April 19, 2007New International Dance Association NeededMashable reported yesterday that YouTube may be on the verge of offering an advertising revenue-split with video producers. This development means that dancers will soon be able to monetize their videos on YouTube. Plus, many other video sharing sites have or will be rolling out similar revenue-generating opportunities for video producers. (To explore the financial opportunities offered by different video sites, link to these sites from my video directory that I posted on Monday). While there are an increasing number of ways that dancers can begin to create new online revenue streams, there are a few hurdles that will have to be dealt with: 1) There are a lot of unauthorized dance videos on the Internet. 2) As dancers seek ways to generate online revenue, the ownership rights of composers and musicians have to be properly taken into consideration. I need to learn a lot more about how music is licensed for the purpose of online distribution via digital videos. But from what I do know, it appears that the requirements of the major music licensing organizations (BMI and ASCAP) is excessive and onerous. A better method needs to be created so that dancers have access to a wide range of music under licensing payment plans that make economic sense to dancers and provide appropriate compensation to composers and musicians. 3) As what I'll call the parallel economic universe of the Internet expands revenue and business opportunities, dancers from around the world will want to collaborate and exchange ideas on how to develop and My proposal A new Internet-based membership organization is created for dancers around the world - part-time and full time, professional and amateur - The first thing that this organization would do is create an authorized-dance-video logo program. This logo program would be like a seal of approval and would be placed at the beginning of the online dance videos of all members. This way that Internet audience as well as video sharing sites would know that the dance video they are watching is an authorized dance video and was not created illegally. Second, this organization would have a publicly-accessible database of all members and all member videos so that anybody could verify the authenticity of any and all dance videos. Third, this association would promote the authorized-dance-video logo program on a large scale so that online dance audiences (and everybody else for that matter) was aware of the importance of only watching and purchasing authorized videos. Fourth, this group would serve the role of a watchdog and insist that unauthorized dance videos are removed from the Internet. Fifth, on a different front, as membership grew, this organization would do research on and formulate a game plan on streamlining and improving how music is licensed and paid for for the purpose of online distribution in dance videos. As I wrote above, these licensing issues have to be dealt with head-on. Plus, there is power in numbers. If large numbers of dancers join this organization, then the dance community is in a much better position to create favorable licensing options (and explore non-traditional approaches) for dancers while still ensuring that composers and musicians are fairly compensated. Sixth, as I wrote above, there is a need for dancers around the world to be able to share their Internet successes and experiments with others. This association would set-up online community forums and other related initiatives. Plus, members could use many different online tools to create their own local groups in cities around the world. Seventh, this organization would leverage the Internet to implement grass-roots campaigns to help promote all forms of dance while building larger audiences, more customers and simply encouraging everybody to dance. Posted by Doug Fox at 9:48 AM - Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) March 21, 2007Lisa Bufano's "Five Open Mouths"Monday evening I heard a captivating segment on NPR about artist and dancer Lisa Bufano who has been performing a solo "Five Open Mouths," which is her story about coming to terms with being a double amputee. I was in my car when I heard the story. So I pulled over and wrote down Bufano's name on my mobile phone so I wouldn't forget to learn more about her work when I returned home. Here's the segment on NPR: "Artist Takes Inspiration from Amputation." On this page, you can also watch video segments from "Five Open Mouths." Here's one of the segments from YouTube: And here's a clip of Bufano stilt dancing last summer at an arts festival in Union Square in NYC: You can learn more about Lisa Bufano and her work on her website. And she has a podcast, "Lisa Bufano's Morphology," with more video of her work. Posted by Doug Fox at 9:10 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) February 19, 2007Upcoming Dance Residency in New YorkDancer Christopher Morgan emailed me the details about an upcoming artist residency program, "Dance Omni International Dance Collective," which will take place in New York City from August 21 to September 9, 2007. The application deadline is March 1st and you can view the following page to learn more about this program. Plus I've included a write-up below with Chris' contact information so you can learn more. I had an opportunity to work with Chris during the rehearsals and performances of Liz Lerman Dance Exchange's Funny Uncles. We created a blog for this work, which we will be re-activating as we get closer to the formal premiere later this year. On this blog Chris wrote a wonderful post about himself. You might recall my post last week, "In Search of Really Boring Ballet Classes," in which I complained about my ballet classes. Well, if I move to New York, I'm taking ballet classes with Chris. When we were preparing to perform in Dance Exchange's community dance program, "Still Crossing," Chris gave me a two-minute ballet class, which convinced me that he must be an excellent, patient teacher. Here's an overview of Chris' program: The Omi International Arts Center (in Ghent, New York, USA) Applicants should be experienced professional dancers and/or choreographers who want to share ideas and process with other dancers from around the world. Applicants may be primarily choreographers or performers, but should have some proficiency in each of these areas. Dancers of ALL backgrounds and styles are welcome to apply (Modern, Contemporary, Ballet, Contact Improvisation, Ethnic Dance Forms, etc). It is recommended that applicants do not have specific projects in mind, and are open to working together with others on jointly conceived dance projects. Selected residents receive free room, board, studio space and access to Omi’s 300-acre facility and Sculpture Park (note that Omi is unable to provide travel funds) and commit to remaining for the entire residency and participating in the final concerts. For more information and application guidelines go to www.artomi.org/dance Posted by Doug Fox at 8:00 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) January 31, 2007Multimedia Guide to Mark MorrisEnjoy this multimedia guide to choreographer and dancer Mark Morris. You'll find both video and audio clips. INTRODUCTION VIDEO - "Falling Down Stairs" performance film (1995) with Yo-Yo Ma. - PBS interview/news piece (2001) with Morris about "Moving Man." - PBS interview with Morris about "the structure of his dances," "his audience" and "his work." - KQED Arts profile of Morris (2004). - Clip from "V" (2005) - scroll to bottom of the page. - Excerpts from the Hard Nut (2005). - Commencement address at Bates College (2006). - Dancing in Brooklyn with people with Parkinson's Disease (2006). Watch video clip of dance class. - Morris with Cal Performances Director Robert Cole (2006/07 season). AUDIO - Morris on NPR's Fresh Air (2001). - Morris on The Connection with Dick Gordon on WBUR Boston and NPR (2004). - Lopate Show on New York Public Radio (2005). - Conversation with Morris on "Here and Now" on WBUR Boston (2005). - NPR "Mark Morris 25 Years of Dance" (2006). - Morris on New York Public Radio's Sound Check (2006). - CultureCatch interview with Morris (2006). Posted by Doug Fox at 3:11 PM - Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) January 17, 2007Multimedia Guide to Merce CunninghamHere's a multimedia guide to the work of Merce Cunningham with video, audio and picture links. I'd also like to add resources for his use of Life Forms software and computer animation - if you know of links, please let me know. INTRODUCTION - Merce Cunningham Dance Company (MCDC) website. Visit MCDC site to watch introductory video or click image:  - Merce in Miami is a city-wide tribute to Merce Cunningham's more than 50 years as a dance maker. From February 23 - March 3, 2007. - Bio on American Masters on PBS. ONLINE VIDEO GUIDE "Encounter:Merce" In 2005 Stanford University hosted "Encounter:Merce," a campus-wide interdisciplinary program that examined the life and work of Merce Cunningham. - Article in Spark with video clip introduction to this program. - Article: "Dancing with Data Adds to Show: Class crunches numbers to analyze whether Merce Cunningham’s choreography should be viewed as ‘biomechanical rebellion’" about Anatomy of Movement class at Stanford. - Click this link to watch video that shows how Merce Cunningham dancer Jonah Bokaer used a motion capture system as part of this class or click on picture:  - "Merce Cunningham in conversation with John Rockwell," part of Stanford Presidential Lectures in the Humanities and Arts. Introduction to his career as well as annotated links to video clips for following works: "Variations V," "Walkaround Time," "Westbeth" and "Changing Steps." YouTube Videos Some overlap with videos above, but you can just click on videos below to start watching. Google Video - Interview with Merce Cunningham on 1995 Charlie Rose show. (Go to 42 minutes and 7 seconds mark for this interview).  More Video - "Indeterminacy" (1965) ONLINE AUDIO GUIDE - "Merce Cunningham: Dance at the Edge" on NPR. Aired on December 29, 2006. - "A Life of Dance" 1999 interview on PBS NewsHour. - John Tusa interview with Merce Cunningham on BBC Radio. - "Space, Time and Dance" (1952) and "Further Thoughts" (1967). ONLINE PICTURE GUIDE - Merce Cunningham Dance Company's photos on Flickr:  Posted by Doug Fox at 8:01 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) January 4, 2007My Dance Goals for 2007To participate belatedly in Natalia's Dance Carnival, I'm including below my dance goals for 2007. Natalia of Bellydance: Experiences is encouraging dance bloggers to write about their goals for the year. My dance goals for 2007: - Keep making progress in the different dance classes I'm taking. I've been taking jazz for about 1 1/2 years, I started modern last September and I took my very first ballet class last night. I also want to do more social dancing this year - mostly swing dancing, which has a big community in the Washington, DC area. I take modern/jazz/ballet at Joy of Motion - I've been taking modern with Helen Hayes and jazz with Tom Mayock - both excellent teachers. And I've been taking swing with Tom & Debra -- the leading swing dance instructors in the area. - Over the next year, I'll probably devote more time to modern dance than other styles. Even though I'm very much a beginner, I feel that I'm making good progress. Helen Hayes' Beginner 2 class is a little too advanced for me, but somehow I think I'm getting the hang of it. - I've written in the past about responsive dance environments where a dancer's movements control various external media devices in real-time. For example, a hand gesture can activate a video sequence or a musical phrase. I'd like to advance enough in modern dance by the end of the year so that I can start experimenting with different types of responsive technologies in order to get a hands-on feel for how they work. - Finally, I'd like to stay healthy. Almost all last year I was recovering from injuring my adductors and tendons in both legs. I did a couple of months of physical therapy and I continue to do the exercises and stretching that my physical therapist taught me. So these injuries are just about healed. But I'm always overdoing it, which isn't a good idea when you're starting to dance in your 40s. So I have to force myself to increase whatever I do in small increments so that I can avoid injuries in the future. Posted by Doug Fox at 8:15 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) November 14, 2006Savion Glover Off To Penguin SchoolFor the animated film, "Happy Feet," opening in theaters this Friday, tap dancer Savion Glover attended penguin school.  Glover, as reported in LA Times, was working on mastering the constraints of penguin locomotion so that he could perform the tap dance moves of Mumble, the penguin with no vocal range but great dance moves. The problem for Mumble is that among the Emperor penguins of the Antarctic, if you can't sing you'll have no social standing in the community.  Then, once he had the Penguin motions down, Glover's tap dance routine was captured via motion capture, "...a recording process that required him to tap dance on a small stage under 60 lights in a black bodysuit that had 40 reflective sensors near his joints. As Glover performed, the light from his reflectors was recorded by an array of 60 cameras and turned into data." The next part of process consisted of converting these captured motions in to the animated moves of Mumble. (On the LA Times article, you can watch a video clip of this motion capture process. Or, if you can't access this article, you can see same clip on Yahoo.)  More links: - "Happy Feet" profile on Internet Movie Database. - Article in USA Today, "Penguins on tap could ice the mice." - MySpace Page - they even have news ticker and countdown clock that you can add to your blog/website. I started writing this post because of Savion Glover and tap dancing. But it's also interesting to see how this movie is being promoted online. A lot of food for thought for dancers and dance companies - I'll write more about this topic. Posted by Doug Fox at 6:10 AM - Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) November 3, 2006"How Do You Enjoy Dance" ContinuedIn October 18th post, "How do you enjoy dance?" I asked and answered questions about the types of performances I like to see and whether I prefer taking classes or being an audience member. In a post yesterday, on Bellydance: Experiences blog, Natalia offers her answers to these questions. Posted by Doug Fox at 10:51 AM - Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) November 1, 2006Toward an Online Dance EconomyYesterday I wrote in post that there is no online dance economy comparable to the music world. There are many ways that music fans can learn about, share and enjoy music and it's hard to imagine that online music consumption patterns don't have a direct bearing on what music is purchased and what bands/concerts are attended. Since there is no online dance economy - that is there is no meaningful way for dance enthusiasts to consume dance online - the Internet is essentially a highly underutilized tools for building audiences for upcoming performances, for selling DVDs and related offerings, and launching larger-scale fundraising efforts.  I was thinking more about this when reading a post yesterday on Read/Write Web "Last.fm Launches New Features - Including Flash Player, Events and Free MP3s." One of the new features of the revamped Last.fm, a popular music recommendation engine, is an event recommendation system that generates a list of local concerts and performances based upon the musical interests of each Last.fm user. This events engine is a good example of the possible synergy between the online and "real" world. I think a good starting point for the dance community would be to address this topic of building and sustaining an online dance economy at upcoming arts and dance conferences. The initial question for such a discussion would be what exactly does it mean to distribute dance content online? What types of dance programs would be offered and how would revenue be generated? There are a lot of potential roadblocks including intellectual property issues, existing contracts that delineate what can and cannot be videotaped and reproduced, and a general reluctance to explore new online avenues for dance. From my standpoint, not convening such an event is a huge missed opportunity. As I've written many, many times and is widely known, dance companies and dancers do not make enough money. The Internet is starring us in the face and the dance community as a whole is not taking proactive steps to explore what ought to be a vibrant and profitable online marketplace for dance. Posted by Doug Fox at 6:54 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) October 27, 2006A Scientific Approach to Reducing Pointe Shoe NoiseI like this post from Gwyneth at The Winger:  This hallway Gretchen is standing against was located just behind the stage of the Harris Theater, and it quickly became the designated place for all of us to “bang” our pointe shoes. Sound weird? Let me explain… Posted by Doug Fox at 7:19 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) June 13, 2006Step Up Movie's Online Audition Call on MySpaceThe official site for the upcoming dance movie "Step Up" is on MySpace. An interesting twist is that the public is invited to audition for the film's music video, "Get Up."  On the movie's MySpace page there are now 20 finalists for the "Get Up" video. You can watch these video auditions and choose your favorite five. This movie promotion combines many of the important online trends in a single package: social networking sites, user-generated content and empowering audiences to determine outcomes. Thanks to Jo-Anne Green at Networked Performance blog for pointing me to this story. [Via Step Up to dance on MySpace in Smart Mobs blog.] Posted by Doug Fox at 6:01 AM - Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) June 5, 2006Integrating Dance into Our Contemporary DiscourseDance and movement can offer important insights into the pressing issues of our time. Dance can also serve as a powerful springboard for encouraging conversation, building community, fostering understanding and inspiring action. Yet while performances often encourage audiences to see contemporary topics from different perspectives and address issues that do not receive sufficient coverage in the media, dance is not in any meaningful way an integral element in how our society thinks about, reflects and reacts to the world in which we live. Imagine an alternative reality where every time a newspaper, a TV show, a community group, a cultural organization, a governmental department, a non-governmental organization (NGO), a website, a blog, a trade association or any other entity addressed an important societal or political issue that they turned to dance for the answers. Take some of the important and sometimes controversial topics and issues of the day: immigration, race, genocide, gender, gay marriage, gay lesbian bisexual and transgender (GLBT), environment, bio-ethics, poverty, war, education, disabilities, healthcare, natural disaster, AIDS/HIV, physical abuse, incarceration and many others. How often do the people and organizations that are devoted to addressing these topics actually turn to dance for answers and insights? The answer is not very often. But it doesn't have to be this way. Dance can be integrated into the overall fabric of how we contemplate challenging issues and think about taking action. Two of the main challenges to achieving this goal, I believe, are 1) that most people don't know about the many dance programs that already exist for addressing contemporary topics and 2) there are no online resources that aggregate these dance programs (performances, workshops, educational programs and outreach initiatives) by theme and subject matter. One of the things I'm thinking about doing is creating such an online resource in the form of a blog that groups the politically, socially, economically and culturally-focused efforts of dance companies on a thematic basis. So a user could visit this weblog and find dance-related content for any of the topics I listed above (plus other issues). So, say, a person from an organization that addresses race and poverty issues is seeking dance resources regarding this topic. Through such a blog, they could quickly learn about dance companies that do performances, workshops, and community outreach programs that deal with race and poverty. Even more helpful, in some cases they could find video clips, audio programs, pictures and other multimedia resources that were already online and immediately available for use. And, in the future, there may be a way to license this digital dance content and add it directly to an organization's website. This way this hypothetical community group that addresses race and poverty issues could integrate directly into their own website dance programs that encourage their website visitors to think about these issues in new ways and, hopefully, inspire action. I'll write more about this new dance resource soon. But for now, I thought I'd do some initial research and explore how dancers have been or are currently addressing some of these topics. Here's an list of eight annotated resources that explore what dancers are doing on a number of fronts - I came across a lot more, I just didn't have time to include them all. I think it would be great to conduct audio interviews for my podcast with the dancers below to learn more about their dance programs and how they hope to inspire their audiences to learn, contemplate and take action. - Saturday night I saw a wonderful community performance of Liz Lerman Dance Exchange's "We Are Still Crossing," an updated version of an 1986 commission that celebrated the one-hundredth anniversary of the gift of the Statue of Liberty from the French to the US. The current version incorporates themes, stories and movement that reflect upon the current debate over immigration and the building of a wall between the US and Mexico. "We are Still Crossing" integrates both the company's professional dancers with community participants. - Jennifer Monson's "Flight of Mind" dance performance is based on her multi-year study of the migration paths of birds and whales. This project includes the "Bird Brain Educational Resource Guide" for grades 3-6. (Download PDF classroom guide.) - Anne Bluthenthal and Dancers performance of "Unsing the Song" deals with the nature of genocide. Part of a multi-arts exhibit that addresses Rwandan genocide, rape and deliberate attempts to spread HIV. You can learn more about this grassroots oral history project. - Pat Graney Company's "Keeping the Faith - The Prison Project" is "designed to enable incarcerated women and girls to discover a sense of identity within themselves and to develop that identity within the context of community - through the vehicles of performance, video documentation and a published anthology of their writings. . .Each year, the program culminates in performance where the participating women perform their own movement and writing, and display their own visual art for 200 members of the general public, 500 of their incarcerated peers, and the prison administration." - David Popalisky, director of Santa Clara University Dance Program, created and performed "Barred from Life" which explores issues of wrongful conviction "...through a combination of media including dance movement, video imagery, [and] excerpts from interviews with exonerees..." - Urban Bush Women (UBW), founded in 1984, "is a performance ensemble dedicated to exploring the use of cultural expression as a catalyst for social change. Programs such as "Batty Moves," in the Caribbean "batty" means buttocks, "directly challenges the audience to question their own notions of physical attractiveness and appropriate movement. Now Urban Bush Women hosts "Batty Parties" to expand its civic dialogue practice to discuss positive body images." - Dream Dance Company "brings innovative urban folk art and culture to the stage to tell personal and collective stories of struggle, transformation and inspiration. Their electrifying pieces fuse an incredible breadth of African diasporic movement (including Hip-Hop, House, Break, Funk and Afro-Caribbean dance) with theater, rap, beatbox and live music." [quote link] Their full-length production, "Dig Us Now," "shows how these rich cultural forms have flipped the script on the ugliness of poverty and racism to reflect the beauty and wonder of everyday life." - Jena Marie Griswold has always been inspired by dance and "its capacity to facilitate cross-cultural understanding." As one of 50 graduating seniors this year who was honored with a Thomas J. Watson fellowship, Griswold will spend the next year traveling four continents pursuing a project she calls "Salsa: Spicing Up the International Dance Scene." Griswold who is motivated by her passion for social justice, will be researching how Salsa and Hip-Hop are both physically and socially reinterpreted as she moves from one destination to the next. (Her journey and exploration of dance would make for a wonderful on-going blog project as well. I'm going to email her to see if she plans to do this.) Posted by Doug Fox at 7:54 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) June 2, 2006An Online Blueprint for Making Dance More RelevantAs a follow-up to my post yesterday, "Reclaiming the Relevancy of Dance," I'd like to offer my initial ideas on how we might move forward with such a project. First, I'd post a message to my blog saying that I'm creating a collection of links to dancers and dance companies that are in the process of creating dance works or have already created dance works that address a specific topic. As dancers add content (descriptions, pictures, audio interviews and videos) to their websites, blogs and multimedia sites (YouTube, Flickr, etc.), they can then send me the links to these resources. For example, I could post a message such as the following: I'm creating a resource guide with links to dance performances (individual or group performances) that deal with the topic of global warming. If you have created such a performance, please send me links to the relevant websites. Clearly, the best type of resource is a video clip so that people can watch your performance. But pictures, text descriptions and audio guides are also worthwhile. Your dance work does not have to be finished in order to participate in this project. If you've created diagrams or illustrations of costumes, for example, and posted these images to your website or blog, these would be of interest as well. So overall the goal is to aggregate dances that deal with a specific topic as a way to reach a larger Internet audience. Environmental topics are especially worthwhile because once we put together a list of, say, ten existing dance works (either completed or in progress), I think this would be an excellent resource for the thousands upon thousands of websites and blogs that address environmental issues. In the end, I think this project would help all participating dancers and dance companies get considerable exposure for their work and upcoming performances. Once this project is up and running, it can go in a number of different directions. For example, once there are a handful of dance videos dealing with global warming, then we could launch a mashup competition and encourage people to create their own global warming dance mixes that can be uploaded to a public video gallery. It would be nice, of course, if we could find a sponsor for such a competition that would offer cash and other prizes for both the best dance videos and dance mashups -- this actually might be possible if there is enough interest in this project. That's my idea. What do you think? Also, global warming is just one of many possible topics to focus on. What are some of the main themes and ideas you address in your dance pieces? Posted by Doug Fox at 8:56 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) June 1, 2006Reclaiming the Relevancy of DanceOne of the ways for dancers to reach a larger global audience - especially an online audience - is by choreographing dance works that address pressing social, political, cultural and economic issues. Last week I wrote about dance pieces that address global warming. Wouldn't it be great if there were hundreds of dancers from around the world that were actively creating and performing dances that dealt with this important topic? It would be even better if videos of these works were made available online. With a large number of dance videos to watch about global warming, the millions of people who are concerned about the health of our planet would have a new lens through which to reflect and learn about this important issue. One of my questions is what are some of the ways that movement can help people - with or without a dance background - think about and relate to global warming? Can it bring people together in new ways and give them a stronger sense of community? I think that dance videos can inspire more of an emotional way of relating to global warming and thus serve as a powerful springboard for building communities around this topic. This is especially true if some of the videos also strive to help Internet users create their own environmentally-inspired dance pieces and routines and share them with others. The end result of such a project, I think, is that dance would have more relevancy because it would be integrated into the overall fabric of how people learn about and share their thoughts on important topics. Imagine, for example, that on hundreds or thousands of websites that cover environmental issues there were direct links to dance videos that dealt with eco-issues. Dance would instantly be transformed from an enjoyable art form that is often disconnected from our daily concerns to a key piece of the puzzle that helps us understand the world in which we live. In my next post, I'm going to describe some thoughts I have about encouraging large numbers of dancers to address global warming and other important contemporary topics. Posted by Doug Fox at 10:03 AM - Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) May 25, 2006Dancing to Combat Global WarmingWith the upcoming US debut of Al Gore's movie, "An Inconvenient Truth," that highlights the catastrophic effects of global warming, I thought I'd revisit the topic of dance performances that address environmental issues. You can visit the official website for this film:  You can also watch the trailer on Google:  In April I wrote about and did an audio interview with Emily Johnson of Catalyst Dance about her "Heat and Life" production that addresses global warming through movement, video and sound:  And this morning I came across an excellent interview (Part I and Part II) with Brenda Way the artistic and executive director of ODC/Dance. Last year, Way choreographed "On a Train Heading South," a work that "focuses on social denial and complacency in the face of environmental degradation." In this interview in Grist Magazine, Way talks about this dance work, the role of artists and the challenges that dancers face. When describing the role of artists she says: A key part of our purpose is to promote perception and awareness, to incite reflection and reactions. I see us as strong allies with environmental groups in the struggle for enlightened social consciousness in our shared desire for a greater humanity. I'd like to know if other dance companies have created works that have addressed environmental issues or plan to do so in the future? I'd also like to know if any of these environmentally-focused dance pieces will be ported to the web so that Internet users can watch video of these performances online. Posted by Doug Fox at 10:40 AM - Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0) May 23, 2006Katherine Dunham Video Tribute[For a February 2007 comprehensive multimedia guide to Katherine Dunham, please click here.] Dance great Katherine Dunham passed away last Sunday at 96.  Credit: Dance Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts You can read about the life and contributions of Dunham: - "How Katherine Dunham Revealed Black Dance to the World" in the New York Times - "Dancer Katherine Dunham; Formed Black Ballet Troupe" in Washington Post And here are video clips that I found this morning about Katherine Dunham: - Katherine Dunham on need for Dunham Technique - Katherine Dunham: A Simple Act of Faith (1 hour, 29 minutes) - Katherine Dunham - Afro-Caribbean influence on her dance - The Belafontes visit Katherine Dunham - Free to Dance - Dance Timeline (1934-1945) -- Scroll to 1940 video clip of Dunham dancing in "Tropics and Le Jazz Hot" Posted by Doug Fox at 10:02 AM - Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0) April 28, 2006Dance to the NewsI was browsing the posts on the Springwise blog, a global network of "spotters" who identify the latest entrepreneurial trends, and came across a story about T-post, a Swedish company that offers a t-shirt subscription service.  Here's how it works: You subscribe to this t-shirt service and every 6-weeks you receive a new t-shirt with a news-specific theme. You can access the archive to review all of the news-themed t-shirts and on the bottom left of each page you can read about the news story that inspired the design. I was thinking that this news-driven t-shirt concept would be great for a dance company. Why not create a new two-minute long dance work every couple of weeks or so that is based upon a current news event? Then videotape the performance and distribute it on the Internet. I think this type of video would generate a lot of traffic because many news websites and blogs would feature your video. Plus, there are probably ways to sell sponsorship and generate a new source of revenue. The challenge, I think, would be to figure out what news stories to cover and how to stage your dance pieces in an optimal manner for video reproduction. Technorati Tags: dance, marketing, news, video Posted by Doug Fox at 10:00 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) April 18, 2006Project DancewayIn a January 30th post, "If there was a modern dance reality tv show…," Rachel Feinerman proposes a dance series for TV along the lines of Bravo's Project Runway. I think that this would be an excellent idea.  If you haven't watched Project Runway, this is what this reality show is about: Sixteen fashion designers who have gone through an audition process are chosen for this TV series. Each week the designers are given a project such as designing a garden party dress. During the show we get to watch the designers buy their materials, make their dresses, interact with the other contestants and deal with time pressures. Then at the end of the show there is a fashion show where models showcase the dresses and judges rate the outfits. At the end of each show one of the designers looses and is off the show. What I enjoy most about Project Runway is that the creative process is exposed for all to see. You get to watch the designers as they create their outfits - sometimes struggling as they second guess themselves or have to work with the wrong materials. Plus you gain some insight into each designer's personality as they interact with each other and are forced to finish their work on time. So when the fashion show takes place at the end of the episode, you have an emotional connection with the designers and you probably have a favorite. So if there were a Project Runway for modern dance, some variations would have to be made to the format but the overall idea would probably work. I think it would be a lot of fun to watch choreographers and dancers work together from start to finish to create a different dance piece each week. There's no current format that I know of that provides dance audiences with access to the creative process at work. A Project Danceway would provide this access and make the experience of watching the performances at the end of the program more meaningful and enjoyable. Technorati Tags: bravo, dance, fashion, tv Posted by Doug Fox at 11:01 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) April 10, 2006Product Placement and E-Commerce Technology Offer New Career Opportunities for DancersPersonalScreen Media, a new producer of TV programming for the Internet, has introduced technology that enables viewers to get instant access to products, clothing and other items featured within a show. As you watch a show online, you can click on a dress, for example, get a pop-up screen that provides the details and purchase the dress through an integrated e-commerce system.  I think that this type of integrated product placement and e-commerce functionality offers some great opportunities for dancers. Even though this market is very new, it strikes me that dance offers advertisers and retailers a quick and effective way to grab the attention of multi-tasking and easily-distracted Internet users. You can learn more about PersonalScreen Media in an article in this morning's edition of ClickZ. For more dance-specific possibilities for integrated e-commerce and product placement, read two recent stories I've written: - "Nike Offers Marketing Campaign Featuring Hip Hop Dance Video" - Here's an impressive online marketing campaign that features a dance video, a breakdown of dance steps and the ability to buy the clothing worn by the dancers. ClickZ also has a recent article that provides background on the creation of this online Nike campaign.  Dance Video - "Emerging Digital Dance Careers": In November I wrote about new career opportunities for dancers in the online world. One of the areas I discussed was product placement and a video ad from Nordstrom's that features the Go-Go's. Viewers can watch the video and buy the featured clothing and accessories.  Technorati Tags: ads, audition, career, dance, e-commerce, marketing, video Posted by Doug Fox at 8:22 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) January 15, 2006Washington Ballet and Dancers Still at ImpasseThe disagreements between The Washington Ballet and its dancers have still not been resolved and no progress has been made on this front. (I created a resource guide to articles and blog entries about this on-going saga in a recent post). You can read an article in last week's Washington Post, "Ballet Rejects Offer By Michael Kaiser To Mediate, Returns To Bargaining Table". Posted by Doug Fox at 7:35 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) January 14, 2006Dancers Share Their ChallengesHere are two stories, directly from dancers themselves, that offer painfull insight into the precarious nature of pursuing a dance career: - In the December 2005 edition of Dance Magazine, Rosalynde LeBlanc, a freelance performer and teacher in New York City, writes "Turning point: inside the mind of a 30-something female modern dancer". Rosalynde LeBlanc tells a compelling story about the financial challenges faced by modern dancers who want to make enough money to support a family. She eventually gets an Equity card to audition for Broadway shows, but her heart isn't in it. She writes: ... what does ignite my spirit is the impoverished world of modern dance. Since childhood, when I took the Ballet/Modern/Jazz class, (in which all three disciplines were offered in one swoop like a cross section of Neapolitan ice cream) my affinity for modern was obvious. I was a shy, day-dreaming tomboy. The sophistication of jazz and the proprieties of ballet were ill-fitting on me. Modern dance--with its celebration of the individual, its emphasis on expression, its patient successes, and its androgyny--captured my heart. Now, after 20 years the rhythms and principles of modern dance are infused in my being. And some of their strongest indications are in my criteria for seeking work. "Who's choreographing?" is habitually my first question. I have to force myself to ask, "How much?" I am well trained to have the lowest monetary expectations and have learned how to make do in the direst circumstances. Thanks to Rachel Feinerman of Downtown Dancer for linking to Rosalynde LeBlanc's story. In Rachel's post, "Taking Up Space," she contrasts the constant financial struggles faced by dancers with an upbeat story in the New York Times about the recent growth in new dance venues in Manhattan. She writes: I’m not one to dismiss all these great new buildings but the crisis on the ground is that dancers at the top of their training, at the peak of their professional life, are poor and without health insurance and leaving the arts world in droves to finally make some money on Broadway or with Celine Dion in Vegas. The crisis is that when you accidentally slip and fall in one of these nice, new buildings, you have no insurance with which to see a doctor nor any money to pay for the cast on your wrist. The crisis is that you have to retire at age 35, not because you can’t dance anymore, but because you can’t afford to dance anymore. Its wonderful to have new buildings. Just don’t dismiss the dancers. - The second article, published by The Dance Insider, is from an unnamed dancer with the Indianapolis, Indiana-based Ballet Internationale, which shut its doors on November 9, 2005. The dancers, without any warning, were told that their ballet company was being shut down and they were out of work. No Nutcracker. No performances. They had one and a half hours to collect their things and get out of the building. The anonymous dancer continues: You can imagine everyone's shock to be left jobless with no future prospects of the company getting back together. It is not easy, even mostly impossible, for a dancer to find a job mid-season. Most of the company is foreign, which means some face the risk of being deported, and some may even have to go into the army if sent back to their home countries. Posted by Doug Fox at 7:30 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) January 6, 2006Washington Ballet Labor Dispute - Comprehensive Internet Resource GuideLast month The Washington Ballet canceled performances of the Nutcracker due to a serious labor dispute between the dance company and its dancers, who are represented by their union, American Guild of Musical Artists. In this post, I include a large number of links to news stories, blog postings and community board discussions about this unfortunate, on-going dispute which poses serious challenges to the short and long-term prospects for both The Washington Ballet and its dancers. Statements from Washington Ballet and American Guild of Musical Artists In a December 12, 2005 statement on its website, the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) describes what it calls a lock-out by The Washington Ballet of its dancers and the cancellation of the Nutcracker. In a December 14, 2005 statement (PDF file) on its website, The Washington Ballet announces the cancellation of its December 15th performance of the Nutcracker due to what it calls a strike by its dancers. While you will not find the specific agreement that Washington Ballet and its dancers sign, you can find on the AGMA site many of the complete agreements that are signed by dancers represented by this union and dance companies throughout the US. Articles in News Publications I added some additional articles about The Washington Ballet that are not about the Nutcracker feud but provide additional background information. -- May 3, 2005 - Washington Post - "Washington Ballet's Italian Faux Pas De Deux" (Free registration required for all Washington Post stories) -- September 16, 2005 - Washington Post - "Washington Ballet Settles With Union Over Firings" -- December 16, 2005 - Washington Post - "All Toes Point to the Picket Line" -- December 17, 2005 - Washington Post - "Washington Ballet Cancels 'Nutcracker' Run" -- December 22, 2005 - Washington Post - "Dancers, Ballet Out of Step in Pas de Deux" -- December 22, 2005 - Washington Post - Letter to the Editor - "Ballet's Battle, Children's Loss" -- December 24, 2005 - AP - "Washington Ballet to Cancel 2006 Shows" -- December 24, 2005 - UPI - "Washington Ballet Dispute Escalates" -- December 24, 2005 - Washington Post - "Ballet Announces '06 Cancellations: Dancers, Who Say They Would Lose About 3 Months' Pay, Seek Injunction" Dance and Theater Publications -- December 12, 2005 - Dance Insider - "'Nutcracker' Held Hostage in Washington" --December 14, 2005 - PlaybillArts - "Labor Dispute Threatens Washington Ballet Nutcracker" -- December 20, 2005 - The Dance Insider - "Yes, Virginia, Dancers too have Rights" -- December 15, 2005 - DCist - "Washington Ballet Cancels Tonight's Nutcracker" -- December 16, 2005 - DC Baby - "Bah Humbug! & Weekend Watch" -- December 16, 2005 - Onward and Upward - "Washington Ballet Cancels Nutcracker" -- December 17, 2005 - NET workers - "Washington Ballet Dancers Locked Out!" -- December 17, 2005 - Newsrack blog -"'Nutcracker' on ice: dancers locked out" -- December 21, 2005 - Drunken Reveries of a Cynical Mind - "Strikes Everywhere" -- December 22, 2005 - DC Arts Jobs - "Ballet Remains Dark" -- December 27, 2005 - Onward and Upward - "Struggles at Washington Ballet Continue" -- January 2, 2005 - Angel's and Kris' Place - "Holiday Season" Dance Community Boards - Discussion Threads -- December 14, 2005 (first post) - Ballet Talk for Dancers - "Labor Pains at The Washington Ballet" -- December 15, 2005 (first post) - Critical Dance - "Strike/Lock-Out" Labor Advocacy -- American Rights at Work - "Take Action - Washington Ballet Dancers Need Your Help" Posted by Doug Fox at 8:30 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) November 28, 2005Who Stands Up for Dance?There have been some unfortunate recent news stories relating to dance that have me wondering which dance associations or organizations fight to ensure the on-going success, continuity and profitability of dance. First, here are the stories: - In "The Squeeze on BDC" Rachel Feinerman of Downtown Dancer discusses the likely closing of Broadway Dance Center, which is being forced to vacate its dance studio space in Midtown Manhattan. The New York Times on November 23rd writes about the on-going legal battle between BDC, with 3,000 dance students per week, and the new owner of the commercial building where the studio is located. BDC has set-up a new website, SupportBDC.org, to encourage supporters of this dance studio to take action to preserve the dance studio at its current location. - The Colorado Ballet, as reported by RockyMountainNews.com on November 16, 2005 in "Ballet's Finances Wipe Out Six Shows," canceled six of its 30 performances of this year's staging of The Nutcracker. The cancellation was due to a lack of ticket sales. Edward McPherson in Onward and Upward has two posts about the cutting back of Nutcracker performances (Post 1 and Post 2). In his second post, Edward attributes declining Nutcracker ticket sales to competition from Radio City Rockettes. - On November 9th, IndyStar.com reported that Indianapolis-based Ballet Internationale, in operation for 32 years, was closing its doors on the day of the article and there would be no performances of The Nutcracker this holiday season. - The NYC-based Dance Notation Bureau, which documents and preserves classic and contemporary dance works, was forced for financial reasons to layoff almost its entire staff on October 28th. DNB provides updates (click "Rallying Round the DNB; Need Still Urgent" link) on its efforts to raise more funding to continue their work. The Dance Insider was the first to break this story on October 31st. (The Dance Insider followed-up this story on November 8th). The New York Times wrote a piece on November 7th, "Dance Preservation Organization, in Financial Turmoil, Lays of Most of Staff" (If you want to read this NYT article, you unfortunately have to pay). (I've written two pieces about the DNB and dance notation: "Dance Insider Calls for New Management for Dance Notation Bureau" and "Dance Notation and Why Dance Pieces are Not Documented." I hope to finish this series of posts soon.) In most industries and professions, there are usually associations or advocacy groups that keep their members updated about the latest news and developments that affect their industry, and take leadership roles in spearheading coordinated action to address collective challenges. My question for the dance world is who is in charge? Do associations and other groups that represent different interests within the dance community work independently or together to address common concerns? Do they take joint-action to educate their constituencies about pressing topics? Do they launch coordinated public marketing campaigns so that the public at-large knows about important issues and are encouraged to take action? Let's go back to news stories I wrote about above: - Is the Broadway Dance Center on its own? Are local dance associations and other dance-related entities supporting the efforts of BDC to keep its current studio location? What for example is Dance/NYC doing? Dance/NYC, a branch of Dance/USA, is dedicated to the needs of dance in the New York City area. One of its stated aims is to address "issues of space and real estate" for dance companies and studios. Robert Yesselman, director of Dance/NYC, offered excellent testimony (PDF) to the Committee on Cultural Affairs of the NY City Council on October 28th in which he describes the tremendous real estate challenges faced by dance artists and offers specific recommendations for improving the situation. But, if you go to Dance/NYC home page, headlines section or real estate section, there is nothing about Broadway Dance Center. That strikes me as odd. Isn't this an issue that Dance/NYC should be rallying the dance community around? Shouldn't information be provided to Dance/NYC website visitors on how to contribute money or participate in the upcoming rally on December 1st in front of BDC studios? - In the case of the cut-back in Nutcracker performances by Colorado Ballet and the closing of Ballet Internationale, who is holding dialogues within the dance community and who is planning an action plan to address the specific challenges of dance companies outside the largest cities? Maybe these conversations do take place behind the scenes, but there ought to be a large-scale public conversation tied to a specific action plan to ensure the financial health and vitality of performing arts companies in cities and towns throughout the US. Dance/USA in its November 16th edition of its email newsletter "The Spin" did include a news item, "Ballet Internationale Closes After 32 Years," which quotes a story from The Indianapolis Star. But that's it. Has or is Dance/USA formulating a gameplan to ensure the vitality of dance companies in second and third tier cities? If yes, what is this gameplan and how come it's not promoted through its website? - And finally, what is the dance industry's position regarding the Dance Notation Bureau (DNB). Is DNB on its own? Must it fend for itself and not expect the support of other dance organizations? Now maybe it does get support from other dance entities, but nobody has bothered to publicize this information online. I haven't come across any information on any dance website that mentions the DNB's financial troubles and encourages dance fans and dancers to make donations. (A few weblogs have written about this story including mine) Does nobody within the dance community care about notating dances or the DNB? When Paul Ben-Itzak shares his strong opinions about the DNB, does anybody in the dance world have any reaction? He wrote: ...I now believe that if this invaluable organization is to continue with its precious mission and fulfill its utility, the DNB needs an entirely new and more dynamic board leadership, including people who either have money or have the clout to raise it. But not a word in response. No public discussion. No public debate. No nothing! From the lack of online response by entities that represent the dance community to the above stories and an evaluation of information that is primarily publicly available on the Internet, these are my conclusions: 1) The associations and organizations that represent dance interests do not cooperate and provide little of concrete value to the dance community at-large. 2) Too much time is spent complaining and not enough action is taken. The dance community complains about a) not enough press coverage, b) not enough US government support for dance, c) not enough grants to support art, d) not enough donations, and e) not enough real estate. But what, in the end, do dance associations and organizations actually do to improve and strengthen the dance community. How are dance companies being helped and how are dancers being helped? 3) The dance community has absolutely no idea of how to leverage the power and ubiquity of the Internet to reach millions of customers and supporters. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe great things are happening behind the scenes; maybe important initiatives and undertakings are mapped-out at industry conferences; or maybe fundraising events are solving the financial and economic woes of the dance community. But the fact remains that none of these worthwhile initiatives and activities, if they exist at all, are reaching the online world. And the Internet today is the most important medium for discussing pressing issues, reaching a huge audience and mobilizing constituents for action. Posted by Doug Fox at 6:05 AM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) November 22, 2005Emerging Digital Dance CareersWhen dancers think about their careers, they think about live performances and live classes. The focus is on dancing in front of other human beings who are present in the same room at the same time. This notion that dance must be performed in front of real audiences is no longer valid. Dance is about motion in space and time. There's no reason that dance must be limited just to the "real" world. Over the next five years, there will be such a huge proliferation of digital dance opportunities for professional dancers and instructors that many dancers will soon be earning more money by selling and licensing their performances and classes in digital format than they will from live presentations. Here's a brief run-down of emerging digital distribution channels and opportunities for dancers: 1) Video Syndication New companies are emerging that make it possible for anybody to upload video content to the web and make money from advertising when their video is played through hundreds or thousands of different websites. For example, Brightcove, a private company that just received $16.2 million in funding, is creating a syndication network for video programs. Any website can make any selection of videos available from their site. When these videos are played, 15-30 second advertisements are added. Dance companies and dance instructors can take advantage of this video distribution network by uploading performances and classes. Each time a video is played, the dancers get a cut of the revenue. 2) Integrated Product Placement Online video advertising is going to grow like crazy. In part to support the increase in available video content as I just described. Some online video ads will be discrete video segments of up to one minute in length. But most advertisements will be in the form of product placements that are integrated into a storyline, a music video or a dance piece. Watch this video ad from Nordstrom department store. What you'll be watching is a video remix of the popular music video from the 80's "Our Lips are Sealed" from the Go-Go's. Clips of models wearing Nordstrom clothes and accessories are interspersed with the actual video of the Go-Go Girls. And the featured products are displayed right below the video clip so that you can buy them online from the retailer. This type of promotional marketing is perfect for dancers. Advertisers need a way to get online viewers to actually watch their video ads - a difficult proposition in any medium. And featuring professional dancers performing different styles of dance is a great way to draw the attention of multi-tasking, easily distracted viewers. 3) Remote Dance Classes As Internet bandwidth continues to improve, there will be more opportunities for dance classes to be distributed in real-time to distant locations. Western Michigan University and Case Western Reserve University have teamed-up to deliver dance kinesiology classes over Internet2, the new high-speed Internet. Jane Baas, associate professor of dance at Case teaches this course on the science and mechanics of dance via the university's videoconference facilities. This type of distributed real-time class instruction offers huge opportunities for delivering dance educational programs at the college and university level as well as to dance studios and even private homes. As more people purchase wide-screen high-definition TVs (HDTV) and have access to high-speed Internet connections, it no longer is difficult or far-fetched for a group of friends to get together at home and have a remote instructor lead a dance class. 4) Portable, Transferable Media Recently I've posted stories asking why dance companies aren't sharing video clips via Apple's iTunes so that owners of the new iPods could watch these dance performances on the go ("Dance and the 99 Cent Video" and "Where Are the Dance Podcasts?". TV programs are already being sold inexpensively through iTunes and there is no reason that dance performances and classes cannot be sold through this distribution channel as well. And what is likely to further accelerate this move toward portable digital content is that TiVo, the maker of a digital video recorder (DVR), just entered deals with Apple iTunes and Sony Playstation Portable so that TiVo recorded programs can be transferred to these mobile devices.  While it is not clear yet how a dance company would sell performances or classes for download by TiVo and transfer to a mobile device, this e-commerce functionality cannot be far away. 5) Computer Games The graphics and versatility of computer game consoles and games continues to improve and in the process will eventually offer more opportunities for dancers. Today Microsoft launched its new video game console Xbox 360, which features improved graphics quality and is HDTV compatible. According to Wired article, the graphics are not yet photorealistic, but still very impressive.  Sample Xbox graphics While most games are action-packed sports contests or shoot'm up adventures, a less violent breed of interactive games will inevitably gain greater popularity. Already Dance Dance Revolution is a huge hit but features directional information not actual dancers. What's bound to be on the horizon are almost photorealistic games that feature dancers or cheerleaders participating in multi-player dance competitions and, hopefully, other dance-related storylines. As these dance-themed games take-off, there will be a greater need for dancers to be featured in these interactive gaming experiences. 6) Virtual Worlds Are you ready to perform a dance program in an online 3D virtual world? Well recently, a participant in the Project Entropia role-playing game, with more than 300,000 players, spent $100,000 - real US dollars - to purchase a virtual piece of land with the intention of building a resort. Jon Jacobs, known in Entropia as Neverdie, will call his entertainment oasis Club Neverdie. Gamers, in the form of their customized avatars, will come to this new club and spend real dollars (in the form of Entropia currency) to socialize and watch live performances.  As millions more join these virtual environments, more entertainment of all types will be needed including dance performances. And since there is real money to be made and the visual quality of these environments is verging on lifelike, there's no reason not to figure out how to create your own digital dance performance company. Other virtual worlds include Second Life and There. Posted by Doug Fox at 12:45 PM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) November 17, 2005Dance Videos for AuditionsSome questions: 1) What percentage of dancers create videos (DVD/VHS) for their auditions? 2) How do dancers create these videos and how much money do they spend? 3) Does creating a good quality video make a big difference in terms of the odds of getting a job? 4) If you don't have an audition video are you at a disadvantage? 5) What are dance companies/shows/schools/others looking for in a good video? 6) Are there many auditions where you can submit a video instead of performing at a live audition? What are pros and cons? I was thinking about these questions as I was searching for articles and resources that had to do with either making dance audition videos or guidelines for submitting these videos: - Dance Magazine article by Eric Wolfram, "Fast Forward: 12 Tips to a Winning Audition Video" - Photo and video tips for dancers from Mark Twain - Jazz Dance video specifications for NFAA.ARTS Awards - Video audition guidelines for Rockette Summer Intensive (PDF) - Summer Dance Institute auditions - Julliard Summer Dance Intensive video/DVD requirements Posted by Doug Fox at 6:42 AM - Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) October 10, 2005The iPod Nano and Dance MobsStefan Engeseth has a solution to help Apple overcome the negative publicity generated by battery problems with the new iPod Nano.  In a October 6, 2005 post, "'iPod Dance' - A nonstop music solution with a perpetual batterty," Stefan describes how human movement, in the form of dancing, can be harnessed to power the iPod Nanos. He recommends that Apple kick-off a marketing campaign via flash dances that feature Madonna dancing in the streets of New York. Read Stefan's post and comments to get a better idea of his recommendation. I've always been intrigued by the idea of flash dancers - also called mobile clubbing or smart mobs. The idea is straightforward: A group of people communicate via email, instant messaging or text messaging and agree to meet at a designated public space at a specific date and time. When they arrive, somebody plays music via a portable music player, everybody dances for, say, 15 minutes and everybody leaves. That's it. But in its own way, it's a pretty revolutionary idea. This type of event could not take place before ubiquitous communication tools existed that enabled groups of people to instantaneously communicate and determine on their own when and where they would gather to dance. No need for a venue, no need for expensive marketing programs, no DJ to decide what music to play and, overall, no pre-planning of any type. There have been a number of examples of smart dance mobs over the past 2-3 years. Here are some articles and examples: - Mobile Clubbing at Liverpool Street Station - Flas |
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