March 15, 2007

Dance Blogger Round-Up

I started this round-up last Thursday. I might keep doing it. I'll see how it goes. Please let me know what you think.

- Early dance blogger Rachel Feinerman returns after a long hiatus. Rachel talks about life, marriage and the challenges of a dancer's life.

- French bloggeurs (Images de Danse, Un Soir ou un Autre, Le Tadorne and Clochettes) have joined together to review and rate contemporary dance and theatrical performances. I'm actually a bit confused by what this project entails - my French is pretty bad and Google translator is even worse. You can access their new initiative named Scenes 2.0 and read an overview here.

- Second Life Modern Dance Theatre was founded by architecture students from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden in collaboration with The Stockholm Modern Dance Theatre. The dance performance with eight avatars is a hybrid event that takes place in Second Life as well as in the real world in Stockholm - video clips available. I definitely plan to learn more about SL Life Modern Dance Theatre and their performances.

- Chimene in A Life Less Examined writes in "Before and After Photos" that "I totally love my abdominal area."

- Kristin Sloan at The Winger has been working on a secret project - soon to be announced. And continues to work at physical therapy. I don't really understand what the "torture device" she has a picture of from her physical PT is for.

- In "Shared Transcriptions" Anais Janacek writes that improvisational responses to technological partners are not really different from the physical ones (humans).

- Miss Tango in Her Eyes asks Mr. Norway if he's taken classes with milonguero Carlos Gavito.

- In "Who/What is a Disabled Dancer?" and "More on Dance and Disability," Wheelchair Dance grapples with defining the nature and scope of physically integrated dance. To paraphrase: How do you dance your disability without making your disability the subject of your dance?

- Ariel of The Stranger in Seat Twelve thinks the article and video story by New York Times writer Harry Hurt III about his efforts to become an instant dancer at the New York Ballet is "hilarious." I'd like it too if it wasn't one of the only dance-focused videos on the NY Times site. This is a story from a writer in the business section who writes an "Executive Pursuits" column. Earlier this month in the theater and dance section there is a video piece entitled "Praise Dancing Hits Manhattan" - but that's about all I've seen.

- Shan Monster was not thrilled with a recent tribal and fusion bellydance workshop she attended. She published a letter in her blog that she sent to the event organizer and sought feedback from her readers - lots of comments. Her main complaint was the indifference shown toward her when she explained that the smoke machine could aggravate her asthma.

- Leigh Witchel is busy writing dance reviews. But in the meantime links to video of Broadway singer and cruise ship performer singing "Femininity."

- Tonya Plank of Swan Lake Samba Girl works on her lifts and did her "first fish." (I don't know what that is). She includes picture of herself from her last showcase and is now watching video of her choreography to memorize it.

- Patty Rose talks about the right way to breath and provides excerpt from book "Conditioning for Dance" by Eric Franklin.

- Judith Mackrell writes in her Guardian Unlimited blog that many dance performances are too long and are just wasting time. "Wouldn't it be better to have a shapely, well-crafted 45 minutes of dance rather than a flatulent hour and a half, whose length has been determined by the financial and political agendas of programmers?"

- Natalia of Bellydance: Experiences posts next blog carnival topic for March. The theme is "Dancing on a budget." You can post story about this topic on your blog and then email link to Natalia by end of this month.

- Marcy Mendelson of Root Magazine posts article from essay contest winner Jalila A. Bell about her 2006 participation in the 74th Annual Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival. Bell performed three works with Vissi Dance Theater that dealt with the "themes of slavery, fear, oppression, transcendence and freedom." Bell writes:

Performing these pieces in this venue was overwhelming for me, both physically and emotionally. For most of the bumpy-curvy three-hour ride home, I huddled in my seat of the caravan, sobbing uncontrollably. As a dancer, I felt wholly unsatisfied by my failure to achieve the unobtainable perfection, the precision of technique, the liminality to overcome my numerous costume malfunctions. As a woman of color and a descendant of slaves, I was humbled and overcome by a profound bone-deep sadness.

- Joe Grohens in Topic is Tango links to two tango videos on YouTube with Homer and Christina Ladas.

- Art Williams of Wandering Salsero recommends linking to this Salsa rhythm tool that allows you to turn on and off different instruments such as the clave to develop a better understanding of Salsa music. I have to say that I don't think it's a very helpful tool. It lasts for only 8 beats and it features only one possible rhythm.

- Matt writes in the The Ranting Details of a Life Uncharted: ABT dancers burn off steam with some dirty dancing after performance in Miami - a good way to ensure the arrival of "dead swans" the next morning.

- Tina in Seguendo Il Mio Cuore from Buenos Aires channels her inner Sophia Loren on the dance floor and brushes aside undesired invites to dane.

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