We thought we'd explain a little bit about our project and show you a preview of some of our movement vocabulary. (This is Vicki DeRenzo and Katie Stehura (Stu) by the way.) For two summers now, we've studied in Vienna at the International Dance Festival. Impulstanz. We've had some very influential teachers: Rasmus Olme, Damien Jalet, Gavin Webber, Bruno Caverna, and David Zambrano to name a few...their practices were ridic! rigorous, physical, athletic etc.-- then as part of the festival, there are many performances available to see, and we found there was a general interest in a very different aesthetic then the studio practice... an interest in minimal movement, performance art, use of prop and scenery etc. We then realized what it was we were interested in investigating for our senior project... How does one transfer the athleticism and rigor of European training to choreography with a strong artistic point of view/ vision/ intent... can athletic movement be artistic?... does the way in which you begin creating affect the answer to this question...
SO-
-We commissioned Akos Hargitay, European choreographer to set a duet on us while in Vienna
-We created a class from our European experience and taught it to dancers in a new work we'd be creating
-We're working on a piece with our questions in mind
Our product will be (as of right now):
-An excerpt of the duet set on us in Vienna
-A brief documentary addressing our questions, process, and Akos' pov (our choreographer)
-Our piece with dancers: Melanie Gallo, Theresa Elwell, Amanda Platt, Daniel Holt, Katie Stehura, Vicki DeRenzo
(our project is sharing an evening performance with Caitlin Ewing , Sarah Gibbons, and Kelly Onder)
The clip we're showing is super brief and rough, but it is an excerpt of our movement vocabulary... dancers: Theresa and Amanda
Hope you enjoy! : )
