Free Events Thursday

Free Events Thursday

Free Day of Music at Jones Hall

Saturday, July 19, 2014 from noon – 10 pm

The Houston Symphony’s Free Day of Music returns. The full day features 25 musical performances on six stages + kid-friendly fun, Instrument Petting Zoo, free salsa lessons, Harmonica clinics, food trucks and more.

Price: FREE!!!

 

Art Houston 2014

Celebrate Houston’s finest art galleries at ArtHouston2014 Friday and Saturday. The annual event includes more than 30 local galleries hosting events throughout the city in and around Montrose. There is a concentration of 11 galleries on Colquitt near Kirby.

Price: FREE!!!

 

Bayou City Outdoors Kayak Polo & Rolling Practice

Friday, July 18, 2014 from 8-10 PM

CLCCA Kermet H. Applewhite Sports and Recreation Center

16511 Diana Lane, Houston, TX 77062

Want to practice your kayak roll? Don’t know what a kayak roll is and want to learn how? There are lots of kayakers who are always looking for guinea pigs (whoops, we mean students) who want a little help. They will be practicing our rolls from 8:00 to 8:30 while they get the Polo court set up. @ 8:30… It is ON – Houston Kayak Polo (aka: Water Hockey) Haven’t played before? Get ready to have an incredibly fun time. We chase the ball, try and make goals, paddle around and in general just crack up. (if you don’t know how to roll they will teach you how to wet exit) See the what the Chron has to say about Kayak Polo and BCO

Price: FREE!!!

 

Bayou City Outdoors Stand Up Paddleboard Lessons

Sunday, July 20, 2014 from 2-6 PM

288 Lakes

4800 Schurmier, Houston, TX 77042

Haven’t tried this great new sport yet? Tried it and ready to step up your SUP? Come out and join us for some time on the water! We’ll be getting wet in the cool, spring-fed waters of 288 Lakes, easy access off 288 and South Sam Houston Tollway. Plan on learning all about this awesome new sport that has everyone raving. It’s a full body workout, but so much fun you won’t even notice you are working out! This is a rare opportunity to try a board out for a very low price. Please – you MUST bring cash. $12 for entrance to 288 Lakes and $10 for board rental and instruction (unbelievable price)!They will have boards, instructors, and don’t forget the FUN!

Price: $12 for entrance and $10 for board rental and instruction 

 

Houston World Series of Dog Shows

July 16, 2014 – July 20, 2014 (Recurring daily)

One NRG Park, Houston, TX 77054

Mark your calendars for the largest tail-wagging event in Houston! Celebrating 37 years, the NRG Park World Series of Dog Shows brings together hundreds of dogs to compete in events such as conformation and obedience. The lively performance events, exhibitions and relay races make for a great family event, but don’t forget about the great shopping! The multitudes of vendors provide useful and unique doggy essentials for your four-legged family member!

Price: $15

 

 

So You Think You Can Dance

Uncategorized
Welcome back to our So You Think You Can Dance recap!  The Top 18 faced off to keep their spot on the show.
 

So You Think You Can Dance: Top 18 Eliminations

The top 18 took the stage as black and white chess pieces in a very futuristic dance choreographed by Academy of Villains dance crew members Christopher “Pharside” Jennings and Krystal “Phoenix” Meraz.  We then learned which six dancers are in danger of elimination: Bridget Whitman, Emily James, Jourdan Epstein, Emilio Dosal, Teddy Coffey, and finally Stanley Glover. 

The first couple up was Jacque and Zack with a jazz routine. The two dancers seemed uncomfortable at the start of the dance, but their energy really built up throughout the the performance. Jourdan and Marquette took the stage with their contemporary piece about a couple that was trying to disappear. Choreographer Dee Caspary remarked that connection was important in the dance, even though that’s exactly what seemed to be lacking from the dancers. Finally the energy level was up again with Jessica and Stanley and their wild jazz routine. Their magic carpet ride inspired dance truly sent them flying through the air gracefully. Next up was Bridget and Emilio with a lively jive! This jive was seamless and impressive as it was accompanied by the popular song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.

Teddy and Emily took the stage with a passionate contemporary routine. Teddy, even with only a hip hop background. Hitting the stage next, was Brooklyn and Casey with their high school prom inspired jazz routine. It was cute and full of energy! The standard for grace and elegance was set with Valerie and Ricky’s waltz. The choreography for this dance was set by season 3 winner Lacy Schwimmer. Carly and Serge’s hip hop routine was full of suspense and drama with their sharp movements and skeleton costumes. Finally finishing up the couple’s dances was Tanisha and Rudy with an impressive  Broadway routine that incorporated canes that were twirled and spun by the dancers.

A Great Big World performed their hit song “Say Something” and after the performance we said goodbye to dancers Stanley and Jourdan.

* by Frame Dance Social Media Intern, Rachel Kaminski

Why I Practice Yoga

Uncategorized

or, how the creative process is much like my yoga practice

Making art is hard. Every time I finish a piece it’s like putting myself under florescent lights without my makeup. For an hour.  In public.  And (unfortunately?) the most compelling work comes from the most vulnerable and complicated places.  So if I’m making something great, it’s even harder to share it.  It’s like that PediEegg scraping off the dead layers to reveal softer, rawer skin, and then letting people see the shavings just sitting there next to my foot.  But hopefully prettier.

I used to hate yoga.  HATE it.  I’m pretty sure that is mostly because it is so blasted hard.  I was discouraged by how much of a mind game it was when I was there to do something physical.  It turned out that I needed to quiet my inner monologue (dialogue?).  I have a very strong inner critic.

Making dance is 98% process and 2% performance. It’s just so fleeting.  I often hear my colleagues talk about “post performance blues.”  And it’s so very real.  We are shoved into the studio by a desperate need to create something, we put forth unedited ideas while our inner critic steps in making us feel inadequate and ill-equipped.   We hone, question, ask people to tear holes into the work, and move through a cycle that often looks like this:

relief that thing in us is now out of us in some sort of physical form,

burst of energy from the thrill of doing what we love the most,

speculation of the work,

vulnerability in asking for help with the work,

confidence,

doubt,

confidence, doubt, pleasure, doubt,

rejection of the work,

breakthrough,

START OVER (any number of times),

appreciation for the work,

utter fear,

performance/opening/premier etc.

We spend most of our lives in this process, in its exquisite pain, and then we birth it.  That lasts sometimes only a few hours.  And then it’s over.  Over.  Over.

If I’m being honest, and if I were to let my inner critic run wild, my yoga practice mirrors my creative practice.  My instructors consistently remind me that I can let it go.  It is my choice.  Class will always end in an hour, I will always get to return to shavasana, roll to my side in fetal position and reawaken to the day.  I always get to celebrate the journey I took on my yoga mat.  The difference is, I don’t have to wait months or years for a cycle of renewal and expression to complete itself.

Artists, I know how hard it is.  It can be so dark.  Find something in your life that has temporal definition. Something utterly hard that can come to an end after a short time.  We need victories more frequent than the completion of a piece of art.

Keep going.

L

Tuesday Tunes: Dance Teachers and Their Tunes

Tuesday Tunes

courneyjones2

 

Tuesday Tunes: Courtney D. Jones

R: How do you envision the future of dance?

C: At one point I was a bit concerned about the future of dance based on what I’ve been seeing lately.  I’ve been doing quite a bit of teaching young dancers, and initially I was disappointed with seeing a lack of knowledge and a lack of interest outside of what’s happening on reality television as it relates to dance or in the competitive market but I have come to realize and with help from my teachers and mentors, I’m understanding,  it’s my job to educate them as much as I can, to give them all the options out there and to step back and let them make their decisions based on that information. I just spent 3 weeks teaching at Bates Dance Festival Young Dancers Workshop and found those young artists to have a refreshing outlook on what’s currently going on for them in dance and what they see for their futures and I was pleasantly surprised that there was still an interest in concert and company work and that though many of them participated in competitive dancing, they were looking for more and were interested in studying dance in higher education and beyond. So I think, the future of dance as far as the next generation of young dancers coming up will be ok, now funding and support for this beautiful art, that is another discussion.

R: Where do you primarily teach?

C: The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts(HSPVA) and UH School of Theatre and Dance with a lot of guest teaching at numerous studios, intensive and workshops thrown in there.

R: How has dance influenced you?courtneyjones1

C:Well it’s my best language, movement I mean. I am learning to love my voice just as much as I love to move but there’s no denying that dance is my language. It’s the way I speak to people I love and people l don’t even know.

R: What is on your playlist when teaching a class?

C: It depends on my mood and what I’m teaching but Currently for my Modern Dance playlist:

a lot of Peter Jones

Gotye “Somebody That I Used to Know”

Gnarles Barkley “Crazy”

Rene Aubry “Salento”

George Kranz “Din Daa Daa”

Robert Glasper “Ah Yeah”

Emily King “Every Part”

Victor Y. See Yuen “Percussion for the Dance Technique of Lester Horton”

Chris Cawthray

DJ Snake & Lil Jon “Turn Down for What”


photos by Lynn Lane

Named one of Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch in 2012, professional dancer, guest teacher and actress Courtney D. Jones is a Presidential Scholar in the Arts for Choreography and a graduate of the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA). She began her professional career in Miami, FL with the Freddick Bratcher and Company Contemporary Dance Theatre while attending New World School of the Arts.

Ms. Jones is a proud graduate of SUNY Purchase with a BFA in Dance Performance and a minor in Psychology, graduating with honors. As a student she performed the works of Jose Limon, Mark Morris, Doug Varone, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Roger C. Jeffrey, Michael Foley, Heather Maloney and Kevin Wynn. After graduation Ms. Jones continued to work with the Kevin Wynn Collection and joined Jennifer Muller/The Works where she taught and toured internationally for four seasons.

With a growing interest in theatre she joined the cast of Show Boat in 2008 accomplishing a long-standing goal to perform at Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall and went on to join Broadway’s First National Tour of WICKED in 2009.

In Houston, Ms. Jones enjoyed four lovely seasons from 2010-2014 with Hope Stone Dance Company where she was the Assistant Director of Hope Stone Dance II (h.s.d. II) and has been seen in productions at Stages Repertory Theatre; Auntie Mame, Panto Pinocchio, In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play, Failure: A Love Story, Houston Grand Opera; Show Boat (swing), Die Fledermaus, The Passenger (Movement Director) and Theare Under The Stars; Urban Cowboy the Musical and A Chorus Line (Lois/swing) . She is also a highly sought after consultant teaching company class for Hope Stone Dance, Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, SUCHU Dance, Rice University Rice Dance Theatre and Urban Souls Dance Company where she also served as a guest choreographer for their 2012 season.

Ms. Jones is an Adjunct Faculty member at the School of Theatre and Dance at the University of Houston teaching modern dance, she is a consultant in modern dance, composition and repertory at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts while guest teaching at numerous universities, workshops and intensives. She is a proud member of the Actors Equity Association and is represented by A+ Actors of Texas.


*interview by Frame Dance social media intern, Rachel Kaminski

MFA Monday: Megan Yankee

MFA Mondays

MFA rightAfter the Master: Only More Questions

 

In the last of my articles, I’d like to highlight some of the ideas and articles that have helped me maintain focus in regards to my professional dance career after graduation. After finishing my studies, I was overwhelmed by the challenge of finding, paying for and sustaining three important aspects of a dance career:

  • a regular challenging movement practice or class,
  • a large and diverse dancing community, and
  • a place to rehearse and present my work.

During graduate school, I often reminded myself that the resources available to me at the time wouldn’t last… that I would miss them when they were gone. That wasn’t even the half of it.

I don’t just miss them. At times those things feel completely elusive. At times I feel entirely confounded by how to find or create opportunities that would grant access to these integral parts of a dance career. And in those times of confusion, I end up questioning my decision to build a professional dance career in the first place. After much soul-searching, I settle on more practical questions like the following:

  • What is the role of the independent dancemaker in our country?
  • How can dancemakers contribute to the wellbeing of a city, state or county?
  • What, if any, education should be involved?
  • How do you pay for dancemaking?
  • How do you nurture a local community through movement?
  • How reliable is croundfunding for projects vs. government funding?

I haven’t come to any concrete answers, but, as I said, I have a direction.

I want to convince the city of Columbus that my and others’ dancemaking is a valuable part of a thriving city.

Amy Querin, Dance Artistwww.amyquerin.comMy direction is likely different from yours, but, for my last blog, I thought I’d share and summarize the articles that have influenced my perspective on the current and potential states of contemporary concert dance in our country. The following are continual sources of comfort and guidance for me. They help me regain a sense of national context for dance that can be elusive when making dance in cities with smaller or non-existence dance communities.

If I can no longer make dance at a university or college… If my last resort is creating my own dance community in a city that is new to me, then I’ve found the best way to start is to develop my ability to describe the value and benefits of my dancemaking for the city. These articles provide assistance in doing just that.

The View from Here: A report from The Brooklyn Commune Project on the state of the performing arts from the perspective artists (Abridged) was published in January of this year. I stumbled across it in an article in the Huffington Post by dance artist Nora Younkin which I describe lower down in the list. The BCP, now practically over, continues along as a Facebook group. This report details the nature of funding for the performing arts based both on the authors’ experiences and research from the National Foundation for the Arts. Most importantly, it introduced to me the possibility of considering the performing arts a “public good” due to the many benefits they can provide. Also, here’s a shortened TL;DR version: BKCP Artist Action Flyer

The next link is a summary of a summary. Found on the Rand Corporation’s website, Reframing the Debate About the Value of the Arts is a short article describing the corporation’s new report entitled Gifts of the Muse: Reframing the Debate About the Benefits of the Arts. The summary and research (available on Amazon) both provide me with the language to describe in detail the many benefits of the arts. What is especially helpful is the delineation between instrumental and intrinsic benefits as well as guidance in developing “language for discussing intrinsic benefits that is clear and compelling and reflects the importance of qualitative as well as quantitative issues.”

When I found the next article, I distinctly remember my resulting internal sigh of relief. After a full year of not having produced any work myself (only performing in others’ works), it was comforting to read another dancer’s perspective on the difficulty of sustaining a company or career in dancemaking. Dance and Capitalism: A Love-Hate Relationship was written by dance artist, Nora Younkin and published by the Huffington Post in January of this year. It touches on similar topics as the first article I listed. At times understandably defensive, Younkin both describes her frustration with and details her concerns about the dwindling funding available to contemporary dancemakers. Much like myself and some of the resources I’ve listed, her writing ends in a question: Dance “is asking for validation that [it] has a place in our culture and society worth preserving. So the question is: Does it?”

The next article is a rebuttal to Younkin’s. I found it when reading the comments below her article, which are still available for you to read as well. Who Should Pay for the Arts?: Private support beats public subsidies was written by Jared Meyer for City Journal, a publication that calls itself “the nation’s premier urban-policy magazine.” Because I have lived and worked in North Texas, a part of the country with few funding sources that are available to independent performing artists, I’ve always tried to understand the perspective described by the author in this article. I find it helpful to consider this perspective, as it is those with similar perspectives that I will have the toughest time convincing to help fund my projects.

The final report was produced for the National Endowment for the Arts in 2008 by Jennifer L. Novack-Leonard and Alan S. Brown. Beyond attendance: A multi-modal understanding of arts participation is a summary of survey results conducted in order to better understand the ways in which audiences engage with the arts. It is similar to the first article I listed in that it provides a way of languaging the value of arts, but it’s also helpful to simply provide statistics therein when trying to convince of someone the worth of your projects.

 

It is my hope that in providing these articles I might incite one reaction from my fellow dancemakers: consider and question your role of the dancemaker in society.

If non-academic resources for dancers dry up, then I worry that it may lead to some form of unintentional creative homogenization in this country. American dancers will have to continue to venture to the coasts to find challenging, inspiring dancemaking communities, leaving the rest of the country in drought. If those who want to make dance are only able to do so in a college setting, then what happens to those dancemakers who can’t go to college? What happens to the dancers that can’t get a job in a college? They may simply become lost artistic voices. Are we willing to let that go as a society?

 

In the final article in this series next week, we will hear from Amanda McCorkle. Amanda and I graduated together in the spring of last year. Since then, she has taken multiple positions as an adjunct professor in the North Texas area teaching various courses including dance appreciation and hip hop and a few in between. Let us know if you have any questions or comments by emailing me at meganyankeedance@gmail.com.

 


Megan Yankee (interviewer, writer, curator on MFA Monday) is an indie dance artist that seeks opportunities to make and present dances in alternative spaces in order to expand the reach of concert dance. She is committed to presenting work and curating concerts in houses, busy street corners, warehouses, dance for film, online and in visual art galleries. She has performed and presented work nationally and internationally at the Nomad Express Multi Arts Festival in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso produced by Olivier, the Sonic Arts Research Center in Belfast, Northern Ireland, American Dance Festival, American College Dance Festival, Texas Dance Improvisation Festival, Movement Intensive in Composition and Improvisation in Lancaster, PA, Emerge and Exchange Dance Festivals in Tulsa, OK, {254} Festival in Waco, Texas, Out of Loop Festival in Addison, TX, and the Rogue Festival in Fresno, CA. She has had the honor of performing in works by Christie Nelson, Amie LeGendre, Larry Keigwin, Michael Foley, Jordan Fuchs, Sandy Mathern-Smith and Sarah Gamblin.

Megan holds (and runs with) an MFA in Dance from Texas Woman’s University and currently lives in Columbus, OH with her partner, John Osburn and their two dogs, Weecho and Lucy.

Free Events Thursday

Free Events Thursday

Blue Box Theater Live Smooth Music Thursday’s

Starting February 20, 2014 from 6p.m. – 11p.m.

2020 Leeland, Houston, TX 77003

Every Thursday, head to Blue Box Theater for live smooth jazz band and complimentary wine tasting. Happy hour is from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., with the first drink on the house. Located conveniently in the EaDo District near downtown Houston and just two minutes distance from the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Price: $10

Bikes, Bats and Brew

July 12, 2014 at 7:15 p.m. (depart at 7:45 p.m.)

Joe Jamail Skate Park

103 Sabine Street, Houston, TX

Bring your bikes (and helmets, too) for an evening spin around town and the Buffalo Bayou trails. Cycle the Waugh Bridge to see teh Mexican free-tail bats depart for their sunset flight, learn more about these important creatures from volunteers with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, then head back downtown for a brew and some social time. Please note that all types of bikes are welcom (B-Cycles will be available for rent if you don’t have your own). Helmets are required (if you’re renting a B-Cycle we will bring helmets for you). Reservations are required.

Price: FREE!!!

A5: Annual Affordable Australian Aboriginal Art Show

July 12, 2014 – September 06, 2014 (Recurring daily) from 11 am – 5 pm

Booker Lowe Gallery

4623 Feagan Street, Houston, TX 77007

A5: Annual Affordable Australian Aboriginal Art Show, an exhibition of paintings and fine art prints priced from $225-$2250 by leading and emerging indigenous, opens at Booker-Lowe Gallery, Saturday, July 12, 2014 in conjunction with ArtHouston. The public is invited to the opening reception from 2-5 pm, at the gallery, 4623 Feagan Street, Houston, Texas. A5 features colorful Warlpiri paintings from Yuendumu and a variety of paintings from other Aboriginal communities. Artists include Josiah Omeenyo, Mary Napangardi Butcher and Nellie Nangala Wayne, and will be on display through Saturday, September 6th. Gallery owner Nana Booker said “A5 is our 7th Annual Affordable Australian Aboriginal Art Show and we are pleased to have the opening reception during NAIDOC Week (July 6-13), the Australia-wide celebration of indigenous cultures. NAIDOC originally stood for the National Aborigines and Islanders Day of Observance Committee, and was founded in the 1960s.

Price: FREE!!!

Annual Harvest Day Festival

July 12, 2014 from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Haak Vineyards & Winery

6310 Ave T, Santa Fe, TX 77510

Come out and help us pick our grapes! It’s a family fun event for people of all ages! To guarantee you get to pick grapes, you need to arrive early. In previous years we have harvested all the grapes in two hours. Includes a complementary light breakfast for our harvesters and DJ Frankie will provide us with music from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM Lunch will be available for purchase from our kitchen as well.

Price: FREE!!!

Bastille Day at Etoile Cuisine et Bar

July 14, 2014 at 5:00PM

Etoile Cuisine et Bar

Celebrate French National Day with a special menu crafted by Chefs Philippe Verpiand and Philippe Schmit. Hosted at Etoile Cuisine et Bar, the four-course dinner will pay homage to Jean Michel Diot of Tapenade San Diego who trained both chefs. The menu will be offered for $78 with the choice of two wine pairings, one at $32 and the other at $48. Menu- First Course Tarte de Chèvre Frais: “Coach Farm” goat cheese tart filled with Ratatouille and tapenade coulis Second Course Fletan Aux Artichauts: Alaskan halibut, artichokes “en barigoule”, basil and asparagus Third Course Magret de Canard Aux Cerises: Roasted duck breast with cherries, mini squash stuffed with polenta, fresh fava beans Dessert Mille-Feuille Aux Framboises Et Pistache: Raspberry and pistachio napoleon, raspberry gel, rhubarb ice cream

Price: FREE!!!

Bayou City Outdoors – A Walk in the Woods

July 12, 2014 from 8:15 am – 12:00 pm

Memorial Park Rugby Parking lot

N Picnic Ln, Houston, TX 77007

Memorial Park, known as the Central Park of H-town, is an amazing 1466 acre park (one of the largest in the county) right inside the loop! Trails are a mix of hard packed dirt, sand, trees and tree roots. Even with the loss of trees from the drought, it is still green and wooded. Join this group for an hour and a half quick-paced hike through some of the lesser-known (and a little more adventuresome) trails the park has to offer. Wear tennis shoes or hiking boots, it’s easy to bang a toe on a tree root. And, there’s some “elevation” in the park that you wouldn’t expect from just driving by. Remember to bring water; there are no water fountains along the trails. After the hike, a group is going to the Black Walnut Café @ 5512 Memorial Drive, for breakfast and coffee.

Price: FREE!!!

Big Tex BBQ Fest

July 10, 2014 – July 12, 2014 (Recurring daily) from 8 am- 1am

Pasadena Convention Center and Municipal Fairgrounds

7902 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena, TX 77507

The Big Tex BBQ Fest is a 3 Day Family Cook Off held on July 10,11,12 2014. The event will feature the top BBQ Cooking Teams in the state of Texas, live music, carnival, and special events for vets.

Price: $5;  Free to Vets and Active Duty Service

BESO Latin Saturdays at Synn Ultra Lounge

April 05, 2014 – July 12, 2014 (Every Saturday) from 10:00pm – 2:00am

Synn Ultra Lounge

3302 Mercer St., Houston, TX 77027

Join us this Saturday Night at Synn Ultra lounge for BESO. Houston’s upscale latin party. With its welcoming ambiance, Moving Music, & Plenty of Eye candy BESO Saturdays at Synn Ultra Lounge display elegance, class, and style amongst all the rest.

Price: FREE!!!

Classical Concert

July 10, 2014 at 8pm

Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Join us for a classical concert featuring the Houston Symphony and the 2014 Ima Hogg Concerto Competition winner. Named to honor the memory of Miss Ima Hogg, a co-founder of the Houston Symphony, this prestigious competition is open to young musicians who play standard orchestral instruments or piano. Pre-concert activities begin at 7 p.m.

Price: FREE!!! ( $15 orchestra seating)

Grand Opening Zum Barrel Tavern

July 12, 2014 from 7:00pm-9:00pm

13101B, Houston, TX 77090

Grand opening of Zum Barrel Tavern. 10,000 sq of Beer Wine Spirits & Food. Enjoy German Delights and over 32 beers on tap. Tv’s at every angle to watch the game, and yes a patio to smoke. Join us for a night of samples from our favorite vendors of food beer wine and spirits NO COVER!

Price: FREE!!!

Market Square Park: The Princess Bride

July 11, 2014 at  8:00 pm

301 Milam, Houston, TX 77002

Forget about trekking to the ‘burbs for your Alamo fix. Join us for a film under the stars as the Rolling Roadshow presents, The Princess Bride, a classic fairy tale about a beautiful princess who escapes the custody of an evil prince and reunites with her one true love.

Price: FREE!!! (Anybody want a peanut? Yes, I went there)

 

 

So You Think You Can Dance: Top 20 Eliminations

Uncategorized
Hey, Framers! After America watched the top 20 So You Think You Can Dance contestants perform last week, every fan has waited to see the fates of the dancers in this new episode.
 

So You Think You Can Dance: Top 20 Eliminations

 

This new episode began as the top 20 took the stage with a broadway style dance choreographed by Emmy Winner, Josh Bergasse.

 

 

Last night SYTYCD was joined by guest judge Misty Copeland, a Soloist in the American Ballet Theater.

Cat announced the six dancers who were in danger of elimination: Brooklyn Fullmer, Casey Askew, Jourdan Epstein, Nick Garcia, Malene Ostergaard, and Serge Onik. They must dance for their “life.”

Last week, the contestants danced routines of their own styles, this week they were forced to switch it up! Every dancer received a new partner, and given choreography that was not what they are used to.

Our first new couple is Tanisha and Rudy, dancing a dramatic contemporary piece. My favorite choreographer, Sonya Tayeh, is back and she choreographed a cat and mouse chase with angst and aggression. Tanisha and Rudy’s talent was an excellent way to kick off the couple routines. Next up was Ricky and Valerie with an emotional dance, that seemed to be lacking emotion. The judges also agreed that the dancers needed to put more emotion in the dance.

Join the Dance Party!

As we took a break from the couple dancing, we got to see a clip of a few So You Think You Can Dance dancers at home! This season, SYTYCD is teaming up with the video sharing app called ‘Vyclone’, to allow fans their time in the spotlight alongside their favorite contestants! Get more info here Join the Dance Party!

When we came back to the couples, we got to watch Houstonian Emilio and Bridget perform a fun and fierce hip hop routine. Nigel remarked that Emilio looked like a dancing hobbit. Next up, we’re joined by an old friend: season 2 champion Benji Schwimmer, choreographed a west coast swing for Jessica and Nick. Mary and Misty were impressed by the performance, Nigel commented that it, “didn’t feel real.” (Say that aloud with the British accent.  Just do it.)

Sonya Tayeh’s choreography was up again as it challenged dancers Carly and Serge with a story of unbreakable love, with a very fitting song, Latch by singer Sam Smith. Misty Copeland was literally wowed and Mary was brought to tears by the emotional performance. Transitioning from emotional to cute, Emily and Teddy were next with their hip hop routine. The choreography by Dave Smith was enjoyed by all three of the judges.

A dance not so loved by the judges, was Malene and Stanley’s. Their unique Broadway styled dance used phones as props, and Nigel remarked that both dancers “got the wrong number.” Jourdan and Marcquet were also given a difficult time by the judges, Misty said that Marcquet needed be less serious and change it up.

An Argentine tango sure seemed to lighten the mood, though! Brooklyn and Casey’s hard work in their tango was awarded by all the judges. One of my favorite’s of the night was an African dance choreographed by Sean Cheesman and performed by Zack and Jacque.

 

Next, the SYNCOPATED LADIES, who are part of the Dance Crew contest, took the stage to Beyoncé.

Finally, we found out which two dancers would be leaving the show. We had to say goodbye to ballroom dancer Malene and Nick.

*by social media intern, Rachel Kaminski

Tuesday Tunes: Dance Teachers and Their Tunes

Tuesday Tunes
Happy Tuesday, Framers! For today’s Tuesday Tunes, we are joined by our very own Lydia Hance! 
 

Tuesday Tunes: Lydia Hance

R: How do you envision the future of dance?

Lydia Blog

L:  I envision the future of dance as being a larger part of everyday life—people “getting it” more.  I see people looking at me with understanding instead of confusion when I tell them I am a dance artist.  I see the definitions between genres of art continuing to blur and morph.  I see dance in every classroom in America, because people will finally understand it’s the perfect synthesis of mind, body, and emotion.  And as artists, we have to remember that we’re on the forefront as innovators.  We have to approach the world as art ambassadors.  It takes time.  We have to be confident, humble, and clear.  The way things are, we have to make our work, find out how to fund our work and defend our work.  It’s hard, it’s exhausting, but it’s the way it is right now.  We have to be consistent art warriors to get the future. (photo by Ashley Horn)

R: What has been the biggest dance challenge to overcome, in teaching or performing?

L: My biggest challenge has been my fear of making mistakes.  I take the privilege of teaching seriously and that fear was quite paralyzing when I started teaching.  But the more I observed great teachers, and the more I Facebook-20140707-044948learned from teachers who were playful and humble, the more confident I became that it is totally legit (and preferable) to know that you don’t know everything and the classroom is a place for teachers to learn as well.

R: What inspired you to form Frame Dance Productions?

L: Frame Dance Productions was formed out of my desire to connect dance with technology and create collaborative works.  I wanted to see culturally relevant, exciting dance that continued to innovate and shed the confines of what everyone expected of a dance company. I wanted to create a context that could evolve and adapt but could remain clear and organized.  The moment you stop DDH_5585changing is the moment you go backwards.  Just because it’s supposed to work, doesn’t mean it will—and we can create art that changes society from within, it shouldn’t exist outside of the system we’re in.

R: What music do you prefer to use when teaching a class?

L: When I teach I try to make sure there’s a variety of music— from Bach to Bob Dylan, and new American music to traditional Chinese music.  I try to make sure not all of my music is in 3’s or 4’s, but that students (and children, especially) learn to hear music in 7’s and 9’s.  It is about variety.  Children love Rusted Root’s “Send me on my Way” and REM’s “Shiny Happy People.”  Then I’ll play some yogic chanting and then some chamber choral ensemble’s work.  I’ll use music that spans from new electronic music to Corelli.  The music you choose impacts your students immensely.  Their ears are young, they haven’t heard all that much.  And, unfortunately, it may be a lot of kiddie music (gag.)  I used to look forward to ballet class because of how I felt when I danced to a certain piece of music.  I was better friends with the pianist than my classmates.  Don’t be lazy with your music.  Be curious.  (Photo by David DeHoyos)

*Interview by Frame Dance’s social media intern, Rachel Kaminiski.


imgresLydia Hance is the Artistic and Executive Director of Frame Dance Productions (framedance.org), founded in 2010.  In the past four years, her work has been performed at the Contemporary Art Museum, Miller Outdoor Theater, Jones Plaza, the Pennzoil Place building, the Photobooth on Montrose, the Port Boliver ferry, Big Range Dance Festival, clawfoot bathtubs, art galleries, and on screens in film festivals all over Houston, Virginia, and Berlin. Before that, her works were performed in San Francisco, Time Square and Malaysia.

In 2012, Hance was named Dance/USA Emerging Leader through acceptance into the Dance/USA Institute of Leadership Training.  She has been named a top 100 Creative by the Houston Press and Arts + Culture Magazine dubbed her Houston’s “queen of curious locations.”

From 2012-14 she was the Education Director of Hope Stone, Inc., and she is a curator of Third Coast Film Festival.  She graduated magna cum laude from Southern Methodist University with degrees in Dance Performance and English Literature.  She trained at the Taylor School, Graham School, Tisch School of the Arts, Limon Institute and SMU.

MFA Monday: Gabrielle Aufiero and Megan Yankee

MFA Mondays
Framers, hello!  I woke up with a case of the Mondays, and the mid-summer blues.  But reading this interview of Gabrielle Aufiero by Megan Yankee (who we’ve been blessed to learn from these past few weeks) has pulled me out of my funk.  Megan and Gabrielle met and graduated together from Texas Women’s University MFA program and Gabrielle is now is part of Teach for America.  There is a LOT of great information here, so please enjoy.  –Lydia

MFA right

Megan: How are you using the knowledge and experiences you gained in grad school now?

 Gabrielle: Graduate school taught me many things:

  1. Never allow someone’s help to go uncompensated
  2. Thank you notes are personal and professional
  3. There’s something special about being gritty

1) Giving Back

There were many times in graduate school that I depended on my colleagues for guidance and support. When they chose to take time and energy away from their busy lives to focus on my needs, a simple “thank you” wasn’t sufficient repayment. I learned that people don’t just do nice things for others (and even if they do, don’t they deserve to be rewarded for their genuineness?) In graduate school, I could demonstrate my appreciation with a Starbucks gift card, paper editing, or the appropriate amount of gas money. In the “real world,” gift cards are still valued, gas money is still necessary, and occasionally, something needs editing.

Ultimately, the deal is “if you ask for something of others, you ought to be able to offer them something in return.” All in all, it’ll feel nice to give back. Trust me.

 

2) Thank You Notes

Do NOT underestimate the value of a well-written thank you note/letter.

During my last year of graduate school, I auditioned for a guest artist position with a Dallas area dance company. Quite a few dancers were selected to guest with the company including myself. This amazing opportunity allowed me to perform in two shows and regularly rehearse with the dancers for over a five-month period. When my time with the group was coming to a close, I wrote my choreographers and the company’s director individualized notes of gratitude. They were professional, but personal. I thanked the company for the experience, and I wrote specifically about the knowledge I gained from the rehearsals and performances. Ultimately, about a month after ending my run with the company, I received an invitation to join them as an official member. When I was invited back, the director commented on how much she appreciated my professionalism both in and beyond the studio.

Similarly, after interviewing for an ideal teaching position, I wrote three individualized thank you notes to the members of the school who had conducted my interview. Being able to personally thank them while expressing my excitement and passion for the position was key. I felt relief after sending the notes. I knew it was just another opportunity for them to be reminded of who I was and how much I cared about the mission of their school. Once again, I was hired.gabrielle_3421 2

Although I’m not guaranteeing that a thank you note will land you a job or make you a particular company’s member, I don’t think it hurts your chances.

Thank you notes help to show your passion, gratitude, and drive.

Oh! And BONUS POINTS if you combine a thank you note with an act of “giving back” (see number one for more information).

 

3) Become Gritty

I never wanted to be a gritty person. In all honesty it sounded kind of grimy and gross. Who wanted to be associated with that connotation? But what I’ve come to learn is that grit is utterly necessary to survive—both in graduate school and beyond it.

Megan Yankee once wrote, “If graduate school is near the top of your list of difficult life experiences, wait until you try to continue making or teaching dance after you graduate without the aid of academia.” She couldn’t be more right. In addition to that sentiment, I’d like to add, “wait until you try to continue dancing without the aid of academia.” You will miss those technique classes, improv jams, rehearsals, and one-on-one training sessions with colleagues. It may seem overwhelming now—especially coupled with your theory classes—but be gritty. It’s worth it. You may not have the opportunity to dance as much in your life directly following graduate school. I definitely don’t.

 

Using Grit in My Employment After Graduate School

After graduate school, I chose to pursue a career path that wasn’t directly related to dance. I joined Teach For America (TFA) and became a fourth grade reading, writing, and social studies teacher in Dallas, Texas. Although I imagined a future where I could be a certified dance teacher in Texas, I chose to spend two years giving back in field of work that has literally shaped who I am as a person and professional (I mean, I had been in school for 24 STRAIGHT years, and I was only 25 years old.).

When I joined TFA, I signed up for an experience that was all about learning by doing. At that point in my life, I thought I had learning by doing down pat! I mean that’s what dancers do. We go into the studio, and we move. We learn our bodies, movements, qualities, and phrases by practicing over and over and over again. Although TFA offers intensive training and requires that you obtain your probationary certificate before stepping into a classroom, you really learn how to teach through practicing with your own classroom full of students.

There’s no doubt about it—whether in the studio or beyond—learning by doing takes grit. When I made mistakes through TFA, they had repercussions. I had to fix them, and I had to fix them immediately. My students’ futures were on the line. There were a lot of very challenging days and weeks. There were many times when I thought to myself “I can’t do this. Why am I doing this? Why would anyone let me do this?” But it was my life. I was doing it, and it was my responsibility. Walking away wasn’t an option; my kids needed me, even if I made mistakes. So I held my ground. I worked hard. I pushed through, and I made sure my kids knew how much I believed in them and their potential.

Ultimately, I made a choice to put dance on the backburner after graduate school. It was a tough decision. During my roughest times as an elementary school teacher I would cry about how much it hurt to see my greatest passion “vanished” from my life. I mean, I had gone from dancing every day to dancing once a week at best. Sometimes I hated myself for making that decision. I had known what I loved, but I let it go to do something that was hard, frustrating, and at times, unforgiving.

Today, looking back on the roughest times, I’m reminded that the grit I developed in graduate school is what really pulled me through.

I’m passionate about dance. I’m also passionate about teaching. Even with all the rough times, I had so many gratifying days as a teacher I don’t think I could make a bigger difference doing anything else. I love my kids, every one of them! They taught me so much about drive, motivation, perseverance, and myself.

One day, I’d like to combine teaching with dance. For now, I’m still giving back and working on finding a better balance between dancing and teaching in my daily life.

 

M: Do you have a regular movement practice (even if it’s atypical)?

Gabrielle_3454 2G: Yes!

I’ve been learning—slowly—how to run, and I hate running. It’s a grueling form of exercise. Every time I do it, I feel like I’m beating my bones into the ground, and I tire out so quickly that it makes me feel inadequate. But, it’s high-intensity, time-efficient, and perhaps most importantly, FREE.

To supplement my practice of hatred (because doing something you hate all the time is sure to send your running body right over the edge of a cliff), I use exercise DVDs—and Netflix, YouTube, and Pinterest links. I’ve done upper fixes, lower fixes, abdominal work, and basically whatever I can to get myself up, moving, and feeling motivated.

I do sun salutations in my living room.

I’ve done barre work on my apartment’s balcony (highly recommended).

Oh! And I’ve been known to dance in the elevator at school. It’s surprising how such a tiny box can inspire such large, extended movement—just don’t jump in it… yeah, that wasn’t such a good idea.

Also, I have company rehearsals a few hours each week. And I teach dance classes.

 

M: What was your focus in grad school?

G: I originally applied to graduate school because I dreamed of teaching dance in higher education, ideally at my undergraduate university. However, this dream quickly shifted when I began researching adjunct employment opportunities throughout our nation. When I learned about the struggles facing adjunct professors—in terms of salary, benefits, and job security—I knew that becoming an adjunct would not be a feasible option for me at this point in my life. I needed a job that was stable. I needed a guaranteed income so that I could maintain my lifestyle (and pay down student loan debt).

I wanted benefits because my health is something I value.

So imagining a life in which I would earn less than I did as a graduate teaching assistant, not be given benefits, and never know if my classes were even going to fill, made me queasy.

 

I began researching new employment opportunities, and I started to become interested in K-12 education. I had always worked with children since I was ten (babysitting, nanny-ing, teaching classes at camps, studios, community centers, etc.). I was even teaching children and teenagers dance through a community dance program offered by my graduate dance department. Ultimately, I learned that even with my M.F.A. degree, I would need to receive a teaching certification in the state of Texas in order to teach dance in public schools. This led me to research certification options. Then, I found and bookmarked the website for Teach For America (TFA).

 logo_TFA

M: What was the job search and application process like for your current position?

G: I am currently a Teach For America (TFA) corps member. When I decided to apply to TFA, I knew a lot about their application process (I had been researching the organization for over a year. I had also been researching other job opportunities since the summer before graduation!). Here are the steps I went through before I was extended an offer to join:

 

  1. Since TFA offers multiple application deadlines, I could have applied as early as August, 2012. However, I decided to apply for their final 2013 corps deadline, which was in February, 2013.
  2. By a specified date in February, I submitted an online application, resume, and letter of intent through the TFA website.
  3. Approximately two weeks later, I was told that my application had bypassed the phone interview, and I was immediately invited to a final, in-person interview.
  4. After receiving this invitation, I completed a required two-part online activity (This took me approximately two hours.).
  5. By a specified date in March, I sent TFA contact information for two recommenders and a reference person. The recommenders were required to complete an online recommendation form by a certain date. The reference person was only contacted if necessary. All of my recommenders were my graduate professors.
  6. By the end of March, I needed to register for an interview location and date.
  7. In the week leading up to my final interview, I completed a required pre-reading activity and prepared a five-minute lesson to perform (I taught pliés!). I arranged to have my undergraduate and graduate transcripts delivered to TFA. I ensured that TFA had my eligibility documents (You must be a citizen or have permanent resident status to apply.). I also submitted a preference form indicating my preferred teaching regions, grade-levels, and subject areas.
  8. At the beginning of April, I attended my interview! It began early in the morning, and I remember that I completed the interview with enough time to drive back to school and take my favorite technique class. Ha!
  9. Approximately two weeks later, I received my offer! I had two weeks to accept the offer. I accepted within a week.
  10. In May, TFA set up an interview for me with my current placement school. I immediately knew that this school was going to be the perfect fit for me! I was extremely happy when I heard they were hiring me as a fourth grade reading, writing, and social studies teacher.

 

M: Is there a project you’re itching to get started on?

G: I’ve already started this project, but because it’s still in the initial stages, I’m putting it here! I am currently in the beginning stages of developing an afterschool dance program for my school in Dallas, TX. It’s been a whirlwind of a process! I have done a lot of online research, and most recently I’ve been meeting with some of the colleagues I met in graduate school to discuss the dance programs they’ve been creating, restructuring, directing, and teaching. All of their guidance and support has truly helped me to visualize the potential of my new program. It makes me bubble with excitement just thinking about it! I definitely look forward to working out the details and putting it into action this fall.

 

PS: If you’ve been helping me with this newest venture, you can anticipate receiving a thank you note and a little something extra.

 

M: How much are you dancing now in comparison to when you were in school? Reflect.

G: When I was in school, I was dancing everyday. Seriously. There was rarely a Sunday or Saturday when I didn’t dance. It was amazing.

Today, I find myself dancing more because I’m on summer break, but during the school year I was dancing about once a week. It was a rough transition. My personal goal for next year is to ensure that I find a better balance between dancing and teaching.


 Gabrielle Aufiero received her Master of Fine Arts in Dance from Texas Woman’s University. She is an emerging dance maker, elementary school educator (Teach For America 2013 corps member), performer, and dreamer of things to come. Currently, Gabrielle dances with Simple Sparrow and co-teaches summer camps at Webb School of Dance in Coppell, Texas. She eagerly looks forward to teaching Kindergarten in the fall and directing/teaching an afterschool dance program for her district. www.gabrielleaufiero.org

Megan Yankee (interviewer, writer, curator on MFA Monday) is an indie dance artist that seeks opportunities to make and present dances in alternative spaces in order to expand the reach of concert dance. She is committed to Amy Querin, Dance Artistwww.amyquerin.compresenting work and curating concerts in houses, busy street corners, warehouses, dance for film, online and in visual art galleries. She has performed and presented work nationally and internationally at the Nomad Express Multi Arts Festival in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso produced by Olivier, the Sonic Arts Research Center in Belfast, Northern Ireland, American Dance Festival, American College Dance Festival, Texas Dance Improvisation Festival, Movement Intensive in Composition and Improvisation in Lancaster, PA, Emerge and Exchange Dance Festivals in Tulsa, OK, {254} Festival in Waco, Texas, Out of Loop Festival in Addison, TX, and the Rogue Festival in Fresno, CA. She has had the honor of performing in works by Christie Nelson, Amie LeGendre, Larry Keigwin, Michael Foley, Jordan Fuchs, Sandy Mathern-Smith and Sarah Gamblin.

Megan holds (and runs with) an MFA in Dance from Texas Woman’s University and currently lives in Columbus, OH with her partner, John Osburn and their two dogs, Weecho and Lucy.