We are all one

Genevieve remembers Denver

Well, we are back from our performance in Colorado, and after some reflection, I really think there were some note-worthy events that I would definitely call … well, amazing. HI-larious….Brilliant…And so, I reflect…

FIRST. Melissa. Passed out in the hotel room with the door wide open after eating a large bucket of fried chicken. Her huge Doc Martins are thrown on the floor, she is snoring, and Cartman’s voice saying “Respect my authoritah” can be heard from the parking lot. There is a Styrofoam container with chicken bones sticking out of it next to the bed, and her John Lennon sunglasses are staring at me from the cabinet when I walk in. All I can think is….

I can’t wait to partner with that later.

(A deadly combo)

SECOND. Just call me Liza.

I had my own dressing room with a piano, a chaise lounge chair, and a bathroom with a shower. For a second I thought to myself,

“WOWIE, Just call me Liza…Minnelli.”

As soon as I had set my things down, I went to the bathroom. As I was doing my business, I heard a really bad version of “The Entertainer” being banged out on the piano. It’s 8am. Who was this maniac?

I opened the door. “Mornin’ snowbird!”. John Lennon? NO.

T’was Melissa.

THIRD. Kate had not seen the double rainbow video on youtube. When we made references to it, she had no idea what was going on.

NOT ACCEPTABLE, we said.

And so, after a long night of rehearsing and sharing chicken and waffles, we cuddled up in bed as Jamila offered her computer for a double rainbow premier screening.

Kate’s life has never been the same.

FOURTH. Jamila. Glass. Epic. In her sleeping moo-moo (her snoo-moo). Dancing to the company’s very own live rendition of “Here Comes The Bride”. This is what happens behind closed doors, people.

Please enjoy:

LASTLY. I would just like to acknowledge how awesome this piece was. Kate Hutter is a maniac genius, who seems to ooze choreography from her mind cells. She is brilliant. This company is brilliant. I’m a lucky girl to be a part of it.

Our fearless leader. So badass.

- Genevieve, company member

Off to the Rockies!

Hello Dance World!

The past weeks preparing for our our performance in Denver have been a whilrwind of exciting activity. TIME TO CONQUER THE ROCKIES!!! By "conquer", I mean dance in.. and by dance "in" I mean dance on a stage in. well... you get the picture.

The process has been an exciting challenge. We have been stttttretching ourselves to stay afloat amidst very driving and active music. I feel our fearless leader, Kate Hutter has done an amazing job of working with the music to elevate the tracks and create a choreographic score that highlights the performance experience. The dance feeds the music, and music feeds the dance. It is a dance feast... ( Speaking of... I hope Denver has good cuisine.. I am not much for Buffalo, wild boar and elk... but I am one for sauces made of berries and wine. Viking food... mmmmmm--- O )

Hearing excerpts of the tracks from the beginning of the process was intense. I, myself attached a very particular feeling to music that I translated into movement that was all out, high velocity, full throttle dance. It feels this way, but there is so much more under the sleeves. There are haunting voices scattered throughout the tracks that seem to call to the dancers and audience with words like "sit", "heel" and "down", leaving ourselves and the audience unaware of who is in control of the performance. Are we being controlled and pulled by the music? Or is the music a commentary of our own decisions we make while dancing? Whatever the answer, Kate has left me tangled, stimulated and ready for more....

To perform in Denver is a treat. I have heard of Colorado's strong jazz dance community through the grapevine and can't wait to feel out the artistic landscape. These West Coasters are in for a treat once our neon-clad beachy bods touch Rocky ground. We arrive on Friday to rehearse at Cherry Creek Dance Studios (http://www.cherrycreekdance.com/ ) and perform for the students there. Saturday is off to the theatre to tech and run the show. What a treat for us to share out craft beyond the California border. Get ready for a dance explosion Denver!! I feel honored , blessed and inspired to take LACDC to the Rockies.

- Michael, company member

Dancing in the woods

Last weekend company member Kevin Williamson and myself went to the Angeles Forest (approx. 1 hour outside of L.A.) to film a music video for an incredible musician, William Ryan Fritch (aka Vieo Abiungo), with LACDC videographer and super talented filmmaker - Peter Monro. It was a gorgeous setting with huge trees, a creek and other wild settings to dance in. Company member, Tiffany Sweat, was also on set as production assistant. It was an LACDC tag team effort per usual.

Highlights of the shoot were:

• making camping gear fly
• figuring out how to tear all our clothing off in one second
• using rocks and fallen tree trunks as improv partners
• dancing and running through the forest in our underwear, and trying NOT to attract bears

To say the least, dancing in the dirt was amazing and I even have some war wounds to prove how hard-core site specific dance can be. The short clips of footage I saw looked incredible and I can't wait to share the whole video with you once it is finished.

But, in the meantime, I would like to share a video of one of the best parts of the whole trip. After we were finished shooting, we went to start up our old station wagon, Bessie, who we borrowed as a prop piece for the film. Well, ol' Bessie refused to start. At this point we had only one other car, a small pickup truck, to get 5 people down from the mountain to a biker bar

that had a pay phone (no....there are no cell towers in nature) where we could call AAA and get Bessie towed. 3 people were loaded into the cab; Kevin and I elected to sit in the back with all the camera gear weighing us down. ***DISCLAIMER: This is very dangerous and you should never do this.***

Now...as dangerous as this was...it was the only way to get us all out of the woods and to some much needed food and drinks. SO, Kevin and I made the best of it. It was freezing cold, scary and HILARIOUS. Here is the video that will make me laugh for the rest of my life:

We arrived safely back in L.A. after LACDC composer (yes, we are a tight knit family), Eric Mason, picked us up from the biker bar and drove us down the mountain INSIDE his nice warm car. It was an awesome day of dancing and adventure in the pursuit of creating kick butt art.

-Kate, artistic director