We're experiencing growing pains.

We've reached a turning point.

How else can you tactfully, succinctly, L E G A L L Y describe what's going on right now with The Lovelies?

As Lisa Gonzalez puts it so poetically: ...the unexpected emotional ride that accompanies arriving to the moment again and again and again and now and now and now...

I have to remind myself that this moment, all moments, are happening and ending; all dances come to an end; everythi...

With little to no structure, performers allow themselves to be seen through the choices they make, the places they choose to go to, where their focus lies all in real time --- a risky and exhilarating challenge all in front of an audience. After witnessing and performing improvisation over the course of three weeks as part of the NEVER BEFORE NEVER AGAIN Festival in January at Triskelion Arts,  I have even more respect and admiration for performer...

As one part of three separate strategic directions, The Lovelies have set out to spend a year putting a concerted effort into defining and disseminating our own role in the compositional improvisation landscape, within the field of dance at large and - broader still - our, and its, place in the world. 

While this can be viewed as looking outward - this, world, is who we are - we also view this bucket as the opportunity to challenge the world’s many...

The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and reflection. It’s a time we get to fill our hearts with gratitude on the relationships we’ve made this year, and the amazing opportunities they brought. We are not alone, as we think about our humanity and the art we strive to create. Relating our being and work to others is really at the heart of what it means to exist in the world. The spirit of creativity and power of ensemble dancing brings...

Assumptions. What a loaded word. To Assume- The act of taking for granted, or supposing a thing without proof - can create a non existent reality. Think about how many stories we create at any given time. The assumptions we bring into a room about ourselves, about each other, about the work.
Assuming something takes us out of the present moment and limits curiosity and possibility. 
I've let my own stories and assumptions run rampan...

Talk backs are different every where you go. Outside of NYC, the questions generally scratch the surface of the art and don't really challenge the choreographer. People say things like: "How long have you been dancing? How many hours a week do you rehearse? I just LOVED it." It isn't particularly useful or thought provoking. Here in New York City, talk backs turn quickly to people choreographing the dance for the choreographer with out asking! The...

 I thought I was finished writing after the last post. Well I'm back! And I'm literally on my back, back spasms and all. The body doesn't lie. Every year for the past three years, I've had a back spasm that takes me out for at least a few days, if not weeks around the same time in July/August so as to say LISTEN UP. It could be a combination of things- the extreme heat vs over air conditioned spaces, not warming up properly or my way of saying sum...

Fresh off the heels of PICI (The Peoples Intensive in Compositional Improvisation) during this MICI gap year and what a whirlwind it was. I'm still trying to process, decipher and remember all that happened. There is a lot I could write about. But really two things come to mind:

-Choosing is caring 

-Patience vs waiting

Katherine Ferrier's eloquent words through Skype started us off , creating a space from where the rest of the day could unfold. She...

The Lovelies had a wonderful opportunity to venture beyond the NYC borders to Atlanta and Philly this month. While in Atlanta, we hosted our first event to help connect The Lovelies in a different state and explained the work we practice. What an experience, to perform the work of Compositional Improvisation in front of a new audience... and sometimes stressful. To go back to your home town and show what you've been up to. To explain the work to p...

Action.

Active. Aliveness.

Actively actioning.

In times of dread

Artists must never choose to remain silent

This is precisely the time

When artists go to work

There is no time for despair,

No place for self-pity,

No need for silence, no room for fear

-Toni Morrison, The Pieces I Am

As everyday seems to begin with even more disparaging news, I shame-spiral into the ways I am inadequate, under-informed, lacking expertise to make a change.

Then a good friend and...