Best Thing about Touring: Gratitude.

One of the best things about touring, or heading to a new theater to dance is the little rituals each space has.  You have your rituals, your company has its own rituals and then the space has its own set.  It's very moving.  Rituals ground you, prepare you for what's next, and make you realize WHY, why you are there.

I recently closed a show at The Dance Center of Columbia College, Chicago with Mordine and Company Dance Theatre.  It was a trip that I couldn't have made without the support of family, friends and acquaintances who helped me so generously through my fundraising campaign.  So it makes it all the more meaningful for me to complete this little ritual...



I made it, I made it, I made it.  And now I'm there, on the wall, next to the names of all those dancers who came before me and struggled to get there just as hard as I did.

*ahhhh*

Heavy moment, and so lovely.

Thank you.

Show Week in Chicago: Itinerary

Show week for Mo&Co at The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago!

Tuesday: tech rehearsal

Wednesday: 10am workshop with Shirley at The American Rhythm Center and I'll be the 11:30am guest speaker for Chicago Semester in the Arts, then on to dress rehearsal.

Thursday: Opening Night at 8pm and post-performance talk!

Friday: Pre-performance talk at 7pm, Show at 8pm and Champagne Reception after!

Saturday: Family Dance at 3pm (bring the kids and boogie) then Show at 8pm.

Sunday: 9am I'll be teaching a Composition Workshop at Northwestern University!

Monday: Fly home to Washington D.C. and miss all of my Chicago friends terribly.

Post by Mordine & Company Dance Theater.

Working on Multiple Dances

Getting work done!  While I'm hanging out in Chicago for the next 2 weeks, I'm often between rehearsals.  The big Mordine and Company show is next weekend at The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago and it's shaping up very well.  We're performing with members of Mucca Pazza, and having musicians in the room while we dance is creating much electricity.

In the mean time I'm (of course) working on the next piece I'm setting on The Collective in Baltimore for their performance on 11/16-17 at The Theater Project.  I've just finished editing the music and re-recording a couple of monologue tracks (my 2nd favorite thing to do).

If you want to see how fast I can talk and how tongue-tied I might get while dancing, come to this show!

http://www.collective-dance.com/performances.html

NOW, if you want to dance with me while I'm in Chicago, come to Company Class with Mordine and Company at Extensions Friday, 9/26 10-11:30 for $10.  I'm teaching an advanced modern class focusing on easy, easy hips.  We'll open them up and see what we get.

Then come see me dance, of course.

And if you're a Northwestern University student, I'm teaching a Laban-based Composition Masterclass on Sunday, Oct. 6th in the ballroom of the Marjorie Ward Marshall Dance Center.

September and October Events

I am gearing up for two performances that I'm very excited about:

The first is a free event on 9/15/13 in Baltimore, MD with The Collective as a part of Akimbo Baltimore at Metro Gallery from 2-5pm.

The second is on 10/3/13-10/5/13 in Chicago, IL with Mordine & Company Dance Theater at The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago. I'm so so so proud to be on the same season as Susan Marshall, Cloud Gate and Bill T. Jones among many other talents. My feet will touch the same stage theirs have and will touch. Giddy! 

Goal Met! I'm going to Chicago!

So, as some of you know, I have been raising travel expenses to get to Chicago.  Why?  Because when I was living there, I was a company member with Mordine and Company Dance Theatre, and right before I left, it was decided that Mo&Co would be one of the season openers on The Dance Center of Columbia College's 40th Anniversary Season.  As The Dance Center is one of the major places to see dance in Chicago, I was very excited.  

Then my husband and I moved.  

I talked to Shirley (Artistic Director of Mo&Co) and said, "If you'll have me, I'll be back to do my role in the piece All At Once" (I'm in the maroon v-neck t-shirt).  She said yes and everything was fine and dandy until...

My husband and I moved to D.C. and because of various misfortunes, went through our pitiful savings at an alarming rate.  After 3 maxed out credit cards and many familial loans later, I was facing calling Shirley and telling her to replace me unless I could fundraise enough money to get to Chicago.  

WELL, I am so happy to announce that with all of your help, I have raised enough to get my tush out to Chicago for rehearsals and the show!  

Thank you so much to my generous donors:
A big thank you to my generous donors on GoFundMe who helped me with travel expenses for the trip!  
Anonymous
Anonymous
Sarah Coffey
Mom & Dad Drake
Diego, Lauren, & Monica
Andrew Lomen
Paula Biasi
Brad and Megan Vollmer
Bart Griepentrog
Anonymous
Kelly Anderson

If you would like to see this exciting show in Chicago on October 3-5, 2013,  click RIGHT HERE for ticket information through The Dance Center's Box Office.  

If you're not in Chicago, then check back here as I blog my way through the rehearsals and show.

Thank you!

Help Send My Dancing Feet To Chicago

AAAAANNNNNNDDDDD, now it's my turn.

After staring, puppy-dog-eyed at so many artist's requests for funding, now I get to ask....

http://www.gofundme.com/3i38p8

Here's the deal: I just moved (for my husband's job - not my choice! But it was his dream-job, so we had to) to Washington D.C. and even though it will be a good move for the long run (thing 10-20 years) it has put my husband and I deeply in debt and me out of a job.

I JUST got a part-time job at the National Zoo, am sub-teaching at a local studio, and am commuting to Baltimore for my new company, but all of that means we're still not able to pay our bills and are leaning heavily on family to get us from month to month.

SO, before we moved, I got and signed onto the fantastic opportunity to go back to Chicago in late September through early October to perform with Mordine and Company Dance Theater and Mucca Pazza at The Dance Center of Columbia College for their 40th Anniversary Season.  This is a big deal.

Now I am faced with the challenge of getting back to Chicago to rehearse, tech, teach masterclasses for children and adults, and dance for one of the most discerning dance audiences I will ever face.

Please consider helping me get there.  I even made a nice little video to show you how hard I've been working over these last few years.

Thank you in advance (for donating OR simply sharing my GoFundMe page with your friends) and here's where you can help:

http://www.gofundme.com/3i38p8

Rehearsing For What's NEXT

Today was our first day back to rehearsal with Mordine and Company after about a month off.  Whew!  One month off feels like 6.  Trying to replace 8 hours of rehearsal per week with other forms of movement is not easy.  I always come back just a little winded, but pick up speed by the second week.

Side note:  Over the break, I got to see Delfos Danza at The Dance Center. Some of the pieces were arrestingly beautiful and they all had astonishing lights.  Go Mexico!

Back to NEXT...
So our next show is called NEXT and is at Hamlin Park on May 16-17th, 2013.  Then I move to Washington D.C. like, the next day.  It's going to drive me a little crazy, but I did it in Miami, I can do it in Chicago.

NEXT is all about up and coming choreographers in Chicago being mentored by our own Artistic Director, Shirley Mordine.  So, the show will be a dance film by company member, Monica Thomas, a group work by Shirley, and 2 trios by the "mentees".  I can tell you that so far, one is about organic food and the other is about health care.  Very timely.

So, we're now shuffling around our schedules (outside of our regular rehearsal times: Mon/Wed/Fri 10am to about 2pm) and seeing who is available when to rehearse where with what mentee and then, away we go!  Thank goodness it's all paid rehearsal because extra rehearsal time means less regular day-job-y work.  Or in my case, a turned-down teaching gig here or a turned down extra shift at The Dance Center there.

Which brings me to another side note: When possible, gravitate towards companies that pay hourly for rehearsal rather than a big chunk of money for a performance.  Rehearsal is like sleep.  It takes up a BIG chunk of your working hours and you need to get paid for that.  Some (not all, but many) choreographers who just pay for the show waste lots and lots of rehearsal time.  They're also the ones who usually get free/cheap space.  If you do work for a choreographer that prefers to pay on a show day, make sure they have a rehearsal schedule set up before-hand (get that shit in writing) and then divide the final pay by the hours you are scheduled to rehearse.  If you're not making minimum wage, you either better be just starting out and building your resume, truly enamored of the choreography, or doing the choreographer a favor so that they'll dance in your piece for free too.

The end.

Oh, wait.  I'm also totally coming back to Chicago for Mordine's big show with Mucca Pazza at The Dance Center in October, 2013.  Just click on the link and TRY to tell me that's not rad.  So, if you're from the area, I'll be around September in the teens through the show and I'm available to teach masterclasses.  Hit me up.

The Show Is Finished, But The Biggest Show Is Yet To Come...

So the show I performed in this weekend with Mordine and Company is over.  Thank you, thank you, I worked very hard, went on a cleanse (no booze, no candy - it's very complicated), and bitched to my husband 2 or 3 times about how stressed out I was.  All signs of a typical show weekend.  And I think it went well.  Actually, I'm quite pleased with myself.  I didn't fall on my ass once.  Now there's a hallmark of a successful run.

I did slip and slide a few times, but thankfully I'm like a freaking cat.  Not everyone knows this, but it's actually quite miraculous that modern dancers make it through a whole weekend of shows without stepping on someone, getting kicked in the head, falling down, or falling off of something.  I mean, have you seen us?  We're like, throwing ourselves all over the place at about 10 miles an hour.

Anyhoo, my fellow dancers danced so well, and we were told that we really looked cohesive and evenly matched (which is difficult in a regional dance company where turn-over can sometimes be high).  Clinard Dance Theater and Deeply Rooted Productions  were lovely too and we all enjoyed sneaking out of the dressing room to see them.

This Friday, I'm having a discussion with Shirley (our Artistic Director) about what's up next for me.  Here's the big news... I'm moving (AGAIN!?) to Washington D.C. with my husband for his job.  It's a good enough job where he's just got to take it.  It's the equivalent of me getting into Bill T. Jones.  I'd drop whatever I was doing and would leave so quick, your head would spin.

Washington D.C. will be my next big thing (or slightly smaller thing because the dance scene ain't so large) starting in late May.  I'm super creative, smart, and fun to be around, so tell your D.C. friends I'm a-comin' and to roll out the marley floor.  We'll tear it up once I get there.

All At Once

So this weekend I'm seeing myself onstage.  I'm sure I'll give you a glowing review after the weekend.

I'll be performing with Mordine and Company at Stage 773 Feb. 28-March 3.  You can even get $5 off tickets for Thursday and Sunday HERE.  We've got guest artists, an oldie and a newie that I took part in creating.  Those of you who know my moves will see my signature style in there.  :-)

I'm all a twitter about it because it'll be my first big performance in Chicago and I collect performances in different cities like Girl Scout badges.  It's a little like collecting states you've driven through, or countries you've vacationed in, but with career benefits.  You get bragging rights, but you also get a little more clout in the dance world because if you've danced in one more city, it means that someone wanted you to dance there.  It's a little ego stroke for you and a little reputation builder for your resume.

Now, I'm not touring with Petronio or anything 'cause that's not in the cards for me... but I do the best with what I've got and dammit, I'm proud of it.

Moonlighting

I'm moonlighting on the blog of the company I dance for.  Read my latest entry, all about what it's like to be a newbie in a new company:
http://mordinedance.blogspot.com/

Thank Goodness for Company Class

I'm back in the land of the frigid north.

My 33-year-old dancing body doesn't warm up as well in Chicago as it did in Miami.  There's no way around that.  Yes, I know that's still young in human years, but dance-years are like dog-years: not as kind.  You try pirouetting into a jump that lands on top of your feet/shins in a cross-legged position and hops into side lunge after walking 5 blocks in -13 degree windchill.  It's a bit shocking.

Whatever.  My point is that once the actual winter hit (not this global-warming-induced bathwater we were calling December) it suddenly became a huge chore to get myself to any class outside of the one I teach twice a week and company class.  I am thoroughly convinced that all studio classes must suffer immensely when the cold hits, because I do.  If it weren't for company class, I'd be losing ankle-strength faster than I lose my willpower in the Warm Ups section on DiscountDance.com.

If you're a dancer, you've been there.  You get a couple of weeks off for Christmas and before you know it, you can't releve on one foot any more (not to mention that putting on a leotard and tights is a little harrowing after all that eggnog).

So here's to company class!  You and I will always be best friends.  You have saved me from myself many a Christmas season, and may you continue to do so for many a year to come.  And I pledge, if I ever start my own company, I will arrange company class before every rehearsal.  Amen.

All Work and No Dance Makes Katie a B**ch

Today I'm grumbling because Mordine and Co. is on break so I'm not dancing as regularly.  I usually get my butt into Visceral Dance Center (Lou Conte is good too, but they have only SCAAAAARY pro-ballet in the morning whereas Visceral's adv/pro ballet isn't so scary.) but this is the end of the semester at UW-Milwaukee, where I teach, and I have a crap-load of grading to do.  Then my receptionist gig at The Dance Center of Columbia College  in the evenings to pay the rent.

Working there is great because I get a free ticket to their Presenting Series and therefore get to see even more dance on my limited budget.  Plus, when I'm reception-ing, I can use all the rollers they have scattered about the building.

But at this point with a whole 5 days between me and my last dance class, I'm only bitching about work, so let me get back to it.  For those of you who don't have the dance-addiction it's like this: you know when you haven't eaten in a while and you're like "no one talk to me until I shove this cookie in my mouth or I'll bite your head off"?  Well, it's similar with dancing.  I'm going to be grumpy until my next class.  And no, the yoga-home-practice and pirouettes I did in my living room didn't help at all.  They just pissed off my downstairs neighbor and made my husband laugh at me while we watched the Bears lose to the Vikings.

So I'm off to read all of my students Movement Analysis papers (at least it's about dance) and try to pry my brain away from the internet so I will actually finish instead of looking up PhD programs and interesting choreography.  CONCENTRATE!  Maybe I need to unplug my internet...