Interrupted by a crisis of international proportion, coming back is not an easy task. Hybrid projects are emerging, as full stage productions are daunting, expensive, and not yet totally safe. COVID-19 has altered our lives, but as we strive to make a comeback, we’re encouraged to be arbiters of change. Summer poses new projects for ACD highlighting innovations outside the box. Watch for our announcements coming soon!
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March 17th, 2021 — St. Patrick’s Day! For me, this day has significance in that I am part Irish. At the very least, each year I don my favorite green items from my wardrobe, and question everyone on my path if they’re Irish, and whether they plan on a toast to Ireland with a green beer. A year ago today; however, St. Patty’s Day marked the shutting down of my Jin Shin Jyutsu practice, along with the suspension of all dance rehearsals. No green beers or celebrating. Will this be go bragh, I wondered? In old Irish, go bragh means eternity or til the end of time. We all have been in the dark, and no one knew the timeline of this pandemic. Part of me was elated that I had some time off — I’ll admit it, but after a year of this virus robbing us of our lives, livelihood, and a beer at the bar, it’s clear it’s become an act of attrition.
Without dancers in the studio with me working out new choreography, while I hang onto the barre doing my pliés, admiring their talents… I feel a big hole in my soul. My Jin Shin Jyutsu clientele at least have their Self-Help practice with me virtually, or at least some of them, but it’s the pointing of feet, the wearing of the dance clothes, the schlepping of the dance bag to the sweat-filled studio, and those beautiful, hardworking dancers that I really miss. Yes, I worked a few projects over this past year remotely, and I am so grateful and proud of my dancers and editors that helped me pull it off, as they did an incredible job, but it’s just not the same as being in a physical, somatic environment. Weh, weh, weh… cry baby, I know!
We’re all adjusting and adapting — albeit difficultly, the shutdown has given me time to reflect. I’ve been thinking about what’s really important to me. And, also examining what I can toss out, including really big decisions, such as whether or not to go back to all of it at all. Yep, that’s been on the table! I’ve read announcements of companies folding, studios shutting down, and dancers fleeing NYC altogether. Just when I was thinking, “stand clear of the closing doors, ” my Father sent me a box of 15 new dance bags with my Adams Company Dance Logo. He had no idea what I was fleshing out in my mind, but just thought it would make a nice birthday gift for me to give out to my dancers. Was it a sign, I thought? Don’t give up? Perhaps I need to step back on the train. Not sure — who knows — but, what I do know is that they’re green. And today is the perfect day to celebrate ACD’s year of floating through the pandemic, while honoring the color of this holiday. So, as I may whimper about the loss of so much, I harken back to a favorite song from the 70’s by The Five Stairsteps, “O-O-H Child.” “… things are gonna get easier… o-o-h child things are gonna get brighter.” And I’ll keep reminding myself that ” … we’ll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun… some day when the world is much brighter.” Who wants a new dance bag??
Thanks for attending our premiere! This event is now over. Please check back soon for the public availability of this film, Honkin’ Red High Heels!
This is NOT a commentary on Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale, “The Red Shoes,” but yet, I am combining red shoes with dance in an entirely different way to premiere, Honkin’ Red High Heels! On New Year’s Eve at 9pm, be prepared for about 16-minutes of a bizarre new film short from Adams Company Dance made remotely in its entirety during the 2020 pandemic. My editor extraordinaire, Joel Stephen, happily took on the project with me.
Featuring three beautiful dancers working out of their home settings, while donning their flashy red high heels, either on or off their feet — this film has something for everyone! Experience their outdoor environments melding into their rooms, and their red shoes appearing like a Cheshire Cat on a hidden branch. Tricks will be played on their soles, as their consciousness drowns in the waters of the unknown. Diving deep into the psyches of these three, bold, woman… you’ll witness the raw layers of themselves unravel in this Alice in Wonderland-like experimental film short. With music from hard-driving drum beats layered with lazy saxophone riffs, to warm piano ballads, and sad violin lines — this musical medley ends with a droning electric guitar that brings all the emotions to the surface — eerily pressing on a 2020 nerve!
Joel Stephen has been on the editing team of Adams Company Dance both on camera and in the editing room. His tireless efforts working with my zany brain, have paved the way for many projects, culminating in this last passion project, Honkin’ Red High Heels. During this pandemic, we never saw one another except on Zoom. After first sifting through hours of iPhone footage sent from the dancers’ Zoom rehearsals with me, and later sending the core files to Joel, we assembled the pieces of this weird jigsaw puzzle over a period of approximately two months. Thanks to his technical prowess and creative input, this film would not have been possible.
Check out more photos from our Honkin’ Red High Heels album here!
During a year jammed-packed with so many news items it made our heads spin, not the least of which was a worldwide pandemic, it’s easier to say what we didn’t do than what we did. The dark, gloomy feelings that permeated the minds of millions of people were contagious, devouring our hearts of that sweet, uplifting feeling that seemed in a distant past. Deflecting into my artist-side became a great comfort. Considering the obstacles stacked against me, I managed to swim to the surface here and there and breathe some life into some projects.
Typically when I make new work, I write a poem or at least a statement that sums up the themes. If given the opportunity to make a new piece about 2020, the poem might go something like this:
Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow…
We have so many tears we need not borrow…
Our collective grief will be here tomorrow…
and the next day…
and the day after that…
And so it goes, I did go on to write out longer prose, spitting out the spoiled, rotten pieces of 2020 — in the middle of the night, no less. Straight out of the gate in March, some of this fodder from my writings spilled out into the editing of my film short, Sidelined. So many fits and starts in editing this delayed the premiere til July, even though we shot the project on a cold day in February — long before we knew what was about to hit us. Read on about the behind-the-scenes of this prophetic piece here.
In the meantime, between editing, I dusted off some pieces from the archives and shared them throughout the year. Dressing up pieces from ACD’s past with social media posts, was a practice I fondly grew to like. One of the highlights, was replaying our Going Solo concert, and gathering the dancers back together for a Zoom-moderated interview about their process. My editor, Faith Marek, was on board with me on this, weaving together photo images of their solos prior to the screening. Re-purposing a whole concert was really exciting to me and the dancers, as so many folks couldn’t get to Brooklyn back in May of 2019. Check out the experience and replay here.
As October rolled around, I finally had my first Zoom rehearsals with my dancers to create Honkin’ Red High Heels. It seemed disastrous to me to be in my dingy, junk-filled basement without the luxury of a sprawling dance studio, but I was learning to adjust and lower the barre (lol!) for myself. The dancers got me, fortunately, and provided playback that proved to me that they interpreted correctly — shocking, as I thought the visual I demonstrated was more on the page of “Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow!” Déjà vu… I was again involved in a couple months of remote editing, but this time with my editor, Joel Stephen — an ACD team editor who helped elevate this project to levels unexpected. I massaged every snippet of footage the dancers sent me on their iPhones til I got what I wanted. Though Zoom and many phone calls, Joel listened and pulled levers to make my imagination come to life! This all-remote film short was a labor of love, and if you can look symbolically into the brain of this work, you’ll see why I said it eerily presses on the nerve of 2020 — shoes burning in a fireplace at the end — need I say more!! Check out the blog on our premiere on this and look for public viewing coming soon.
As I wrap up this year, and reflect back on all of its ingredients, I will proclaim that there were many silver linings amidst the muck of it all. I could linger in “Our Lady of Sorrow… “, I guess, but I think it’s best left to say that my survival strategy got me to the finish line!
Thanks to all of the dancers who contributed artistically, without whom none of this would’ve been possible!
This trio, Short Story, seems appropriate to share on Halloween! A touch of mysterious mixed with a hint of sinister! In three sections, this REPLAY of our 2018 work is featuring dancers: Heidi Sutherland, Wade Watson, and Evita Zacharioglou. Read about this piece in our blog from that time. Enjoy!
From the Baryshnikov Arts Center to the shores of Silver Sands State Park in CT and everywhere in between, Mitzi Adams, Artistic Director of Adams Company Dance, along with filmmakers/collaborators Amelia Golden, Benjamin Moss, Joel Stephen, and Faith Marek, weave dancers into their unique settings to create this compendium of 13 film shorts that are whimsical, visually stunning, and emotionally stirring. Adams Company Dance, now in its 29th year, shares a unique look into the ways in which dance connects with the human experience. All films were shot within a 3-hour time frame more or less, and later edited into a theme — what Adams’ coins her “Jiffy-Mix” style. This film has been screened in NYC twice at Producers Club Theater; the Bryant Park Hotel Theater moderated by dance critic, Debra Levine; and last Fall in Greenwich, CT at the Bowtie Criterion Cinema. With four new films in the line-up, including their latest short film, “Sidelined,” made over the 2020 quarantine, this night will have something for everyone!
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Program Order Sidelined (2020) This film, based on footage shot prior to the pandemic, twisted itself into new meaning as the Corona Virus surfaced, and serendipitous themes emerged in the editing process. Stemming from a three-hour “Jiffy-Mix” rehearsal taped in February 2020, and loosely based on the subject of the lack of spirituality in our society today, dancers depict feelings of isolation and separation in this transcendent work that unfolded as a gift. A Piece of Shelter (2011) This film, shot at The Secret Theater in Queens, NY, during the rehearsal and live performance of a dance entitled "Shelter," depicts the search for beauty beneath the rough exterior of life. Sea Chapter (2014) Against the backdrop of Mother Sea, this film reveals a man's soulful journey in learning to lean on his instincts and intuition, in order to release the old and embrace the new. (Based on the piece “Flight”) Woodland Aire (2013) Based upon works created to the music of Maria Schneider’s “Winter Morning Walks,” dancers mesh with nature in this spry piece filmed during a one-day residency at the Dragon's Egg in Ledyard, CT. Hush Little Child (2015) From the frozen, snow packed ground to the fragrant, flowering orchids, this film depicts a woman looking back at her life, as if through the lens of a dream. Let’s Face It (2010) A techo-media film, based on the concepts of the loss of spirituality and literature in our society, due to the interference of our technological age (Based on a one-evening dance/theater event). Jeu d’Esprit (2012) With only a hat and a few costume pieces, this work offers the viewer a passport abroad, in this high-stepping ‘French flavored’ solo. (Based on the piece “Avec Moi”) About Face (2011) Based on the dance event “Let’s Face It,” this film takes a look at the fine gap between the ego and the mirror. Ebb & Flow (2017) Based on the process of a “Jiffy Mix” rehearsal of the dance “Dream Spell,” filmmaker, Joel Stephen, weaves his colorful footage from a few short hours to reveal the inner workings and mysteries of a magical dance experience. A Dress In The Stream (2013) Based upon conversations with artists who struggle with their art, this film depicts a young woman who watches her dreams float away, yet finds resolve in the beauty of nature, with nothing to expect other than the rippling, calm of water in the estuary of life. Something Fake (2018) Filled with symbolism, this short, theatrical dance film captures the director’s inner monologue on the current administration’s inane treatment of facts and manufacturing of falsehoods. Playing House (2013) A young woman steps into a raw space, dreaming of future possibilities, full of promise and hope. (Based on the piece “Dust Devil”) Crooked Dreams (2019) A journey through the unconscious mind brings fragments from disjointed dreams. The dreamer strolls through the scenes, as the veils of mystery unfold, with colorful characters accompanying her along the way. * * * A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR: I was inspired to start making short dance films, when I faced the crippling realization of the economic effects of producing live dance concerts. In a real hurry to get "in and out" of the studio and to keep my costs under control, I developed a method of working, in short time periods, which I eventually coined "Jiffy Mix Dances"... just add water and stir! With the pressure of time constraint, I put myself to the test to compress my artistic experience, while still striving to maintain a human element. A deep level of trust in my dancers keep me stirring all the ingredients without all the fuss and muss! Though concert dance continues to enrich my choreographic spirit, with all its trim and finesse, it’s the stuff of the “Jiffy Mix” process that excites my “grab-and-go” side and keeps me on my toes! * * * Directed and produced by Mitzi Adams, Artistic Director, Adams Company Dance All choreography by Mitzi Adams Adams Company Dance is a member, in good standing, of ASCAP.
You can also find this event on FB by clicking this link!
RT: 1:25m
Kid Friendly
NOTICE: This film is for research and scholarly purposes only. This film is not designed or intended for monetary gain, nor does the producer or the company receive private compensation for the film. Distribution of this film is strictly prohibited. Adams Company Dance, is a member in good standing with ASCAP.
Back in the day, this was called treason. I am pulling this film out again after the debate Tuesday night. “From Russia With Love?” Mis-speak much, Mr. President? Maga in D flat was the working title, but I ended up with “Something Fake.” I say no more…
Six talented dancers performed their solos on the eve of May 4th, 2019 at the Triskelion Arts Center in Brooklyn, NY. Read about that magical night here in my blog! Tonight you will get to see a REPLAY of that night, along with LIVE interviews with the dancers, where they described the process of their individual pieces.
The dancers performing are:
Julie Firoenza
Abby Marchesseault
Heidi Sutherland
Christopher Taylor
Joshua Tuason
Evita Zacharioglou
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1) Flight (2014): Christopher Taylor
2) Mother’s Day (1998): Julie Firoenza
3) Dust Devil (2013): Abby Marchesseault
4) Going Solo (Premiere): Heidi Sutherland
5) My Room (2010): Julie Firoenza
6) Small Voice (2004): Evita Zacharioglou
7) It’s Easy To Drown (2018): Heidi Sutherland
8) Lost & Found (1999): Joshua Tuason
(This replay tonight is solely the performances, and not the films which were featured in the live concert.)
Videography/Editing: Faith Marek
GOING SOLO PIECE DESCRIPTIONS:
FLIGHT: Performed by Christopher Taylor
Exploring the emotional depths of the willingness to survive no matter the odds, this rare solo touches the heart with beauty and grace. The film Sea Chapter is based on this solo.
MOTHER’S DAY: Performed by Julie Fiorenza
This dramatic solo explores dreams that the choreographer and her mother had before her mother’s death. Set to an original text, combined with a haunting music collage, this solo forms a partnership to arouse imagination about the mother/child relationship.
DUST DEVIL: Performed by Abby Marchesseault
This thematic solo was choreographed to enliven the spirit of a poem. The athletically danced, theater-style piece, reminisces about life on the plains, with the swirling, little tornadoes that the poet recalls in the beanfields of the Midwest. (Music granted by Maria Schneider).
GOING SOLO: Performed by Heidi Sutherland
This solo digs into depths of expression, creating a terrain of movement exemplifying the unsteady nature of life, yet allowing for the ground to provide a place for sanctuary and hope.
MY ROOM: Performed by Julie Fiorenza
An opening slideshow with images from Korea, combine with a sensitive, heartfelt dance about a young woman’s adoption. This tender solo, danced to neo-classical piano music, interprets a story from the Far East.
SMALL VOICE: Performed by Evita Zacharioglou
This capricious solo portrays the loss of innocence from childhood, into the complications of adulthood. From the fondness of hopscotch to the gestural entanglements of emotion, this piece reads like a storybook of memories and makes a statement about the process of growing into responsibility.
IT’S EASY TO DROWN: Performed by Heidi Sutherland
This solo was inspired by the delicate nature of the human spirit and how easy it is to drown in life, yet resolves to achieve hope and strength to overcome.
LOST & FOUND: Performed by Joshua Tuason
This whimsical solo, with narration by the choreographer’s first dance teacher, Hedy Tower, connects past and present in a tribute to healing and hope. Lifted from a desolate reality and shown a renewed passion for life, this piece contracts and expands, depicting these rippling themes through jagged edges and graceful exuberance. Imbued with the strength to overcome, this light-spirited, colorful dance pays respect to the sentimental journey of the heart.
A NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
“The stuff of solos” chronicles the messages from a lone voice that speaks through the pores of the soul. Its very essence is founded through the dancer that “puts it on,” like a new outfit that you buy at the store. Stepping into the skin of the solo awards the dancer the right to interpret his or her own meaning, loosely based on the original script. In rehearsals, I use pencil instead of pen to allow for the artists to erase what might have been, so they can etch their own branding into the storyline. Ultimately, it is through their letting go of all my notes when they finally go paperless. When I no longer see the choreography, but just see a beautiful dancer expressing themselves, I know I’ve done my job. I am honored to be in the company of such elite artists, who have chosen to dive deep into “the stuff of solos.”
~ Mitzi Adams
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(This film is for scholarly and research purposes only. This film is not designed or intended for monetary gain, nor does the producer or the company receive private compensation for the film. Distribution of this film is strictly prohibited.)
Thank you for joining us for our concert REPLAY! Look for us again in October for the RE-SCREENING of Behind the Lens: Adams Company Dance~
Watch a replay of an Adams Company Dance favorite: “Itty Bitty Nitty Gritty, “ where a tug-of-war of musical chairs, meets a folk-frenzied ballet, in this trio made up of world class dancers performed at the Ailey Citigroup Theater in 2012. When so many of you have said, “sorry I missed your show,” we’ve made it easy for you to catch up!
RT: 12 minutes in length
See the dance here:
Dancers: Catherine Borrone, Milan Misko, & James A. Pierce, III.
Photos: Cathryn Lynne
Video: Marie Le Claire
Thanks for your support of Adams Company Dance!
August is typically a month filled with creative ideas, and numerous rehearsals. Sadly, COVID-19 is now center stage, so I have to step aside, and take stock in things that bring me joy. I’m happily reflecting back to a summer where I can’t remember feeling more relaxed and happy making a new work. It was 2008, and I whipped this piece up in a jiffy. The dancers were so into it, and with music by a family friend, Muriel Anderson, it was nothing less than a magical, summer delight! It had numerous runs, but when it appeared in my 2009 concert at the Ailey Citibank Theater, sparks were flying! I yearn to put this back back together someday. Til then, I hope you’ll enjoy watching this slideshow of the making of ‘At Ease,” by Cathryn Lynne. I’ll have the performance online later this year.
Dancers: Julie Fiorenza, Milan Misko, Ryan Schmidt, & Sarah Wiechman
