Chilly Colors

Though chilly, today was a beautiful day. Sunny as it was, I decided to ditch the gray and black I've been wearing over the past gloomy week and replace it with colors I love: deep teal, sky blue and dark purple. The day did not go entirely as planned, but there were some good parts. I think my favorite part of the day was spent sitting at my mom and dad's house, right in front of my father's drum kit, as he explained, and played for me some of his current thoughts and explorations. I tilted my head to one side, and let the vibration literally pour into my ear.

Activity at HPU is still in full swing. Last evening, after the technically rocky, but overall artistically successful (the actors not only did a wonderful job in general, but dealt with the technical difficulties with absolute grace and professionalism!) opening of "True West," we announced next year's season which seemed to go over very well! I am super excited about the plays we're presenting next year, but most of all, I'm excited about our dance concert. I'm very much looking forward to working with the students in this new capacity. They are now getting a taste of what a dance rehearsal experience is like with our Millie rehearsals, but I think a dance only concert will help to bring their awareness of the importance of movement in theater to a new level.

Composition class this week was interesting. We worked on some exercises involving different modes of communication, as well as some exercises where the students got their first taste of directing other dancers. They were enthused and delighted by these exercises, and became excited about seeing their peers act out their kinetic desires. Further than that, they became excited by the surprises and metamorphosis that came from directing bodies that are different from their own. I presented their first big project this week. They will begin work on their solos for our showing, but they did not seem as excited about this as I'd hoped. I know it is because they had already been dreaming and scheming about what their solos would look and feel like. I'm sure they had music already picked out, and were thinking of moves they'd put into their dances. But I rattled them up. I gave parameters.

-Their music must be music they have never heard previous to their project.

-Their music must have no words.

-Their music must be about two minutes (give or take).

-They must find an existing score from which to base their solos off of (this could be an actual musical score, or a recipe from a cookbook, or a set of building instructions, etc., any skeleton that could be abstracted).

We discussed the concept of a score at length in class this week. The students came up with some wonderful definitions of the word/concept, and also some amazing movement sequences. I know their bubbles are a little burst at the moment, but I just know their projects will come out beautifully!

My last little bit of news: I have received a Graduate Scholar Award from the 2011 Arts In Society Conference in Berlin! My conference fee is now waived, and I will play an active role over the course of the conference; introducing speakers, chairing sessions, helping with conference logistics, in addition to presenting my workshop! I'm so excited. I hope this trip will be the networking opportunity that brings me closer to traveling with my work.

It isn't late quite yet, but I am very tired. It is time to sleep. Until next time!

~Cara