November 6, 2013
I’m very
excited for the informal showing tomorrow evening. We have a nice 4-6 person audience of
critical eyes, and perhaps a few additional guests from our production team.
I’m feeling
great about the piece and am so pleased and privileged to work with such a
wonderful cast. Thank you all for your hard work. If you have a couple minutes
to arrive early and change into costume, I would very much appreciate it.
I have a
few notes for tomorrow’s performance on the choreography/costuming, which I’ve
included below, as well as the links to videos of almost all of the work we’ve
done.
Choreography
Boxes
Section:
1.
Looks
great – keep thinking “gestural.”
2.
For
walking section –
a.
On
the first walks with the butt sticking out, it should take 2 sets of quick 8
counts (so 12345678, 12345678) – please be sure to keep this circle big and
avoid cutting corners. This will probably mean larger steps once you get to the
quick thoracic walks (think coming from the pelvis).
3.
On
the pointy finger phrase –
a.
Folks
on stage left, if you wouldn’t mind reviewing the reversed version a couple of
times, I’d very much appreciate it. I know we didn’t get much time to spend on
it.
4.
For
walking section #2 –
a.
On
the walks around the cables in a tight circle, think tight and fast. We should
be able to get around the circle twice.
b.
I
noticed we tend to sit down pretty close to the cables. When we sit down at the
end, try to think of taking a step back with your derière.
Cable
Table:
1.
Great
as always.
2.
On
the last cable pull, think true competition/”I’m going to get this cable if
this is the last thing I do.” When you feel Hannah/kind-of Angela start to win,
let them have it.
Trio/Solo/Duo
Section:
1.
Alex
and Molly – Great DNA strand pause.
2.
Hannah
– Great expansive feeling. Maybe think even more backwards motion on the three
backwards jumps toward stage left.
3.
Ian
and Angela – Let’s make sure that after the crabby waddle bit we do our side
arabesque and then just three steps up the cable before turning over our
upstage shoulders to walk for three, serve a dish, walk for three, serve a
dish, walk for three and jump
4.
Shannon
– the movement is looking great. On this section if you might be able to think
of that same cleaning feeling after you’ve dropped the cable, so sweeping,
clearing, opening a door feelings, that would be wonderful. Same for the spider
section at the end. If you might now be able to go back to the feeling of feet
lunging and torso/arms sweeping up behind, that would be great as well.
Rivendell:
Ah, the problematic section. I had
another moment as I seem to be prone to do, and came up with the following
thoughts. We will definitely work on this tomorrow some before the showing. The
piece of music I think we’ll use for the showing is “Classical Gas” by Mason
Williams.
Order of
Events –
1.
Post-Shannon
a.
All
stand with hands on bellies as we did in the last run
b.
All
take 7 steps back so we end on our left foot back
c.
All
begin lunges – we will do four lunges all together. It will be important that
we stay with each other in timing and positioning (so keeping that outwards
expanding feel) and that they get progressively faster.
d.
On
the fifth lunge, women continue with Rivendell phrase and men fall back down
over right shoulder and inch toward each other, pulling with arms and legs sort
of drag along behind.
e.
On
completion of Rivendell, women fall over right shoulders and inch toward the
cable pile, pulling with arms and legs sort of drag along behind. Men stand and
Alex immediately falls into leading running circle.
f.
Shannon
and Hannah unravel. It looks great. A couple of things –
i. Hannah – if you could maybe stay in
place like you were before to allow the cable to wrap around your waist a bunch
that would be great. Maybe stand on the box?
ii. Hannah and Shannon – I think for the
showing we won’t bring the boxes closer together. However, I really like it and
would like to work on it on Sunday.
g.
Men’s
duet – beautiful work. A few notes –
i. Ian – on first lift, think of almost
running and tripping over Alex, which consequently leads your body to bend over
him and slide off
ii. Alex – on all the moments right
before Ian throws himself at you, maybe think not of preparing to catch him,
but happening to be there just at the right moment.
iii. Ian and Alex – at each moment, think
about why you are going where you are going? Why do you pause? Why do you keep
moving? Decide for yourselves what you feel your intention is in each moment.
h.
Molly/Angela Duet does not take
place. Instead…
i.
Everyone
except for Shannon and Hannah does box belly phrase from the beginning from
exactly where they are (Ian laying on ground, Alex sitting next to Ian in
opening Cable Table section position, Molly and Angela from backstage so maybe
bellies poke out through the opening in the curtain or we enter or something of
the sort).
j.
End Section
This is where I think we’ll end the
Rivendell section at the showing tomorrow. We’ll then immediately skip to Under
Pressure once the cable has been unraveled.
Under
Pressure
1.
Shannon
and Angela
a.
I
like what’s happening here. We’ll just keep playing with it.
2.
Cable
section
a.
Wait
for music to start before walking on.
b.
It’s
interesting. I’m not quite sure what’s happening, but I think there’s something
here to sort through and work with. We’ll keep solidifying what it is on
Sunday, but for now just keep doing what we have.
Costumes
Underwear:
Molly and
Hannah – please bring nude- or orange-colored undergarments if possible. If
not, we’ll go for black
Shannon and
Angela – please bring black undergarments if possible (sports bra/non-thong
underwear – I’m curious about the blatantly visible look since it seems we
won’t be able to avoid some kind of visibility)
Ian and
Alex – please bring dance belts
Alex –
please bring your khaki shorts
Hair:
Alex – as
is
Ian – as is
but combed
Molly –
half-ponytail (I have some orange hair ties for your that Hillary has kindly
shared)
Hannah –
ponytail
Shannon –
clean braid (I have some orange hair ties for you as well)
Angela – clean ponytail
