Tonight – Saturday, February 6th, at 7 PM, Yow Dance will collaboratewith with Valencia Dance and the Dr. Phillips High School Dance department at the Dr. Phillips High School Auditorium (6500 Turkey Lake Road) at part of Arts Fest. This is the sixth year these three dance companies have joined together on the same stage.
Yow Dance marks itself as Central Florida’s most dynamic modern dance company. I went to a rehearsal at the Center for Contemporary Dance in Winter Park. Artistic Director Eric Yow was nice enough to take the time to explain a little bit about what they were rehearsing the night I sketched them. “We were rehearsing “Compromising Raven”, a favorite piece of older repertory. The music was by Philip Glass. The theme of the piece is quite dark. Iit is about rising above those oppressive feelings that may come about from any of the many variables around you.”
Besides drawing dancers at rest and stretching in the background, I sketched a section of the dance where the dancers would be on their knees and bent over in what looked like a position of reverent prayer. They would then slowly rise up into the position sketched and then roll over and repeat the movements. These dancers put in some long hard hours. I had arrived a bit late to the rehearsal since once again, I got lost looking for the place. But I think that panicked, rushed quality to the sketch actually helped breath new life into the sketch.
One of the dancers had her son on the sidelines as she rehearsed. As expected, he became infatuated with what I was doing. He stood beside me pointing to each of the dancers as I drew then and he would identify them for me. When he stood in front of me, David Mooney had to come over and pull him aside. The boy had a non-stop stream of questions and I patiently answered them, but it was a little distracting at times. Dance rehearsals are always inspiring with the non-stop movement and high energy. My sketch developed in pieces as I caught dancers at different times during the rehearsal freezing them at the moment when they best filled their role in my composition. In this way sketching is alot like theater viewpoints exercises, I try and capture scattered illusive moments in time as the action unfolds quickly before me.
Voci Dance – iMove_2.0: iCandy
Sketching Voci Dance rehearsals for iMove_2.0: iCandy, which has its final performance tonight, has been a pure joy. I sit still for so long in the wings, and I am so quiet that I think the dancers forget that I am even there. This suspicion is confirmed when the dancers start joking with one another about their boobs getting in the way during certain dance moves. Genevieve Bernard, Voci’s artistic director and choreographer, shouted out to me from where she was sitting, that such discussions are quite common among the dancers. The choreography is athletic and challenging but the dancers fearlessly push themselves time and again until the moves are worked out. This routine being worked out was being co-choreographed by two of the dancers, Leah Marke and Amanda Oost Bradberry. When giving notes, Leigh acted like a Russian taskmaster for a moment; saying, “You must focus!” (pronounced fuckus). Everyone laughed. McClaine Timmerman said to the choreographers, “You must get twice the pay, as dancers and choreographers.” Later Genevieve explained to me that everything in this show had to be begged for, borrowed or stolen. This was being thrown together on a showstring with love and faith that it would all fall together come performance day.
The music for this piece was a light enjoyable song with the refrain of love, being sung seven times. One challenging move took the longest time to develop. It involved Kathryn Tosh lying on her back, and Naomi Rhema running towards her crouching down and allowing her pelvis to be supported by Kathryn’s feet. She would then use her legs like springs and launch Naomi backwards and up. Other dancers supported Naomi, allowing her to gracefully float back and then land. I didn’t try to catch the dancers in moments of fast motion but instead focused on their relaxed poses as they discussed notes and shared ideas. This was a constant collaboration; ideas came from everyone. Critical thinking was relaxed so they could explore and find new territory.
In the spirit of audience interactivity toward which the event is geared, a cell phone photo contest has been initiated in which you could win a date with a Voci dancer. Darn technology is always stealing the thunder from urban sketchers. Tonight is your last chance to see this amazing show and shoot some sweet cell phone photos.
FRESH – Building a Tree
Becky Rankin is seen here adding the finishing touches to a huge tree trunk that now acts as the centerpiece to the FRESH performances now going on at the Cameo Theater. I watched Becky as she delicately interwove branches into the rope and potato sack-like structure. In the background, Christie Miga, one of the DRIP art directors, is working on a waterfall installation which is also part of the show. Christie put out a request for various forms of junk which she wanted to use as the raw materials to built the set pieces. I bought in a VCR and an old air conditioning unit. My VCR can be seen in the foreground of the sketch with its various wires now acting as the delicate inner workings of an exotic plastic flower made from a soda bottle. Using everyday objects in unconventional ways is seen throughout the DRIP installations. Tree branches which had been painted white can be seen at the front of the warehouse. I find myself drawn back time and time again to see what they will come up with next.
Evan Miga told me it took two trips in a U-Haul truck to transfer all of these creations to the Cameo Theater, where they then had just two days to set everything up and make sure it all worked. Evan said that he had tree branches sticking out all around him as he drove to the Cameo in the truck.
I spent all of yesterday at the Cameo setting up a display of my 2009 sketchbooks. Keeping with the theme of the whole show, I ended up hanging my work in a rather unconventional way using found objects and plenty of creativity. I thought it would take only an hour to hang the show, but when the ideas started flowing, I found myself lost in the process for the whole afternoon. From my garage, I bought in some folding closet doors that had been sitting unused for years. I also bought in various Indian drapes and pillows to decorate the space. I had decided to share the space with photographer, Tisse Mallon. She hung her photos from vines made from rope and fabrics. I was delighted at how seamlessly we designed the space. I was amazed that Louise Bova, another exhibiting artist, had bought in folding doors almost identical to the doors I had decided to bring in. This sort of melding of creative minds happened more than once, making it seem like these choices were preordained.
The first run-through in the Cameo Theater in front of a select audience was thrilling to say the least. FRESH indulges all the senses so you really have to experience it for yourself to truly understand it, but I will be sharing many sketches in the next few weeks since FRESH is as exciting as the Moulin Rouge.
Dinner events for couples:
Feb. 5-6 8PM
Feb. 11-12 8PM
Feb. 13, 6:30PM, 9PM
Feb. 14, 6PM, 8:30PM
Brunch events:
Feb. 6th Kids FRESH 11AM (Presented by PLAYGROUND Magazine & Misty Forest Enchantment Center)
Feb. 13 Friends and Singles 12PM
Feb. 14 Big Gay Brunch 12PM
Complimentary Childcare during dinner events on Feb. 13 & 14. (Provided by Misty Forest Enchantment)
Emotions Dance
Larissa Humiston, the artistic director and choreographer of Emotions Dance, invited me out to see the rehearsals for “Muddle” which will be performed Saturday, February 6th at 7 Pm and on Sunday, February 7th at 7PM. “Muddle” combines live music by Damien Simon with a series of dances that illustrate the struggle between the seven sins and seven virtues. Inscribed on one of the dancers shirts read “Evoke emotion through motion.”
When I arrived the first day, there was a couple finishing up a ballroom dance lesson in the studio; a lesson on the box step. As dancers arrived, they started to warm up. Larissa welcomed me immediately with a hand shake and said she was excited to see what I do. At first, dancers worked on individual sections working out minor kinks. Later, Larissa had them run through the entire show. This is when the emotional impact of the show truly hit me. I had written down the sins and virtues as a guide, but it was fun to just watch and guess the sins and virtues based on the performances. They were: Temperance & Gluttony, Kindness & Envy, Charity & Greed, Chastity & Lust, Pride & Humility, Sloth & Diligence, Wrath & Patience.
I really loved watching Wrath & Patience. This dancing combination had the greatest contrast of emotions and Dion Leonhard Smith did an amazing job expressing Wrath. She transformed into a vicious beast, her back bending backwards at impossible angles and her hands clenched in fists of rage. The Chastity & Lust performance was also fun for a similar reason. The contrast was extreme and entertaining. For this performance, Dion would be on point as a ballerina, her hands graceful and demure, in stark contrast to her later performance. Cindy Heen did a wonderfully lustful dance that should please any boyfriends who were talked out of watching the Super Bowl.
When the run through was finished, Larissa asked the dancers to gather into the “Circle of friendship.” All the dancers sat around in a semicircle and Larissa offered notes and suggestions. To Amanda Cariotto she said “Remember you are humility, you need to be soft in the face. It is all in the line of the body as well, humble soft, eyes down.” As a general note, Larissa reminded the dancers to be mindful of what they express through their face as well as the dance. She was very worried that people might show up at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center on Virginia, which is the home for the Orlando Ballet. The Dr. Philips Center for the Performing Arts they are performing at is located across from City Hall at 455 South Orange Avenue. She was also concerned that the performance on Saturday would be packed and Sunday’s performance empty because of the Super Bowl. So any women out there reading, if you want to know just how much your man loves you, ask him to come out on Sunday to see this amazing performance. He will be pleasantly surprised.
P.S. I tried to convince my wife to see this dance performance but she insists on watching the big game.
iMove 2.0: iCandy
Genevieve Bernard invited me to stop in and sketch some Voci Dance rehearsals. The first rehearsal I sketched was at a dance studio in Baldwin Park right near Colonial Drive. As often happens, I had trouble finding the place. I actually pulled right into the parking lot, but the door said it was an art gallery so I left and searched for another building. I finally returned and opened the gallery door. The art gallery was dark. In the far back corner of the gallery I saw a bright light coming from a back room and I noticed mirrors and realized I was at the right place.
When I walked in, dancers were still stretching in the back room of the art gallery. Since rehearsal hadn’t started yet for these dancers, I decided to sketch them as they warmed up.
The first dance routine they started rehearsing involved the dancers sitting in chairs in a large circle. I was still finishing up the first sketch when Amanda Oost Bradberry asked if she could use the chair I was sitting in and she offered me a cushioned folding chair as a replacement. I was glad to oblige. I rushed the gallery sketch so I could get into the dance studio and see what they were doing. I often find myself struggling to finish my art as life plows forward.
The chair routine was graceful and a joy to watch. I liked seeing how the dancer’s backs arched and their arms flowed in serpentine patterns. In a part of the routine the dancers ran their fingers through their hair as if they were sensually washing it.
The dance studio had one mirrored wall and it resembled a stage even having curtain dividers going back stage. A large black garage door could be opened to join two studio spaces making one large space if needed. There was a playful experimental quality to the whole rehearsal. There was a constant high energy as these women pushed the limits of what was physically possible in dance. I grew exhausted just watching them work and stretch themselves, yet I could not convince myself to leave. I constantly felt the next moment would hold yet another great sketch opportunity.
iMove_2.0: iCandy will be performed February 5th and 6th at 7:30 PM at the Say it Loud Warehouse (1121 North Mills Avenue, Orlando). The building is bright orange on the corner of Highland Avenue and you can not miss it. The first 50 tickets each night are free from the United Arts web site. Otherwise, $10 at the door. There is parking on Mills and all the side streets. This promises to be an amazing event. More posts to come…
Highland Cattle
At the Scottish Highland Games I noticed some people wandering around with these placid quiet cattle on a tether. I didn’t get too close since the horns looked very sharp. At the crest of a hill beneath a huge Oak tree, I found this small enclosure with several adults and quite a few calfs. Even though there was plenty of hay to eat in the enclosure the cattle would always approach anyone who held a handfull of hay for them to eat. They kept sticking their wet noses through the bars near me and looking at me with their sad eyes. I guess they thought I had some tender morsel hidden in my sketch pad. Karen Cali, a fellow urban sketcher, was also at the Highland Games and when I told her I had sketched the cattle, she said, “They are hairy and horny just like most men I have known.”
Later near the games fields, I was walking over to the food booths, one of which featured a picture of one of these cattle, and the sign said this was the finest, most tender beef you would ever eat. They were selling Highland Beef burgers, but I didn’t have the heart to try one. As I got closer to the burger stand, I almost stepped in a large pile of dung. I wondered aloud, “They must have been bringing over one of the cattle on a tether and he read the sign and realized his fate.”
Carousel of Progress 35th Anniversary
To commemorate the Carousel of Progress’ 35th anniversary at the Magic Kingdom, Brian Feldman decided to experience the ride, his favorite, for as long as the park was open that day – 11 hours straight. In order for me to sketch Brian’s performance, I had to arrange some way to get into the park without paying a fortune. I put out a request via Facebook, and Lon Smart, a former Disney Feature Animation colleague, offered to get me in. As I was driving down World Drive toward the Magic Kingdom, Brian Feldman gave me a call and explained that he had arranged for a travel agency to supply him with a ticket. When he got to the Disney World will call ticket booth, he was asked for his ID or drivers license. It was only then that he realized he had forgotten his license, at home: it was sitting on the kitchen table. Brian’s performance had been on the news that morning, yet the Cast Member stood fast and refused to give him the ticket.
I called Lon who was converging on the Magic Kingdom on his motorcycle, trying to explain the situation, but our connection was cut off. When I met Brian at the Monorail, I told him Lon might be able to save the day and get both of us in. As we waited at the entrance to the Magic Kingdom, Brian and I both noticed a man holding a black box with a yellow cord hanging from it that looked suspiciously like a fuse. I was standing near a trash can and the man approached me and dropped something inside the can. Needless to say,I backed away from the trash can quickly. The man later handed the black box to someone else who walked away with it. We never did find out what was in the black box.
Lon arrived and was happy to get both Brian and myself into the park. As we walked down Main Street, U.S.A., Lon explained to us that the Carousel of Progress is slated to be disassembled and moved to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. He knows what will replace the attraction, but is sworn to secrecy.
There was no line to get on the Carousel of Progress. Brian and I entered the theater the first time with six or seven other people. A Cast Member announced, “Please no eating, drinking, video or photography.” They did not say anthing about sketching, so I immediately set up my portable stool so I could look down the front row of the theater with Brian in the foreground, and started to sketch. The Carousel tells the story of the evolution of technology in 20th century America. According to the show introduction, “The Carousel of Progress has had more performances than any other stage show in the history of American theater”. With robots.
After the first performance of the Carousel was over, Brian and I remained seated and waited for the next audience. A few people trickled in and the show began again. A Carousel Cast Member approached me and asked, “Is that Fred?” I responded, “No.” He then said, “I heard that someone named Fred was going to ride the attraction all day”. I then introduced him to Brian. Brian was not pleased that I had blown his cover. I had placed the entire mission in jeopardy. As I sketched, I noticed video cameras positioned in the corners of the attraction to watch the audience. After the next performance of the Carousel was over, two more gentlemen approached us and said they were there to help us. My sketch was not finished yet, and I was suspicious. “May I help you?” usually means quite the opposite. They said we could get on the ride all day, but we would have to exit each time and then re-enter. They told us we could stand at a roped off area so we didn’t have to get to the back of the line each time. But really, come on… “what line?” This was the Carousel of Progress, not Space Mountain!
With the next performance, the ride broke down, and the audience was treated to the same performance by the same animatronics a second time. Over the PA system, a woman who sounded like a flight attendant, asked everyone to quietly and calmly exit the theater. We found ourselves on the backlot and had to walk around to get back in the park.
We didn’t know how long the ride would be down, so I started a sketch of Brian as he checked his iPhone and talked to the friendly Cast Member informing gusts of the ride’s temporary closure. Before I finished the sketch the ride began again, so it took a little less than two hours for it to be fixed. All during that time, people had to be turned away. Buttons were being handed out in the park announcing the ride’s 35th anniversary, so some people were curious.
It took me a while to find Brian again since there are five different theaters, each letting the audience exit in different spots. I experienced the ride a few more times to finish the sketch. It broke down once again, this time in the living room of tomorrow. In this scene, the oven is programed to work via voice activation, and as the family of tomorrow jokes about a high score on a video game, the oven raises the temperature to match the game score, burning the dinner. Smoke billows out of the oven. We had to sit through the same scenario several times, each time having more smoke fill the theater. One woman rushed past me saying, “I’m getting out of here!” When I got out of the theater, I decided my sketch was finished. Brian continued to ride the attraction for the rest of the day. This might be the most daring and dangerous performance he has ever done.
“There’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day. There’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow, just a dream away!”
Fresh Rehearsal
Jessica Mariko invited me to sit in on rehearsals for Fresh which is starting February fourth at the Cameo Theater (1013 East C0lonial Drive). Rehearsals were held at the new Drip Warehouse on Old Winter Garden Road. I got hopelessly lost the first time I tried to find the place but Christie Miga, one of the amazing Drip Art Directors finally gave me some landmarks to help me find the place.
Fresh promises to offer a Willy Wonka like edible environment where guests get to experience culinary performances all revolving around the theme of love. There will be an art and candy market in which you will be able to see my work as well as photos from Tisse Mallon. This is an amazing event that will appeal to all of your senses. Everyone at the event will be dressed in their bohemian best along with colorful hippie accents and beatnik flair.
At this rehearsal Tin Tin was leading the dancers as they rehearsed a piece around a new hand made silk screen printing press. In previous performances they had rented a printing press but for this show a hand crafted press was created using PVC, wood, and lots of creativity. Now the press looks like a glorious lotus flower. The music for this piece is driving and rhythmic. At first he dancers move like zombies who are discovering their body movements for the first time. They stretched and reached out in staccato violent moves. They shivered and shook until they discovered the press and through it they developed a sensuality and vitality to their movements. As they created, every movement became more vibrant.
The warehouse where the rehearsal was taking place was littered with all of the creative elements that are being assembled for the set. Christie asked me for any junk I might have lying around my garage, and I bought in an old Computer monitor, a VCR and a broken down air conditioner. There were disassembled and incorporated into organic creations. I saw VCR wires hanging from a flower made from plastic bottles and the computer monitor was painted white. I joked that if these set designers had been given the task of fixing the Lake Eola Fountain they could recreate and get it working it with found objects, old PVC, duck tape and a whole lot of creativity.
Art for Haiti at Stardust Video and Coffee
A fundraiser was held at Stardust Video and Coffee called Art for Haiti. A call for artists went up on Facebook and the response was amazing! I matted a sketch and headed to Stardust to drop it off. Greg Leibowitz was on hand to accept the work and then figure out how to hang it all. By the time I arrived, most of the wall space was covered and some work had to be propped up on chairs. After I dropped of my sketch, I lingered since I didn’t have to be at another sketch location for a couple of hours. I sat back and started to draw the patrons who spend many hours working at laptops and holding long discussions about art and life. The group of men right in front of me were discussing their band and how much work still was needed to finish the album they were working on. The woman seated behind them was knitting a purple and pink scarf with diagonal bands. Others sat reading or writing for the entire time I sketched. A black and white high contrast film noir thriller was playing the whole time on the flat screen TV above the bar.
I ordered some food and watched as some final pieces were hung. Nails were hammered and a drill was used to try and anchor some photos but the wall cement refused to give in to the drill bit. I had to be somewhere else during the actual auction, but I found a photo online that shows my sketch of the broken down Lake Eola Fountain being held up, and a person in the crowd with his hand up, so I feel good knowing it must have sold. Proceeds from all the sales went to the following organizations: Doctors Without Borders, Yele Haiti, and Partners in Health. According to Greg Leibowitz, who organized the event, over $3,500 was raised thanks to the auction. It is inspiring to have been part of an event where so many artists gave so freely to help those in need. Should you still want to contribute a donation contact Greg Leibowitz.
Florida Super Balloon Jam
Paula Large gave me a tip on an Event called a Balloon Jam that was taking place at the Courtyard Orlando Lake Buena Vista in the Marriott Village down by Disney. The event got started at 7 AM, so I rose bright and early to get there. As usual, I got a bit lost looking for the place and when I arrived there were a handful of people setting up tables and putting out brochures. I sat quietly, and waited, to let things get underway. People sat around and talked and I didn’t see a single balloon, so I started to get nervous since I had to get to another event later that day to sketch. Finally a group gathered some chairs and sat around in a circle. They started inflating balloons with an automated inflating device and things got going. Other small groups formed and they taught each other how to make unexpected and strange balloon creatures. The room began to fill with the sounds of balloon squeaks and plenty of conversation.
I spoke with Paul Belanger, one of the organizers of the event, and he explained how balloon twisting has become something of an international phenomenon. He traveled to China and wanted to start an event called a balloon fashion show. People tried to explain to him that the Chinese didn’t like balloons but that didn’t discourage him. He organized the show anyway and now similar events are sprouting up all over China. He unfortunately does not make any money off of these knockoff shows.
One conversation cropped up when a twister asked everyone, “What was the biggest tip you ever got for twisting a balloon?” Answers varied from $20, to a bottle of wine to an airplane ticket. It was agreed that the ticket was the best tip. As I was sketching this group twisting their little bears and snakes, I noticed in the corner of the room something big being built. Instead of using the thin long balloons, they were using fat chunky balloons and chaining them together to form large cylinder shapes. The Great Wandini, Sheree Brown-Rosner, explained that they wanted to use these fatter balloons so the manufacturer would continue making that line of balloons. All the balloons were bright yellow, and for the duration of the sketch, I never figured out what they were building. It wasn’t until I saw a youtube video taken at the event that I discovered what they were up to. Twisting balloons is a whole subculture I was never aware of. Balloon Jams are certainly a fun bizarre experience. I hope I get to experience a jam again when they are in town. Next time I would want to show up later after hundreds of balloon sculptures litter the floor.