Thoughts and Ideas

Musing

Isolate/Insulate: the isolation created in the pandemic can insulate artists from each other, and therefore from those sparks that pass between us igniting ideas. Each of you is a spark, but think, is a spark also a resource? You may be the catalyst for motion just by having conversation with another artist. If you took inventory of all you know about the dance scene in Albuquerque, how you are making life work today, you might be surprised by what you reveal. But what can be more exciting is what comes out in an exchange that isn't in your inventory, the thing requiring another's spark. Make contact.

Creative

Tradition, structure, privilege: When creating a piece of choreography, try a new structure. Rock your boat. Do you work chronologically? Start in the middle. Work backwards. Do you work from a theme. Circle it, point to it. What about a piece within a piece? Dance a story with a story inside. The holidays require the same ability to restructure, after all, traditions 'start' somewhere. Make a new story to tell. Doorbells and zoom calls, firepits with hot soup in a mug, walks in the dark and marshmallows roasted over grills, singing from the perimeter of a space or sharing stories in the dark with a hot drink steaming in the cold. Less can be more. Celebrate your ability and privilege to adapt and make new magic all the more rich by the necessity of a new perspective.

Quote: “When you get an idea into your head you find it in everything.” Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Escape and Inspiration

• Through local dance: tune in to the Bianca Lily Ballet's Twitch channel for a live streaming Solstice show, "Professor Morpheus Celebrates the Solstice! TONIGHT, at 7pm MST https://www.twitch.tv/biancalilyballet

• Through Art History: 'Narratives of a Movement", viewable online, is an exhibit at the Albuquerque Museum telling the story of the struggle for Native American Rights.

• Through tradition: Needing a Nutcracker this year. Here is a guide to streaming performances. https://www.playbill.com/article/your-guide-to-streaming-the-nutcracker

• Through a prop or a tune: put on a festive, silly, or meaningful accessory at a random time, a Santa hat, play an '80's tune (pick a decade), see how your mood changes.

Always know, ADC is thinking of you. Have a safe, healthy and magical holiday.