BACK AT THE BARRE @backatthebarre-blog - Tumblr Blog

The Alumni Dance Retreat 2012 - in progress!

Fellow dancers, I am delighted to announce that planning for the Alumni Dance Retreat 2012 has officially commenced! Clear your calendars for the Principia College Reunion weekend, scheduled June 21st - 24th, 2012.

Please contact us at [email protected] with ideas, suggestions, requests, comments, or expressions of delight!

More information coming soon...

#Principia #Principia College #Alumni Dance Retreat #2012

Correction from Nicole Jenkins

We received this letter from Nicole Jenkins (C'00), one of the dance alums featured in our special SPOTLIGHT series in the March edition of Back at the Barre. We have amended the article accordingly but felt it worthwhile to reprint the letter in full for clarification's sake.

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Hi Emily - This piece was really well done. Thank you for putting it together! But I wanted to let you know that there is a part of the piece written on me that is incorrect. It says, "We had an amazing Dance Production, and we ended up doing all these really intense pieces that were later performed by other companies." This is incorrect. I said that we performed pieces that had been performed (and choreographed) by other companies/professional choreographers. David Grenke was the visiting choreographer that year. This should be corrected as I don't want anyone to think we (or I) am taking credit for choreography we (or I) didn't do. I choreographed pieces for other dance productions but not the one where Joy fell ill. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns but I feel it is important that this quote is corrected. Thanks! Nicole

#Principia #Principia College #Back at the Barre #Nicole Jenkins #SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT on: Emily Wakeling (C'00)

by Jeff Ward-Bailey, guest feature-writer / photos courtesy of Sherry Hopkins

The following article was originally published in the Principia College Alumni Dance newsletter, Back at the Barre (Issue #9 - March 2011).

It is part of a special series of SPOTLIGHT articles about the dancers who inspired the charcoal drawings that grace the walls of Morey Dance Studio. (Read the intro here.)

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It certainly pays to get your foot in the door early in the world of dance. That's what I'm learning from Emily Wakeling, who, like many of her dance contemporaries at Prin, began practicing ballet and modern dance lessons at the age of four at a local dance school. She got more serious through junior high and high school, dancing every day after school for up to two and a half hours at the Cornish College for the Arts and performing in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Carnival of the Animals.

Right, Wakeling at the barre in Morey Dance Studio, June 2010

Emily came to Principia at a time when the dance program was really taking off. "I was so grateful to be with such a great group of dancers," she says. Along with the four other women profiled in this series, whom she refers to as the "core group," Emily continued practicing, dancing every day for at least an hour.

Emily says David Grenke's stint at Principia in 1999 was a high point of her dancing career. "His dance style was really unique," she remembers. "He did everything possible to get us out of our comfort zone." Grenke's notorious attention to detail played a role in helping Emily hone her own technique, too. "He would notice all the specific things," she says. "One day he said, 'Emily, you hold all your stress in your right thumb,' because he noticed my thumb twitching." Under Grenke's tutelage, all the dancers learned pieces and approaches that were completely new to them. "It was a great opportunity that Prin brought in," says Emily.

Except for during 1999's Grenke-produced show, Emily -- along with the "core group" -- also contributed choreography to the Dance Production each year she was at Prin. For Emily, this was a first. "We'd be assigned to choreograph different pieces," she says. "It was the first chance I'd had to do that; it was really fun because we'd work together and collaborate on different pieces."

One memorable production included dances designed to convey specific emotions, supplemented with corresponding movie clips. Emily was assigned "sorrow," and choreographed a lyrical style of dance, augmented with a clip from Schindler's List. "It was maybe a little corny, but definitely a lot of fun to try to convey that."

After graduation, Emily moved to New York City and, thanks to her previous connection with David Grenke, took a job working as his fundraiser and managing his New York season performances. "I'd always wanted to live in New York, and he was literally the only person I knew when I moved there," she laughs. The New York theater scene afforded her many opportunities to participate in dance and theater classes, as well as absorb all the shows she could. "When I first moved out there, I went to a show a week," she says.

After a time, and with the arrival of her first child, Emily's involvement in the dance world lessened. While she's no longer actively dancing or taking classes, she says she'll always look back fondly on her time dancing at Prin, and hopes to continue dancing again when she can. Ultimately, of course, it was the support of the "core group" of dancers that made her dance experience at Prin so meaningful. "There was such camaraderie between dancers at Prin," she says.

The five, from left to right: Sherry Hopkins, Victoria Ries, Nicole Jenkins, Emily Wakeling, and Holliday Rees

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Read about the other alums in this special SPOTLIGHT series!

SPOTLIGHT on: Holliday Rees (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Sherry Hopkins (C'99)

SPOTLIGHT on: Victoria Ries (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Nicole Jenkins (C'00)

#Alumni #Dance #Principia #Principia College #Emily Wakeling #Back at the Barre #SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT on: Nicole Jenkins (C'00)

by Jeff Ward-Bailey, guest feature-writer / photos courtesy of Sherry Hopkins

The following article was originally published in the Principia College Alumni Dance newsletter, Back at the Barre (Issue #9 - March 2011).

It is part of a special series of SPOTLIGHT articles about the dancers who inspired the charcoal drawings that grace the walls of Morey Dance Studio. (Read the intro here.)

_____

When the director of Principia's Winter Dance Production fell ill during Nicole Jenkins's sophomore year, that could have been the end of the production. But it wasn't: Nicole and a small group of friends decided to forge ahead with the show, choreographing their pieces and working out the details on their own. And their homegrown approach was a success: the production was a hit with the audience, and some of the pieces they choreographed even went on to be performed by other dance companies performed were professional pieces from other companies and professional choreographers. (*See note at the end of this article.)

It takes a special kind of dedication to turn a setback like that into such a triumphant success.

Nicole Jenkins has that kind of dedication. Like other Principian dancers who have been profiled in this newsletter, she went through a period of intense classical training before she attended the college. Nicole says her love of dance began when she was about three years old. According to her mother, she was watching "Swan Lake" on TV when she pointed to the screen and said, "Mom, I want to do that." Her mom enrolled Nicole in dance classes in a small studio near the family's home in Bellevue, Washington.

Above, Jenkins in Morey Dance Studio, June 2010

Nicole danced in Bellevue until she was eight years old. Then, one day, the dance teacher pulled her mother aside to recommend that Nicole audition for the Pacific Northwest Ballet, one of the most highly regarded ballet companies in the US. Not only did Nicole pass the audition, but she graduated from the first to the second level of classes (out of eight) within just two weeks. She continued training at the school until her sophomore year in high school -- dancing six days a week from seventh grade onward -- rising through the ranks and performing in dozens of paid productions per year.

Up until this point, Nicole was dancing strictly traditional ballet, with only small amounts of contemporary styles during the summer. "Looking back, I wish I had done other forms of dance, but because I went to such a strict professional school, I had to focus on ballet," she says. During sophomore year, however, Nicole found herself getting "burnt out" on ballet, and made the decision to, as she puts it, "be a normal high school student." She put her dance training to use as a member of the cheerleading squad during her junior and senior years of high school, and enjoyed the new sense of balance in her life.

After graduation, though, she found that "the itch to dance" came up again. She had planned to attend the University of Washington, but discovered that she would have to major in dance in order to be involved in college dance productions. Then she discovered Prin. "I could be just as involved ... without tak[ing] away from my academic progress," she says. At the college, she quickly became part of a "core group" of women who had similar backgrounds in professional dance. "It was really fun, because we were able to push each other," Nicole says.

Dancing at Prin gave Nicole the opportunity to explore jazz, lyrical, and other styles of dance in addition to the ballet on which she had focused growing up. And having friends who also shared a professional dance background enabled her to choreograph advanced pieces for the Winter Dance Production. It was during one of these productions that the director fell ill and wasn't able to participate. Nicole and her friends stepped in to create and practice that year's pieces. "We were all stretched to our max because of learning things so quickly," she says, "and challenging ourselves to a very high level of dance." The group rehearsed every day from when classes let out until 10 or 11 at night, and virtually all day on Saturdays and Sundays. Was it worth it? "Absolutely," Nicole says. "We had an amazing Dance Production, and we ended up doing all these really intense pieces that were later performed by other companies had been performed (and choreographed) by other companies/professional choreographers." (*See note at the end of this article.)

Above, Jenkins re-enacting her pose in Morey Dance Studio, June 2010

Members of the "core group" of dancers remain friends today, Nicole says. "We're all super tight, like sisters ... We had that dance experience together and since then we've been so close." One recent highlight, she adds, was dancing with this group during 2010's Alumni Reunion. "We had a chance to play around in Morey Dance Studio, which was basically where we lived all year round [as students] ... it was like a second home." She adds that she was surprised and grateful to see that a charcoal drawing of herself, enlarged from a photograph taken of a dance she performed in 1999, still hangs in Morey alongside other drawings of her dance friends. "It was pretty special that they hung them up and they're still there," she says.

Today, Alumni Reunion notwithstanding, ballet has largely taken a backseat to salsa dancing for Nicole. After graduation, she found herself debating whether to move to San Francisco to pursue a professional career as a dancer. She opted for law school instead, however, and picked up salsa dancing during a year spent back home in Washington. "I just taught myself, going to clubs," she says. But her talent obviously shone through: she was picked up by a regional salsa dance troupe called Salsa Salvaje, which gave her the opportunity to perform in the Seattle area when she wasn't working or studying for her LSATs. Later, when Nicole moved to Washington, D.C. to pursue her law career, she continued salsa dancing and was invited to join the DC Casineros, a regional Cuban Salsa group.

Right, Jenkins re-enacting another of her poses in Morey Dance Studio, June 2010

Although she has so much experience in different dance styles under her belt, Nicole says that with her career in law, it's hard to fit dance into her life. For now, she's happy to be dancing three or four nights a week and practicing ballet occasionally. And with her training, who knows what role dance will play in her future?

*The original publication of this article misquoted Nicole Jenkins as implying that some of the pieces performed the year the dance director fell ill went on to be performed by professional companies. Although Jenkins did choreograph for other shows, that particular year under visiting choreographer David Grenke, the dancers presented pieces previously performed by other companies and professional choreographers.

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Read about the other alums in this special SPOTLIGHT series!

SPOTLIGHT on: Holliday Rees (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Sherry Hopkins (C'99)

SPOTLIGHT on: Victoria Ries (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Emily Wakeling (C'00)

#Alumni #Dance #Principia #Principia College #Back at the Barre #Nicole Jenkins #SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT on: Victoria Ries (C'00)

The following article was originally published in the Principia College Alumni Dance newsletter, Back at the Barre (Issue #9 - March 2011).

It is part of a special series of SPOTLIGHT articles about the dancers who inspired the charcoal drawings that grace the walls of Morey Dance Studio. (Read the intro here.)

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Unfortunately, due to the arrival of her child and the ensuing schedule of motherhood, we were unable to coordinate a time in which to interview Victoria for this feature. However, we wish her the very best as a mommy!

Above, Ries - still dancing while 8 months pregnant! Morey Dance Studio, June 2010

We will try to catch up with Victoria another time!

photo courtesy of Sherry Hopkins

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Read about the other alums in this special SPOTLIGHT series!

SPOTLIGHT on: Holliday Rees (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Sherry Hopkins (C'99)

SPOTLIGHT on: Nicole Jenkins (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Emily Wakeling (C'00)

#Alumni #Dance #Principia #Principia College #Back at the Barre #Victoria Ries #SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT on: Sherry Hopkins (C'99)

by Jeff Ward-Bailey, guest feature-writer / photos courtesy of Sherry Hopkins

The following article was originally published in the Principia College Alumni Dance newsletter, Back at the Barre (Issue #9 - March 2011).

It is part of a special series of SPOTLIGHT articles about the dancers who inspired the charcoal drawings that grace the walls of Morey Dance Studio. (Read the intro here.)

_____

Like many of her contemporaries, Sherry Hopkins began dancing at the age of four -- including ballet, tap, and jazz styles. But it wasn't until she came to Prin, she says, that dance really became a passion. "I'd always done a Russian style, a very modern style," she says. "But at Prin we learned a lyrical, modern style."

Above, Sherry Hopkins (right) with, from left, Holliday Rees, Nicole Jenkins, and Victoria Ries, doing a little "Swan Lake" in Morey Dance Studio, June 2010

Sherry, like so many others, was particularly inspired by the teaching style of David Grenke, the founder of ThingsezIsee'm Dance/Theater and a former principal dancer for the Paul Taylor Dance Company. "His teaching style was so different from anything I'd ever seen," she remembers. "He had this passion for theater, for the macabre, almost. He just had such a modern vision ... I knew right then that that was what I wanted to do." Inspired by Grenke's example, as well as that of professor Judith Patterson, Sherry made plans to open her own dance studio.After graduation, Sherry continued to dance, taking classes in the Dallas-Forth Worth area. It was here that she began teaching at Cherrilane's Little Dance Studio in Lakewood, TX, where she'd taken lessons growing up. Then, after she was promoted to assistant director of the studio, she says, she "discovered a new passion ... I hadn't realized fully at Prin." This was the opportunity to choreograph -- between ten and twelve pieces per season at the studio, including lyrical and modern pieces.

"I was able to share a lot of what I learned at Prin and in workshops," Sherry says. "The students really blossomed when they were exposed to a lot of different styles." And, she says, the opportunity to teach and choreograph showed her that teaching dance was the way to become "a master at the craft."

Below, Hopkins re-enacting her picture with a little help from Nicole Jenkins in Morey Dance Studio, June 2010 Sherry's post-graduate immersion in the world of the performing arts doesn't only include dance, however. Shortly after moving from Prin to Texas, she also began teaching drama classes at an elementary school as well as teaching musical theater voice and dance classes at the KD Studio Acting Conservatory.

As she gained more teaching experience, Sherry also became interested in directing, and got the opportunity to choreograph and co-direct "Mama Drama," a local play, as well as a night of one-act plays. She also did TV, film, and industrial acting in Dallas, and took a soap opera workshop in LA one summer. How did she find time to immerse herself so fully in the performing arts? "I wanted the training," Sherry says sincerely. "I just wanted to go out there ... and meet as many people as I could." In the midst of her performing arts career, Sherry's son was born, followed by a daughter a year later, and she took a break to become a stay-at-home mom. But that doesn't mean she left the performing arts world. In addition to parenting, Sherry continues to act (including TV and film auditioning and as a member of a murder mystery troupe) and has begun teaching dance to her daughter -- who is now four years old -- at home. And Sherry's dream of opening her own studio? Well, it's nearly come to fruition: she has almost completed a master's degree in family and marriage therapy, which will enable her to become a certified dance therapist (someone who helps others express themselves through dance and drama). She plans to open her studio once her children are in school, and to become active both as a dance therapist and as the director/choreographer for the studio, as well as to continue her own training. Above all, Sherry says, she wants to inspire others with the dramatic element of dance that has so gripped her since dancing at Prin. "I am so moved by music and dancing and choreography ... dance has the ability to just rip your gut out," she says. "I love how music can move you and the story can move you, more than just the steps and technique."

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Read about the other alums in this special SPOTLIGHT series!

SPOTLIGHT on: Holliday Rees (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Victoria Ries (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Nicole Jenkins (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Emily Wakeling (C'00)

#Alumni #Dance #Principia #Principia College #SPOTLIGHT #Sherry Hopkins #Back at the Barre

SPOTLIGHT on: Holliday Rees (C'00)

by Jeff Ward-Bailey, guest feature-writer / photos courtesy of Sherry Hopkins

The following article was originally published in the Principia College Alumni Dance newsletter, Back at the Barre (Issue #9 - March 2011).

It is part of a special series of SPOTLIGHT articles about the dancers who inspired the charcoal drawings that grace the walls of Morey Dance Studio. (Read the intro here.)

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When Holliday Rees made the decision not to become a dancer, she couldn't have known that she -- or, more accurately, her likeness -- would eventually go on to encourage dozens of Principians to pursue dance.

Let's back up a bit. Holliday's early dance career was defined by a startling focus. She began taking ballet classes when she was just six years old. Her parents also signed her up for ice skating, music classes, and gymnastics, but, she says, "ballet was the thing" for her. She was so taken with it, in fact, that after spending several years taking classes in Oklahoma, where her family lived, she made the decision to move to California so she could continue her training under specialized instruction. She was in eighth grade at the time.

Holliday spent her high school years living with her grandparents in Walnut Creek, California, where she danced at the Twenty Castella studio. Here, she was able to get training and performance experience that wouldn't have been accessible to her back in Oklahoma. "We must have done fifteen Nutcracker [performances] a year," she remembers.

Above right, Rees re-enacting her pose in Morey Dance Studio, ten years laterWhen she graduated high school, Holliday says, she knew she wanted to continue her dance training. She kept that in mind on her college search, and eventually settled on the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She spent her freshman year there, but after a ballet tour which took her up and down the East Coast, she opted to audition for the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet company, directed by Paul Mejia. Mejia liked her, she says, and invited her to join the company. The only obstacle? She wasn't trained in the Balanchine ballet style that the company used. So she was asked to attend the company's summer camp, where she could train in Balanchine before moving to Ft. Worth and dancing with the company.

The camp, as it turned out, was located on an island in New York's Adirondacks region -- an island which Mejia himself owned. An island without running water, or electricity. Or music.

"We danced to the pounding of a stick," Holliday remembers. "At night, when we got done, we bathed in the lake. It was cold!" She and ten other dancers spent the summer training in this unlikely location, without music or mirrors. It was at this point that Holliday began to question whether her future held a career as a professional ballerina. "[The summer camp] was a good experience, in a lot of ways," she says, but with its manic pace, body-centric focus, and Spartan regime, "it also opened my eyes to, frankly, some of the neuroses that can come with ballet."

In spite of her doubts, Holliday finished the camp and moved to Ft. Worth, where she danced in the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet company. She was there less than a year, however, before, "it just hit me like a ton of bricks that that [dance] wasn't really what I wanted to do as a profession." She adds, "I still wanted ballet in my life, just not 100 percent of the time!"

Armed with that realization, Holliday made the decision to quit the company, a choice she describes as difficult, but quick. She turned her attention back toward college, intending to attend UCLA. When she found out she wouldn't have been able to balance dance performance with academic work as a business major, though, she turned her attentions to Principia.

Holliday attended Principia thinking at first that she would transfer to UCLA once she was a junior, but quickly fell in love with the college. "I was able to do everything," she says. "Student body, dance, performances, business and soc[iology] classes ... I made great friends too." Holliday was part of a tightly-knit group of dancers. "They're still my best friends to this day," Holliday laughs. "We were all very much shaped by the fact that we were dancers, and bonded by that ... I was [also] able to do pas de deux and other styles that I hadn't really done much of before."

It was because of her decision to attend Principia -- in lieu of pursuing a career as a professional dancer -- that, paradoxically, resulted in Holliday becoming a symbol of encouragement for future aspiring dancers. During her senior year, Holliday, along with her group of friends, became the subjects in series of charcoal drawings created by a fellow student. These pictures then became the basis for a series of large paintings which were hung in Morey Dance Studio. They are still there today.

Above, Rees, left, and Emily Wakeling at the barre in Morey Dance Studio, June 2010

When Holliday visited the campus for last year's Alumni Dance Production, she found her own likeness -- larger than life -- still hanging on the wall, encouraging dancers to express grace and beauty. "It was so amazingly inspirational and touching," she says. "It shows people that dance is important in this place. [Principia] is a small college and it can't do everything -- but ballet, they take it seriously, and it's so inspirational, and these pictures symbolize that."

After graduation, Holliday moved to New York, where she took a job with Bank of America. Although she continued dancing for a while, the travel imposed by her job prevented her from being able to maintain the discipline needed for ballet. She says people sometimes ask her if she regrets not having ended up a ballerina, since she made so many sacrifices to that end when she was young. The answer? "No, not at all ... Even though I'm a banker, which is a different field, I gained so many new experiences from ballet. There are so many attributes that came from ballet that help me and have enabled me to be successful in my job."

And the spirit of dance lives on in Holliday's life: she is the proud mother of a daughter -- Sofia -- who, at 15 months, has decided she wants to be a ballerina for Halloween. "I need to get her into dance or something, quick," she laughs.

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Read about the other alums in this special SPOTLIGHT series!

SPOTLIGHT on: Sherry Hopkins (C'99)

SPOTLIGHT on: Victoria Ries (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Nicole Jenkins (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Emily Wakeling (C'00)

#Alumni #Dance #Holliday Rees #Principia #Principia College #SPOTLIGHT #Back at the Barre

Introduction of a BATB Special SPOTLIGHT Series

This was originally published in the Principia College Alumni Dance newsletter, Back at the Barre (Issue #9 - March 2011).

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Back at the Barre is proud to share the stories of five Prin dance alums who traveled back to Principia College for the Alumni Reunion last summer to reunite with each other - and to watch the Alumni Dance Production 2010.

During the weekend, they decided to go to Morey Dance Studio, their "home" of a decade past. And there they saw quite a surprise - a series of charcoal drawings of themselves, still hanging where they had been ten years before. So they spent an afternoon there, dancing, taking pictures, and recreating their poses from their student days (see photo below).

I didn't know about this until a few months later, when one of those alums, Sherry Hopkins, posted those pictures on Facebook. To my delight, Sherry graciously gave me permission to use them in Back at the Barre, and so here is the result: alumni spotlights on Holliday Rees, Sherry Hopkins, Victoria Ries, Nicole Jenkins, and Emily Wakeling.

Principia dancers of the last decade are quite familiar with these charcoal drawings on the walls of Morey Dance Studio! But few have known the names, faces, or lives of the dancers who inspired them...until now.

Special thanks to Jeff Ward-Bailey, our guest feature-writer, and to Sherry Hopkins, for use of her wonderful photographs!

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Read about the alums in this special SPOTLIGHT series!

SPOTLIGHT on: Holliday Rees (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Sherry Hopkins (C'99)

SPOTLIGHT on: Victoria Ries (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Nicole Jenkins (C'00)

SPOTLIGHT on: Emily Wakeling (C'00)

#Alumni #Alumni Dance Production #Back at the Barre #Dance #Emily Wakeling #Holliday Rees #Morey Dance Studio #Nicole Jenkins #Principia #Principia College #SPOTLIGHT #Sherry Hopkins #Victoria Ries

Backstage Past & SPOTLIGHT on: David Wilck

This was originally published in the Principia College Alumni Dance newsletter, Back at the Barre (Issue #9 - March 2011).

Christine Dunbar’s “Backstage Past” column takes a look at the Principia Dance programs over the years.

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Greetings Dance Alumni and Friends!

In this edition of BATB, I would like to share Principia College graduate David Wilck’s professional experience in the field of Dance.

During the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, David (at right, with Stewart Levin, left, in 1983; photo courtesy of Amy Nickell) developed a passionate interest in Dance. He studied dance techniques, choreography, participated in the Dance Productions as choreographer, performer, crew, and photographer and enrolled in the new academic course offering, “Understanding Dance” which had this description in the course catalog:

“General Introduction to Dance as Cultural History and as Art, with an emphasis on the development of Dance in America. Course includes the Philosophy of Dance and its Relationship to the other Art Forms; Study of History, Forms and Styles; Performance Appreciation and Criticism: Film, Video, Live; Knowledge of Major Performers, Teachers, Choreographers and Companies in the World of Dance Today. Required Textbook Reading; Lectures; Discussions; Research; Papers.

David’s classmates, who pioneered this course, included: Renee Chenue, Brad Heinig, Sylvia Hofflund, Victoria Miner, Deena Rohrer, Marcia Satterwhite and Gigi Schmiett. The class met in the Russian Room of The School of Nations.

As Principia’s Dance instructor at the time, I remember having a discussion with David Wilck’s parents regarding their concern about their son’s growing interest in dance studies versus other academic class options. I recall assuring his parents David was nurturing a talent and this was a good time for him to experience and put in to practice his new found passion for Dance. We all were glad he persisted, because David’s professional life after graduation included work as a Dance Critic for The Christian Science Monitor.

David invited me to join him at Lincoln Center for a performance of the New York City Ballet while on a dance criticism assignment for The Monitor. I was delighted to see him put his knowledge of Dance to work! The highlight of the evening came while turning around in my audience seat to see Anna Kisselgoff sitting behind us doing the same job for The New York Times. Anna Kisselgoff was and continues to be a highly respected and admired Dance Critic in the World of Dance. Born in Paris, she served as Chief Dance Critic for The New York Times from 1977-2005. What a joy it was to see my former student working alongside her that night!

Years later, (remembering David after his early passing) I logged on to The CS Monitor’s Archives and read several of his published articles. Below are some short excerpts:

June 27, 1984 edition-- “Graham at Jacob’s Pillow: Powerful”

…“Above all, it must be remembered that Martha Graham is a master of emotions. This is the wellspring of her technique, and of her classic works, many of which were presented during last week’s performances. One of her all-time favorites, and an excellent example of this great emotional power, is “Errand into the Maze (1947).” This is a woman who comes face to face with her worst fears - and overcomes them. The theme is basic to the human struggle, and in the hands of two finely tuned Graham dancers, its message of struggle and triumph is undeniably powerful.”….

July 26, 1984 edition -- “Clogging in Maine; Maine-ly Dance”

“….the spirit of dance was revived the next evening when I stumbled upon “Old Home Days” in Harrison--you know, the guys from the Lions Club cooking fried chicken, the Ferris wheel, and kids running everywhere. Here, upon a broad wooden stage and in front of farmers in lawn chairs, was displayed some of the snazziest and most spirited dancing I’ve seen in months. It’s clogging--a countrified forerunner of tap-dancing--set to swinging string-band music….”

August 1, 1984 edition--”International Dance Leaps Into The Olympic Arena”

…“For those looking for a unique cultural experience threaded with some dazzling individual dancing, the show was a big success. For those looking for precisions and dramatic or intellectual depth, it was something of a disappointment. But then those qualities are not what this African troupe sets out to exemplify, anyway. It’s stated purpose is to present “the virtues of the traditional and social life of a continent.”….

August 13, 1984 edition-- “Olympic Arts: The Night the San Francisco Ballet Turned Superficial”

“It’s almost as if the San Francisco Ballet thought it was playing Las Vegas. Here it was in Los Angeles at the prestigious Olympic Arts Festival, and the show it put on-a 16-piece repertory evening full of glitz, glitter, and blatant sensuality-was an embarrassment, not only to the company but to its country…Thankfully, the second half improved. In fact, probably the best piece of the evening came just after intermission. “Song for Dead Warriors” is a five-man elegy to heroic American Indians…The dancing, for the first time in the evening, was compelling, and even thrilling at points. And the choreography was nearly brilliant in its marriage of traditional Indian and modern balletic movement. It was a moving statement about the heritage of the West,…”

Sept. 11, 1984 edition- “Choreographer at the Cutting Edge: Beth Soll’s World of Wit and Wonder”

“…[Beth Soll’s] dances, while complex, are considered by local observers to be some of the most provocative, entertaining, and deeply thoughtful being created today. She is part of the “Next Wave,” a movement of choreographers, musicians, and other artists whose work is marked by splashy multimedia collaborations (mixing dance, music, theater, video) infused with neoclassical attitudes (viewing art as a search for truth). Increasingly making itself felt in the music videos, on Broadway, and at theaters around the country, “Next Wave” stands at the cutting edge of contemporary art.”…

November 8, 1984 edition- “Profound, Perplexing Sankai Juku”

“The lobby was jammed. When an anxious crowd tried to press into an understaffed Boston Opera House recently to see Sankai Juku - the popular new Japanese avant-garde dance company - chaos erupted. Irate people pushed and shoved, while others tried to relax and wait out the storm. When we finally burst through the two small openings to the theater, there was a tremendous feeling of release, of calm and order restored. Watching Sankai Juku is very much like the above scenario: It is a form of dance-theater that speaks of tension and release, anxiety and peace, confusion and order.”…

November 15, 1984 edition- “Balanchine Celebration”

..“After a rather inauspicious season-opening “Giselle,” the company reignited its esprit de corps with a vibrant “Balanchine Celebration” at the Wang Center for Performing Arts. Leading the revival was Christopher Aponte, whose emotionally exhausting performance as the Prodigal must have pleased the man who first danced the role - Edward Villella (whom the company had brought in to coach this production). When Aponte, bruised and beaten, crawled and scratched his way back home in the third scene, the crowd was crawling with him, and when he arrived, the hall erupted with applause.”….

_________

So there you have a sampling of David’s professional experiences as a Staff Writer for The Christian Science Monitor. Would he have been prepared to serve as a Dance Critic without his hands-on experience as a serious student of dance? A serious student of dance needs to know something of those who have gone before as they embark upon their own dance career. And a dance career includes more options for the serious student of dance than just being a performer.

Long live Dance at Principia!

Christine Dunbar

(C’77, Faculty ‘78-’82)

#Alumni #Dance #Principia #Principia College #Christine Dunbar #Backstage Past #Back at the Barre #David Wilck #Christian Science Monitor #Dance Criticism #SPOTLIGHT

Backstage Past: After Frank Parker

This was originally published in the Principia College Alumni Dance newsletter, Back at the Barre (Issue #8 - December 2010).

Christine Dunbar’s “Backstage Past” column takes a look at the Principia Dance programs over the years.

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Last month’s issue of BATB reported Dance at Principia to be alive and well as early as 1924 under the celebrated tenure of Frank Parker. This month, I’d like to tell you more about the faculty, staff and student leaders who continued Principia’s dance education program through the years as we piece together the History of Dance at Principia.

Mr. Parker taught French, Literature, Aesthetics, Music, Art and Drama in addition to Dance. After Frank’s retirement in 1966, Principia College was not yet ready for a Full-time Dance Faculty position to be filled. The 1970 Principia Sheaf reports “students with previous ballet experience instructed their own course in classical ballet, modern jazz and interpretive dance“ under the watchful eye of Judith Miller, P.E. Instructor. (See photo to the left.)

If anyone knows the whereabouts of Judy, the student dancers shown in the photo, or the faculty, staff or student leaders mentioned in this article, we at BATB would love to have you encourage them to share their memories.

During the 1970-71 school year, Margaret Mainwaring, (wife of Professor Emeritus of Drama and Communication, Dr. Donald Mainwaring), joined the Principia Staff and taught modern dance with 69 students receiving Physical Education credit. In the early 70s, Fernald Bork filled the position of Instructor in Dance in the Department of Dramatic Art and Literature with 179 students enrolled in modern dance for P.E. credit and 102 students enrolled in Choreography and Production, Dance Drama, Experimental Dance Theatre, and Improvisation/Composition for academic course credit.

During the 1972-73 school year, regularly scheduled productions were offered each quarter combining original experimental choreography with techniques from established schools of ballet, modern, jazz, and ethnic. In addition, the history and value of dance as an intellectual, creative and performing art was studied.

By the mid-70s, Ann Thayer taught Ballroom, Square and Folk Dance for 99 students receiving P.E. credit. (These dance forms were also taught at Principia during the 30s and 40s and possibly earlier.) Fernald Bork and Judith Miller continued teaching dance through the late seventies and during 1975-‘78, Margaret Mainwaring served as Principia’s Instructor in Dance with 32 students enrolled in Dance & Stage Movement, Theatre Dance, Improvisation and Composition for academic course credit and 363 students enrolled for P.E. credit in Tap, Modern, Ballroom, Jazz, Square and Folk Dance classes.

By the mid-70s, a “Dance Boom” had swept the nation as reported in the major magazines at that time. When Christine Dunbar arrived on campus in 1976 as a non-traditional student to complete her undergraduate degree with the first Principia College Special Studies Major in Dance, she discovered Principia students desired a stronger academic dance program.

In 1978, Christine was invited to join the Principia Faculty as an Instructor to design and implement an autonomous Department of Dance with a half-time Faculty position in the Women’s Physical Education Department and a half-time Faculty position in Dance. She earned the academic rank of Asst. Professor of Dance completing a M.A. Degree in Dance and Dance Education at New York University while working with hundreds of students for academic course credits in Ballet, Modern, Tap, Jazz, Social/Folk/Square; Dance History and Appreciation; Improvisation and Composition; Choreography and Production; advising many Independent Course Contracts; and serving as Faculty Sponsor for two Principia College Special Majors in Dance, Marilyn Daniels Johnson and Adrienne Sandidge Hill.

Upon Christine Dunbar’s departure from Principia, the students found themselves once again needing to keep Principia’s dance education program alive while the Administration chose not to hire a dance instructor due to lack of funds and faculty/staff personnel. Non-traditional student, Terese Tetstill, formed a Dance Club Fall Quarter ’82 and other students (both before and after) came forth with strong, individual dance initiatives such as Kristie Hannum Karsen, Emily Skala, Mimi McDonald (Special Minor in Dance), Holly Derville-Teer, Jennifer Francis Bitto, and Jennifer Cummings Dale to name some outstanding few.

Due to the support of many interested Faculty members such as Judy Felch and Richard Morse of the Theatre Department, Visiting Professionals were brought to campus to augment the curriculum through the years. Pilar Garcia, Judith Patterson, Laura Whitfield and Merle Holloman (member of the Jose Limon Dance Company) all brought their professional talents to the campus and finally, in the early 90s Joy Harper was hired as a Resident Professional. Joy, who had owned her own ballet school for many years and danced professionally with the St. Louis Ballet Company, brought strong ballet technique training and a professional attitude to the hundreds of students studying dance under her leadership. Many wonderful activities took place during her 13 years teaching Dance at Principia including facility improvements, Master Classes and Principia hosting area colleges’ dancers for intercollegiate dance performances.

This brief review of the History of Principia’s dance education program culminates with the creation of the Department of Theatre and Dance in 1999, the arrival of Hilary Harper-Wilcoxen as a Resident Professional in early 2000 and the establishment of a Full-time Dance Faculty position and Dance Minor program at the college.

Hilary is presently the Department Chair, an Asst. Professor of Dance and holds a M.F.A. in Dance from the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Theatre and Dance. A Master of Fine Arts is considered a terminal degree in academia allowing the opportunity for Hilary to be promoted to the academic rank of full Professor of Dance.

Most of you are familiar with Principia’s current dance program. But as you now know, there has been hundreds of students through the decades who have studied and performed Dance at Principia. Let’s remember what has gone on before so those in the present can build on the strengths of the past for a stronger future.

There is a need for a sequential, comprehensive Dance Education program for The Principia---K-12, College, Alumni and PACE--- in compliance to the National Standards for Dance, an outgrowth of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act in which the arts are written into federal law as a core subject as important to education as English, Mathematics, History, Government, Geography, Science and Foreign Language.

We all can help support this goal for Principia by sharing our skills, talents, love and knowledge of Dance and by contributing to Principia’s endowed FUND FOR DANCE. A strong dance program needs the support of faculty, staff, students and appropriate facilities--all of which require a financial foundation for those who are doing this work at Principia.

There is strength in unifying our collective past. I encourage you all to make the effort to return to your Alma Mater, especially for the 2011 Dance Production Feb 25th Gala Event Hilary has planned to honor our Dance Alumni and celebrate the progress of Dance at Principia with the partnership of the Tudor Trust.

And please share with me at [email protected] whatever you may know of the History of Dance at Principia. I'm sure many of you have more information regarding faculty, staff or students who have helped lead the way for dance education in the academic curriculum at Principia College.

Long live Dance at Principia!

Christine Dunbar

(C’77, Faculty ‘78-’82)

#Alumni #Backstage Past #Christine Dunbar #Dance #Principia #Principia College #Back at the Barre

Meeting Matt Mattox - reflections on learning from the legendary dancer

by Ruthy Lawrence Doering, guest feature-writer

The “Ed Sullivan Show” … three men in a rehearsal studio doing a dance number from the Broadway show, Carnival in Flanders. Your eyes were drawn to one man, whose precision and dynamics as a dancer took your breath away.

That man was Matt Mattox, performing choreography by Jack Cole.

Matt was born in the city of Tulsa in Oklahoma in 1921. He began dancing at the early age of eleven. In 1948, he met Jack Cole, who became Mattox’s inspiration. Then Mattox tried out the Hollywood scene. He made connections with two big influential Hollywood dancers, Nico and Cyd Chraisse. They set up auditions for him at MGM. MGM was so impressed, they signed him to a two-year contract as a stock contract dancer.

His first big break was dancing in There’s No Business Like Show Business, although his most famous part, for which he is most known, is as Caleb in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. He continued to work in movie musicals and performed in films with Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Mitzi Gaynor, and Gwen Verdon. But it was Matt’s seven-year association with Jack Cole that changed his direction from aspiring ballet dancer to the personification of perfection in a jazz dancer.

Above, Mattox with partner Ruta Lee in MGM's Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Coming to New York to dance in Carnival in Flanders, which did not have a long Broadway run, gave Matt an opportunity to spread his wings in other directions. The buzz began, dancers talking about the teacher at the June Taylor Studio on Seventh Avenue in New York City.

Dancers flocked to his classes – Broadway dancers, television dancers, ice skaters – everyone wanting to learn to dance like Matt Mattox. These were the golden days, studying with Matt, Luigi, and Peter Gennaro, also teaching very different styles. The best studied with all three – and you were in dance heaven!

Right, Mattox teaching in the studio

Mattox choreographed for television during the 1950s and 1960s, particularly “The Bell Telephone Hour.” He also appeared on Broadway in Once Upon a Mattress. Then, after fourteen years of leading the jazz dance scene in Manhattan, Mattox moved to London and assumed the same position of leadership in English jazz dance. There he formed a concert jazz dance company called JazzArt, which he eventually brought to Paris in 1975. He was highly respected throughout Europe.

In 2003, while teaching at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, I opened a dance magazine, and lo and behold – an article about Matt Mattox by Alan Ulrich! My question was answered, “Where these days can you find Matt Mattox?”

Most of the time these days, you will find Matt in the Mediterranean city of Perpignan, which is French but Catalan by culture, and less than 10 miles from the Spanish border. He moved to the area of France known as Roussillon in 1980. He is there with his wife, Martine Limeul Mattox, whose family hails from one of the hill towns in the area. They met in the 1970s and both maintain intense teaching schedules in the area.

After reading Ulrich’s article, I wrote to Matt, thanking him for his teaching. I received a reply – he told me that people thank him all the time for what he did for them as a teacher. He didn’t seem to realize what a profound effect he had on those who were privileged enough to study with him through the years.

Perhaps there are Principia dancers who had the privilege of studying the great Matt Mattox. I, for one, will never forget being a dancer in New York City and studying with Matt.

Ruthy Lawrence Doering

#Principia #Principia College #Ruth Doering #Matt Mattox

"Tudor Workshop" to be presented at Principia College

The following article was originally published in the Antony Tudor Ballet Trust's eNewsletter (November 2010). The Principia College Alumni Dance newsletter, Back at the Barre, reprinted it in full (Issue #8 - December 2010).

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Hilary Harper-Wilcoxen, Chair/Theater and Dance Department at Principia College, has spearheaded an interdisciplinary pilot dance program to be conducted by Tudor Répétiteurs Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner, December 27 to January 1.

The program will introduce master choreographer Antony Tudor into college and university dance programs through a series of master classes focusing on Tudor's masterpiece, Jardin aux Lilas. The experimental, interdisciplinary week will look at this classic ballet from the perspective of various arts' disciplines.

Plans are under way for a documentary to be part of the process.

WHAT IS IT? The Tudor Workshop is a ground breaking, inter-disciplinary pilot dance program to be held at Principia College from December 27th through January 1st. This invitation only event will include advanced ballet dancers from Principia College and other local institutions. This program has been approved by Sally Bliss of The Tudor Trust and will be conducted by Tudor répétiteurs Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner. Its goal is to introduce master choreographer, Antony Tudor, into college and university dance programs through a series of master classes focusing on Tudor's masterpiece, "Jardin aux Lilas". WHAT MAKES IT "INTER-DISCIPLINARY"? Principia is committed to enriching the dance experience in higher education through focusing on a master choreographer, Antony Tudor(1907-1987), and including complimentary disciplines. Professors from Principia's Music, Theatre, English and Design Departments, along with guest Professor Margaret Eginton from Asolo Conservatory, have been invited to conduct master classes designed specifically to enable dancers to grow in their appreciation of all the varied elements that go into a choreographic masterpiece. We believe this sort of cross-disciplinary intensive can be very powerful and enlightening to both students and Professors. WHO WILL BENEFIT? Attendance will be by invitation only and will include advanced ballet dancers from Principia College and other local institutions. A final "informal presentation" will take place on January 1st at Principia College where the work from the week will be presented by the dancers and guest artists. WHAT IS THE BIGGER PICTURE? Antony Tudor's ability to portray the human condition through the vocabulary of classical ballet is legendary. His attention to honest gesture, musicality and story make him a ballet choreographer who has much to teach college dance students. Higher education, at its best, seeks to unite disciplines that can enrich and inform each other. This is the larger goal of this workshop. Choosing the classic ballet, "Jardin aux Lilas", as the instrument for this experiment presents many opportunities. Much like a music student who studies a Beethoven symphony, our students will delve deeply into a dance masterpiece and bring it to life, for themselves and the audience. MORE INFORMATION? Contact Hilary Harper-Wilcoxen at [email protected] or call her at 618.374.5010. She would love to answer any further questions you might have.

http://antonytudor.org/news/press-Nov2010excerpt.html

#Principia #Principia College #Hilary Harper-Wilcoxen #Antony Tudor Trust #Tudor #Department of Theatre & Dance

Bringing Broadway to Santa Fe - SPOTLIGHT on Kristie (Hannum) Karsen, C'78

by Jeff Ward-Bailey (C'09), guest feature-writer

You know how with some people, when you're talking with them on the phone you don't really get a good sense of what they're like? My brother Steve, for example, is like that: he's an energetic, active, intensely interesting guy, but on the phone his voice is flat, emotionless, almost monotone. It's just not a good analogue to the way he is in real life.

Kristie Karsen, however, is not one of those people.

We'd never met before our interview, so she doesn't know me from Adam, but as soon as we begin talking, her voice just lights up. With almost no prompting on my part, she tells me all about her background, shares stories from her dance and musical theater career, and gushes about her most recent trip to Prin. Her voice is enthusiastic, warm, approachable, confident -- and those who know and have worked with Kristie assure me that she's just the same in real life. It's no wonder she's had such resounding success in the performing arts, a career field that's notorious for being both competitive and difficult to break in to.

Kristie begins our conversation by telling me about her background in the performing arts. Her training, she says, was broad, running from dance, to singing, to acting. She got into dance at an early age, thanks to a mother who enrolled her in "all kinds of" dance classes. It was when she joined a ballet company at age 12 as a junior member, though, that her love of dance really blossomed. For the next three years, she danced in shows such as the Nutcracker, after which she left the company and joined her high school drama club. There, her focus shifted as she began acting and taking voice lessons, with an emphasis on musical theater roles. "I loved acting," Kristie says. "There was this dance thread in my life, and I was so grateful to be able to add acting and singing to that."

When Kristie headed to Elsah for college, she knew she wanted to be a drama major. But Principia's performing arts curriculum when she was a student looked vastly different from the way it does today. "There was nothing for dancers," Kristie remembers. "There was no dance department at all." She forged ahead, though, and it was largely due to her presence that Prin staged its first-ever musical during her sophomore year, Cole Porter's "Anything Goes," in which Kristie played the lead character of Reno Sweeney. And she continued pursuing the performing arts by constructing her own course of study. This brought her to New York City for a quarter to study dance and acting.

I think a lot of college students would be intimidated at the prospect of going to the Big Apple to study on their own. It's pretty clear that this was not the case for Kristie, though: she tells me how she immediately began making connections in the city, and was even about to study under the likes of Peter Gennero, a famous dancer in 1950s movies such as "The Pajama Game" and "Bells Are Ringing," and who later broke into choreography with work on "West Side Story," "Fiorello!," and "Mr. President," among others.

When Kristie came back to Prin after her quarter in New York, she not only played the lead in Principia's production of "Bye Bye Birdie," but did the choreography as well. But her time in New York had shown her that that was where her future lay. "As soon as I graduated I high-tailed it back there," she laughs. Drawing on her strong background in dance, acting, and singing, she continued to meet people, and soon began acting in musicals and commercials, what she refers to as her "bread and butter" roles. The first major productions she was a part of included "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" and "A Chorus Line," the Woody Allen film "Zelig," and pre-Broadway workshops of "Merrily We Roll Along" and "All-Girl Band."

Left, Karsen as Val in A Chorus Line

At this point in our conversation, Kristie pauses. "New York is a small world," she tells me. This is surprising to me, and I tell her so: isn't the city overflowing with starry-eyed young actors and actresses waiting for their big break? "Sure," she tells me, "but once you get in you go from job to job. The same people work over and over; you just get known." Her voice becomes serious. "There's no reason [for aspiring actors] to be afraid. If you have your skill set up, you will work."

Kristie worked in New York for ten years after graduating from Prin. She then moved to Chicago, where she spent a three-year stint doing commercials and musical theater -- including a touring version of "South Pacific" -- before moving again, this time to Los Angeles. "I was curious; that city's got such a draw," she confesses. "It was another place to act." But once she got to LA, instead of continuing her acting career Kristie found herself drawn into the business aspect of the performing arts. "I always thought I'd have an aptitude for it," she laughs, "although I'd never done anything on the business side of things." During her time in LA, Kristie began writing for the stage and working as an assistant to executive producers, further expanding her understanding of the performing arts world.

Today, Kristie makes her home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She originally moved there to take a job on the staff at the National Dance Institute, where she taught classes in jazz and tap dance and musical theater, as well as teaching voice lessons. But at one point, she tells me, she realized that there weren't very many musicals being done in Santa Fe. "This is such a music-loving town," she sighs, "but the musicals that were being done were all with kids. Unfortunately theater is just not well supported here, yet."

So Kristie aimed to change that. After almost four years at the National Dance Institute, she founded the Santa Fe REP, a company focused on creating professional performances starring teens and adults. "We want to elevate the quality of work that's being done here," says Kristie, who now serves as the company's artistic director. "We want to bring awareness and support to the theater." She started meeting with actors and directors in Santa Fe, gauging interest in the performing arts and drumming up enthusiasm for musical productions.

For its inaugural production in October 2009, Santa Fe REP staged "Anything Goes," the same Cole Porter musical that Kristie starred in as a sophomore at Principia. "People loved it," she says. "They were so grateful, we actually had to turn people away because there wasn't any seating left. ...It was so encouraging, because it felt like it proved my premise: If we do good musical theater, people will come!"

Right, publicity photo from Santa Fe REP's "Anything Goes"

And audience members aren't the only people whose interest has been piqued by the Santa Fe REP: Kristie says highly talented actors are being attracted to the company, as well. To that end, the REP's next performance will be the Stephen Sondheim musical "Company," which Kristie describes as "a darker, a more adventurous production" dealing with problems of relationships. "This town has hardly ever seen Sondheim," Kristie says. "Doing 'Company' will take this to a whole new level." She's currently hip-deep in preparations for that show -- rehearsals start this month -- in addition to preparing a production for next May that will celebrate female playwrights and directors in Santa Fe.

Kristie's connection with Principia remains strong these days, too. She became involved with the Principia College Alumni Dance Retreat after Emily Ward, the program's coordinator, stayed at her house during a visit to the Santa Fe opera. "We had so much in common!" Kristie gushes. Emily and Christine Dunbar, another coordinator, invited Kristie to teach jazz, tap, and musical theater classes for the summer dance intensive. Her contributions to the program turned out to be so invaluable that Kristie was invited to teach a musical theater workshop at the college, which she did just last weekend. "I treated it [the workshop] like a real audition," she explains. Not only did each of the students perform songs of his or her own choice, but Kristie also gave groups of them a number from the musical "Chicago" to learn and perform on the spot.

Above, Karsen hamming it up as a pop diva in the Alumni Dance Production 2010

Plans are still tentative, but Kristie says she hopes to be able to continue visiting Principia to keep teaching and giving workshops. And, she says, she loved this summer's Alumni Dance Production and can't wait to be a part of the next one!

As our conversation winds to a close, Kristie finishes telling me about her plans for the future -- both at Principia and in Santa Fe -- and I'm dazzled. I don't dance -- I don't even know anything about dance, really -- but the enthusiasm and joy in her voice is so evident that it's no mystery why she's enjoyed such success in the performing arts. And it's equally clear that as she continues to spread her love of dance and theater, that spark will keep inspiring others, as well.

#Principia #Principia College #Alumni Dance Production #Alumni #Dance #Kristie Karsen #SPOTLIGHT

Backstage Past: Frank Parker

The following article was originally published in the Principia College Alumni Dance newsletter, Back at the Barre (Issue #7 - October 2010).

Christine Dunbar's "Backstage Past" column takes a look at the Principia Dance programs over the years.

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The most current DANCE Magazine College Guide 2010-11 lists more than 600 College and University Dance Programs. This number has grown over the decades since the first college dance degree program was established in 1926 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, under the direction and leadership of one of our renowned American dance educators, Margaret N. H’Doubler.

In the foreword to H’Doubler’s celebrated published book, Dance A Creative Art Experience, Gertrude E. Johnson, Assoc. Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, wrote the following:

“She [H’Doubler] more than any other one person has helped to remove dance from the realm of an applied activity, intended for a somewhat aesthetically inclined few among the students of any given institution, to its place as an accepted educational, scientific, artistic, and above all, creative unit in the lives of students in our present collegiate setup. That her tireless energy, keen intellect, and wide study have made advanced academic degrees attainable for students in dance is, in the last analysis, not to be compared in importance to the possibilities released through creative growth of mind and body. The hundreds of students who have gone out from her classes to carry further the ideas of dance in the educational scheme or elsewhere are the finest witnesses a great teacher and leader in any field may hope to have.”

While Margaret H’Doubler was busy fulfilling her place in the history of American Dance Education, Principia College Professor Emeritus, Frank Parker (1891-1979), had begun his work to progress the understanding of the importance of providing a creative dance experience for Principia students. Many of our alumni will recognize this name. However, since Frank taught at The Principia from 1922-1966, those of us who came to Principia after 1966 may need an introduction.

I was privileged to be granted access to the viewing of The Frank Parker Retirement Scrapbook in the Principia Archives during a recent college campus visit. I discovered in the biography/historical note that Mr. Parker danced with the touring company of Pavlova, performed as a diseur and mime with Ruth Paige and Agnes De Mille and debuted as a diseur and dance mime at the Theatre Eduard VII in Paris in 1928. Frank earned a bachelor’s and master’s from the University of Chicago (1921 and 1926), studied at Oxford and the Sorbonne, and was a Professor of Fine Arts at Principia College teaching drama, English, dance and fine arts and influencing many students, some of whom became well-known professionals.

In the 1924 Principia College Sheaf, the following was recorded:

“Mr. Parker, in his Salon on March thirty-first, illustrated these principles of the dance. He first sang three old French songs, interpreting them through gestures. His picturesque costume of a medieval troubadour, the close black velvet cap framing the face and the voluminous cape falling in sculptural folds to the floor, made him seem like a carved figure which had stepped from some Gothic castle. He explained that what would be commonly called the acting out of the songs was, in the truest sense, dancing--the expression of thought and emotion through the body. Two of these songs were naively simple legends, one of a sinful rich man and his charitable wife, the other of Saint Nicholas performing a miracle.

The class in rhythmic dancing next gave illustrations of plastic interpretation of various rhythms. In their visualization of two Chopin preludes, the “Novelette” by Schumann, and the Glazonnow “Bacchanale” they aimed to show the poetic content of the music. Against the colored lights the dancers moved from one exquisite design to another, now and again pausing to form some lovely Greek frieze.

(Above, a still photo from the 1924 Principia College Dance Concert)

Mr. Parker, in his dance to Rachmaninoff’s “Palichinelli”, contrasted the forced merriment of the jester who performed for the court, with the real tragedy of the jester’s longing for beauty. In quite different mood was the Polish Mazurka, danced by six girls in brilliant full-skirted peasant costumes designed and made at The Principia. The evening closed with a Russian wedding dance. Miss Cornell was a delightfully comic Russian bride.

To those who think that dancing is an amusement without depth of feeling or thought, such an evening of true dancing would be a revelation.”

Well, dear Dance Alums, Frank Parker passed on the year after I was hired in 1978 to develop an academic dance curriculum and Dance Department for Principia College. Here it is 2010 and I’m just now beginning to know the work of one of Principia’s celebrated dance educators! Why is this so? Because there is a need to not only preserve our dance heritage but pass on this information to future generations so we can build on our strengths of the past.

Since the days of Frank Parker’s teaching, other dance educators have come forth to carry on the cause of Dance in Higher Education at Principia College. You will be hearing more about their work in future editions of BATB. I invite you to submit stories or memories of your dancing days at Principia so others will know what has gone before.

Christine Dunbar

(C’77 - Special Studies Dance Major,

Principia College Dance Faculty, 1978-1982)

#Back at the Barre #Christine Dunbar #Dance #Principia #Principia College #Backstage Past

News from Stage Right: October 2010

The following column was published in the Principia College Alumni Dance newsletter, Back at the Barre (Issue #7 - October 2010).

In her "News from Stage Right" column, Hilary Harper-Wilcoxen, chair of the Principia College Department of Theatre & Dance, aims to keep Principia dance alums informed of the latest news and events from the Department of Theatre & Dance!

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Dear Dancers!

Hello and welcome to my contribution to Emily’s great newsletter, Back at the Barre. Thanks Emily and congrats on the Alumni Dance Retreat and to all who were involved with that, especially Emily and Chris!

This past week was a good snapshot of what dance at Principia College is currently experiencing. Karin Averty, recent star of The Paris Opera Ballet, spent most of the week here, teaching ballet classes at the College and Upper School and treating the community to amazing footage of her career with The Paris Opera. You can hear an interview with Karin on Prin Radio (here) and visit her website at http://karin-averty.com/.

The dance program includes many visiting artists who come in at the top of their profession. This winter, The Tudor Trust’s Amanda Mc Kerrow and John Gardner of American Ballet Theatre fame (see http://antonytudor.org/index1.html) will set an excerpt from Antony Tudor’s famous “Jardin Aux Lilas” to be performed at the Winter Dance Production [2011], while Margaret Eginton, formerly of Merce Cunningham’s company and a Professor at the prestigious Asolo Conservatory, will set an original duet for our modern dancers this winter as well.

I’m so grateful that so many top dance professionals want to be a part of this environment and help our dancers grow. I believe a strong “Visiting Artist” component is critical to our program as it brings variety and depth, as well as contacts, to our students. However, an area we can continue to grow is our internship program. We need internships for students/dancers as teachers, performers, and in the business end of the profession. If you have any ideas, please let me know at [email protected]!

Working out from proven principles and expecting to see evidence in our lives of God’s goodness and care, is where I believe dance and our practice of Christian Science continuously intersect. The past few years have been full of increased student participation (we have about 50 students in our Dance Productions yearly), a strong interest in student choreography, and a deep metaphysical basis for the work that results in our Winter Dance Production.

As for specifics on what has been happening, the list got so long that I realized I would have to cut out a lot of the details and give you an overview! Here goes:

From Paris Study Abroad Programs at L’Academie Americaine de Danse de Paris (look that one up!) to offering free classes to incarcerated youth at nearby Pere Marquette correctional facility, Principia dancers are reaching out to the larger community.

From talented, enthusiastic freshmen to experienced upper-class dancers, our students are still our greatest resource. (It’s why all those fancy visiting artists want to come back!)

From exciting new FYE offerings combining music and dance (“Dancing Through Time” with Dr. Marie Jureit and myself), to Arts Tours that include dance, to a “mini-abroad” for dance and music being developed, students continue to have a tremendous spectrum in which to participate in dance at Principia College.

From a new class in Composition for student choreographers, to a first ever “Tudor Workshop” highlighting the famous ballet “Jardin Aux Lilas” (of which we will perform an excerpt in the winter) and directed by Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner, our program is growing in many exciting directions!

A former boss of mine once said, “No one gets anywhere without lots of help from others.” I couldn’t agree more. Principia Dance is deeply grateful to all the amazing, dedicated, selfless dancers and teachers who have danced through the program; to all the technical staff and students who have made the many performances around here possible; and to the great reservoir of former Prin dancers, many of whom come back year after year to dance the finale in the back of the audience! Which bring me to my closing invitation…

We would love to have you back this year to attend our Winter Dance Production, February 25th, for a special reception following the show in honor of both our Dance Alumni and the marvelous Antony Tudor (pretty good company!). We’ll also “comp” your ticket! You’ll hear more about this soon from our Alumni Office but I hope you can make it!

Remember, “Dance like no one’s watching” and see you in February!

Love to all,

Hilary

Hilary Harper-Wilcoxen

Chair, Principia College Department of Theatre & Dance

#Back at the Barre #Department of Theatre & Dance #Hilary Harper-Wilcoxen #News from Stage Right #Principia #Principia College #Dance

The official Alumni Reunion photo of the Principia Alumni Dance Retreat 2010

Top row, from left: Kathryn Hosmer Thompson, Jennifer Francis Bitto, Gary Hill, Karen Hill, Austin Hill

3rd row: Chrissy Calkins Steele, Lori Doutrich, Karen Parker Craig, Caitlin Highton Hoffman, Holly Derville-Teer, Brittany Maxwell Hopkins

2nd row: Frank Tisdell, Carol Tisdell, Nicole Tisdell, Meggen Watt, Ruth Doering, Suzanne Givens, Paul Paradis

Bottom row: Jennifer Bondelid, Chrissie Brown, Hera Gerber, Emily Ward, Christine Dunbar, Maxine Sander, John Jordan, Kristie Hannum Karsen

Not pictured: Adrienne Sandidge Hill, Karen Hooper, Marlena Gray, Bente Morse

#Principia College #Principia #Alumni #Dance #Alumni Dance Retreat

View from the Balcony: a director, performer, and participant's perspective of the Alumni Dance Retreat 2010

This was the special edition of the Principia Alumni Dance newsletter, Back at the Barre (Issue #6 - 9/1/10). It chronicled the Alumni Dance Retreat and Production 2010 from the view of its producer and director, Emily Ward (C'08).

____

Believe it or not, I have been attempting to write this issue of Back at the Barre for over two months. And yet, every time I have tried, I have been completely overwhelmed at trying to capture the Alumni Dance Retreat and Production 2010 into a simple article.

Those of you who attended probably know exactly what I’ve been struggling with. While most of us weren’t sure what a “first-ever dance intensive” on the Principia College campus would entail, none of us were prepared for such a powerful, inspirational, and joyful week. In fact, these are a few of the comments I captured from our last metaphysical meeting before the official Alumni Dance Production on Saturday, June 26th:

“When I left Prin twenty years ago, I though my days of dancing at Prin were over. I’m so grateful to have been here.”

“My goal at the beginning of the summer was to see myself out of my comfort zone and I have!”

“To be a part of a dance production at my age is so wonderful.”

“Three years ago, I lost all mobility. To be here dancing is amazing.”

“I haven’t felt this special in a long time. Thanks you for loving me so much.”

Thirty minutes later, the lights went up on forty years of Principia dancers, performing together on stage. They shared their love for Principia, dance, and one another in a fully-staged and costumed one-and-a-half hour dance show featuring original choreography by fellow Principian alums, all to a delighted full house of Alumni Reunion attendees.

How do you capture the incredible range of activities, the wide sweep of emotions, and the tremendous depth of friendships that sprung up – all in an email newsletter? The answer seems be a blog-style journal, chronicling my adventures during the week. While I admit it’s a little long (well, far longer than I intended it to be), I hope it gives you a chance to experience for yourself what the Alumni Dance Retreat and Production were all about...

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Sunday, June 20th - Day 1

I’m sitting in the Dining Room in Howard Center, trying not to stare at the twenty-five unfamiliar faces around me. A few have been emailing with me for the past few months, so I know a little about them, but the rest of the group is completely foreign to me. What are their backgrounds? Where are they from? And what kind of dance have they done?

I know that six days from now, we’ll be putting on a show - with choreography the directors have not seen, dancers the choreographers don’t know, and styles many of the dancers have never tried! Will it work? Will anyone come see it? Will we even survive the week’s physical demands of dancing for hours on end?

To say I’m a little nervous is an understatement.

But suddenly my legs have moved of their own accord, and now I’m standing in front of everyone, gripping the ubiquitous legal pad that will live in my bag next to my character heels and ballet shoes for the rest of the week. Glancing at it, I start at the beginning.

After explaining the schedule and several other necessary items (i.e., drink water!) I decide to skip whatever structure I had hoped for. Turning to the first person to my left, I ask her to share a little information about her life: where she’s from, what she does, and what type of experiences she’s had with dance.

Over the next hour and a half, I keep having to discretely lift my jaw off of the table. As we go around the room, I’m overwhelmed with the illustrious careers and characters of the men and women who have chosen to attend this Retreat: from a former U.S. Coordinator of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism who has a love of swing dancing, to a Broadway triple threat that now owns her own repertory musical theatre company in Santa Fe, to a humble, softspoken musician and dad that has never danced at all…the list goes on and on. We have a Javanese dancer, the wife of a diplomat who just moved back from South America four days ago, and even a 2005 semi-finalist from the popular TV show, So You Think You Can Dance.

After the discussion, I take everyone on a tour of the campus facilities we will be using (the Blackbox, Morey Field House, and the new Hay Field House studios). Then I follow the slow trickle of dancers back to the dorms to relax and prepare for the week ahead.

As I climb the gentle slope towards Brooks House, I realize that there’s a kernel of confidence in the pit of my stomach – we might actually pull this crazy idea off! It sends me back to my room with a grin.

____

Monday, June 21st - Day 2

It’s 9 am, and all I can hear is “Creak! Pop!” Oh yeah, that’s what ballet feels like. Despite the uncomfortable sensation of pulling my stomach in and lifting my chest up, I relish being back at the barre. I really have missed it! Old habits kick in fast: search for what I can pick up (and embody) from the more advanced dancers, stretch at every possible moment, and crack my toes after each exercise. The 50 minutes is over before I know it.

At right, Ballet with Jennifer Francis Bitto

By noon, I am quite ready for lunch. Three dance classes in a row mean tired feet and a healthy appetite! I’m also excited to hear today’s lunchtime seminar: “Dance Performance,” featuring remarks from professional dancers Brittany Maxwell Hopkins, Kristie Hannum Karsen, Ruth Doering, and Holly Derville-Teer.

I’m far from disappointed. From hearing Brittany talk about dancing as a Delta faucet (seriously) to Ruth’s admission that she never lost an audition (who has that kind of career?!), it’s an eye-opening, hang-on-every-word experience. Unfortunately, I’ll have to leave it at that, since to share it all would fill an entire issue! But don’t worry – we’ll save another issue just for that!

At left, Hopkins and Doering

Then it’s an afternoon of three more dance classes and my first rehearsal for the Production. By dinner, I feel like it’s been three days, rather than a mere ten hours. We listen to a deliciously enthusiastic Bob Rockabrand share an abbreviated version of his “Something to Dance About!” Reunion talk, including video clips and short histories of famous dancers from stage and screen. Then it’s off to the Blackbox Theatre for our first full group rehearsal for the Alumni Dance Production.

At right, Zumba with Karen Parker Craig

Before beginning, the group assembles in a circle on the floor, some sitting in chairs, others lying on the floor, others sitting Indian-style, (which always reminds me of kindergarten). I’ve prepared some brief inspirational readings, after which the rest of the time is opened to anyone who wishes to share.

I can tell that for many of the Retreaters, this is a little unusual. However, my favorite memories of Dance Productions as a student were the half-hour (and sometimes longer) metaphysicals that opened every rehearsal and every show. They unified the group in a way that nothing else could. And slowly, people begin to speak up, sharing a thought from their morning study or simple gratitude for just being able to attend the Retreat.

It’s neat to hear where everyone is after a day of dance. Yep, many are tired, but that doesn’t seem to be enough to stifle the smiles—everyone is excited to see the dances!

No one, however, is as excited as me. Apart from one rather blurry YouTube clip, I haven’t seen one piece of choreography. It is an odd feeling, preparing to co-direct a show about which you have no information.

So we start. There’s no order, just choreographers standing and sharing what they have. Many dancers have already learned four or five phrases, and so when they can, they perform what they picked up in the short 50-minute class that day.

I’m impressed. Somehow, it’s an incredibly diverse set of dances. Fast, slow, dramatic, lighthearted, touching, and historic – I silently share my gratitude for such a strong beginning of this five-day rehearsal process.

At left, Hopkins in the solo piece "Forgive Me"

By 9:30, all of the dances have been presented, albeit in their infant stage, and so I release everyone and remind them to please get sleep and drink water. In truth, mostly I’m trying to remind myself.

Of course, I don’t follow my own instructions, and so it’s not until 1 or 2 in the morning that I drag my tired feet into bed. But it’s not without results – the first round of costume possibilities sit in the Blackbox Theatre, waiting for Tuesday night’s rehearsal. Day One is over – but the work and the fun have only just begun.

____

Tuesday June 22nd - Day 3

It’s 10:35ish, and we’re nearing the end of our second class in Morey. Jump, leap, pant for breath and then go back the other way doing it all over again. It’s exhilarating.

Suddenly, there’s a dancer on the floor. We all realize pretty quickly that it’s an ankle. And yet, in the midst of concern for her, I find myself nearing tears not of sadness but of joy. It’s because I can feel every dancer in the room praying.

When an injury arises in most classes, there’s an instantaneous hush of pity and fear. You can almost feel the thoughts of “What bad luck,” “She’s out for weeks,” or “That could have been me.” Everyone clears away and the dancer leaves the room in anguish and sorrow.

In sharp contrast to that scene is the Prin approach to dance injuries. There’s a respectful quiet but the atmosphere is filled with Love rather than pity. Everyone reaches out in prayer to support the dancer, themselves, and the class. A few other dancers may join the teacher in sitting with or talking with the dancer, but everyone is nearby, supporting the situation prayerfully. The room has a warm tenderness that envelops all. Most dancers dealing with an injury remain in the class, observing and praying on the side.

I remember it well from my days as a student, and I also remember the many wonderful healings and demonstrations that accompanied those challenges among my friends and fellow dancers.

Yet, even in the few years I’ve been in the “real world”, I’ve forgotten that alternative approach. To be here, surrounded by so many dancers who react the same way I do, is in some ways startling! But this is one of Prin’s greatest gifts to its dancers: to approach such a demanding art form through Love.

The Christian Science nurse arrives on the scene very quickly, and the dancer is cared for. Class continues, but I can feel that we will all keep this dancer close in our thoughts.

After another hour of class, lunch brings with it another wonderful seminar: Careers in Dance (other than Performance), with speakers Holly Derville-Teer (former dance studio owner), Kristie Hannum Karsen (owner/producer/director of a regional musical theatre repertory company), Caitlin Highton Hoffman (dance teacher), and Christine Dunbar (former choreographer for musical superstars). It’s very inspiring to see the many ways in which you can work in the dance world even without performing!

At left, Caitlin Highton Hoffman before ballet class

The afternoon is full of classes, workshops, and rehearsals. Dinner comes and goes quickly and suddenly it’s technical rehearsal #2!

At right, tap with Kristie Hannum Karsen

We open with a metaphysical once again. Already, everyone is a little more relaxed. Many more dancers speak up to offer inspiration, appreciation, and discoveries that have occurred in the past two days. We close by standing and singing a hymn, and the sound of so many voices blending into the immense space of the Blackbox is certainly inspiring.

A tentative order for the show is announced, and so we begin rehearsing each number in order. I’m pretty impressed with how far so many of the dances have come. Although most everyone has a slightly terrified expression on their face, they have a substantial part of the choreography learned. Hallelujah!

After each piece is performed, the choreographer and I talk costumes. Some things work great! Others are not quite right, and several are far less appealing than they seemed on the hangers. I take copious notes and place the costumes that worked on a separate rack. There’s plenty of work to be done tonight on that front, but by the time I get to bed, it’s with satisfaction that the show is definitely taking shape.

At left, one costume that did work, on Brittany Maxwell Hopkins

____

Wednesday June 23rd - Day 4

I admit that by this morning, fatigue starts to hit hard. Many technical elements are still unclear (what kind of lights are we going to have?!), and I know full well that I should be getting to sleep earlier. Hopefully after tonight, most of the costume issues will be resolved and I will be able to go to bed at a semi-reasonable hour.

While I feel bad for having to skip a couple of my favorite classes that morning, I am grateful to notice that most everyone has figured out a schedule that works for them. Some Retreaters are going to just one class a day, while those who were taking every class they could are now taking one or two hours off during the day. Some attendees attend class with camera in hand and play photographer instead of dancer. But everyone has recognized the importance of a good break!

Above left, ShimSham Rehearsal / Warm-Up with Paul Paradis

The enthusiasm among the Retreaters hasn’t dimmed, however. Of course, there’s consternation about the Production (“I just don’t know how we’ll know all the choreography by tonight!”), but since we directors have asked all of the choreography to be learned before tonight’s rehearsal, I am not surprised. The goal isn’t to be perfect but rather to spend the next two days being able to clean the dances, rather than trying to cram the choreography.

The lunchtime seminar today is absolutely fantastic. “Dance at Principia: Past, Present, & Future” features segments from: Christine Dunbar (former faculty and longtime champion of Dance at Principia) about the past programs of Principia dancers; Chrissy Calkins Steele (a current faculty member of the Department of Theatre and Dance) about the current department’s programs and achievements; and Clay Jackson in the Development Office about the potential possibilities for the Department of Theatre & Dance.

Above right, Dunbar (2nd from left) with (from left) Maxine Sander, Adrienne Sandidge Hill, Chrissie Brown, and Hera Gerber

Highlights included:

- Realizing that Dance at Prin started in the 1930s! - A video from Hilary Harper-Wilcoxen, Chair of the Department of Theatre & Dance, welcoming back dance alums (previously shown in 2006) - Seeing a slideshow of pictures from the last 3 years of student Dance Productions - Learning about the close relationship Principia’s dance program has with the Antony Tudor Trust, including recent performances of Tudor’s ballet “Little Improvisations” by Principia student dancers - A discussion of the Dunbar Endowed FUND FOR DANCE established to specifically support Principia’s dance programs (donations always welcome and directly support the students) - Talking about the possibility of Morey Field House (right) being renovated into a Performing Arts Center (useable by both students and alums)

Classes fly by that afternoon. Dinner is over before I know it. And we’re back in the Blackbox, holding our metaphysical before rehearsal begins.

To see how far the dances have come is incredibly humbling. I am amazed at the selfless devotion of these alums, some of whom have never been in any sort of dance production at Prin or elsewhere. And yet, everyone throws their complete energy into each dance, fueled by their individual yet collective love for dancing.

After the rehearsal is over and we’re going through notes, several choreographers ask if they could hold extra rehearsals tomorrow. Quite a few dancers chime in with their support for the idea, and as I write down the flurry of requests and needs, I quickly realize that our regular schedule is going to have to be changed. “I’ll post a brand new schedule around the studios tomorrow,” I promise.

Now, the schedule had been the most time-consuming part of our pre-Retreat planning. We had worked through more than 10 different versions, attempting to accommodate the multiple levels and desires of the attendees and teachers. Since I hadn’t known many of the dancers (or even how many were ultimately attending), it had been somewhat of a guess, even after so many revisions. Did we have enough time for rehearsals? Did we have enough options for non-performers? Was the mix of classes sufficient? There had been unending considerations.

So with that in mind, it doesn’t surprise me that the final schedule needs to change one more time. With such a large percentage of the attendees opting to perform in the Alumni Dance Production (even more than I’d hoped!), many classes are no longer necessary. It is something that I take note of – next time, our planning committee will consider the two very different tracks of attendees (those performing and those participating) when creating the schedule.

So that night, I rewrite the schedule and copy it onto bright pink paper. After posting it at each dance studio and several other locations, I fall into bed. The week is already halfway over…

____

Thursday June 24th & Friday June 25th - Days 5 & 6

The days blur together in a whirlwind of rehearsals and technical preparation. Lights begin to appear on the stage. Costumes are finally worn. Bangs are trimmed so that we can see dancers’ eyes. Pieces are cleaned and characters become more defined. The choreography is becoming ingrained, and dancers are even starting to smile while performing.

At left, John Jordan and Suzanne Givens rehearse West Coast swing number

But the most exciting part is that the Reunion attendees are beginning to arrive on campus! The energy is palpable. The Concourse is full of cries of delighted friends reuniting after so many years. The campus is abuzz with golf carts and strolling guests. Even the Midwest heatwave retreats in honor of the occasion, and we delight in a welcome cool spell.

In an effort to make sure that Retreaters are able to attend a few of the main Reunion events, we have scheduled our first dress rehearsal on Friday afternoon. This way, Saturday morning will be our final dress rehearsal, and the curtain will go up on the final performance Saturday afternoon.

The dancers are tired, but, aware of the long night’s break ahead of them and inspired by the proximity of the official performance, they arrive at this dress rehearsal with considerable energy. We sit down quickly for a shortened metaphysical, in consideration of the time constraints. These metaphysicals have become effusive sessions of inspiration and uplifting gratitude. As with all Principia Dance Productions, the bonds between the dancers are deep and strong. It feels like we’re a family.

This afternoon’s dress rehearsal is a complete, fully-tech’d performance; the only aspects missing are a couple of video features that won’t be available until tomorrow morning. Every dancer is in costume, waiting for their numbers in the wings or in the dressing rooms. The music is run through the excellent sound system, rather than the boombox we’ve been using to rehearse all week. The black velvet curtains are drawn and a somber hush fills the space. And when the lights hit the stage, we realize that we are truly performing.

At right, Chrissie and Jim Brown in traditional folk dance costumes

____

Saturday June 26th - Day 7

I wake up quietly. It’s here, I think. Today has finally arrived. Over a year and a half of work ends tonight. And then we start right back up again, I smile.

We have a very full day with two full-length performances ahead of us, and yet I’m already thinking about the Alumni Dance Retreat 2012. Sometimes you just can’t turn off your thinker!

After sprinting around the campus copying the program and other important things, I arrive at the theatre for our final dress rehearsal. This morning’s metaphysical is quiet and joyful. We do a group warm-up and then everyone scurries to their dressing rooms to put on makeup, stretch a little more, or simply relax until their number.

A certain feeling pervades the air. Any performer knows it well: one part nerves, two parts excitement, and another part delirious joy. To perform is one of the greatest gifts on earth.

Finally, the lights fade out and the projector hums to life. Videographer Mark Dearborn’s video montage of the Retreat begins playing on the screen, and a small tear wells up unexpectedly in my eye.

The directors’ jobs are finished when the final dress rehearsal begins. From here, the show is really in the hands of the cast and crew. It’s a bit like sending your children off to college. You’re delighted for them and confident that they will grow and flourish – but you will miss them and their struggles, more than you will ever let them know.

The open dress rehearsal runs almost perfectly, with the exception of one or two technical problems that don’t seem to bother the small house. My co-director shouts, “That’s why this is a dress rehearsal!” and the audience laughs appreciatively. She’s right, and the technical crew in the booth relaxes just a bit. Soon enough, the issue is resolved and we continue on with the show.

At left, the final pose of "There's No Business Like Show Business" (from left, Hoffman, Paradis, Derville-Teer, Karsen, Jordan, Meggen Watt)

There are no notes after this run of the show, just a reminder to be back in time for our metaphysical meeting after lunch. With most of us still wearing our makeup, off we head to eat. (I confess that being in the “real world” with my makeup on between shows has always been my guilty pleasure as a performer.)

At right, Craig, Derville-Teer, and Hopkins backstage

Lunch is over in a heartbeat and I’m back “home” in the Blackbox. I grab a spot of floor in the greenroom and wait for the rest of the dancers to arrive. To my delight, several of the non-performing Retreaters have joined us as well. After glancing at my watch a few times, I finally clear my throat and begin speaking.

“For this metaphysical, I don’t have any readings prepared. Instead, I’d like to go around the circle and have each one of you share something you are grateful for from this week. This is something we did every year I was a student in Dance Production, and I remember it being truly the most inspiring part of each year.”

One by one, each Retreater shares his or her thoughts on their experience this week. By the time we get halfway around the circle, I’m trying very hard not to cry. (I notice that I’m far from alone.) There is an incredible freedom of expression among the dancers, due in no small part to the incredible bond among them. Deeply personal and even emotional moments are met with support and smiles of understanding. Sharings of incredible healings are accompanied by knowing nods. The room is filled with an atmosphere of love and joy.

Thankfully, someone had the presence of mind to capture several of the comments shared. Some of these I shared earlier. Several others included:

“[This Retreat] brought back my love for Principia.”

“It was a trip for my soul as well as my body.”

“The first thing you see when you come up to the gate is ‘Welcome Home’ and you really feel it.”

“This is the place to have the support – to take the risks. I haven’t danced in ten years but this gave me a chance to take a risk.”

“I’m going to take this away and I know it will bless my whole family.”

“To be a part of a dance production at my age is so wonderful.”

“There’s nothing like this: to have this support as Christian Scientists…to be in this spiritual experience.”

“When I left Prin twenty years ago, I though my days of dancing at Prin were over. I’m so grateful to have been here.”

“This has been more than my heart can appreciate.”

By the time the circle gets back to me, I hardly look like the director/producer I’m supposed to be. My face is streaked with tears of joy as I try to express my own feelings.

“As a recent graduate, to hear my friends say ‘This is the last time I’m going to get to dance’ broke my heart. To hear you all is more gratifying than anything I’ve experienced all week.”

Just a few seconds before I let everyone go to finish preparing for the show, I look around the room. Here we are, a group of dancers spanning over forty years of Principia graduates, few of whom knew one another six days ago but most of whom are now dear friends. Here we are after hours of hard work, trials, and even a few temporary tribulations but with undimmed enthusiasm, joy, or energy. Here we are, about to put on a show that a week ago was only a vague idea in a few ambitious heads but has unfolded into a beautiful gift for the Principia community.

Above, Hopkins, Hoffman, and Derville-Teer in the Concourse

It is the final moment of a beginning – the beginning of many more decades of the Principia Alumni Dancers dancing together one more time.

____

Epilogue

The curtain of the Alumni Dance Production 2010 opened on a completely full house. (In fact, many people unfortunately had to be turned away.) Each dancer sparkled with unbridled passion, and the show was much appreciated by those attending. For the rest of the evening, no matter where you went on campus, someone was still talking about the performance of that afternoon!

Above right, final pose of "Amazing Grace" (from left, Hoffman, Jennifer Bondelid, Hopkins, Derville-Teer, Craig)

So, due to the tremendous response from participants and appreciators alike, planning has already begun for the next Alumni Dance Retreat and Production.

In the meantime, we are delighted to announce that professional pictures of the Alumni Dance Production are available from Principia photographer Dana LePoidevan of LP Portraits. Visit his website here (http://lpportraits.exposuremanager.com/g/reunion2010-dance) to peruse and order over 230 shots, available as digital downloads, prints, and memorabilia.

A DVD of the Alumni Dance Production is also available. The first was filmed by Mark Dearborn and is purchasable by contacting Judy Dail in Media Services (email her at [email protected]; or call her at 618-374-5437). DVDs cost $5 a piece, and there is no charge for shipping. (The footage was shot from the back balcony.)

On a personal note, I thank all you wonderful readers for your patience these last two months. I had high hopes of writing a little piece about the Retreat in the two days after I got home. Life had its own ideas…

But hopefully this offered you a glimpse of what 30 or so brave alumni dancers ventured with us to try this summer – and we look forward to seeing YOU when we do this again!

#Back at the Barre #Alumni Dance Retreat #Alumni Dance Production #Emily Ward Maixner #Principia College #Principia #Dance #Alumni

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