staibdance and T. Lang Dance in concert

I am so excited for this upcoming show where I will perform with both companies I dance for in the same evening! In just two short weeks "s n a p" and excerpts from "Post Up" will be presented at Fabrefaction Theatre. Get your tickets now!

photo by Lori Teague

photo by Lori Teague 

photo by Lori Teague

photo by Lori Teague

staibdance presents “s n a p”

“s n a p,” the newest work by Atlanta-based contemporary dance company staibdance is an investigation of the moment before personal or global history is made.

When do we decide enough is enough? How long can we live in the wanting of change before taking the first harrowing step? Inspired by the collective unrest, curiosity, and frustration of the French people during the reign of Louis XVI and moved by the decision to storm the Bastille, staibdance explores these and other questions.

“Every revolution, whether personal or society, is born of unrest,” says artistic director George Staib, “Anxiety, fear, excitement, or doubt percolate until the center cannot hold, and we make the decision to act.”


T. Lang Dance presents excerpts from "Post Up"
T. Lang Dance "P O S T U P" from T. Lang Dance on Vimeo.

Atlanta-based choreographer T. Lang returns with a new work after her acclaimed 2012 full-length debut “Mother/Mutha.” The piece, titled “Post Up,” examines the longing for love as it tends towards self-destruction. 

Moving from entangled aggressive movements to staggeringly tender moments, T. Lang’s “Post Up”, delves deeply into American history and its avoided complexities. Referring to newspaper “posts” by freed Americans in an attempt to find a loved one, “Post Up” relates to our strong need to belong, to ground oneself in a sense of community – which withstands all trials and the test of time. 

Performance November 14-16, 2013 at 8 p.m. 
Tickets ($20 general admission; $12 seniors/students with valid ID) available at

https://www.wepay.com/events/s-n-a-p-and-post-up-tickets

First Season of Skwhirlhaus - Done!

Ah, we are through with the last show of the first season at Skwhirlhaus! It has been a long, exciting, challenging, thought provoking, entertaining, educational, emotional, and most of all inspiring couple of months. Watching, participating, and performing in these shows both onstage and off has been an experience I know I could not get anywhere else, and I am so honored to be a part of it all. 

Skwhirlhaus has allowed me to grow so much; not only as an individual artist, but also as a part of the larger dance community. I now understand what an undertaking it is to get shows up and running; everything from putting a call out for submissions, communicating with artists, and promoting shows. Then the added challenges an outdoor stage confronted us with including running cables across the back yard to be configured to three little power strips at our "light board", setting up sound on the back porch (thank goodness for Matt Whitmore!), cleaning the stage (which is done most efficiently with a leaf blower and bath towels, by the way), watching the weather report like a hawk and searching for alternate rain dates or locations (for numerous artists and their dancers - impossible? no!)

 I think, for me, what makes Skwhirlhaus so special is the sense of family and community. I've loved watching Maryn's daughter Naomi play and dance on the stage or in the yard during rehearsals or while we set up for shows. And the joy we all got watching little Sorci grow in Maryn's belly throughout the first season, and then for her to be here with us for the last couple shows, nursing while Maryn set up lights (so bad ass) or sleeping peacefully under the donations table, or being passed from one of us to the other while we got our pre-show tasks taken care of. Gathering all the artists for dinner that we had cooked to enjoy in Maryn's home was such a special pre-show time too. Having this sense of community and support among the dance artists in Atlanta is invaluable. 

Showing my work Night Kitchen at Skwhirlhaus in this final October show was so special. I remember our very first show at Skwhirlhaus last October, Maryn's work Thread - the stage had just been built, before our little collective was even a thing, we were just a group of women who were all connected to Maryn some way or another and she called us together to perform in her backyard. We since then have presented 25 incredible artists on the stage, and I am so honored to say that I am one of them :) I am so thankful for Maryn and her beautiful idea that has blossomed into this amazing space for the community. Here's to a little break, and a great season at the 'haus! 

      

still from Night Kitchen at Skwhirlhaus October 18th, 2013

Performance Alert: Night Kitchen at Skwhirlhaus!

I am so excited to have the opportunity to premier my new work Night Kitchen at Skwhirlhaus this weekend, October 18th and 19th at 7:30pm. Performing with me is my incredible friend and colleague, Mallory Baxley. This will be the last show in the inaugural season at Skwhirlhaus and I will be presenting alongside four very talented Atlanta based artists, Juana Farfan, Tara Hemmer, Erik Thurmond, and Jerylann Warner. Bundle up and make it out to Skwhirlhaus (327 Sisson Avenue Atlanta 30317) this weekend, it's a show you won't want to miss!

 

Night Kitchen Promo from Amelia Reiser on Vimeo.

Here is a link to the Facebook event for the show

&

Here is a link to the Skwhirlhaus blog where you can read about all the presenting artists for Oct.

falling for fall

The most beautiful weather of year has been happening this past week in Atlanta. Perfect 75 degrees, sunny with a cool breeze, the kind of weather that makes people crave the outdoors. Festivals and farmers markets are in full swing, everyone is out with adorable puppies and babies - walking, playing, chatting, eating and drinking all the things. It's amazing. As I type this, I'm sitting on the lovely porch outside my coffee shop observing everyone's cheerful Sunday afternoon attitudes. I've always loved the changing of the seasons, and there is something especially romantic about falling into fall.

 I was able to rehearse at Skwhirlhaus Friday morning for my piece in the October show. Early morning light peeked through the big tree above me warming my skin as I moved my body through the crisp cool air. Just me, under the tree. It was so very magical. I was stressed before rehearsal, not having my other dancer there and not feeling ready or like I had enough done, but once I started moving, something in me shifted, and just being on the stage at Skwhirlhaus turned my anxiety into pure joy. Pure joy to be dancing on a beautiful stage, outside in beautiful weather, right behind my friends home with her beautiful family inside. Our mission statement for Skwhirlhaus really is spot on...

Skwhirlhaus cultivates a cooperative sustainable environment where creative individuals gather to present work and experience community.

 Look out for updates about the October show where I will show new work Night Kitchen. October 18th and 19th!

25

Twenty-five, a quarter century. This is where I am right now, and I love it. There were a lot of great things about 24, but I feel like last year was a year of searching for a place for myself in the city and still struggling in that limbo between college life and adult life. Twenty-five has already started off so very well with a weekend full of yoga, drinks with friends, and performing in three different shows; all the things I love the most. There was a lot of hard work, and lots of play - a happy balance. My goal for my 25th year is to continue finding this balance. I am coming into my career as a dancer more and more and am so excited and grateful to be working with two different companies, dancing 5 days of the week. I of course still have my other jobs to help pay the bills, but there is a better ratio of dance time to non-dance "work" time. I am learning to say no to things that I really don't have time for in order to fully commit to the things I really do want to do, attempting to keep a balance of work, and play, and maybe sometimes sleep too :) This September also marks 22 years since my very first dance class. I am so happy that dancing is something that still gives me as much joy as it did all those years ago when I first put on that pink tutu, dancing in the front yard with my sister!

Performance Alert: Skwhirlhaus with Mallory Baxley!

I am so excited to be performing at Skwhirlhaus again this month! This Friday and Saturday (8/30 - 8/31) at 8pm I will be dancing in new work, Say, by Mallory Baxley. 

Here is a short promo video for Say that Mallory and I filmed! 

Come on over to Skwhirlhaus either Friday night, or Saturday night after seeing some awesome performances during the day at the Decatur Book Festival! A weekend full of dance in the ATL!

Skwhirlhaus cultivates a cooperative sustainable environment where creative individuals gather to present work and experience community.

Performance Alert: Decatur Book Festival!

I am so thrilled to be performing in two different time slots at the Decatur Book Festival with Staibdance and Lillian Ransijn this Saturday, August 31st! 

 Staibdance is at 12:30pm at the Decatur Recreation Center Studio 

Lillian Ransijn, To The Mats excerpt is at 4:15pm also at the Decatur Recreation Center Studio

231 Sycamore St. Decatur, GA

Also please help Staibdance win the Decatur Book Festival's inaugural video contest! The video with the most "likes" on YouTube by August 30th will will a $250 grant from art|DBF.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfOhiUE7atI&feature=share&list=PL2tFRz73xFDQ4fasTDplJGBSSdV-2mJle

Bates Dance Festival 2013

Bates, oh Bates, how I love you. Anyone who has ever been knows how magical this three week dance intensive is, and for those who have yet to experience it, it is hard to fully describe in a way that makes sense - but here goes my attempt!

I thought about blogging the whole time I was there, but decided to unplug a little bit and just journal then share some of my highlights on here :)

My class schedule was incredible, not that you can have a bad class schedule at Bates, but I specifically applied early this year (like, sent in all my info the DAY applications opened) so I could get first pick at classes, a little intense yes, but I knew what I wanted and I went for it :)

First period I had Modern V with Daniel Charon - a long time Limon dancer and Varone dancer. This class was fast paced and challenged my body and brain in all the right ways. I was feeling a little discouraged in this class the first week, thinking that I was the only one struggling, but after talking with others and acknowledging that we were all in the same boat, and I was able to get out of my head a little bit and let the challenge become exciting rather than frustrating. A great way to get in my body first thing in the morning and warm up for next period...

Varone Rep! It was exciting to get to work so closely for three weeks with Doug Varone, who I so highly respect and look up to as an artist. Daniel Charon assisted in our rep class so Doug could work quickly with us and create a new work! It was amazing to see all of the creative processes that Doug uses with his own company and get a chance to explore some of them on our own. I had to use parts of my brain I feel like I had been neglecting for the past few years to quickly come up with and remember material, but over the course of the festival I feel like I regained and expanded upon this skill. An amazing experience!

Third period was something I looked forward all day every day for the entire three weeks, Modern V Gut Motives with Kathleen Hermesdorf. I think I journaled about this class almost every day, the people, the awesome energy, the incredible music from Albert Mathias, and of course the one and only Kathleen and her badassness leading us through partner warmups, improvisations, inversions, and quirky movement phrases all the while motivating and inspiring us to be who we are and working with the energy of this room of unbelievable dancers. Even if we came into the class tired, or sore, or full from lunch, within minutes so much energy and connection was generated and by the end of class we were all begging to do the combination one more time before having to leave. I loved, loved, loved this class!

My fourth period was experiential anatomy with Ray Schwartz. The fourth class of the day is always a little difficult, everyone is tired and ready for dinner, but this class was full of great information so I tried my hardest to find focus. I didn't really know what to expect with this class, but we explored a lot of different parts of the body in multiple ways throughout the festival. Some days we started by looking at an interactive app on the projector to help us find and define bones and muscles, then located them on ourselves and partners. Some days we didn't look at any images, but explored only on our own bodies and others. We incorporated improvisations applying the anatomy to dance right in the moment, and were guided to explore different impulses than we might normally go toward. Working with the organs was one of my favorite days, it is amazing how much my movement changed in improvisation while thinking about leading with my kidneys or feeling my liver pour. He talked a bit about his work in Feldenkrais and Mind Body Centering and really inspired me to explore these fields of study more in depth.

In addition to my amazing classes, here is a brief list of the other incredible things I experienced during Bates...

* Seeing Doug Varone and Dancer's perform on our first night at Bates
* Contact improv jam with Nancy Stark Smith
* Bebe Miller Company's last performance of A History
* The Musician's concert at the beautiful Franco-American Heritage Center
* Eating delicious food with everyone at the Commons (such an awesome part of the Bates community where all the faculty, staff, interns, and dancers share meals and ideas)
* All of the cool special moments during meals including pop up performances from various classes and YAP kids as well as a surprise contact improv flash mob I took part in!
* Freeport trip to shop and eat lobster and be a Maine tourist for a day
* Taking Creative Process with Bebe Miller and Contact Improv with Nancy Stark Smith on class swap day, dance legends I've read about in my dance history classes with so much knowledge and experience but they are both such wonderful normal amazing people
* Parties at the musician's house... dance, drinks, and incredible music all night long :)
* Porch life: usually including wine and a lot of contemplating where we have been and where we will go in the future, as well as some hilarious other conversation, another huge part of the Bates community
* Journaling and meditating by the pond both alone and with friends, new and old.
* Yoga outside on the quad feeling cool grass, warm sunshine, and breeze through the trees around our mats, and inside with beautiful live music from the musicians on special days.
* Dance parties with live music and DJ's and video projection and lots and lots of wild crazy dancing
* Trips to the Pond for swimming and socializing on off days.
* Performing new work from Doug Varone in the Festival Finale

I feel like I could probably write a novel on all of the awesome events I just listed so very briefly, as well as talk about more and more amazing experiences, but I really still wouldn't be able to get the experience captured... so I will leave you with a few pictures and an urging to go to Bates if you have yet to experience it, this festival really is motivating, inspiring, calming, and life changing.
 

Challenges

I've noticed lately how I have gotten so comfortable with my routines and places, going only where everyone knows the coffee I order and what yoga classes I prefer, and I know I can predict for the most part what my day will look like. I want to meet more people and see more places and mix it up every now and then. So listening to the encouragement from a couple of my yoga teachers, I decided to check out a new studio. Outside the perimeter, outside my comfort zone.

I don't drive in traffic, I avoid the highway at all costs and never commute to work at normal hours so I thought I was above traffic. I set out knowing that I would be traveling in rush hour, trying to head the same direction as every single person in metro Atlanta at 5pm, but for some reason I thought I could win this game. Silly girl. I pulled out of my apartment complex into a sea of break lights, but I pushed on, determined with all my might to merge onto 75N. Just as I finally squeezed my little car onto the interstate (after sitting on the ramp for about 15minutes or so..) it started to pour rain. I mean the kind of rain that comes in sheets not drops, so thick you can't see anything more than a few feet in front of you except the steam that swirls off the hot asphalt in reaction to the buckets of coolness sweeping over. A real summer afternoon downpour - which I usually would love; relaxing on a porch, watching the storm unfold, telling a story with each lightening crack and thunder boom. But at that moment all I could think was how stupidly everyone was driving around me with the limited visibility and slicked pavement; how this rain, this beautiful huge cleansing storm, was going to make traffic suck so much worse than I predicted it already would be.

An hour later, I started to panic when traffic was stuck at a standstill and I was still nowhere close to the studio where my first class of the night was set to start in just 15 short minutes. Anyone who is, or knows, a dancer knows that we all play life by the rule "if you're on time, you're late." We have to be 10 minutes early to any class or rehearsal of any sort to really feel grounded and prepared. It's just dancer etiquette. I let the anxious anger and frustration rise as I fumbled with the GPS on my phone trying to find a quicker, easier route. Then it hit me. This drive was my first yoga class of the night. A drive that should have been around 35 minute but ended up being 2 hours, yes this drive was my yoga. The universe was testing my patience and watching my reaction, asking me to tune in. I called to mind the quote we have written on the chalkboard at DYP at the moment. "Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured." - B.K.S Iyengar. I had to acknowledge the fact that I was going to miss the first class I had planned on taking, then let it go. Acknowledge that I was going to be sitting in traffic for at least the next 30 minutes and that there really wasn't anything I could do about it, and let it go. I had to remind myself that there was still another class at the studio that night that I was looking forward to taking, and I would be there SUPER early for that class.
Perfect! I felt like I had just passed a test with flying colors. Look at me being such a yogi. Look how good I can let go of things. You almost had me, but I won this one universe! I was all set, I was ready to kick this next classes ass.

I walked in, all confident in my obnoxiously loud printed pants, lululemon mat in tow feeling like I could take on the world. I wasn't so prepared for the opposite. I guess my smug reaction to passing my first universal test brought light to the need for another. My ego. The studio itself was so beautiful, when walking in I felt so "Pretty Woman" in my funky hippy dippy pants and throughly loved but clearly overused mat. As my friend was still teaching the class I should have been in, I had the realization that I didn't know anyone at this studio. I know almost everyone at DYP, mostly because of checking them in while working the desk, but also many of them are my good friends I practice with and take class from. I started to feel more out of place. I started to wonder if I was good enough to even take this advanced class I earlier confidently signed myself up for. I started to feel the need to prove to everyone that I was good at yoga. The instructor walked in and started us with an inversion at the wall. How's that for small talk. Down to the dirty stuff right off the bat. 3 minutes into class I'm dripping sweat from the backs of my arms, which were already shaking from supporting my entire body weight upside down. This is gonna be fun. I started looking around the room at the beautiful strangers around me who so perfectly flowed from pose to pose, inversion to extension without even blinking an eyelash. I'm supposed to be the best one in class. Not here. I struggled to make myself complete every vinyasa and attempt every inversion, feeling more and more upset every time I had to rest, or back off, or didn't know the sanskrit for a pose that others immediately eased into with no demo. I looked at the one other new woman in the class and thought at least I'm doing more than this poor chick who's been in child's pose for half the class - at least I look more bad ass next to her!

Then I realized, this woman was so much more yogi that I. She was comfortable enough with her ego to know when her body needed a rest, and didn't seem affected by my inappropriately placed joy at her repeated rest sessions. I let my competitive self take over my practice, feeling defeated and judging myself and others. I had to learn a lesson from this sweet yogi who through the understanding of her ego allowed me space to step aside from my own. This class was so challenging both physically and mentally, but I left feeling so full of joy and understanding.

While stepping outside my norm today I was faced with challenges. I was reminded that I get comfortable in my ways because I can avoid conflict this way. But doing something different and unknown and uncomfortable, as scary as it can be, always teaches me something new about myself, or reminds me of the good things I already know. Life is always going to bring up another challenge for us to face, but it is how we react and respond to these tests that matters. :)

"...there are no wrong turns, only unexpected paths."

These wise words from Mark Nepo are ones I have to remember as I try to plan out the next part of my life. I have really been trying to practice living in the moment this summer, and because of this I have been incredibly happy. I have been lucky I have had the opportunity to do this, to spend my summer mostly unemployed just dancing and taking yoga and reflecting on life - but realities call and I have to go back to a busy schedule in the fall. As I try to plan out my calendar filled with multiple jobs in different locations, and navigating maps and routes all around Atlanta, I find myself over and over again having to decide what is most important to me in one moment, and wishing there was a way I could be in 2 places (or a million places) at once. I keep playing this game of "what if" with the different options and trying to predict the outcome with each, but I have to remember that "there are no wrong turns, only unexpected paths." Life is good right now, I am so blessed that I have so many options of how to fill my time, so many dance opportunities that I have to learn to say no to some of them. This is new for me, but I am learning and while learning, trying to stay as connected to the present moment as possible.

Staibdance workshops

Just a week after my return from Europe, I am throwing myself back in the ATL dance scene. There seems to be this subtle yet continual growth in the dance scene here and when I'm not paying attention dancers multiply, interest grows, new talent emerges and yet everyone stays just as supportive and non competitive as always. Monday night I took an amazing contemporary ballet class with Sarah Hillmer - this was by far one of the best ballet class I have taken in Atlanta so far. Sarah had a way of really getting me to use my whole body, and getting me out of the mind games I usually play in a ballet class. Her musical selections totally made the class too, I love doing ballet to non traditional music. She stopped right before our last center combination and gave us a wonderful little talk about fully embracing who we are right now, not who we used to be, or who we thought we would be now, or even who we think we are going to be tomorrow. Just being fully present in our bodies and minds at this moment. This is why I love dance. There is no way for me to fully describe the energy of the room at that moment, the buzz you could almost taste from the dancers bodies next to you revving up from a little motivation and support from each other watching and applauding as each group completed the combination. Absolutely what I needed to get back to dance after a couple weeks off.
The next class was Staibdance rep/modern taught by the one and only George Staib himself. I alway love George's class, his Gaga inspired warm up allows me to fully get prepared to connect to my body and learn his rep. And his rep is just so full bodied and dynamic and fun, seeing everyone's different interpretations of the movement based on their different backgrounds was so wonderful too. Cannot wait for the rest of the week with these wonderful movers. So grateful to be in such an amazing city doing what I love!

Back to the Emerald Isle

Arriving in Dublin I feel at home. The streets are full of smiling seemingly familiar faces as if I had met them all before. the sun is out today, a rare sight to see in the usually rain soaked streets, almost feeling like a real summer - this unusual Irish weather is easing me into climate change from the 85+ degree weather I just left in Atlanta. I walked from the trinity bus stop to Mansion house on Dawson where mom is in meetings, to drop my bags off. I always forget how friendly and open everyone is here. a kind older woman stopped me on my way to ask where I had been (noting my bags) and continued to chat with me for the next 10 minutes from everything to skin care (noting my fair skin and asking which spf I used in the states) to the time she spent traveling through the states many years ago (remembering spaghetti junction and the heat about her time spent in Atlanta) She told me her name, Frances - saying with disgust "how very English" and then welcomed me to Dublin and wished me safe travels. All that from a perfect stranger, so very kind and eager to know everyones stories. I stored my bag and gave mom a quick hug and kiss then headed out to find coffee! I wandered around a bit then settled on the familiar and less expensive selection of Marks and Spenser's cafe. I am currently sipping on a semi decent latte and eating a bit too stale scone (though much improved with a spread of Dairygold) A far cry from the gourmet coffee I've been spoiling myself with in ATL at my local favorite Dancing Goats, but this is all I need right now - simplicity. No need for perfect rosetta latte art, or vegan/gluten-free/organic scones - just a simple warm cuppa and something to fill my belly. I always love how being in Ireland reminds me to be real, simple, and honest. I am so ready for the next 2 weeks! Well, I will be more ready after this caffeine kicks in and jet lag kicks out :)

Atlanta-versary!

I can hardly believe it has been a year, and at the same time am shocked it's only been a year, since I moved to Atlanta. So many things in my life have changed and grown and evolved and I am so so happy where I am right now. Yes, things are still difficult at times - of course I struggle at times, but I have found a place to call home and a wonderful support circle, many actually!

 I love the dance scene here and am so glad to be involved in different aspects of it. I have loved working at Skwhirlhaus, both performing and as a collective member. I love teching shows at Emory and working with the wonderful dancers and guest artists there. I have had a wonderful time volunteering with Moving in the Spirit, it is such an amazing organization and watching the sheer joy of children performing is an experience that is so hard to put into words. And of course dancing for T Lang has just been amazing. T Lang's Mother/Mutha show last summer was one of the first performances I saw after moving to Atlanta and I still remember calling my mom while driving home after the show and telling her just how amazing and inspiring and though provoking it was; how I knew I had made the right choice by moving to Atlanta! To say that just months later I joined her company is something I thought would never happen.

Being a part of the Decatur Yoga and Pilates family is something I am so grateful for as well. It's funny how one day I just decided I needed to try some yoga studios out, and the first one I went to I fell in love with. Now that I am working the desk there and regularly taking class, I am so thankful for the amazing people there that inspire me daily. It is the most wonderful work environment, and I couldn't ask for a better place to practice. Yoga has helped me in so many ways, my body feels better dancing, my mind is clearer, I just feel happier on a regular basis, it has been wonderful!

Nannying the twins this past year has been a roller coaster of emotions and experiences. Nannying twins full time from 2 months - 12 months of age is an experience that not many people can say they have had, and let me tell you it is not easy, but I love them with my whole heart and am so glad I was able to spend the first year of their life with them. Being a nanny is such a strange thing, you form this bond with these children and act as a parent to them on the daily, but they aren't really your children, their life moves on and so does yours. This upcoming transition from me working full time as a nanny with the girls to just part time with another family in the fall is bittersweet. I know I am ready to spend more time focusing on my dance and yoga and also just being 24, but I know I will miss them so very much. That is the good part about them being family though, I know I will get to visit the girls and see them grow up, but it will be a hard change from seeing them every day.

Sometimes I struggle with trying to do too much, I want to fit it all in and do it all and see everyone. My biggest goal for this next year is learning to manage my time and really decide what is important to me. I am so thankful though that this is my problem, that there is TOO much rather than not enough. I am so blessed with such a full life with friends and work and dance and everything I could ask for. Atlanta is good. Life is good. Here's to my first successful year and many more :)

Plotting Positions of Objects in the Sky

Performance alert!

Plotting Positions of Objects in the Sky will be premiering at Blabbermouth ATL next Saturday May 11th! My good friend Mallory Baxley is the choreographer and I have been helping collaborate on this work. We are both performing in the work, alongside Lauren Markham, Ce-Ce Miley, and Brittany Baptiste. 

Here are some photos from our rehearsal process :) 

Mallory and I creating a lift for Brittany and Ce-Ce

Love working with new young choreographers, and being able to be a part of a process! Make it out to Spelman for Blabbermouth 2013 and see some new artists in the ATL dance scene! 

http://blabbermouthatl.com/

Lily Baldwin

photo from www.lilybaldwin.com 

I have been obsessed with Lily Baldwin since I first saw her trailer for Sea Meadow a couple years ago. I find myself constantly inspired by her work and drawn to her aesthetic, she is a beautiful mover and has an amazing eye for capturing a storyline through movement on film. As a dancer and filmmaker myself, I highly respect her work and am excited by the level of response to her work by the public. Sea Meadow just became available for purchase through iTunes today, I suggest you all go and download the very affordable ($1.99) film and support the arts while being entertained! Also, here is a link to A Juice Box Afternoon - the first episode in the Paperback Movie Project! 

https://vimeo.com/61779178

Can't wait to see what is next from this dance/film genius! 

First concert at Skwhirlhaus

It is so amazing to be a part of Skwhirlhaus in multiple ways. I love being a part of the collective and working with Maryn getting things ready for performances and working with other artists. And I am also so thankful I am able to perform at Skwhirlhaus. This past weekend I performed for the first time as a member of T. Lang Dance, and that performance just so happened to be at Skwhirlhaus! I feel like all of these huge things are happening in the dance world in Atlanta right now, and I am just so excited to be involved with so much of it. We had a lovely turnout for this weekends show, the weather was nice (chillier than expected, but blankets and fires in the chimineas when it got dark helped) and it is just so magical to see Maryn's backyard transform into a venue with everyone on the grass and dancers up on the stage. Thanks to Amanda Martin for these photographs. I was able to get some film of the next two artists who presented, Jessica Sias Wilson and MaryGrace Phillips after I performed with Deborah in a duet for T. Lang! 

Skwhirlhaus members with Maryn during opening speech - ignore my crazy outfit, I pulled warmups on over my costume as I was about to perform! 

T. Lang Dance

T. Lang Dance

Easily Pleased

"The key to knowing joy is being easily pleased." - Mark Nepo.

One of my favorite yoga teachers, Astrid, introduced me to Mark Nepo by reading selections from his writings during class, and I knew I needed to start reading his work daily. I have learned to appreciate the small things such as reading my daily passage from The Book of Awakening or enjoying a cup of tea while the girls nap. I look forward to these simple quite times to reflect, meditate, and become inspired for the day. This used to not seem like much, but now I know the power of being easily pleased. Happy friday :)

Not so little dance scene...

I am so excited to see first hand how much this little dance world in Atlanta is growing. I have only lived here less than a year, and I have already see so much change and growth. Over the past few weeks I have seen some amazing performance and performed myself! I went to the Atlanta Ballet's New Choreographic Voices, which was incredible. I love seeing technically trained ballet dancers performing contemporary work, it brings a whole new feeling and interpretation to contemporary dance. That same weekend I also saw Staibdance perform Versus at Emory; another amazing show! Staib had a TON of dancers, and I am friends with the majority of them (no matter where you are, the dance world is small and connected :). It is always incredible to watch your friends on stage. Some of these folks have grown and matured so much since I last saw them perform so that was really neat to watch.

Last Friday night I went to my friend Erik's show, Better. He performed in his amazing rehearsal space at North Druid Hills Baptist Church, right around the corner from my apartment. This guy know how to entertain, and is such a beautiful mover! I love that he put together this solo show - everything from costume, lights, staging, professional flyers - on his own with a just little help from his friends. And I love how receptive and supportive the whole dance and art community was, coming out to this show. Makes me remember how much I love this dance world in Atlanta.

Saturday night was our Skwhirlhaus Hauswarming! After rescheduling from the previous weekend due to rain, we went on with the event even though the forecast seemed a bit looming. I am amazed how many people came out to watch and donate and enjoy treats even in the rain! And the dancers who were showing excerpts from their work were all good sports and danced in the rain! It was really beautiful and a great way to kick off the first season of Skwhirlhaus. I performed a short improvisation early in the evening, and a few of the other Skwhirl members also showed portions of new and old work. The rest of the night I had so much fun photographing the event and mingling with other dancers and dance lovers while snacking on too much sugar! I am so looking forward to the rest of the season, starting with our April show which I am performing in with T. Lang Dance!

Meg Gibbs - solo

Crossover Movement Arts 

Skwhirl Snacks table :)

Tara Hemmer - solo

MaryGrace Phillips - solo

I just love watching and being a part of this dance world as it blossoms and is embraced by the community!

Skwhirlhaus

About a month ago, Skwhirlhaus put out a call for artists to present new work. I am becoming more and more excited for our inaugural season as we, the cooperative members of Skwhrilhaus, sort through submissions to curate into our March - October performance series. The high level of creativity and artistry in Atlanta is apparent and I am so anxious to see the series bloom to life on stage!
Be on the lookout for blogposts from us over at http://skwhirlhaus.wordpress.com/
to get updates about selected artists and performance series schedule.

Here is the information copied from our facebook post about the Hauswarming if you would like to come over and see what we are about!

Skwhirlhaus Hauswarming 

March 23 6pm - 10pm

Join us as we start off our 2013 season with an evening of performances, fundraising, and backyard fun. Bring some fabric to donate to the Skwhirlhaus community stage curtain, enjoy kombucha and homemade snacks, check out the stage, and meet some of the artists. 

Skwhirlhaus is located at 327 Sisson Avenue Atlanta 30317.

Parking is limited, so carpool if possible. The East Lake MARTA station is located 2 blocks from Skwhirlhaus. 

Please bring cash for donations. 

Skwhirlhaus cultivates a cooperative sustainable environment where creative individuals gather to present work and experience community.

MBB

This past week I had the amazing opportunity to work backstage with Monica Bill Barnes & Co while they performed at Emory. On Wednesday, I was a part of the team that helped Monica and Anna film their short intro that opens the show. It was so wonderful to walk all around Emory filming with the two of them, they really are some of the most genuinely sweet and amazingly talented women I have ever met! After filming I was a part of the backstage crew and was in charge of props and costumes, and any other odd job that needed taken care of. Anna and Monica are so well organized and self sufficient though that one of the only jobs I had was to stuff confetti shooters (yes, tons and tons of confetti!) It was incredible to watch the show every night from the wings. Seeing the high energy level and dedication to the performance (even though both of the women were sick!) was so inspiring. MBB really is a genius, I saw the show back to back 4 nights in a row and every single night I laughed out loud and cried real tears. Spending time around Monica and Anna could not have happened at a better time for me, I needed to be pushed and inspired to keep at it in the dance world, and these women did that for me, and more! 

Monica and Anna carrying the mini met through Emory while filming!

sweet little inspirational note on the back of the mini met  

stuffing confetti shooters on the prop table

with Anna and Monica after a very successful show week! 

Wandering Boundaries

I am so glad I was able to make it back to Oklahoma for the opening of my mom's art show at the University of Oklahoma, Wandering Boundaries. Waters and the Wild (Come Away) the short underwater dance film that Lesley Wingfield and I created in Ireland in 2011 was shown, in addition to beautiful photographs (Joan Phillips) and paintings (Erin Treacy) all inspired by time spent in Ireland. The reception was wonderful, so great for Mom and I to be able to share our art together with friends and family!

Inspiration: Sea Meadow

I have been watching this this trailer for Sea Meadow  for over a year, off and on. It always seems to inspire me and get my creative juices flowing! Happy Friday!