Dancing outside of dancing

Although I think we can all agree that all the company members at LACDC love dance, but how we came to love it is probably very different. My experience is that most people learned to dance in the studio or in some kind of classes, especially when it comes to ballet. You never hear friends getting together to do some ballet for fun. I guess it’s because ballet is one of those dances you do on stage or class. Now it might sound like I am bashing on ballet, but I am not. What I am trying to point out is you can’t get together with a group of friends go out at night and meet people doing ballet. So What do I do to get my dance and social cravings at the same time? I go to Lindy Groove, it’s a swing dance venue, that does primarily Lindy Hop style of swing, in Pasadena and it happens every Thursday night. What I love about Lindy Hop is that it is a dance form that is difficult enough that I won’t be bored out of mind, but also attracts enough of a crowd to meet really interesting people that love to dance. The atmosphere is really chill and you don’t feel like people are out to judge your dance ability all the time. So if you are feeling anything like the way I do and want to get away from the class atmosphere maybe Lindy Groove might be for you. :)

http://lindygroove.com/

- Justin Liu

Gobble Gobble ya’ll!

I love Thanksgiving.

This Turkey Day, one of the things I am most grateful for is my LACDC family. L.A. Contemporary Dance Co. makes me want to paint things. The following is inspired by Kate Hutter and the Pilgrims. (Potential band name?)

Photos by Eric Mason
Artwork and post by Drea Sobke

Pina

Last night I had the opportunity to see an advanced screening of the movie Pina, a part documentary, part dance for the camera film on the work of German dance-theater choreographer Pina Bausch. LACDC members and affiliates were graciously invited to be a part of this experience and, as I've been waiting for the US premier for over a year, I could not pass up this opportunity. It was well worth the wait. The evening began with a sentimental, long-winded, introduction by the film's soft spoken director Wim Wenders. He recounted to the audience how he and Pina had first met back in the 80's, and came up with the idea to create a film together. She wanted to successfully and accurately document her stage work, while he wanted to create a film about Pina's eyes and the way she views the world. The film remained as only a concept for many, many years as Wenders confessed to us that he had no idea how to go about this task. It wasn't until he saw the newest advancements in 3D technology (before Avatar was even being advertised), that he felt confident moving forward. He felt this technology would allow movie audiences a more real-life experience to see Pina's work, providing us the capability to interpret and recognize depth and layering in her compositions. They began pre-production for the project in spring of 2009. Tragically, and unexpectedly, Pina died in June of 2009 of cancer she had just five days earlier been diagnosed with. Wenders immediately pulled the plug on the entire project.

Pina's company of dancers however, pressed forward. They performed their schedule concert the night after her death, and continued with their scheduled tours through the rest of the year. They chose an artistic director from among them and pressed forward. They came to Wenders and informed him that they have been rehearsing the works that Pina had selected to be in the film, and they were ready to create it. Wenders realized this film was now much more than about Pina, it was for Pina, and it had to be made.

Beyond just capturing Pina's work, this film is cut and interjected with thoughts and memories from the dancers. The dancers in the company range in ages from early twenties to sixties, but among them all the love, admiration, and respect they have for Pina shines through. They paint her to be the most loving, hard working, understanding, encouraging, and inspiring person and director. Hearing these accounts were a nice reminder that talent and success do not need to be paired with harshness or cruelty. I think far too often dancers allow choreographers to get away with behavior unfair and unwarranted. This is one of the biggest things I have enjoyed about becoming a part of LACDC. Like Pina, the choreographers we work with push us and challenge us, but never forget to treat us with respect and courtesy. Because after all, we are people first, dancers second.

Beyond anything, the film Pina depicts what a truly special and remarkable entity Pina Bausch was, and still is. And I think LACDC is pretty special too :-)

- Andrew Pearson

A Dancer’s Introductory Ramblings

From Hyosun Choi -

I love eating cake with my fingers; dessert tastes so much better. I love plushies; my recent addition is mischievous Pascal from Disney’s “Tangled.” I love the Fx application; the pictures say enough. And I love to dance; in a world where the most overused muscle is the jaw, it’s a gift to express with my body instead of words.

I believe dance is the sadly underappreciated. Musicians are left with an mp3 recording after singing. Directors, screenwriters, and actors can watch the DVD after filming. Painters solidify their art onto a canvas after painting. Sculptors create a 3D figure after sculpting. Writers publish books after writing. Yet after dancing, we are left only with an experience because dance is a live performance that can’t be captured into any material form. Although video recording is an option, the experience of watching live versus after-the-fact is beyond comparison.

Dance taught me about having patience in the process. As Ralph Waldo Emerson articulated, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” Before I began to dance, one of my innate personality flaws was in wanting immediate results. But the greatest sense of satisfaction and appreciation develops after surmounting tremendous difficulties. There shall never be an ending point to dance; the beauty is the infinite amount to learn, to discover, to be inspired. Below are videos I took during rehearsal that show the process in creating and in grasping new work:

In addition, dance taught me the importance of foundation. A dancer’s tool is his/her body. The foundation of technique, a strong core, and confidence is a necessity. With a sturdy foundation, I began to concentrate on personal expression and inner reflection. A great performer makes the action look effortless, thereby putting the audience at ease to disappear into the experience.

Furthermore, dance taught me about teamwork. In a world consumed by self-absorption and individuality, dance reminds me of collaboration, humility, and respect for others. Unless it is a solo, a dance piece with others is not about standing out as a sharp contrast within the whole picture. I feel lucky to be a part of a dance company that promotes cooperation, trust, and support during rehearsals.

I hope that someday a Dancers’ Guild will be created to protect dancers’ hourly wages, health benefits, and copyrights. I wish dance would have a bigger role in the elementary education system. I dream that a greater appreciation for contemporary dance develops with a strongercommunity support. Optimistically, in the future, a larger population of dancers shall be able to financially support themselves only through dance without taking on a second job. And may there one day be a way to preserve choreography in a form that captures its initial essence.

With the reminder never to take my health for granted, I offer a prayer of gratitude for every day I can dance. My goal: to make you itch to dance when you watch LACDC dance.

Hyosun's View