Thoughts and Ideas
Conversation Starter
Point-of-entry. Assumption. Point-of-View. I read a book that was told in reverse. There were reviewers who were critical of this "contrived technique". I thought, but isn't that how we receive the news, diagnose situations? Isn't uncovering a truth slowly delicious? More practically, when we observe someone's art, career, or behavior, we enter that observation at a point, often, without background. We see a moment. We read what is present based on our frame of reference, our point-of-view, often with rose colored glasses or more dramatically, with condemnation. Think, if we could follow that someone backward through four days or four decades, through four situations or four environments, how could that challenge our assumptions and flesh out a story? How many a-ha, oh's would contradict our first point of entry? Talk about applying this concept to a choreography, building a "wait for it" hook , or, use this to explain progressive training to the uninitiated, that we don't start with virtuoso moves first, we build to it over years.
Creative Experiment
Whatever you are working on, consider changing the point of view. POV. How many ways can you change a point of view? If you perform you choose between the POV of your personal life which can be divided into many approaches; emotion, technique, dynamics, musicality, physical space, visual space, and past history. But those also all exist separately in the POV of the choreographer, the POV of each audience member, the POV of the musician, costumer, and lighting designer. All have a past they are drawing from. Additionally, if you play a character you have the imaginary POV and past experience of the character. Even in training you can take on an imaginary POV, think like another, get out of your own head. Play, explore this idea. How many a-ha moments can you create for yourself?
Escape and Inspiration
By now you may know the workshops continue this week at "The Inclusive Performance Festival", check out all the diverse choices.
Charge up those business skills. "Branding and Marketing for Creatives 2.0" Wednesday, April 21st 9:00-10:30am MST. "Developing and maintaining your brand through global crisis, with messaging tactics that can support authenticity while pivoting as needed."
Checkout the new phenomenon in motion tracking for digital dance battles across the world
And don't forget the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow this weekend
Listen to the virtual artist talk for the Compass Roses Maps projects by Artists of ABQ including several ADC artists.
ABT is hosting online classical variations workshops taught by company members the first two weeks of May.
Read "The Western Wind" by Samantha Harvey, a 15th century tale of a rural priest in England working through the aftermath of a drowning in the village, written in reverse. (disclaimer: more character development than action)
Dare to make a visual art appointment "The Art of Quarantine" at Gallery With A Cause, The New Mexico Cancer Center, 4901 Lang Ave. NE, through May 20 online or by appointment. Visit and find out, is this a place you could dance for a cause when it is safe to do so?
