heavy. Lots of writing...MFA packets are due Monday!!
~Cara
Friday, October 29, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Got Me Thinking...
Here it is, almost the end of October, and I have barely written anything about the activities of the month. How busy I've been, with the most fun a girl could have, I assure you! Where on earth should I begin? Ah. The Wedding Dress project!
The Wedding Dress Project came about on a whim. I was watching "Say Yes To The Dress," a fun show on TLC that documents women as they search for the perfect dress for their (hopefully) perfect weddings. I love it. I just love wedding dresses! And it made me want to put on my wedding dress again, to perhaps relive some of the magic of my wedding day, which got me thinking. First of all, that day is special because it happens only once. Second, we have so many lovely things from the wedding that are keepsakes: cards bearing the well-wishes of our family and friends, our fabulous photo album featuring all of the amazing happenings of the day, our guest book that reminds us of all the people who came to share in our occasion, toasting glasses and a cake cutting set that have the date of our union inscribed on their surfaces, all of the gifts we received and of course, our beautiful rings, which we wear proudly to show that we are committed to each other. The dress, which seemed to me to hold more (perhaps displaced) emotion than any other object concerning the day was now sitting in my closet, shut up in its bag. I remember feeling like a princess in that dress. Which got me thinking again: What if I could put on my wedding dress again? But this time, as a way to transform? A transformation that would free me of this longing to be back at my wedding. A transformation that would free me from hanging onto something that will ultimately become clutter? What if I can keep the magic of the dress alive by giving it another purpose, another life? And that's when it began.
That evening, I got on Facebook, and created an event, encouraging women to put their dresses back on, but in circumstances that were not at all related to the wedding day. For instance, couldn't you go to the grocery store, and buy tomatoes in your wedding dress? After all, it is just a dress. I was happy to find that getting people to play with me was not at all hard. Immediately, a photo appeared, of a woman picking up after her dog in her back yard in her lacy get-up! I just knew if I got a few pictures up of my own, that others would be encouraged to play. I called up my parents. I asked my mother to get on her dress. And she did. My father humored me at first, taking me to the gas station to capture me pumping gas (the most "regular" thing I could think of the do) in my dress. Soon though, he was excited to put ideas for pictures into the pot! After the gas station, we went to the baseball field up the street to take some photos of mom and I getting sporty in our regalia. Dad then suggested that a most striking picture would be us, target shooting in our dresses. And striking it was! I love those photos!!! And not soon after I posted my lovelies, a few more popped up! I am hoping that in the not-so-distant future, many more will pour in!
So, it is my hope that these women who are submitting their photos will also experience some sort of transformation in the act of taking their dresses out of context the way I did (boy, oh boy, it was soooo liberating!) so they can move onto stage two and three of the project.
Stage two involves giving up the dress. This step is one that I don't think will be easy for many, and many may stop their participation in the project after step one. It is my hope though, that some will be willing to give up their dresses, to let go figuratively and literally. I hope that they will recognize that their dresses can live on beyond their wedding day. Step three is the final stage, where the dresses will embark on their new journeys as both unaltered dresses and altered dresses. Unaltered dresses will ideally go to women who cannot afford beautiful dresses, so that they may have the opportunity to feel absolutely beautiful for their special occasions. Altered dresses will become christening dresses, quilts and other objects that can be donated to others for use. I would feel happy knowing that my dress was of use to someone else. So, once I get enough pictures, I plan to implement steps two and three.
Wedding Dress Project aside, there are other things! Today, I sat with a small panel of ladies to deliberate on which films we'll show for the "Movies By Movers" showing that is coming up fast. The evening is to be part of Winston Salem's annual fall celebration of the arts, 6 Days in November. Our evening is November 21st! I really enjoyed watching all of the dance film submissions in a single sitting. I appreciated the work that went into each and every one of them, and was excited to see such a diversity of voices represented. It is a shame that I couldn't show more than we picked, but I am only allowed to program 80 minutes worth of material. Given the amount of submissions I got, and post-deadline inquiries, I am confident that I will be able to curate a second edition of MBM in the spring. How wonderful! I can hardly wait to show the community these films.
Last on the list for immediate attention is the premiere of our newest film, "Kitchen Table!" Thursday is the day the world will be introduced to this film! I'm so excited! Just a few more loose ends to tie up in the edit before Thursday (which I have been assured will be complete, though I am biting my nails). It is my deepest hope that we have a nice sized audience. I would just hate to have an empty house, especially given all the fun activities we'll have going on during the presentation and the reception!
it is getting late now, and I have to wake up for an early yoga class! I hope to have a rash of loveliness to share with you this week! Stay tuned!
~Cara
The Wedding Dress Project came about on a whim. I was watching "Say Yes To The Dress," a fun show on TLC that documents women as they search for the perfect dress for their (hopefully) perfect weddings. I love it. I just love wedding dresses! And it made me want to put on my wedding dress again, to perhaps relive some of the magic of my wedding day, which got me thinking. First of all, that day is special because it happens only once. Second, we have so many lovely things from the wedding that are keepsakes: cards bearing the well-wishes of our family and friends, our fabulous photo album featuring all of the amazing happenings of the day, our guest book that reminds us of all the people who came to share in our occasion, toasting glasses and a cake cutting set that have the date of our union inscribed on their surfaces, all of the gifts we received and of course, our beautiful rings, which we wear proudly to show that we are committed to each other. The dress, which seemed to me to hold more (perhaps displaced) emotion than any other object concerning the day was now sitting in my closet, shut up in its bag. I remember feeling like a princess in that dress. Which got me thinking again: What if I could put on my wedding dress again? But this time, as a way to transform? A transformation that would free me of this longing to be back at my wedding. A transformation that would free me from hanging onto something that will ultimately become clutter? What if I can keep the magic of the dress alive by giving it another purpose, another life? And that's when it began.
That evening, I got on Facebook, and created an event, encouraging women to put their dresses back on, but in circumstances that were not at all related to the wedding day. For instance, couldn't you go to the grocery store, and buy tomatoes in your wedding dress? After all, it is just a dress. I was happy to find that getting people to play with me was not at all hard. Immediately, a photo appeared, of a woman picking up after her dog in her back yard in her lacy get-up! I just knew if I got a few pictures up of my own, that others would be encouraged to play. I called up my parents. I asked my mother to get on her dress. And she did. My father humored me at first, taking me to the gas station to capture me pumping gas (the most "regular" thing I could think of the do) in my dress. Soon though, he was excited to put ideas for pictures into the pot! After the gas station, we went to the baseball field up the street to take some photos of mom and I getting sporty in our regalia. Dad then suggested that a most striking picture would be us, target shooting in our dresses. And striking it was! I love those photos!!! And not soon after I posted my lovelies, a few more popped up! I am hoping that in the not-so-distant future, many more will pour in!
So, it is my hope that these women who are submitting their photos will also experience some sort of transformation in the act of taking their dresses out of context the way I did (boy, oh boy, it was soooo liberating!) so they can move onto stage two and three of the project.
Stage two involves giving up the dress. This step is one that I don't think will be easy for many, and many may stop their participation in the project after step one. It is my hope though, that some will be willing to give up their dresses, to let go figuratively and literally. I hope that they will recognize that their dresses can live on beyond their wedding day. Step three is the final stage, where the dresses will embark on their new journeys as both unaltered dresses and altered dresses. Unaltered dresses will ideally go to women who cannot afford beautiful dresses, so that they may have the opportunity to feel absolutely beautiful for their special occasions. Altered dresses will become christening dresses, quilts and other objects that can be donated to others for use. I would feel happy knowing that my dress was of use to someone else. So, once I get enough pictures, I plan to implement steps two and three.
Wedding Dress Project aside, there are other things! Today, I sat with a small panel of ladies to deliberate on which films we'll show for the "Movies By Movers" showing that is coming up fast. The evening is to be part of Winston Salem's annual fall celebration of the arts, 6 Days in November. Our evening is November 21st! I really enjoyed watching all of the dance film submissions in a single sitting. I appreciated the work that went into each and every one of them, and was excited to see such a diversity of voices represented. It is a shame that I couldn't show more than we picked, but I am only allowed to program 80 minutes worth of material. Given the amount of submissions I got, and post-deadline inquiries, I am confident that I will be able to curate a second edition of MBM in the spring. How wonderful! I can hardly wait to show the community these films.
Last on the list for immediate attention is the premiere of our newest film, "Kitchen Table!" Thursday is the day the world will be introduced to this film! I'm so excited! Just a few more loose ends to tie up in the edit before Thursday (which I have been assured will be complete, though I am biting my nails). It is my deepest hope that we have a nice sized audience. I would just hate to have an empty house, especially given all the fun activities we'll have going on during the presentation and the reception!
it is getting late now, and I have to wake up for an early yoga class! I hope to have a rash of loveliness to share with you this week! Stay tuned!
~Cara
Sunday, October 17, 2010
A Swingin' Good Time and Other Things...
Oh, blog. How I have neglected you! But that doesn't mean things haven't been going on. In fact, there is much to talk about! Last I left you, I was on my way to Charleston to dance for Laura's Beatles, Bach and Beer concert. I have to say, it went incredibly well! Once again in the old Library Society building, Laura and her group of amazing musicians filled the house and rocked the audience into aural submission. Though my dance space for the performance was small and incredibly awkward, everything went smoothly and everyone seemed to really enjoy the addition of movement to the music. I had such fun! How wonderful to perform for a full house, with friends on stage with you, to music that moves you! And what's more, Robert came to surprise me. He drove the four hours from Winston-Salem on his day off to see me perform with Laura. What a wonderful evening! I met so many enthusiastic audience members post-performance and even got a job offer out of the night. Not bad for an hour of work!
The very day after the BBB performance, we began working on the music for my film premier, which happens on the 28th of October. Laura and I practiced "The Doodlin' Song," a wonderful little jazz song from the 1950's. perfect for our 1950's themed evening! It was wonderful working with Laura, mapping out the harmonies we'll sing and getting some coaching from her. She is firm with me about how to commit to the harmony when singing with another person, but I appreciate her candor. The next day, Saturday, I drive home to study with Barbara for the last time until after Thanksgiving! It's going to be a long time, but that will give me time to practice my songs many, many times before I see her again!
Upon being home for the week, I get back to teaching at HPU, the last week before Fall break! I am able to get some much-needed work done with both of my classes, and feel good about where we are with our studies this semester. I am looking forward to finishing out the semester next month! In addition to HPU, I have been working hard on my upcoming event, Movies by Movers. I am curating an evening of dance on film for an evening in November, and I have received the most beautiful films! Though I will have a small panel of people help me to deliberate over the selection of the films that will be shown that evening, I have been watching each of the films as they have been arriving to me, taking notes and thinking about how to craft the showing. As for "Kitchen Table," we are coming down to the wire! As you know, we premiere the film on the 28th, and we still aren't quite done with the sound! We have some places in the film where we have not yet agreed on how to design the sound for those shots. We will get it done, but I'm definitely feeling the pressure!
Pressure aside, yesterday was positively wonderful! On a whim, I decided to drive to Charleston to go swing dancing with Laura. She is great! Both elegant and sassy, she looks radiant and absolutely comfortable in her skin, as she boogies across the floor with a host of different dance partners. I am asked to dance first, by a young man who asks me what my name is, where I'm from, and if I have ever danced before. I tell him that it is my first time! I had no idea what to do, but I soon got into the swing (literally) of things. With each new partner, I learned a little bit more about how to follow a leader, and how to go with the flow. I had such a ball! I danced with young men, old men, men with amazing rhythm, and men with two left feet. I must try this again soon! It was so lovely to see people dancing for fun, enjoying each other's company and common purpose.
So life is full, and moving along as it does. On Tuesday, I leave for NYC for a little vacation to see my sister and celebrate Laura's 30th birthday! I can't wait. It is past time for me to get away and decompress!
~Cara
The very day after the BBB performance, we began working on the music for my film premier, which happens on the 28th of October. Laura and I practiced "The Doodlin' Song," a wonderful little jazz song from the 1950's. perfect for our 1950's themed evening! It was wonderful working with Laura, mapping out the harmonies we'll sing and getting some coaching from her. She is firm with me about how to commit to the harmony when singing with another person, but I appreciate her candor. The next day, Saturday, I drive home to study with Barbara for the last time until after Thanksgiving! It's going to be a long time, but that will give me time to practice my songs many, many times before I see her again!
Upon being home for the week, I get back to teaching at HPU, the last week before Fall break! I am able to get some much-needed work done with both of my classes, and feel good about where we are with our studies this semester. I am looking forward to finishing out the semester next month! In addition to HPU, I have been working hard on my upcoming event, Movies by Movers. I am curating an evening of dance on film for an evening in November, and I have received the most beautiful films! Though I will have a small panel of people help me to deliberate over the selection of the films that will be shown that evening, I have been watching each of the films as they have been arriving to me, taking notes and thinking about how to craft the showing. As for "Kitchen Table," we are coming down to the wire! As you know, we premiere the film on the 28th, and we still aren't quite done with the sound! We have some places in the film where we have not yet agreed on how to design the sound for those shots. We will get it done, but I'm definitely feeling the pressure!
Pressure aside, yesterday was positively wonderful! On a whim, I decided to drive to Charleston to go swing dancing with Laura. She is great! Both elegant and sassy, she looks radiant and absolutely comfortable in her skin, as she boogies across the floor with a host of different dance partners. I am asked to dance first, by a young man who asks me what my name is, where I'm from, and if I have ever danced before. I tell him that it is my first time! I had no idea what to do, but I soon got into the swing (literally) of things. With each new partner, I learned a little bit more about how to follow a leader, and how to go with the flow. I had such a ball! I danced with young men, old men, men with amazing rhythm, and men with two left feet. I must try this again soon! It was so lovely to see people dancing for fun, enjoying each other's company and common purpose.
So life is full, and moving along as it does. On Tuesday, I leave for NYC for a little vacation to see my sister and celebrate Laura's 30th birthday! I can't wait. It is past time for me to get away and decompress!
~Cara
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Screen Dreams
Many good things have been coming about! I am happy to say that things are moving along with my first curatorial endeavor, "Movies By Movers," an evening of short dance films by NC dancers, choreographers and filmmakers. I am excited that I have begun to receive submissions for the event already, and many more people have expressed their intent to submit. As we move closer to the date of the event, November 21st, I begin to fantasize about what this little showing might grow into. A small festival of dance film, perhaps? A quarterly series? A traveling event? I have begun to search for venues across the state that may want to show this evening of dance films in the spring. I dream about being able to celebrate dance on film, by showing new, experimental, innovative films by dance filmmakers like myself, and also show some of my inspirations...Kiss Me Kate, Singin' in the Rain, films by Maya Deren and old school music videos, like Thriller. I dream of presenting seminars on the history of dance on film, and workshops where people get to experiment with movement on digital media. I dream also, of streaming live over the internet, happenings of general ridiculousness...random dances in fun places, and impromptu pedestrian participation. I relish the possibilities!
Last evening, Brett invited me to the Charlotte Filmmakers Meet-up. I was first of all, happy to notice how well-attended the monthly event was. There were plenty of people...directors, actors, producers, shooters, sound people, and more. Generally, the evening is supposed to be a networking event, where everyone has a chance to introduce themselves, and talk with those who might be interested in the work they do, or interested to collaborate. However, yesterday the evening was dedicated to showing the work of a few Charlotte-based artists, as well as discussion with a fellow NC School of the Arts grad, about his current projects (I did not know him personally while I was there). Though we did not have the opportunity to meet any new film buddies, I am excited to go to the meet-up again next month.
Lastly in the world of the screen, I have finally begun to submit my documentary, "Art for the Living," to film festivals around the country. I am apprehensive about what will happen with the film, as I am certain that it looks like a first doc project by an inexperienced documentary filmmaker. However, I have to stay positive, and hope that someone will want to show the film. Of course, going through this process makes me want to make another doc. I am hungry to learn how to make a compelling, technically sound documentary. Creating beauty on the fly is so much different than our meticulously planned dance films. But I think the art of catching fleeting moments, or letting a story unfold will certainly inform my approach to dance films.
What can I say? I have been hungry for so many things lately. I just want to be able to make whatever I put my mind to. Yesterday, I was asked what part of the many things I do is my favorite. I honestly couldn't pick. I can't have one without the others. And I love them all.
Tomorrow, I go to Charleston to perform with Laura on Thursday for her monthly concert series. I am super excited!!
~Cara
Last evening, Brett invited me to the Charlotte Filmmakers Meet-up. I was first of all, happy to notice how well-attended the monthly event was. There were plenty of people...directors, actors, producers, shooters, sound people, and more. Generally, the evening is supposed to be a networking event, where everyone has a chance to introduce themselves, and talk with those who might be interested in the work they do, or interested to collaborate. However, yesterday the evening was dedicated to showing the work of a few Charlotte-based artists, as well as discussion with a fellow NC School of the Arts grad, about his current projects (I did not know him personally while I was there). Though we did not have the opportunity to meet any new film buddies, I am excited to go to the meet-up again next month.
Lastly in the world of the screen, I have finally begun to submit my documentary, "Art for the Living," to film festivals around the country. I am apprehensive about what will happen with the film, as I am certain that it looks like a first doc project by an inexperienced documentary filmmaker. However, I have to stay positive, and hope that someone will want to show the film. Of course, going through this process makes me want to make another doc. I am hungry to learn how to make a compelling, technically sound documentary. Creating beauty on the fly is so much different than our meticulously planned dance films. But I think the art of catching fleeting moments, or letting a story unfold will certainly inform my approach to dance films.
What can I say? I have been hungry for so many things lately. I just want to be able to make whatever I put my mind to. Yesterday, I was asked what part of the many things I do is my favorite. I honestly couldn't pick. I can't have one without the others. And I love them all.
Tomorrow, I go to Charleston to perform with Laura on Thursday for her monthly concert series. I am super excited!!
~Cara
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Love/Sick...Loved it!
October! Who ever would have thought it would sneak up this fast?!
Though I was sad to see September come to an end, Robert and I were privileged to witness a wonderful beginning on the last day of September. September 30th marked the opening night...the world premiere... of playwright John Cariani's new play, Love/Sick, presented at High Point University! Performed by students at HPU and directed by performing arts faculty member Jay Putnam, the offering proved to be an enjoyable evening in an intimate setting. Love/Sick is a collection of funny, but oddly true-to-life vignettes about love and relationships. Immediately accessible, it becomes obvious that John is holding a mirror up to the audience to look through and reflect upon what they see. Through laughter amid audience members, there were also sounds of realization, surprise and agreement that spoke to the level of engagement in the room. I found myself whispering to Robert at times, and Robert cracking jokes about the characters in the play being very much like "someone he knows." What really made the evening was the obvious commitment of the actors. Their timing was spot-on, their on-stage relationships were dynamic and their transitions were seamless! The play will continue through two weekends, and I must say, I might just go see it one more time before it closes!
~Cara
Though I was sad to see September come to an end, Robert and I were privileged to witness a wonderful beginning on the last day of September. September 30th marked the opening night...the world premiere... of playwright John Cariani's new play, Love/Sick, presented at High Point University! Performed by students at HPU and directed by performing arts faculty member Jay Putnam, the offering proved to be an enjoyable evening in an intimate setting. Love/Sick is a collection of funny, but oddly true-to-life vignettes about love and relationships. Immediately accessible, it becomes obvious that John is holding a mirror up to the audience to look through and reflect upon what they see. Through laughter amid audience members, there were also sounds of realization, surprise and agreement that spoke to the level of engagement in the room. I found myself whispering to Robert at times, and Robert cracking jokes about the characters in the play being very much like "someone he knows." What really made the evening was the obvious commitment of the actors. Their timing was spot-on, their on-stage relationships were dynamic and their transitions were seamless! The play will continue through two weekends, and I must say, I might just go see it one more time before it closes!
~Cara
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