CT Dance – Page 2 – Mitzi Adams

Full Circle

The year was 1995 and Adams Company Dance was now 4 years into its inception in NYC/CT. After being accepted to the first ever adjudicated festival of the American Dance Guild at the Cunningham Studio Theater, I went into rehearsals with my new dance partner, Eddie Taketa, to teach him Colors May Bleed — a piece I had already choreographed with my previous partner, Paul Dennis, and performed twice already by that point in time. American Dance Guild was built upon a grassroots premise with their primary mission being to preserve the legacy of dance with all the components that go along with it. Honoring pioneers and dance notables were top on their list. Hosting a dance festival seemed like a good idea.

Now 27 years later, Adams Company Dance comes full circle by being accepted to another festival at the Ailey Citigroup Theater this December. I am honored to be involved and excited to see how my duet from 2007, I Will Show You An Ocean, will look on two new dancers, Payton Primer and Derick McCoy, Jr. With new talent and a festival with colleagues lined up from my past, this ought to be a unique blend of artistry that will bring me back to my roots.

Review from 1995

Colors May Bleed

This athletic duet blends the tug-of-war between society’s pressure to conform and a human’s right to freedom of choice. With original narration and a hard-driving musical score, this agitating piece depicts tolerance over fear.
~MJA

Chosen by Gus Solomons for the Juror’s Choice Award in the NewDance New Haven ’93 competition

Life Changes

It’s amazing how life changes so fast… one minute you’re on stage sweating and dancing like there’s no tomorrow, and the next minute, you’re married and have started a family! I am glowing after the news of Claire Hancock’s new baby! She has always been so remarkable in every capacity of life, and motherhood is now another feature to her mark of greatness! My fortunate times to work with her while she spent time in NYC, added to ACD’s stock of significant artistic contributions. She was just 6 years old when I originally met her in Tucson, AZ, where I did my graduate studies at the University of Arizona. Her parents were my teachers, but became fast friends with my husband and me. Their dynamic family holds a distinguished place in the dance world… and so I honor all of their efforts for not only paving the way for me, but for all those who have been touched by their mark of genius! I know I’m not alone when I say that Claire, and her mother Melissa Lowe, and father, Jory Hancock, truly are rare gems that will be continually treasured — and now we add one more gem to the mix!

Claire Hancock and composer Vincent Calianno are the creators of Two Trains. These extraordinary artists meld their expressions of movement, imagery, and sound. Be sure to visit their site!

Master Class on August 26th

**Master Class with Mitzi Adams has been cancelled due to a company member testing positive for COVID-19. Please send in audition reels by August 30th to be considered.**

Int/Adv Contemporary Technique will be taught in this musical, fun and kinetically charged Master Class. The warm-up emphasizes proper placement, centering and fluidity of the spine. Technically challenging movement phrases are built upon in the course of this class, allowing the exploration of a wide range of qualities, spatial patterning and rhythm. Emphasis is on the dancer as a human, not a number. Mitzi is also a board certified massage therapist, and specializes in the ancient art of Jin Shin Jyutsu. She will give tips for self-help at the end of class to aid in keeping the body in good health.

When: August 26th 7:00p-9:00p

Where: 305 W. 38th Street Ripley Grier Studios (studio 311)

Cost: $30 (Cash, Venmo, CC accepted)

To Register: Send an email to:
adamscodancegm@gmail.com

MUST REGISTER BY: 8/25/2022 (Class size is limited)

Please do not bring resumes and headshots!!! They will be thrown away. You will be notified within a week of the class if you are selected.

ACD is following Ripley Grier’s COVID safety update:

Masks & Social Distancing are no longer mandated at RG, however they promise to continue their efforts to insure that their studios and hallways are fresh, clean and ventilated for your safety and peace-of-mind.

For up to the minute information about our COVID safety protocols, give them a call at (212)799-5433.

For more Info call: 203-829-4767

Working with Adams Company Dance in a project manner, dancers will be given the opportunity to keep their regular work, and add a professional company credit to their resume. Short-term projects can last from one day to several weeks, depending on the material. Current rehearsal fees are $25 per rehearsal hour, plus performance stipends — all above market value. An added bonus working with ACD, is learning tips in the ancient art of Jin Sh in Jyustu within rehearsal periods, which is likened to acupuncture without the needles. ACD has been operating in the industry for 31 years, and continues to engage in concert dance, as well as creating cutting edge dance films. See more on Mitzi here.

***“Dancers who take risks on stage have learned to trust from their core.” ~ Mitzi Adams***

Dancers: Claire Hancock and Paulo Gutierrez

31 Years and Counting…

I blinked and thirty-one years went by for Adams Company Dance. Three plus decades of a family of dancers, videographers, photographers, composers, musicians, tech people, administrators, and dozens of volunteers, all forever changing, but one thing always remained the same — the human bonds and the characteristics that make up a healthy, collective experience. There’s a higher plasticity of behavior with the company I keep. I tend to nurture and want them as part of my family, even if only for a fleeting Jiffy-Mix day. As I look back upon all the parts that made the whole of ACD, I bow to the many faces that occupied the pages I turned on the calendar, from year-to-year.

I have loved my playground of dance, whether it be for stage or film, which has been informed by all sources of inspiration. It’s all the ingredients that mix into the recipe, including the process of blending, pulsing, and chopping, that determine the outcome of a work. Have they all been miniature pearls of exquisite delicacy? No, but after all these years, I’ve come to realize that that does not matter. What does matter, and what keeps the fire burning, is simply to keep plugging in the blender, and inviting company to sit and be part of what’s being served up. With every passing new year, there’s bound to be a little shakin’ going on! Stay tuned for more sharing!

Feature photo: Judy Lieff. Dancers: Robert Halley, Meredith Fages
Blog photo: Cathryn Lynne. Dancers: Catherine Borrone, James A. Pierce, III, Milan Misko

Mother’s Day

This time honored solo is worth a replay on Mother’s Day. This special piece I choreographed on myself after my mother died, has been one of my sweet gems in my repertiore. It was uniquely crafted to include a narrative about a dream my mother had where she saw me dancing with a red chair on stage, and a dream I had about my mother dying. My mother and I shared our dreams with another back in 1994, and then just weeks later, she passed away. I entrusted this dance to the exquisite, Julie Fiorenza, in our “Going Solo” Concert in Brooklyn in 2019. She brought everything to the table in her performance. It’s with great honor I share this theatrical display of beauty, and sheer emotion with you, as Julie graces the stage. Happy Mother’s Day!

Enough Said

Enough Said, our new film short, has reached its completion! Paulo Gutierrez, my dancer extraordinaire, poured out his heart and soul into this work. The tattoo on his right arm caught my husband’s eye upon viewing the first draft. “We Can Be Heroes,” it says — a symbolic message dropped in my lap, exemplifying the emotion at the center of my heart. This project seeped out of me as I was editing. As mentioned in my last blog post, our day-shoot in February worked its magic with what seemed like a fairy dust sprinkling of creativity. Tareek Jones, a talented new editor that came on board with me at the end of last year, has been steady pulling levers and making my vision appear before my eyes. I was surprised at how quickly the process went, even with one of our sessions working remotely. I’ll allow you to interpret as you may, as to what the meaning is, but if you’ve followed my prior posts, I assure you, you’ll be on my same page. Enough said.

Excited to share our new film short, Enough Said

Illusions lie beneath the surface

Visit our photo album of our film shoot here

A New Film Emerges

In February, when the ground is frozen, and the chill in the air makes a person want to stay inside, the seeds of something new seem to simmer within me. So, year after year, you’ll see that this is when I’ll typically skip into the studio, eager with inspiration.

Last month was no exception. Paulo Gutierrez, a strong, passionate dancer, happened to be free when I asked him if he wanted to do this project. I had worked with Paulo over the past five years, and knew I could trust his artistry to skillfully script our day together at 520 8th Avenue, (Ripley-Grier Studios) — one of my favorite haunts through the ages. I had in mind to book several studios that day within the building, all with a different color scheme, to add a little texture to our footage. With little material to go on ahead of time, we waltzed through the day, as if I had a great plan. Perhaps I was more reliant on my intuition and spontaneity, trusting that what would be, would be.

After sliding, falling, jumping and climbing upon a grande piano, and dancing through every inch of the spaces where we we visited, the day ended in a dismal back stairwell, where we got our final shots. It felt like we were on a wild ride, exposing the most vulnerable to the most brazen parts of ourselves. This was personal, yet somewhere within the fairy dust of what we created, was a deep message shared by humanity — I look forward to sharing this message soon, once our editing waltz reaches the last measure!

Paulo Gutierrez

Glancing Back on 2021

2021 was a bumpy ride, to say the least. A wave of freedom to move about, was met with another wave of isolation. A collective sigh of relief, was met only by coughing through COVID all over again. It was a miracle to say the least, to have been able to work creatively this past year. With the start of the year premiering Honkin’ Red High Heels, a film we made remotely in its entirety, to working in person with my dancers and videographer this past summer, I felt the duality of life during this pandemic. Working on our new duet, Black and Bluish, was thrilling for me in part, as we were in a theater — not on ZOOM!! Meeting up with live dancers on a stage, with lighting, a tech person, a videographer, and a line manager, was refreshing to say the least. Dancers, Christopher Taylor and Selah Piett, (a new dancer brought in last minute after news of another dancer becoming injured), were quick to adapt and pull my crazy ideas together for their premiere. A newly found editor, Tareek Jones, was also an inspiring in-person work situation — what a treat at that point in time! We worked throughout the Fall in our own little Oz, pulling levers behind the curtain. Our new film short, Bits and Pieces, had its premiere, as well. Dancer, Annie Heinemann, was with me for an all day shoot, which ended up being a prophetic piece of storytelling.

Altogether, I consider myself lucky to have been able to work in these capacities, considering the many obstacles against me. I know I’m not alone when I say that. Any artist who accomplished producing anything at all, is to be congratulated! Now, with our current lockdown of theater, and cancellations of artistic productions galore, I am truly humbled to press PLAY, and look back at the ebb and flow of this past year! It’s been a bumpy ride — that’s for sure!

May this be a time to take stock in what we have, and pay homage to those known to us and unknown to us, who have lost their lives. May their memories live on in our hearts and minds forever, and may 2022 bring peace, and inspiration to us all! Thank you for your support of Adams Company Dance, as we move forward with hope for a healthy, and rewarding New Year!

Dancers featured in our 2021 projects: Annie Heinemann; Abby Marchesseault; Selah Piett; Christopher Taylor, and Evita Zacharioglou

Premiering Bits & Pieces

On August 26th, I set out to make a short film, Bits and Pieces, with my dancer Annie Heinemann. I missed my own memo on what the film was going to be about, but relied on my inimitable “Jiffy-Mix” style to arrange the day by going from different site specific locations, where I basically shot from the hip. Our footage went into the can where it sat until I could find a new in-person editor. After I accomplished that, I went to work and created the trailer. Things were moving along, and then my life was put on pause after I learned the news of my sister’s suicide. Moving through the scenes after I started things up again, I was struck by the nature of the clips I saved — unconsciously created about my sister. As an aside, I typically write poems about all my works, and so I thought I’d share the poem below which was written before I knew about my sister’s passing. Needless to say, this was a prophetic unfolding, and it’s my honor to dedicate this short film to her.

Bits and Pieces

October 3rd, 2021

Bits and pieces of a broken life… shades of memories, traumas, and old rusted cars that had driven too many miles…

A death, a gathering, cards and flowers — all part of a fine, nicely decorated package of a life, no longer breathing…

We cry, we celebrate, we crumble and sink into the long days of loneliness and grief that engulf each day… a stark reality cloaked in an outer coating of what still seems surreal.

The empty chats with well-meaning friends turn the calendar pages, one month after the next — a dry, run-down sort of relationship, that aims to build memories, but instead just ticks the time away.

The tiny hands and feet of a life that could’ve brought smiles and cheers on soccer fields, and birthdays filled with balloons and bows of brightly colored joy — lost to the ages along with all the others — middle aged, old and greying, and some just graduating…

Too many souls now mingling together in the cosmic sea of recycled energy — enjoying a laugh, a hug, and sharing bits and pieces on their lessons learned.

~MJA

Annie Heinemann in Bits and Pieces

Check out our photo album from the day!

Premiering Black and Bluish

I am happy to premiere ACD’s new duet, Black and Bluish! This duet depicts the bruising of humanity from the pandemic, in addition to the leftover wreckage from the last administration. An inane, circus-like mix of music and movement, merges with contemporary beauty in this peculiar piece that explores unconventional territory.

Dancers Selah Piett and Christopher Taylor take the stage after just a few short rehearsals to bring out the flavors of this piece made during the 2021 on-going pandemic. Enjoy this photo album of their work, as well!