I’m still recovering from our fabulous alumni/student conference here in Madison. There’s lots to talk about emerging from the event — from the extended discussions of ‘valuing culture’ to the common theme that the nonprofit arts are ‘overbuilt.’ But those will have to settle in my brain a bit before I explain…perhaps tomorrow.
In the meantime, there’s a temporary weblog in the world worth a little notice. Choreographer Doug Varone is working with the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland on a new commission. But instead of just working in isolation and presenting the piece as a final work, he’s agreed to write a weblog about the commission, and its progress.
Even a quick read shows the power of exposing a wider audience to the process of creative expression and collaborative construction. Take a look at this entry segment, for example:
With this dance, I know that the ending has something to do with the beginning re-imagined, so I have been looking at various alliances that stand out. Natalie and John dance a terrific duet in the opening of the work and my intuition tells me that this is the key to the end. Tomorrow I’ll immediately set out to explore that possibility.Transitions were a priority this past week. As I’ve been saying all along, I want to make a work that does not feel sectional. Blurring the lines (visually and musically) between sections is essential to achieving that goal. I want to keep the energy of the work moving forward for as long as possible so when a shift does occur, I can manipulate that to my creative advantage.
Not all artists can write so clearly about what they’re up to. But when they can, it’s utterly engaging. Further, it should make experiencing the final performance piece that much more meaningful for those who have followed its growth.
