This little ditty  was shot at Lou Conte Dance Studios as I was preparing for rehearsal with the first class of the Pre -Professional Program.  I had a great time working with a talented group of 6.   We used the essence of the phrase and best moment in the dance which is from 2:09-2:37.

 

 

Inspired by environments and capturing moments of movement.  This one is for my talented friend Jessica Cornish  who sent me a video of her dreaming of being on stilts so then I made one for her.  She likes to dance in nature and the outfit reminds me of something she wore in a show.

Jessica also has a way with sounds and listening to the space around her as she moves. The blowing leaves, the wrestling branches.  This one is a bit goofy and she has that in her as well.  The goal is to just respond to what is around and this is one of my favorite spots on Tryon.  I actually created this little path to get closer to the wetlands and to be emerged in the amazing sounds of the birds, frogs, crickets- you name it it is in there.

The sounds and creatures change all the time in that area.  As this was my first year on the farm my goal next year is to document the sound changes more consciously.

 

 

 

 

 

Habits, patterns, vocabulary emerging.  It’s all black and white with a knife hanging over your head.

This was the day before I went to check out what was going on with my right knee.  It was hurting yet I still had to move as I always do.  I sometime wonder when I will stop or when I will see my desire to explore movement subside.

I did not warm up for this one and that is probably the problem.  It’s hard to get to a class or to work out.  I just want to make and to be in a state of discovery and exposing skin, texture, tones in the body.  Where am  I today?  What is coming out of the body at this moment?

I also enjoy watching others moving and observing where they are each day.  I do not teach much anymore which is a strange thing.  I love teaching  I love helping people reach for an extreme physical emotional understanding.  I love coaching performance as well as offering support to their creative process.

I watch a lot of dance especially over my career as a dance artist.  I learn so much about people from the way the move and what they are making.  Subtle shifts in their development – things I usually do not say out loud.  Its an observation like when I am on my walks in the woods – I see the changes everyday of the mushrooms growth and decay.  The color of the fungus on a log.  Daily seasonal changes of a prairie.

That is what watching someone dance can be.  You see it is all happening in the studio.  The rehearsal the development that is the special times.  Stage is a totally different beast of dramatic changes.  That is where an individual comes to the front and absorbs the information of a piece or phrase in new and exhilarating ways.

I think I have some thing here I will explore this further – dance as nature observations and performance as absorbing nature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sept. 1st was the beginning of a new phase of living.  Our apartment was now being rented and we were living out at the farm full time.  So with no place to change and get ready for my night I ended up at Mana and thought I might dance around a bit at HCL.  HCL was full and I realized I was actually suppose to be there for the HCL artist dinner so I made a quick appearance at the event, did a little dance on the 5th floor at the UIC gallery space and then I was off to see the fantastic Fly Honeys Show at the Chopin Theater.

 

Dances with Ginger a new category in my First Dance Series.  We were inspired in the woods.

 

 

Today First Dance features Andy Slavin in two takes on Mana Contemporary’s 6th floor.  I was inspired by the space and Andy made some magic moves.

A new category of First Dance is born – Guest Artists Days

Contact me if you would like to participate.  kristinaisabelledance@gmail.com

Aug. 13th – Logan Center

Another fun stairwell to the bathrooms right off the entrance to the Logan Center.

 

One of my favorite times of the year are when the fields are full of hay bales.   Ginger was an active participant with me as we roamed the fields and danced.