Y DANCE?
Y NOT?
Are you interested in dancing?
As part of LABA, an artist membership program at the 14th Street Y and the Y Dance Series coming up in January 2009, Julie Gayer Kris will be leading dance workshops, classes and rehearsals as a part of an exploration based on The Body, referencing Jewish text, contemporary art and our own personal stories.
Julie will be choreographing a dance piece based on explorations with community members and the professional dancers of Avodah Dance Ensemble. Participants are welcome to be a part of a final performance in the spring of 2009 or just as part of the research and creative process.
No dance experience is required. All ages and levels of movement are welcome! Activities will include modern dance warm-ups, improvisations, creative movement and more!
Julie is the Artistic Director of the Avodah Dance Ensemble, a modern dance company based in New York City whose mission is to fuse the art of dance with a strong sense of social service. With roots in the Jewish tradition, Avodah uses the art of movement and music to build bridges between diverse communities and audiences. Julie also teaches yoga, aqua aerobics and Pilates at the 14th Street Y.
Contact Julie to learn more: 212-625-8369, ext. 286 or avodahdance@gmail.com
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
SEASONS @ YORK CI
This year's theme at York CI will be "Seasons," conceived by Connie Procopio. Connie is taking on more leadership this year as the education coordinator of prison programs. Connie and I are working together to create a curriculum at York CI that increases the women's composition skills and prepares them to go deeper during the residency. Connie will lead four guest artist classes this year. The residency is planned for March 25th - April 2nd, 2009. If you are interested in observing a performance in a women's correctional institution, please contact me (Julie) at 212-625-8369, ext. 286! Or email: avodahdance@gmail.com
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Costa Rica Retreat
March 14th-22nd
I co-led a yoga retreat with Robin Rothenberg at Guaria de Osa in Costa Rica.
We do lots of movement and free exploration using many of Avodah's methodologies for exploring ideas through movement.
My job is to bring lots of fun to the program! Pretty fun!
Here is a note from Robin's newsletter that sums up the retreat!
A Note from Robin
Spring-Summer 2008
We aptly named our annual yoga retreat this year Simple Abundance, contemplating the teachings of how contentment and non-attachment can lead us to joy. Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula ushered us into an experience of what that truly means. We awakened each morning to the sound of scarlet macaws and howler monkeys. The scintillating scent of ylang ylang perfumed our path wherever we walked. We swam under waterfalls and explored the vast and varied wildlife of the jungle from leaf cutter ants, to iridescent blue morpho butterflies and giant cathedral figs.
There was also an abundance of heat – 90 degrees with matching humidity - and insects, no-see-ums that carved mosaics on our calves and ankles. The full moon, shimmering like a giant pearl in the night sky, turned the ocean into a riptide that made wading more than knee-deep a life-threatening proposition. Heat-stroke hit our group hard on the second day. Accommodations were rustic (or simple, depending on how you chose to view it), meaning the toilets and showers (cold only), didn’t always work, sheets were of a low-thread count and clean towels scarce.
There we were in this land of limitless beauty, (a Cessna, jeep and boat ride away from civilization), challenged by the lack of amenities to which we’d become accustomed. Instead of A.C., we swathed ourselves in wet sarongs to stay cool, and rocked in the hammocks which hung from every shady tree. We were given medicinal bark tea to soothe our bellies, fresh watermelon and guayabana juice to stay hydrated. Those who felt well tended to the wilted. We took turns as nursemaid and patient. We laughed a lot. We laughed A LOT.
In fact, as the week progressed and we practiced our yoga through the sweltering heat, the bugs and the tummy aches, we found a deep and true appreciation for each other and for a simple kind of life. Our formal practice centered around a blessing for peace; peace for the earth, the water, the trees and heavens, and ultimately for ourselves. Through meditation we observed our ‘inner roommate’ the constant narrator in our head who judges, chatters incessantly and has opinions about everything. We practiced witnessing her neurosis and recognizing ourselves as the quiet witness who experiences her but is separate from her at the same time.
This strange and unruly tonic worked. Not one of us slipped into the angsty Eyore we were all capable of becoming. Momentary lapses into whine-ville were met with some good-humored teasing or the serendipitous citing of a parrot or iguana, all having an amnesiac effect on our discomfort. With nature abundantly present, we forgot about our cell-phones, e-mails and blackberries. We rose at dawn and prepared for bed shortly after the sumptuous evening meal was served, meandering back to our cabins with headlamps a-glow like miners in a quarry. It wasn’t in spite of, but rather due to the rawness of our surroundings that we were able to shed some of our modern armor, bonding through laughter, grapefruit seed extract, sunset meditations and a shared interest in quieting our anxious minds. There was as much yoga being practiced off the mat as on the mat.
We went on retreat to well… retreat... At our closing circle we reviewed our stated intentions from our first day together: To quiet the noise inside our heads, to go inside and learn to trust; to find balance, open our hearts, and learn to listen; to become still and be in spiritual community with others. We had accomplished our hearts’ desires and it wasn’t always comfortable. Caressed by the wild tangle of flora and fauna we witnessed each other blossom, like jungle orchids - simple beauty, simply abundant.
I co-led a yoga retreat with Robin Rothenberg at Guaria de Osa in Costa Rica.
We do lots of movement and free exploration using many of Avodah's methodologies for exploring ideas through movement.
My job is to bring lots of fun to the program! Pretty fun!
Here is a note from Robin's newsletter that sums up the retreat!
A Note from Robin
Spring-Summer 2008
We aptly named our annual yoga retreat this year Simple Abundance, contemplating the teachings of how contentment and non-attachment can lead us to joy. Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula ushered us into an experience of what that truly means. We awakened each morning to the sound of scarlet macaws and howler monkeys. The scintillating scent of ylang ylang perfumed our path wherever we walked. We swam under waterfalls and explored the vast and varied wildlife of the jungle from leaf cutter ants, to iridescent blue morpho butterflies and giant cathedral figs.
There was also an abundance of heat – 90 degrees with matching humidity - and insects, no-see-ums that carved mosaics on our calves and ankles. The full moon, shimmering like a giant pearl in the night sky, turned the ocean into a riptide that made wading more than knee-deep a life-threatening proposition. Heat-stroke hit our group hard on the second day. Accommodations were rustic (or simple, depending on how you chose to view it), meaning the toilets and showers (cold only), didn’t always work, sheets were of a low-thread count and clean towels scarce.
There we were in this land of limitless beauty, (a Cessna, jeep and boat ride away from civilization), challenged by the lack of amenities to which we’d become accustomed. Instead of A.C., we swathed ourselves in wet sarongs to stay cool, and rocked in the hammocks which hung from every shady tree. We were given medicinal bark tea to soothe our bellies, fresh watermelon and guayabana juice to stay hydrated. Those who felt well tended to the wilted. We took turns as nursemaid and patient. We laughed a lot. We laughed A LOT.
In fact, as the week progressed and we practiced our yoga through the sweltering heat, the bugs and the tummy aches, we found a deep and true appreciation for each other and for a simple kind of life. Our formal practice centered around a blessing for peace; peace for the earth, the water, the trees and heavens, and ultimately for ourselves. Through meditation we observed our ‘inner roommate’ the constant narrator in our head who judges, chatters incessantly and has opinions about everything. We practiced witnessing her neurosis and recognizing ourselves as the quiet witness who experiences her but is separate from her at the same time.
This strange and unruly tonic worked. Not one of us slipped into the angsty Eyore we were all capable of becoming. Momentary lapses into whine-ville were met with some good-humored teasing or the serendipitous citing of a parrot or iguana, all having an amnesiac effect on our discomfort. With nature abundantly present, we forgot about our cell-phones, e-mails and blackberries. We rose at dawn and prepared for bed shortly after the sumptuous evening meal was served, meandering back to our cabins with headlamps a-glow like miners in a quarry. It wasn’t in spite of, but rather due to the rawness of our surroundings that we were able to shed some of our modern armor, bonding through laughter, grapefruit seed extract, sunset meditations and a shared interest in quieting our anxious minds. There was as much yoga being practiced off the mat as on the mat.
We went on retreat to well… retreat... At our closing circle we reviewed our stated intentions from our first day together: To quiet the noise inside our heads, to go inside and learn to trust; to find balance, open our hearts, and learn to listen; to become still and be in spiritual community with others. We had accomplished our hearts’ desires and it wasn’t always comfortable. Caressed by the wild tangle of flora and fauna we witnessed each other blossom, like jungle orchids - simple beauty, simply abundant.
Layers Residency @ York 2008
Wow! We just got home from our SEVENTH week long residency at York Correctional Institution for Women. Our theme this year was LAYERS, and the women were willing and able to sink their teeth into the theme to create a beautiful, moving performance.
We journeyed through dance, yoga, music, writing, and a visualization/reflection on the theme. Then the women created solos, duets, trios, and group pieces based on their personal reflections: First the idea of creating safe space in which to look at these questions...Did they feel they had layers they needed to remove, peel, clear or shed? Or did they feel they needed to wrap themselves up or add a layer? They all had an individual way of answering the question through movement.
We also created movement as a group that reflected what we do to create some space from the layers in our head, the static in our minds. And a finale piece, or epilogue, that showed our journey--from layered with thickness and heaviness, to sometimes becoming stuck, to realizing the beauty, life and warmth within, to melting, shedding and blasting through the layers, to shaking the residue off, to dancing our fullness and joy, to moving as ourselves and showing our true essence (in their words: CONFIDENT, QUEEN, WARRIOR, FLOWER ON THE RISE, FLOWING, FREE, FALLING, FLYING, SAFE...).
The women performed their entire piece including a Hip Hop number along with the Avodah Dance Ensemble and accompanied by Newman Taylor Baker's inspiring and sensitive percussion. One woman from York also accompanied through percussion with Newman-she is a natural. We performed twice: once for the school and once for the women's families and friends in the visiting room. Both performances were received well with lots of positive energy. At the end of the performance in the school at York C.I., women in the audience spontaneously arose from their chairs and started dancing!!
The women are magnificent to work with. Natural creators, artists, performers. Willing to dive deep within themselves. Become vulnerable to the process and share who they really are. As artists, the members of Avodah all agreed that working with the women is a true exchange; we are all humbled by the process and feel so much gratitude to share and learn so intensively with them.
We will be heading to Baylor Women's Correctional Institution on April 13th for our next week long residency! We'll keep you posted!
We journeyed through dance, yoga, music, writing, and a visualization/reflection on the theme. Then the women created solos, duets, trios, and group pieces based on their personal reflections: First the idea of creating safe space in which to look at these questions...Did they feel they had layers they needed to remove, peel, clear or shed? Or did they feel they needed to wrap themselves up or add a layer? They all had an individual way of answering the question through movement.
We also created movement as a group that reflected what we do to create some space from the layers in our head, the static in our minds. And a finale piece, or epilogue, that showed our journey--from layered with thickness and heaviness, to sometimes becoming stuck, to realizing the beauty, life and warmth within, to melting, shedding and blasting through the layers, to shaking the residue off, to dancing our fullness and joy, to moving as ourselves and showing our true essence (in their words: CONFIDENT, QUEEN, WARRIOR, FLOWER ON THE RISE, FLOWING, FREE, FALLING, FLYING, SAFE...).
The women performed their entire piece including a Hip Hop number along with the Avodah Dance Ensemble and accompanied by Newman Taylor Baker's inspiring and sensitive percussion. One woman from York also accompanied through percussion with Newman-she is a natural. We performed twice: once for the school and once for the women's families and friends in the visiting room. Both performances were received well with lots of positive energy. At the end of the performance in the school at York C.I., women in the audience spontaneously arose from their chairs and started dancing!!
The women are magnificent to work with. Natural creators, artists, performers. Willing to dive deep within themselves. Become vulnerable to the process and share who they really are. As artists, the members of Avodah all agreed that working with the women is a true exchange; we are all humbled by the process and feel so much gratitude to share and learn so intensively with them.
We will be heading to Baylor Women's Correctional Institution on April 13th for our next week long residency! We'll keep you posted!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Sarah and the Chiselettes
Today in rehearsal, we worked on a solo for Sarah Zitnay, Avodah dancer since 2006. We tried to use some of the ideas from our visit to Baylor and incorporate them into the solo.
A very interesting improvisation developed when I asked Sarah to keep her left shoulder close to her body and tight while moving freely throughout the rest of her body. We explored the idea of one part of the body being "stone" while the other parts were "normal." We explored Sarah moving between two points in space expressing a struggle between the stone/protective part impulsing her away from the outer world and the other parts of her body impulsing her to move outwards into the world.
When the other dancers arrived, they also explored the idea. We changed the body part from the left shoulder to a fist and then a foot becoming frozen. The frozen foot created two responses: one dancer became stuck in place with her body trying to find a way to move and another dancer began accomplishing movement despite the stuck foot. In the latter improvisation, the frozen foot stood out as different but not a complete handicap.
As we continue to explore the ideas for this solo, I look forward to integrating the ideas that came up in the prison including:
1)Becoming aware of Hitting a brick wall/Trying to kick,move, push the wall out of the way
2) Once we realize that '1' is not serving us, to start to pay attention to our 'stone' first appreciating its beauty, shape, individuality and purpose
3) Then with attention to detail, carving, chiseling until the stone may reveal a new shape, maybe some of it drops off, breaks off, turns to powder
4) Trembling earthquake movements that clear away large chunks
5) The soft spots that are revealed when we are able to pay attention to the stones as opposed to denying their existence or resisting them!
A very interesting improvisation developed when I asked Sarah to keep her left shoulder close to her body and tight while moving freely throughout the rest of her body. We explored the idea of one part of the body being "stone" while the other parts were "normal." We explored Sarah moving between two points in space expressing a struggle between the stone/protective part impulsing her away from the outer world and the other parts of her body impulsing her to move outwards into the world.
When the other dancers arrived, they also explored the idea. We changed the body part from the left shoulder to a fist and then a foot becoming frozen. The frozen foot created two responses: one dancer became stuck in place with her body trying to find a way to move and another dancer began accomplishing movement despite the stuck foot. In the latter improvisation, the frozen foot stood out as different but not a complete handicap.
As we continue to explore the ideas for this solo, I look forward to integrating the ideas that came up in the prison including:
1)Becoming aware of Hitting a brick wall/Trying to kick,move, push the wall out of the way
2) Once we realize that '1' is not serving us, to start to pay attention to our 'stone' first appreciating its beauty, shape, individuality and purpose
3) Then with attention to detail, carving, chiseling until the stone may reveal a new shape, maybe some of it drops off, breaks off, turns to powder
4) Trembling earthquake movements that clear away large chunks
5) The soft spots that are revealed when we are able to pay attention to the stones as opposed to denying their existence or resisting them!
Stone collector; Heart protector
On February 19, Avodah Senior dancer Connie Procopio and myself traveled to Baylor Women's Correctional Institution in New Castle, Delaware. As we prepare for our annual week long residencies at two women's prisons, we are including the women from each facility in the company's creative process.
This year's theme "LAYERS" addresses key areas within the body where we carry physical, emotional and mental layers. We are specifically focusing on the Head and Heart as centers for exploration. In "Head Trip" we are working on the many different tangents of thoughts that continually draw our attention, sometimes blocking our ability to connect intimately with our surrounding environment and community. In "Stone Collector" (working title), we are looking at hardened places around our hearts and within our bodies that serve as either protection or obstacles in our connections with others and in our yearning to express who we really are.
The women at Baylor explored movements based on chiseling, carving and jackhammering and together we created a short phrase. The phrase included gestures reflecting the actions mentioned as well as movements reflecting being carved. Splitting into two groups, the women followed different leaders improvising on the phrase that we created together; each leader based their movements on the ideas of chiseling, etc. , and the dancers were able to experience the movement ideas for some time. After this, I led "Motivating Movements," an exercise based on the work of Avodah founder, JoAnne Tucker and former Avodah dancer and Board Member, Kezia Gleckman Hayman. The exercise generates movement ideas and vocabulary. The women were asked to imagine they were collecting different size rocks and putting them in a bag or basket. They had to carry the bag around as it got heavier. Then they put the bag down and took out a rock. Next they put the rock on different parts of their bodies and tried to move around the room-even stopping to have a conversation with a friend. This definitely got them using their imaginations as well as experiencing an exaggerated feeling of carrying stones around while trying to go about one's business.
After the movement improvisations, we sat in a circle and discussed the idea of Layers, especially those layers around the heart. I shared the idea that different experiences and decisions get stored in our bodies and frozen, much like the quality of stone or cement; we carry these 'stones' around and may not even realize it! I asked the women to write about this idea as well as the movement improvisations. Any impressions they may have had throughout the class.
Finally, within the circle, different women volunteered sharing a brief movement phrase in the middle of the circle. Each of the volunteers was very brave! New movement ideas were shared: a piece of stone coming loose and falling off, kicking a stone and hurting oneself in the process, throwing stones, carrying the load of stones-setting them down and breathing a sigh of relief,...and surprisingly Appreciating the beauty of one's stone!
We finished the class with a shaking exercise to free the body of any remaining heaviness.
Connie and I drove home to NYC with new ideas and an excitement to go into the studio to explore!
This year's theme "LAYERS" addresses key areas within the body where we carry physical, emotional and mental layers. We are specifically focusing on the Head and Heart as centers for exploration. In "Head Trip" we are working on the many different tangents of thoughts that continually draw our attention, sometimes blocking our ability to connect intimately with our surrounding environment and community. In "Stone Collector" (working title), we are looking at hardened places around our hearts and within our bodies that serve as either protection or obstacles in our connections with others and in our yearning to express who we really are.
The women at Baylor explored movements based on chiseling, carving and jackhammering and together we created a short phrase. The phrase included gestures reflecting the actions mentioned as well as movements reflecting being carved. Splitting into two groups, the women followed different leaders improvising on the phrase that we created together; each leader based their movements on the ideas of chiseling, etc. , and the dancers were able to experience the movement ideas for some time. After this, I led "Motivating Movements," an exercise based on the work of Avodah founder, JoAnne Tucker and former Avodah dancer and Board Member, Kezia Gleckman Hayman. The exercise generates movement ideas and vocabulary. The women were asked to imagine they were collecting different size rocks and putting them in a bag or basket. They had to carry the bag around as it got heavier. Then they put the bag down and took out a rock. Next they put the rock on different parts of their bodies and tried to move around the room-even stopping to have a conversation with a friend. This definitely got them using their imaginations as well as experiencing an exaggerated feeling of carrying stones around while trying to go about one's business.
After the movement improvisations, we sat in a circle and discussed the idea of Layers, especially those layers around the heart. I shared the idea that different experiences and decisions get stored in our bodies and frozen, much like the quality of stone or cement; we carry these 'stones' around and may not even realize it! I asked the women to write about this idea as well as the movement improvisations. Any impressions they may have had throughout the class.
Finally, within the circle, different women volunteered sharing a brief movement phrase in the middle of the circle. Each of the volunteers was very brave! New movement ideas were shared: a piece of stone coming loose and falling off, kicking a stone and hurting oneself in the process, throwing stones, carrying the load of stones-setting them down and breathing a sigh of relief,...and surprisingly Appreciating the beauty of one's stone!
We finished the class with a shaking exercise to free the body of any remaining heaviness.
Connie and I drove home to NYC with new ideas and an excitement to go into the studio to explore!
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Visiting York Correctional Institution for Women 1/5/08
Yesterday I taught a guest dance class at York Correctional Institution for Women. The women in the education program at York have been taking dance class once a week with our dance company, Avodah Dance Ensemble, since 2003 and some of them have been participating in our week long residencies since 2002.
The theme that we are working with this year is based on a quote from e.e.cummings, "It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."We are focusing on peeling away layers of what we are not to reveal what we truly are.
I taught the first session for women living in the mental health unit. We used a hallway in the unit. We started with a warm up exercise using basic modern dance principles, warming up the upper body and working with plies. I introduced the ideas of peeling, cocooning, and blossoming within the warm-up. The women followed along with the music and were able to repeat the exercises without me leading them. Then we discussed the quote and the idea of removing that which we don't need through the following images: a sculptor chiseling a large slab of stone, peeling an onion, weeding a garden. The women created gestures that we then abstracted into bigger movements. We separated into three groups and created short phrases from the abstracted gestures. Each group performed their phrase both with and without musical accompaniment (Bach). At the end of the class, we practiced a non-stop shaking exercise to play with releasing anything we don't "need." The women were extremely responsive. I noticed that many times people in the group would sit down or quit or get frustrated quickly. However, after even the slightest bit of encouragement, they would more often than not join back into the group.
The next session was in the education department with many women that I have worked with before through the ongoing classes and residencies. One of our teachers had taught them a set warm up and dance, and I led them through the warm-up. They showed me the dance and recalled the whole thing even though it had been a month since they had met.
Following that, I guided a movement improvisation to generate movement. In the vein of "layers" I asked them to generate movements that reflected having extra layers on the body, peeling those layers off, having extra weight on the head and having that throw one off balance. I taught a duet phrase that the women then had to work with. The assignment was to complete the duet phrase as if they had really big heads. This would limit movement choices. The women then performed their interpretations to movement. Running out of time, I was unhappy that I couldn't share more of my plan, including an improvisation with peeling and a similar shaking exercise. However, I did assign a shaking exercise of 1 to 5 minutes a day of non-stop 'shaking' or 'peeling' movements with an optional goal of inventing one's own clearing movement. I also asked that they write about their observations.
We will continue building on these ideas as we move closer to the residency in March/April.
We are currently funded by grants and individual contributions. We have a musician, several dancers, and sometimes a storyteller go in to the prison for the weeklong residency. The women perform in a culminating performance for fellow inmates in the school and for visiting family members in the visiting room. It is amazing to see what this work does for each woman's self esteem.
The theme that we are working with this year is based on a quote from e.e.cummings, "It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."We are focusing on peeling away layers of what we are not to reveal what we truly are.
I taught the first session for women living in the mental health unit. We used a hallway in the unit. We started with a warm up exercise using basic modern dance principles, warming up the upper body and working with plies. I introduced the ideas of peeling, cocooning, and blossoming within the warm-up. The women followed along with the music and were able to repeat the exercises without me leading them. Then we discussed the quote and the idea of removing that which we don't need through the following images: a sculptor chiseling a large slab of stone, peeling an onion, weeding a garden. The women created gestures that we then abstracted into bigger movements. We separated into three groups and created short phrases from the abstracted gestures. Each group performed their phrase both with and without musical accompaniment (Bach). At the end of the class, we practiced a non-stop shaking exercise to play with releasing anything we don't "need." The women were extremely responsive. I noticed that many times people in the group would sit down or quit or get frustrated quickly. However, after even the slightest bit of encouragement, they would more often than not join back into the group.
The next session was in the education department with many women that I have worked with before through the ongoing classes and residencies. One of our teachers had taught them a set warm up and dance, and I led them through the warm-up. They showed me the dance and recalled the whole thing even though it had been a month since they had met.
Following that, I guided a movement improvisation to generate movement. In the vein of "layers" I asked them to generate movements that reflected having extra layers on the body, peeling those layers off, having extra weight on the head and having that throw one off balance. I taught a duet phrase that the women then had to work with. The assignment was to complete the duet phrase as if they had really big heads. This would limit movement choices. The women then performed their interpretations to movement. Running out of time, I was unhappy that I couldn't share more of my plan, including an improvisation with peeling and a similar shaking exercise. However, I did assign a shaking exercise of 1 to 5 minutes a day of non-stop 'shaking' or 'peeling' movements with an optional goal of inventing one's own clearing movement. I also asked that they write about their observations.
We will continue building on these ideas as we move closer to the residency in March/April.
We are currently funded by grants and individual contributions. We have a musician, several dancers, and sometimes a storyteller go in to the prison for the weeklong residency. The women perform in a culminating performance for fellow inmates in the school and for visiting family members in the visiting room. It is amazing to see what this work does for each woman's self esteem.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)