Branch Dancing in the Bronx --- Weekend 1

from left to right: Arthur Aviles Jumatatu Poe, Nadine Martinez,
Stephanie Peña, Maria Meli, Marsi Burns

Great weekend branch dancing in the boogie down Bronx with the extraordinary  Arthur Aviles, along with Marsi Burns, Maria Meli, Dorrell Clark, Kharis Collins, Nadine Martinez, Stephanie Peña, Niko Rodriguez, Ni'Ja Whitson Adebanjo, and Glitch Rivera, & DeShawn White.   Katie Jasmin, and Jumatatu Poe were my assistants.

From Lto R: DeShawn White, Maria Meli, Stephanie Peña
Arthur Aviles, Katie Jasmin

Teaching a group of Bronx-based choreographers the branch dance performance practice over the course of three weekends is a wonderful opportunity to share the work and try out the practice in an urban setting.  Aviva Davidson of Dancing in the Streets has brought together a powerful collaboration. 


BAAD Bronx is hosting the workshop.   It’s a perfect site; its new home is on the grounds of St Peter’s Episcopal Church on Westchester Square.   We can warm-up inside and then branch dance among the trees on the grounds or step out onto the street.  

Marsi Burns and Nadine Martinez                                

The other partner, Westchester Square BID has invited us to do a Branch Dances Demonstration in the  Fair in the Square next Saturday  from 1:30-3 and to conduct a branch dance workshop for senior citizens in The Owen Dolen Park Recreational Center on the Square the following Saturday.  The workshop will culminate with a public performance on the St Peter’s Church grounds on Sunday May 18  at 1:30.

Glitch Rivera & Jumatu Poe

It’s a lot! Yet my experience is that this is often the best way to learn.  We form new neural pathways through intensive repetition and immersion.  I call this performance practice because ideally there is no difference between practicing and performing.   Having the participants teach/explain the practice to passersby at the fair or in the workshop for seniors will also accelerate the learning, the owning of the practice for themselves.  Experience equals knowledge. 

The intergenerational group is wonderful; everybody is respectful and open to the practice.  We practice various techniques to tune into our bodies.

Dorrell Clark & Arthur Aviles

Breathing, scanning through the body, opening our joints, releasing our weight, matching the energy at the point of contact, maintaining a soft stillness, leading and following with blindfolds, balancing branches on the vertical and horizontal, hanging on the branches, finally moving as a group on the street.   

NikoRodriguez & Katie Jasmin

     

Kharis Collins & Glitch Rivera

DeShawn White & Ni'Ja Whitson Adebanjo

Gentle intensity.

Stephanie Peña & Jumatatu Poe

Ni'Ja Whitson Adebanjo

Building trust.  Caring for ourselves and others.  Gratitude. 

Branch Dancing in the Bronx!!!

DANCING IN THE STREETS & BAAD,  in partnership with Westchester Square BID,  present a branch dance performance,  Sunday, May 18, 2014, 1:30 pm, on the grounds of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 2500 Westchester Ave, Bronx, NY 10461.  FREE!

Merián Soto, Arthur Aviles, Marion Ramírez, Beau Hancock, and 9  Bronx-based dancers dance with large tree branches.  As they move in response to the branches’ heft, form, and texture, they evoke the sensual, mysterious, and kinetic force of nature.

Hope to see you there!

Spring is here

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Spring is here, at last!

Its wonderful to enjoy the change of season by practicing branch dancing outdoors.  

Here with Marija Krtolica, Elisa Davis, Amanda DiLudovico, Natalia Alvarez-Figueroa and Jimena Alviar.





Check out How To Dance With Branches links:

Centering/Point of Contact

Hanging

and

On Working with Branches

Branch Dances @ the Barnes; Tomorrow, Wed, June 12, at 8PM.

 Branch Dances @ the Barnes.  Tomorrow, Wed, June 12, at 8PM.   Presented by Dance USA Philadelphia for the opening of the annual national Dance USA Conference.  

Click for video:
Rehearsal, June 10, 2013

 

Photo: Lindsay Browning

Branch Dances at the Barnes Foundation, Wed, June 12

Ahhh!  It's good to back!

Marion Ramírez. Photo:Bill Hebert

I'm excited to be presenting another set of  Branch Dances at the Barnes Foundation next Wednesday, June 12, during the opening reception of the Dance USA Conference.  I'm happy to have the opportunity to show the work in this context, and for this audience (a  who's who of Philadelphia dance and beyond).

SoMoS was selected for presentation at the conference as a "presenters' pick" during the recent Philadelphia Dance Showcase.  Also on the program are Kun Yang Lin, Anne Marie Mullgrew, and Tori Lawrence.

The Barnes is a perfect venue for a bare bones version of the Branch Dances. The elegant architecture brings out the aesthetic power and compelling expressivity of the straight-on performance practice.   Olive Prince, Beau Hancock, Jung Woong Kim, and Marion Ramírez will be performing three movement structures from SoMoS; no projections.  Beau will be inside with his heroic version of Jumatatu Poe's bundle dance.  Olive will  be guarding the entrance performing her extraordinary solo with two giant branches; Marion and Jung Woong will perform their sensual vining duet along the reflecting pool.   Christine Darch is creating new costumes for the occasion.   Harold S. Smith will  accompany us on the didgeredoo.   It promises to be a  kinesthetic, aural, and visual feast!

Marion Ramírez. Photo: Bill Hebert

Even though its a private event,  passersby can catch the outdoor  performances along the reflecting pool and the entrance starting at 8:00PM (at no cost).  If you are attending the conference, make sure you plan to stay to the end of the event so you see the entire 30 minute  performance which begins at 8PM.

The weather promises to be delightful.   I hope you will join us!


Directions to Barnes Foundation