2×5 with Liminal Space, a success!

Composers Performances/Screenings

Hi Framers,

I hope you had a joyous Christmas and have some funky New Year’s plans.  I had fun checking out Emily’s New Year’s Party advice on the Links We Like Friday today.  (check it out!)

Joel Luks of Culturemap wrote this about our work:

“Hance, as she explained, responded to the music by creating a framework anchored by clearly defined matrices that expanded from their contained spatial area, both in terms of the use of space and the movement vocabulary. What began with four dancers walking in unison, which echoed the tonal center of the music, broke away into independent pathways that developed into leaping solos, duets and trios.

Her approach mirrored the aesthetic of minimalism, which exploits what can be achieved with a limited number of elements.

What was remarkable in Hance’s choreography is that she offered another access point for listeners to synthesize the perceived monotony of Reich’s work. Whether on purpose or by accident, the dance provided an opportunity to better understand the score while juxtaposing an emotional abstract narrative that centered on how it feels to be released from a restrained environment — a triumph for Liminal Space, Hance and dancers Jacquelyne Jay Boe, Laura Gutierrez, Ashley Horn and Alex Soares.”  You can read the whole article here.

I wanted to post some incredible photos from the performance of Steve Reich’s 2×5 that we did earlier this month with Liminal Space Contemporary Music.  The photos are by David DeHoyos and we are so thankful to him!

You can click on any of the photos and view the gallery.

Warmest wishes and as always,

To Art,

Lydia

Steve Reich’s 2×5 and Liminal Space

Performances/Screenings

Hi Framers!

Well we had fun dancing at City Hall last night in the Mayor’s Holiday Celebration.  Did you see us?  If not, you can see us on Channel 11 (Houston) on December 14 at 6pm right before Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  (Now that’s some fab placement!)

The dancers were absolutely darling in this fun dance, and Alex was one fantastic Santa Clause.  The kids went WILD for him.

I can’t believe our next show is this week!  This is the one you’ve been hearing me talk about regarding its complexity.  We are performing live with Liminal Space Contemporary Ensemble.  They have graciously invited us onto their concert and we are having so much fun.  Steve Reich is a heavyweight living composer, and I am really honored to be choreographing to his music.

I truly, truly think this will be a fabulous show.  Rob McClure is another composer on the program.  How could you forget this guy:

robWe miss him in China (off being a super important professor…) but we do get to enjoy his music!

And guess who else is in the show?  Mr. Mark Hirsch, composer for Quiver and partner-in-crime for FM (premiered at DiverseWorks and also in collaboration with Courtney D. Jones) is dominating the guitar on the Reich piece.

Courtney D. Jones and Deon Robinson
Courtney D. Jones and Deon Robinson
Mark Hirsch and Lydia Hance
Mark Hirsch and Lydia Hance

Love how it looks like he’s trying to push me away in this picture.  Ha!

Dancers include: Jacquelyne Jay Boe, Laura Gutierrez, Ashley Horn, and Alex Soares.  It’s basically a frametastic show.  Ashley Horn, as usual, has some tricks up her sleeve as costume designer.

The deets:

Wednesday.  The Barn. 7:30 pm.

Info and tickets here.  Get your tickets soon because they are significantly cheaper online than at the door.  Do it now!

Hope we see you there, we love our Framer Fans.

 

xoxo and to art,

Lydia

Fashion Fete

Performances/Screenings

Last night was DiverseWork’s Fashion Fete and we had a fabulous time dancing on the catwalk and in the rafters.  Here are some pics from rehearsal, hair, makeup and the performance.  Thanks for having us DiverseWorks!  Fashion by Ashley Horn.

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The Persistence of Vision

Performances/Screenings
Hi Framers!  We have some more great news about another Framer’s show coming up tomorrow!  Dancer and Costume Designer Ashley Horn has an exciting show this Sunday at Frenetic Theater, 7pm.  I am thrilled to be a part of it!  The rehearsal process has been very exciting as she is testing the limits of our memory with movement and structure.  Find out more below and see the photos by Ashley Horn; Dancers: Shanon Adams, Lydia Hance and Mallory Horn.
  Persistence of Vision Photo by Ashley Horn Dancer Lydia Hance (1) Persistence of Vision Photo by Ashley Horn Dancer Mallory Horn (1)
The Persistence of Vision is an exploration of the ways that subtle evolutions in memories can compound, and over time transform events into things very different from the truth.  Persistence also touches on the difficulties people may have relating when their shared memories, believed to be identical, are disparate.
 Persistence of Vision Photo by Ashley Horn Dancer Lydia Hance
Dancers were each given varying amounts of information about the process, choreography, and structure and were asked to make decisions based on what they did or did not know.
Persistence of Vision Photo by Ashley Horn Dancer Shanon Adams (2)A set made of monochromatic symbolic items will be divided into compartmentalized sectors which dancers and audience move through.  The piece is set up as an installation and is meant to be seen by the audience from the inside, with viewers free to move from sector to sector at their own pace.
Persistence of Vision Photo by Ashley Horn Dancer Shanon Adams (3)
See you Sunday at 7pm!
Lydia

Essential Dance Film Collection

Performances/Screenings

Good Morning Framers!

Some of you know that our film “There’s a Height Limit” was selected to be a part of TenduTV’s Essential Dance Film Collection.  We are really excited!  We need your help getting the word out and sharing with your networks.  We actually receive a portion of the ad revenue each time someone watches it. (ca-ching!)  Would you take a moment and share with your friends?

Thank you!

 

Frame Dance Music Composition Competition

Composers Performances/Screenings

2013-2014 Frame Dance Productions Music Composition Competition

Note: The deadline is January 3, 2014.

Frame Dance Productions announces its competition to select a piece of music for its upcoming Spring season. Its two-fold purpose is to offer outstanding emerging composers a forum for their recognition as well as an opportunity to collaborate with the dance performance company, Frame Dance Productions. We are looking for completed pieces, or for samples in consideration for a future work.

Submission form and guidelines can be found here:

Submit to Frame Dance Productions

For additional  submission questions please email Lydia.Hance@FrameDance.org.

For more information on Frame Dance Productions, please visit FrameDance.org.

Past Winners:
2013: Robert McClure

2012: Charles Halka

2011: Micah Clark
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The Day I forgot My Notes

Performances/Screenings

It was yesterday, and we had just finished the half of rehearsal where we work on the trio/slow section of the Reich piece we’re preparing for the Liminal Space show on December 11.  Laura had arrived, and I knew it was time to move into the section that gives me a panic attack/ulcer/wide eyes/jumpy feet/and a desire to run around the room.

 

Thank you Steve Reich.

 

You see…I had carefully orchestrated steps, gestures, freezing to VERY specific parts of the music.  I have my own notation language.

reich reherasal 2Pretty obvious what I’m doing, right?  I mean, it’s like you don’t even have to see the piece anymore. (wink.)

 

And I must say, the dancers were thrilled.  THRILLED. with the demanding nature of the music and the tasks I had given to them.  See below:

reich rehearsal 1You know it’s a Frame Dance piece when the notebooks are out and the brows are furrowed.

So…back to yesterday.  I forgot my notes.  Kind of crucial as I don’t even try to keep all of the individual dancers’ parts in my own brain.  Gotta free that bad boy up for more ideas.  I send out movement and counts and then trust the dancers to remember them from there on.  It’s a tall order.  So…I forgot my notes.  And I KNEW that I couldn’t remember it all.  So what did I do?  I threw it out and started over.  I have to say, the dancers were relieved.  Less counting this time and more instinct.  More listening, I think.  And I like this direction we’re headed much better.

Funny how things work out, eh?  Sometimes you just have to forget your notes.

To Art,

L

QUITE the week!

Performances/Screenings

Frame Dance is burning it up like crazy this week.  Check out our week(end) schedule:

 

Tonight (Wednesday) at 8pm, we will screen Framing Bodies: LOVE ME in the Fringe Festival at  The Barn.

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Tomorrow (Thursday) from 7-9pm we will be dancing Under the Blue Trees with the Houston Arts Alliance.

Under_The_Blue_Trees_Digital_Invitation_v13

 

 
Friday at 6:30pm, we will screen Framing Bodies: LOVE ME in the Fringe Festival at  The Barn.

clubflyer-2.125inx5.5in-h-round-front

 

 

Saturday at 5pm, we will screen Framing Bodies: LOVE ME in the Fringe Festival at  The Barn.

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