Regards to all of you who were part of the Skidmore residency! Even though the Graham Company’s schedule was beyond full in the weeks following Skidmore, we have missed you and our time together. Many of us have commented on the remarkable synergy created at Skidmore — a combination of hard work, concentration, discovery, accomplishment and above all, creativity. This was all simmered in a wonderful connection between different levels of artistry — students, emerging artists, professional artists. Everyone involved in the residency fit under each of these categories at one point or another, and we were surrounded by this amazing creative energy and exchange.
Our work at Skidmore has inspired us to find new ways to connect with young artists and develop new possibilities with university students. We’re currently planning a residency at New York University — the next step in the Clytemnestra Project — and exploring ideas to involve students and audiences at other campuses. In the next few weeks, we’ll be alerting you to Clytemnestra ReMashed, an online competition that is based on your Name-calling projects (!)
We’d love to hear more about you and “Life After Skidmore” — what’s your perspective on your Graham experience now that you’ve had a few weeks to think about it? Has it inspired any changes in the way you dance, the way you think, the way you live? Do you miss us at all?
Also: Do you have any ideas for us about staying connected? Is anybody interested in participating in a Q&A with company members? Any projects that we might initiate online that would engage you and others? A live chat of some kind?
While we wait for the answers to roll in, check out some of your colleagues in this new video posted on YouTube and Carly’s blog for Dance Spirit
Make some noise! We want to hear from you!
Hugs to each of you,
Janet
One Comment
Hello!
It is so nice to return to this website and have so many memories right at my fingertips! I just looked back at a few things on here and it has really made me smile. I cannot express what a valuable and, really, magical experience those three weeks were for me. I feel much more confident about the Graham technique, rep, and everything in between, and also feel as though I really got to LIVE the Graham life for those weeks… so so so cool!! I also still get goose bumps, sometimes, when I think of getting to watch those rehearsals, seeing Denise, my teacher, and Goddess, even before Skidmore, dance in those Clytemnestra Rehearsals, referring to the Company by first name, and having them know and spend time with me, and getting to learn the Cassandra name-calling, Panorama, and part of Maple Leaf Rag. Since the residency I had a few weeks at home in NY, and then I went to the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance for a month long intensive there. ?!?! Part of what we did at SFCD, was learn the repertory and technique (Gaga) of Ohad Naharin/ Batsheva. His technique is certainly veryyyy different from that of Martha Graham, but it has some relationships which I was able to tap into a fair amount! There is a lot about energy coming from the pelvis, and even about exploding from the pelvis, and that made sense instantly to me… Thanks Graham Company and directors!!!
There was no actual Graham offered, but I found myself making some of my strongest connections with those people there who had experienced Graham in one way or another, and whom were moved by it. I even showed the Clytemnestra website to a few people, and they all found it to be very exciting. No matter how hard I tried, though, I always found it difficult to describe just how perfect the Skidmore program was, but whenever I did describe it at all, everyone was amazed that I got to learn Graham rep, PERFORM IT IN THE SAME SHOW AS THE COMPANY, live so closely with everyone, and work with such significant people in the Graham, and really the dance, world all the while, WATCH REHEARSALS, and so much more. As I reflect upon it, myself, I also realize that it was truly a unique experience to get to know such wonderful fellow students, as well, because we were all there for the same reason, and we all were growing so much so quickly. I remember sitting down in my Skidmore single room one night with about five other people, and we all spent hours looking through various Martha Graham books, in awe of the intensity and the beauty of it all. Where else can one find that in such an enjoyable, interesting, and supportive peer group?!?! I also learned to have confidence in my Graham work, as Melissa put so well in her own post. Taking class with the company members, or even Denise (!!!), was intimidating at first, but I learned that I could do it, and that I needed only to be fearless in order to soak up as much as possible each day. I was in heaven for those 3 weeks, and for that I thank everyone. MISS YOU GUYS!!!!
Love,
Lucy