On a hot, steamy day in June, the seeds were planted for our new film short, “Woodland Aire.” The one-day residency at the Dragon’s Egg in Ledyard, CT, provided the perfect backdrop for what became our fancy-free tribute to the great outdoors. Combining the natural elements of the artsy environment, along with rehearsal footage from our two new dances we created that day, this spry piece is my personal Godspell.
The air was hot, and the mosquitoes were in abundance, but we jumped for joy, picked flowers, ran around sculptures and promenaded, a’ la’ Maaaartha! Hackneyed? Yes, but maybe now it’s considered retro cool!
The music for our piece was written by Tamara Wilcox, Assistant Professor and Music Director in the Department of Dance at The College at Brockport. We had worked together at Eastern Michigan University, where she impressed me with her extraordinary skills as an accompanist, music editor, and composer. We continued working together when I went onto Western Michigan University, where she went to bat for me, handling all my musical needs. She saved me on so many occasions, and I am forever grateful to her for those crazy Michigan years! I am also grateful for our collaboration on “Woodland Aire,” where she hit the nail on the head with her exquisite, original piano score.
Thanks to Amelia Golden, yet again, for capturing the images from our day. She caught our free-spirited nature, finding all the nooks and angles that tell a story so well.
Ryan, Sophie, Chris and Milan danced so beautifully, and connected their energies in the most seamless way, as if we had been rehearsing for months!
The wilderness gave us all what we needed that day, for sure… a chance to dance and play in the fresh air of the woods, without a care in the world!
