SYREN Modern Dance

Back from Hartford

lynn — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 02:16:35 +0000

10/31/11
Hi everyone! SYREN just returned from two wonderful performances at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts on Thursday and Friday. It was really wonderful to spend time together for a few days, and to come together to bring 8 minutes of our new dance to audiences for the FIRST TIME.

To leave the rehearsal studio one day, and walk into a theater the next day and immediately share the work as it is being made felt very exciting and brought a specific kind of presence to the performances.

The feelings of improvisations we have done in rehearsals are still accessible in my mind and resonate in my bones, the musical count that a step is to be done on is still being learned by my brain (eventually this will just be known “without thinking”), and the rhythm of when great energy is needed or not is still settling… Read more →

Beginnings…

admin — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 01:40:05 +0000

Dance #18

SYREN has begun work on our 18th piece.. We have a campaign running to help underwrite the (huge) costs of studio space here in the city. I hope you’ll check it out by clicking above! Feel free to re-post/tweet/facebook~share anywhere. It would be a big help to us.

We have had small pieces with 2 people and street clothes, we have had big pieces with eight dancers, fancy costumes and lots of “stuff” going on. Everything is different right now. We are starting from a different place altogether. A quintet. A fugue. An approach by me that is more about listening, watching, and crafting.

This approach has been a huge learning process and we’ve just begun. We are having a rich and powerful time in the studio right now. Improvisation. Studies. Assignments. Notes. Trial. Error. Retry. Regroup. Try it slower. Quicker. Upside down. Such a journey! What a… Read more →

Stepping Into Show Week

admin — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:01:53 +0000

Chanelle Lagace and Lynn Peterson rehearsing “Dolce”

I can hardly believe it’s here! We enter production week on Tuesday, technically, but it really started yesterday as we sat in one of the music rehearsals. All of the performances will be accompanied by live music (two different programs) so it’s a lot of logistics to get instrumentalists, composers, conductors, sheet music, tempo checks, etc etc etc all together for the big week. This year we are beyond thrilled to be working with Artemis Chamber Ensemble, conducted by Matthew Oberstein for Program “A” (”Dolce” and “the last of the leaves”) and for Program “B”, “Toward Home”, we are working with six incredibly talented musicians (The Paumanok Trio, and Simon Boyar, Oren Fader, and Mat Fieldes) who are brilliantly bringing Damon Ferrante’s score to life. It is all so breathtaking to see it coming together before my eyes and ears! This week… Read more →

Rehearsals for Dance on Canvas

admin — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:03:52 +0000

We have been relishing in our rehearsals at The Art Students League in Manhattan during a very special part of our process: Dance on Canvas. We share the space with visual artists and they draw/paint/sketch while we work!, it’s such a special feeling. Here are a few shots of yesterday’s rehearsal..

It’s such a great feeling to be surrounded by such inspiration!

We are over halfway through setting “Toward Home”, almost finished setting “the last of the leaves” and “Dolce” will be up and running soon!! SO much to do, but it’s a fun rush!! It’s always refreshing to re-set work because I get to know it a little more every time, and make some changes and just finesse it. It’s a good feeling.

Any New York Wingers around tomorrow should… Read more →