Big Sound

August 6

A few weeks ago, Doug Stapleton (Seldoms’ founding member and Artistic Associate) invited me to go and hear percussionist Tim Daisy in a solo performance at Experimental Sound Studio. On a Sunday afternoon, in a small studio perfectly designed for sound, Doug and I and about ten others were treated to an incredible set of improvised drumming, on conventional and unconventional instruments. I was completely blown away.
Tim Daisy plays and tours widely with a number of stellar Chicago groups, including Vandermark 5, Rempis Percussion Quartet, and Vox Arcana.

We’ve invited Tim to collaborate with us on Marchland, the work we’ll premiere at the MCA this coming spring. In thinking about the sound for this work, I kept returning to percussion as a primary sonic element to match the intensity and the rhythms of the video and the early physical material.

Tim came around to a first rehearsal today, carrying a small suitcase of miscellaneous objects – call them ‘instruments’, ‘noisemakers’, ‘gear’. After watching one run of the dance (as it is to date) just to see and absorb, Tim joined in the second run, improvising on his miniature, portable sound kit through the 20 or so minutes of action. It was a great first interaction, if overwhelming! Tim is an exceptional musician, and seemingly very intuitive in his approach. Afterwards we talked about particular sounds and sources, about density of sound, about how the three main components – dance, visual, sonic – will alternately come forward or recede throughout the duration of Marchland.

I’m really glad we found Tim and that he is able to embark on this project with us! His contribution is going to add an important layer to this work.

Carrie Hanson

Summer Dance Classes

The company held its third annual Summer Intensive over the past two weeks. Once again, we moved into the big, bright 4th floor studio in the Pilsen East Arts Center. This massive room with its high ceilings, arched windows is woefully underused and unfortunately without air-conditioning, but we’re happy to occupy it each summer for our intensive. We were also happy about the unseasonably mild temperatures this year!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the workshop – for just one class or for the entire workshop. Over the ten days, we had a total of 150 people in class with us! It’s great to have the opportunity to dance and train with professionals across the vast Chicago dance community as well as students from university dance departments across the country – University of Illinois, Ohio University, Arizona State, University of Georgia, and of course, many Columbia College grads and students.

This summer we trimmed down our workshop day and content to offer just an extended 2-hour technique class. The two hours was a challenge in the heat – but great for building stamina and for covering lots of ground - ample time to dive into the material, identify principles and uncover nuances. I love teaching technique; while I also teach dancemaking and anatomy courses at The Dance Center, technique class is where I feel most fluent and most invigorated as a teacher. It is the guts of dance training and artistry. Too bad that too few of us get to take class on a regular basis.

Some other great dance classes and teachers in Chicago – Molly Shanahan’s regular contemporary classes at Lou Conte, Asimina Chremos (email silverspace@gmail.com for current offerings) and Natalie Rast/Rast Ballet has just started a ballet class for 40+year olds with experience! And, to take class with Paige, Christina and me – you can enter classes at The Dance Center as a community student.

See you next summer at our 2010 Summer Intensive!
Carrie Hanson

Workshop photos by Lindsay Schlesser