RDE Open Studio Show- Raw footage

It is very difficult to allow the perfectionism in me to die for a moment, so that in its place great beauty might flourish in its rawest form. When the RDE company offered the opportunity to teach 4 choreographic installments over 1 month, and then to perform said pieces for an un-rehearsed showcase at the end of the month– Well, I was terrified, but inspired by the magnitude of the challenge.

It is also rare that I am able to perform in pieces that I choreograph, as the rehearsal process often requires the choreographer to not actually be part of what is being created. The video at the bottom of this post contains within it 3 pieces, each of varying lengths; the first having been learned less than 24 hours before the actual in studio performance took place! To sum up my experience with this small showcase, one need only hear my Father’s reaction- he was actually quoted saying, “That was awesome.” And if you know my Father, you know he is anything but a fan of dance.

Even in moments when it’s clear not everyone is “together” or even fully understanding the movements I threw at them, there’s a passion being displayed in the way in which they performed that truly moved me. We were all exhausted after each class, seeing as they usually ran well past bed time, but the energy being created was well worth the effort.

Here is a brief synopsis of each piece in order-
The first piece:
Music and Title-
“Lovely” -Billie Keilish feat. Khalid
This smaller choreographic story was born out of frustration at home with our domestically abusive neighbors. Their children would come to us for basic needs like water, and it was becoming commonplace to hear the couple fight orally and physically. I was deeply saddened by the proximity of such violence to my family, and I was brought back to many of the suppressed emotions from when I was in an abusive relationship many years ago. This song is meant to be a cynical nod towards a messed up life being “lovely” on the outside, but every bit as destructive and painful in reality. Melissa Dawn was my soloist in the center as she was the only one not performing on pointe (hence the different choreography). This was the piece learned at 10pm the night before the show… quite amazing results if you ask me 🙂

Piece number 2 is still in process-
Titled- “The Cosmonaut”
Music- “Intro” & “A Moment Apart” -ODESZA
a Contemporary piece build around an astronaut’s experience as he/she descends into madness. Many topics are explored throughout, from the strange relationship many of us have to ballet, to the dichotomies of marriage and hate, love and vulnerability in life. The full piece will be set on a group I teach in Hawaii that is much younger, but very open to such explorative work.

The 3rd Piece-
Titled- “Faces of Rain”
Music- “Bloom” -ODESZA
This was originally a solo work commissioned with only a week’s notice for a show here in Hawaii. I then repeated that process (again with a week’s notice) for an in-studio version during a grand opening of our second space. When asked to bring choreography to share in Montana I couldn’t help but envision this colorful work as a group piece. It dives into the many “faces” or rain, from joyous and life-giving, to destructive and terrifying, so it’s vivacious and interesting to watch all the way through.

I hope you enjoy this small performance as much as I enjoyed performing in it 🙂 Thank you again to the lovely ladies of the Raisin De’etre Company, and to Jeanne Moe for sponsoring the workshop series. Jeanne has always seen my dancing with eyes of love and opportunity- thank you again Jeanne!!

You can donate to RDE here –

https://www.raisondetredance.org

If you would like to help these amazing women continue their many ventures in self improvement and creation.