Links We Like– Events We Like Edition

by Lydia Composers Links We Like Uncategorized

Last week, the Framers performed for 400 people at the Blanton Museum in Austin with Fast Forward blanton_musiciansAustin Music Festival.  The show featured music by FFA co-founders Ian Dicke, Steven Snowden, and Robert Honstein (winner of the Frame Dance Composition Competition in 2014).  Frame Dance performed Honstein’s An Index of Possibility alongside Baylor Percussion Group.  We love live music!

framers_blanton

 

 

 

 

Here’s what’s coming up

 

Oct. 1, 2014.  We co-curated the Third Coast Dance Film Festival which will be held at DiverseWorks free to the public. 6pm.

thirdcoast_2014

metrodances_flierNEW! November 8, 2014 (Houston) Frame Dance premieres METRO DANCES for a stage in motion: the METRORail.  METRO DANCES will begin at themetrodances_logo Hermann Park/Rice U METRORail Station and finish at the Preston stop with a final performance in Market Square.  Audiences are invited to ride the rail with the dancers and musicians to see this performance on and off the light rail.  METRO DANCES will feature a new work for percussion by Charles Halka.   METRO DANCES is made possible by support from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music and METRO.

 

Oct. 3-4, 2014 (College Station) We perform Divide by Five in the Brazos Contemporary Dance Festival at Texas A&M University!

 

Nov. 7, 2014 (Houston)  We are back on the runway with DiverseWorks’s Fashion Fete! We created the dance for the fashion show last year, and we’re fashionfete_2014pumped to be back. And you know we love fashion.

We hope to see you soon! We’d love to have you in rehearsal too!  Like to help?  We will need some fabulous volunteers on November 8. (You’ll get a Framer shirt.) Contact us for the hook up.

 

To Art!

Lydia and the Framers

(more exciting performance announcements coming next week!)

Texas Dance Improvisation Festival

by Lydia Performances/Screenings

This year, the Texas Dance Improvisation Festival will be held at Sam Houston State University.  We will be performing at  Texas A&M University during the festival, but we think you should attend!  Read this interview with Erin Reck, the organizer of this year’s festival.  The dates: Oct. 2-4, 2014.

 

73819_119232498138028_8255209_nWhat is TDIF?

TDIF celebrates improvisational dance in Texas and beyond, coming together as dance and music artists to share, inspire and challenge our improvising arts community. The festival opens with a Thursday night jam from 6:30-10pm, followed by two days of classes, performances, and jams with well-known teachers from Texas and beyond. Friday and Saturday night will feature performances by esteemed guest artist, Lisa Nelson and other festival instructors and participants, followed by a reception and a closing jam.

 

What types of classes will be offered?

Improvisation and process based classes will be offered. Classes that ask participants to be involved and invested in their own individual explorations and a collective awareness of  ensemble.

 

 


DSC_2788What if I’ve never been in an improvisation class?  Will I be in over my head?

Perhaps. But one must jump in order to know. If it is a new practice for you, I encourage you to be open to making your own choices about your movement, your body, and your connection to the group.

 

 

Can I drop in for a class, or do I need to attend the full festival?

Absolutely! Drop in for one class, one performance, or come to 6 classes and 2 performances. All for one cost. It is a sliding scale fee to continue to make TDIF affordable for everyone who would like to attend.  Pay what you can. The money that you give goes directly to supporting the TDIF artists.

 

DSC_3108If there’s one thing you can say about this weekend, what would it be?  What do you want the participants to take away from this experience?

Well…I cannot dictate what one will take away from a TDIF weekend. Some things that describe it for me are: fulfilled, enriched, connected, proactive, empowered, learn, create, collaborate, share, space, moment.

Free Events Thursday

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

Glass Blowing Houston: Make your own Pumpkin

September 14, 2014 – October 26, 2014 (Every Sunday) from 12:00-4:00 pm

Three Dimensional Visions
17442 FM 2920 Rd, Tomball, TX 77377

Every Sunday from September 14th to October 26th we will be teaching how to make glass pumpkins (<3-4 inches in diameter). Each person gets to choose their colors, apply the color and help blow the piece. It takes about 30-45 minutes per person and your pumpkin is available for pick up starting the next business day. There is limited space so everyone must make a reservation, cost is $29 per pumpkin. You can select the time and date on our Calendar and pay for your ticket. There is one ticket per time slot so spots are limited, sign up early. If you don’t want to make your own Pumpkin you can come select one from our Pumpkin Patch. Visit our Calendar to find out the dates and times for the Pumpkin Patch events!

Price: FREE!!! Pre-made Pumpkin prices start at $25.

 

Farmers Market at MainStreet

August 24, 2014 (Recurring monthly on the 4th Sunday) from 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

18750 Interstate 45, Spring, TX 77373

The Market runs every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the Month •The Market features local, organic, and sustainable produce, honey, oils, and dairy •Grant Wilson, Owner of Gramen Dairy Farms, will be offering a free seminar of the benefits of raw milk, in the Conference Center at 11:00am •All MainStreet America members will receive a 10% discount on all purchases •Don’t forget to bring your coolers and reusable bags •Free parking and public restrooms available •Market will run rain or shine

Price: $15 (Check their website for more details at http://www.mainstreetamerica.com/)

 

Fall Festival & Market

September 26, 2014 – September 27, 2014 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

CT Church
9701 Almeda Genoa Rd., Pasadena, TX 77075

Fall Festival & Market (Sponsored by CT Church, 9701 Almeda Genoa Rd., Houston, TX 77075) Friday & Saturday, September 26th & 27th (Friday 12pm-8pm, Saturday 9am-3pm) Outdoor Kid Zone with inflatables & fun games for the kids Food booths Live entertainment Silent auction Shopping booths Lil Tikes Parade.

Price: FREE!!!

 

CraftTexas 2014

September 26, 2014 – December 24, 2014 (Recurring daily)

Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Sunday, 12:00 – 5:00 PM

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

This fall, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft presents “CraftTexas 2014,” the eighth in a series of biennial juried exhibitions showcasing the best in Texas-made contemporary craft. Featuring 49 works by 44 Texas artists, the exhibition includes everything from sculpture, jewelry, textiles, installations, and furniture to concepts that include vernacular architecture, formal elements of design, and man’s relationship to nature. The “CraftTexas” series, which is hugely popular with visitors, provides artists the unique opportunity to have their work seen by three established jurors and included in an exhibition that seeks to broaden the understanding of contemporary craft. The show features exceptional work in clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood and mixed media.

Price: FREE!!!

 

A.I. Lack Series Guest Recital

September 28, 2014 at 2:30pm

Dudley Recital Hall
University of Houston 120 Fine Arts Building, Houston, TX 77004

Gayle Martin, piano Works by Schumann/Liszt, Shatin, Prokofiev, Schubert.

Price: FREE!!!

 

AURA Contemporary Ensemble

September 29, 2014 at 7:30pm

Moores Opera House
120 School of Music, Houston, TX 77004

Rob Smith, director Michelle Perrin Blair, assistant director Dan Gelok, alto saxophone Michael Horvit, composer Phillip Elder, composer Synthesis: Works by Elder, Horvit, Joyce, Lash.

Price: $12

 

Wellness Wednesday

by Lydia Eat Well Wednesday Uncategorized

Hey Framers,

It’s finally Fall and what better way to celebrate than making fun and healthy foods!

Stay tuned each week to see what new recipes we have in store for the Fall season.

 

 

A moist and delicious quick bread that is full of nutrients and perfect for fall.

Makes one standard loaf

 

Ingredients:

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon all spice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup blackstrap molasses

1/2 cup sucanat

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted, or your favorite oil to bake with

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup pumpkin puree (plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)

2 tablespoons unsweetened apple juice (or orange juice)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (or make it even more wholesome and use raisins or dried cranberries)

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and ground cloves. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine molasses, sucanat, applesauce, oil, eggs, pumpkin, and apple juice with an electric mixer. Add the dry ingredients and then fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon your mixture into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 45-60 minutes. (Mine was perfect after 50 minutes)

Let bread sit for 10 minutes, then turn the bread out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely. Don’t be afraid to have a slice while it’s still warm, though.

Nothing beats warm bread fresh out of the oven!

 

 

 

Tuesday Tunes: Priscilla Rivas

by Lydia Tuesday Tunes

Tuesday Tunes: Priscilla Rivas

headshot R: How do you see the future of dance?

P: I think that dance will continue to change, shrink, and grow as it has done in the past.  I feel that Dance reflects, many times, how our economy is doing.  The better people are doing financially, the more chances we see children being put into dance classes and movement classes.  So on a home level, I think we will see an influx of kids taking formal dance classes.  Sadly, we will see the opposite in public schools.  Each year, more and more emphasis is placed on high stakes testing and less on developing the “whole child.”  Schools find themselves cornered and having to make cuts and losing artist teachers in the schools because the budget cannot support them. I think families will have to make the extra effort to seek opportunities to expose their children to the arts. As for dance itself, the smaller our world becomes through technology, the more we will see other cultures and styles influencing all types of dance.  I think that is really exciting!  It is so interesting to watch contemporary pieces and recognize elements of hip hop, folklore, and even language incorporation.    Continue reading →

So you think you want a M.F.A….

by Lydia MFA Mondays


So You Think You Want a M.F.A.?

By Rosie Trump

Photo from Rosie Trump's MFA projectLet me begin by saying graduate school is not and should not be for every artist.  It requires a huge personal undertaking and a significant financial investment.  You will be a different person and a different artist when you finish.  With that being said, I want to share some advice I have gathered from my own graduate school experiences and post-graduate career.

 

Know Before You Go

There are many good reasons to pursue an M.F.A.  There are also some very bad reasons. A combination of good timing and clear postgraduate goals can make all the difference. When deciding on pursuing an M.F.A., it is very important to be honest with yourself and realistic about what this degree will add to your life and career.

If you are 5 or less years out of college ask yourself: Do I have significant professional experience?  Do I have ample teaching practice and a developed pedagogical approach?  Have I developed a distinctive, individual artistic point of view? If you answered no to any of these questions, spend the next two years filling in the gaps before you apply.  Additionally ask yourself, will I resent spending the next three+ years of my life being separated from friends and family, extremely poor, lonely, overwhelmed and overworked?  If you answer yes, wait and reconsider an M.F.A. in a few years.

If you are a mid or post-professional ask yourself: Will I resent spending the next three+ years of my life being separated from my established dance community, deferring earning potential and having my established methods and approaches upended and dismantled? Do I have an extra 40-60 hours per week in addition to my non-negotiable responsibilities to dedicate to intense study?

I believe a good M.F.A. experience is akin to boot camp—a very long boot camp.  For me, graduate school was the hardest thing I had done to date. On the flip side, it was also the absolutely most rewarding thing I had ever done.  I came out on the other side armed with an entirely altered perspective on dance and choreography, and a cohort of brilliant, inspiring friends for colleagues.

 

Still want to go? Tips on how to pick a good program:

Continue reading →

Wellness Wednesday

by Lydia Eat Well Wednesday Uncategorized

Looking for something new to try but don’t want the hassle?

Here is an easy , yet healthy alternative! This could even be an alternative to pizza if you think about it.

 

Food healthy recipe

 

Ingredients:

Whole grain bread
Low-fat Mozzarella cheese sliced thick
Tomato slices
White onion slices
Turkey Bacon (optional!!)
Green onions cut up
Directions:

Pretty self explanatory but here it is. Put slices of thick mozzarella on bread and put in the oven on broil. Watch it (it won’t take long) until nice and slightly brown on top and melted. Make sure it is melted. Nothing is worse than almost melted cheese. Add bacon and sliced tomatoes, white onion and green onions.

Serve with a small side salad with ranch dressing. Perfect lunch.

(Avoid eating this for dinner. Keep dinner light.)

Tuesday Tunes: Rachel Holdt

by Lydia Tuesday Tunes

Tuesday Tunes: Rachel Holdt

KAL_3746b

What music inspires you the most in the classroom; in the choreographic process?

Having recently completed my MFA at Mills College in Oakland—and having worked with and been exposed to the world-renowned experimental musicians there, I do approach this particular topic with a great deal of self-realized snobbery.

Inspiration comes from many sources, and less is definitely more, but soundscapes that evoke ideas are the most compelling.

Jacaczek, a polish electro-acoustic musician is one of my most fruitful sources of inspiration in both the classroom and for choreography. 

I tend to lean heavily towards the electronic artists, but there are very few acoustic or traditional musicians that move me as deeply.  I find that electronic musicians can create an environment that can be more loosely interpreted than direct methods of traditional musical artists, giving me freedom to create with the sound or directly oppose it.  Some other favorite electronic artists are Squarepusher, Aphex Twin (AKA Caustic Window and AFX, Richard D James), Autechre,  Ulrich Schnauss and Goldfrapp. Continue reading →

MFA Monday

by Lydia MFA Mondays

MFA rightInterview with Lauren Small

by Hannah Jackson

 

HJ: What do you think will be the most challenging aspect of the MFA program for you?

 

LAS: Remaining engaged will probably be the most challenging aspect of the MFA program for me. I tend to have a short attention span when it comes to long-term projects or being in one environment or city for too long. Three years is a long time. Being present for the entire journey could be a difficult task for me.

 

HJ: What do you feel that you have to offer the dance world that no one else has?

 

Lauren Ashlee SmallLAS: I am very attuned to minor details. Although it may not always show in the process of rehearsing and performing the works of other people it is apparent in my own choreography. Details such as slightly disparate angles of the head or placement of the hands or contractions of the body between various dancers involved in my work cause me to pause a rehearsal to make adjustments. I find meaning in details like gesture and body language and breathing that others may not interpret or include in their choreographic process. This observation and criticism of detail has allowed me to improve my teaching skills, make interesting decisions with choreography, and to pick up differences in movement techniques and styles at a solid pace. I cannot say that this is something that only I can offer to the dance world, however it is unique and leads me to study choreographer’s who express this same attention to detail.

 

HJ: Is there something in particular that you feel burdened to create work about, or do you cull from various subjects (and if so, what piques your interest)?

Continue reading →