Alone is to premiere at UCF Celebrates the Arts.

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Cindy Michelle Heen, the choreographer, invited me to a rehearsal of Alone at Studio Two in the Performing Arts Center at UCF12488 Centaurus Blvd, Orlando, FL. This piece will be part of Theater UCF presents Dance 10 which will be performed on April 8th at 7:30pm in the Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. This is part of 9 Days of Free Events starting April 8th through April 16th. In order to enter the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, you must have a free ticket for an Event or a free Hall Pass. A ticket grants you entrance to a specific event at a specific time. A hall pass is valid for the entire festival and allows you to enter the center without a performance ticket’ When an event is sold out of advance tickets, a wait line forms an hour before the performance begins’ Patrons must have a hall pass to join the wait line. In 2015 all patrons in the lines got into performances.

Alone tells the story of a young woman finding her way in the world. Cindy explained that it reflects her own experience as a young dancer starting out in Orlando. Times were hard and finding refuge was difficult. Friends helped keep her spirit afloat. Now she is interconnected with so many people and she struggles just to keep up with the creative possibilities. At times the dancers moved on the stage with militaristic straight lines. At all times, the female lead was clearly defined, she was part of the crowd and at other times she was alone. Separation is hard, it is painful and yet sometimes it is needed for growth. The caged bird never flies.

The Dawn Branch Works “Journey” has been posponed.

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I went to a Dawn Branch Works dance rehearsal for “Journey“. The show is describe as a walk through faith. One section of new choreography was being worked out. Dawn sat leaning against the mirrored wall. Dancers gathered as a group and then one was asked to volunteer to fall backwards. When the dancers stood became their spot in the new gelled scene. Cindy Michelle Heen was the dancer who offered the most support when the dancer fell back. This move was rehearsed many times giving me a chance to capture every dancers gesture while studying the staging as a whole. I’m amazed by the trust and faith the dancers have in each other. It was fascinating to watch as chance encounters fell into place as the final choreography. Dancers and the choreographer added their creative input. Another dance felt like laborers working in the field who dreamed of freedom expressed in dance.

Dawn Branch Works was formed after The Center for Contemporary dance
brought choreographer Dawn Branch together with local professional
dancers for a project for the 2012 Olympics. The experience of dancing
together was so rewarding that the group decided to work together after
the project’s conclusion and form a professional company. “A creative
bond was formed among the artists,” says Branch, “Sometimes things just
fall into place, and this was one of those divine moments.” Inaugural
member Lindsey Salfran agrees: “Collaboration between the dancers of DBW
and Dawn Branch is an exciting experience. We are constantly pushed
beyond our perceived imitations–you dance in ways you never thought you
could dance before, and you feel the difference at every rehearsal.”

I was sad to find out that “Journey” the show has been postponed . The new dates will be in the spring to summer season. Previously purchased tickets to the January show will be honored at the upcoming dates.

Dawn Branch Dance presents Eden.

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Cindy Michelle Heen, a dancer I’ve sketched before, was kind enough to invite me to a rehearsal of Dawn Branch Work’s production of Eden. The show is a soulful reflection on the challenging journey toward
self-actualization and spiritual connection in this story of Eve as she
leaves the Garden of Eden and attempts to assimilate with the world
outside. With a cast of performers aged 8 to adult, Eden features both
professional and emerging artists. Branch says, “The idea of creating a
work to give honor to the Lord is exciting. It’s clean, wholesome and
necessary for outreach. If we can introduce God to one viewer, then I’m
pleased. It’s evangelism through the Arts.”

Cindy and Celinah Umaray who performs as Eve talked to me briefly before warming up. Celinah who came from NYC, was incredible slender. She looked like she couldn’t be older than 16 but she is actual 19. She is the only dancer, I’ve ever met who wants people to know she is older than she looks. When Eve exits Eden she is confronted with the challenges of modern life. In that way the dances theme unites the old traditions story with a modern aesthetic. Although the show has a religious theme, it is also secular, offering inspiring dance that is universally understandable. The other dance I sketched was Eva who worked so hard she flushed red. Dawn stood at the front of the dance studio watching ever line the dancers created.

Cindy confided in me that once I saw Celinah dance, I would see why she was cast as Eve. Indeed, as she stretched at  the barre, I was amazed by her flexibility and the fluid lines she produced with every movement. She would arch her back, and lift a leg straight up over her head while entwining arm for support. I tried to sketch the stretch several times, but it was such an extreme pose, that it didn’t look humanly possible in a sketch. She never danced full out but even her warm up routine was incredibly graceful and fluid. Her grey hoodie and ponytail overlapped and added a flourish to every move. In the corner of the dance studio, dancers listened to the music for the show and I assume watched video tapes from a prior rehearsal. As the choreography is nailed down, it becomes important to see how every dancer helps to fill the canvas of the stage.

Branch explained, “I love the idea of having an empty canvas of space and
utilizing the dancers to fill it up with color and shapes and theme. The
dancers are so open to trying different styles.” Branch goes on to
explain that her choreographic style is a fusion of ballet and modern
dance along with elements of hip hop. “It’s a beautiful and creatively
challenging combination of movement that demands enormous technical
strength; dancers execute rapid and innovative choreographic transitions
that appear as effortless as breathing,” says Branch.I love that her description of empty space sounds just like my process as I find a way to fill a page when I sketch.

Mark your calendar! Eden will be on Sunday, March 6, 2016 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at Orlando Repertory Theater (1001 East Princeton Street Orlando, FL). Tickets are $22.09–$32.64.

Le Musee de l'impressionisme

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Robert Callender wrote a show that takes you through Le Musee de l’impressionisme room by room, with live musicians, dancers, and singers. The show was produced once in NY, so this was a chance to see it in Florida at the Timucua White House (2000 S. Summerlin Ave). Each musical number was based on a different impressionist painter, like Renoir, Monet, Bazille, Morisot, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Degas and Henri de Toulouse–Lautrec.

Once Terry and I got to the White House, I made my way to the third floor to start my sketch. I sat against the railing along with a couple from out of town. Terry went downstairs to open the bottle of wine we had bought. I knew the dancers were from Emotions Dance and I was excited to see them perform. Three female vocalists backed up Robert Callender and the band was talented and tight with two guitars, a sax, Trumpet, bongo drums, a full drum set played by Benoit Glazer, the evenings host, and a wind synthesizer.

Wine wasn’t allowed on the third floor so Terry never rejoined me. I got several texts from her where she praised the band. All of the dancing was improvised on the spot. I spoke with dancer, Cindy Michelle Heen, after the performance and she described how she lost herself in the music and the energy from the audience. Her body moved freely without the restrictions of second guessing. I sketched the dancers when they came out in bright red skirts for the Lautrec piece. For an inspired moment I felt like I was at the Moulin Rouge. Durring the second half of the performance, Paula Large sat at an easel in the back corner of the stage and she did a composite caricature sketch of the performers.