Cold and Wet At the Beach!

We had our first rehearsals in not too-perfect weather this week, though I'm happy to say things are changing as I sit here in the artist's residency office of the Marion Davies Guest House.  Though right now the sun is shining brilliantly, the other night Louie and I showed up to play in the spaces and we wore layers of clothing, hoods and hats to keep warm!

We played around the sculpture ("Shadow") and on the ground/basement floor entryway of the Guest House.  The movement experience was chilling to watch as Louie negotiated his weight on the steps to the basement doorway and around the sculpture.  One of the other great realizations we had was about the scale of what we could do around the artwork.

Given that the Beach House Complex is several acres long, most of what I've been doing refers to that grand scale.  Audiences walking around will watch what we do from several feet (if not yards) away.  So, the visible movement needs to reach folks at that distance from the performer.  So, bigger is almost better! ;)

Different from making work for the concert stage, which I often fill with nuance and detail, the movement choices I make here have to incorporate those elements from a longer viewing range.  Nevertheless, the work we're doing around "Shadow" will be seen by people just feet away from the dancer . . . which means the viewer can almost feel the energy of smaller scale action. And,just as significantly, the audio accompaniment can include more complex sounds, aka words!

So, Louie and I talked about having other live performers talk about the site and its history while he dances . . . maybe we can collect anecdotes and recollections from folks who worked here back in the day and present them with the movement.

Cool!  Let's see where we go with that idea!

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Working at the Beach!

There we were--Rachel, Christine, Karla, Carmen, Stefanie and I--applying high factor sunscreen to protect our skin from the all-so-powerful sun that was beaming down on us at the Pool House.  It was a beautiful day--warm from above and the breeze was just cool enough to keep us comfortable.  We were embarking on a new adventure at the site, with eyes wide open and energy abounding!

We were exploring the architecture--the tall white "footprints" of the original Hearst-built home, the Dressing Room Slatted Wall, the outdoor furniture, the stairs, and the second story View Deck.  It was rad!

The dancers (dressed mostly in dark colors against the white of the stanchions) popped out and created compelling counterpoint to the linear edifice.  The shade of the building hid some of the exploration, but we were learning about what would and wouldn't be effectively seen in the space at this time of day (with the sun moving, each moment yields a different lighting arrangement).

The dancers and I took breaks to hydrate and discuss some of our findings and then we resumed the investigation.  Though it was several hours before we called it quits, the day was a blast for everyone!  I could've stayed there even longer watching the movers address new and different aspects of the building, but we were ready to approach a differerent locale.  Onward!!

above photo  taken by Cheryl Ann at the opening of the facility in 2009!

Marion Davies, Hearst and Julia Morgan

I'm having a blast researching the Beach House!  I recently attended a talk given for the upcoming docents to the Guest House about the site and its original owner (WR Hearst), watched the wonderful Elaina Archer documentary about Marion Davies and the Orson Wells 1941 masterpiece, Citizen Kane.  Next weekend is a talk about the architect, Julia Morgan and tomorrow I'm meeting my dancers there to begin our exploration!

 I hate to say much more about what the dance will be.  Like the description says on the header, my initial ideas include the history of the site, surfing and the Marx Brothers, but I'm certain that being on the grounds will tell me many new and different things, as well.  And collaborating with my dancers will creatively yield even more options and opportunities.  Stay tuned!