The Brooke Chronicles Choreographic Residency
Fredericton, New Brunswick
December 30, 2013-Jan 10th, 2014
Posted by: Darryl Tracy
Last year at this time I was touring with Mocean Dance and Lesandra Dodson. We were on what we called the ‘Deep Freeze Tour’ but was actually The Trilogy Project. I was there as a dancer. A great team and incredible experiences. I was sad that time had passed. It didnt want it to be over. While en route to Winnipeg from Fredericton, Lesandra Dodson suggested I be the Artist in Residence for this year at the warm and creative Charlotte Street Arts Centre. I had spent many rehearsals in the auditorium as well as in Dianne Garrett’s space (Artemis Dance) creating with Lesandra as an interpreter. Now it was my turn to work out some creative ideas.
It was an incredible residency. We hosted a Summer intensive in July 2013 at CSAC. Young dancers from Fredericton spent an intense week exploring conditioning,modern and creation with me, ballet with the amazing Dianne and sound/hip-hop and theatre with local artists including Lisa Ross. In only one week these young artists were revving up novel ways in movement and artistic expression. The final showing for the parents was quite inspiring. I had not really worked with dancers that young and at first was somewhat nervous as what skill sets I would use to communicate and inspire them. So while they explored, I grew tremendously as a teacher and communicator.
I am originally from New Brunswick and my family and many friends are here throughout Atlantic Canada. Although I am now based in Toronto, these artistic bonds seem to deepen and the pull back East seems to be more regular. The end of October, I returned to Halifax (not part of this Residency) to remount “A leash for two hounds” with Susanne Chui (Mocean Dance repertoire). I was happy to be back dancing with her. She is intuitive and a versatile performer and an interpreter I feel very at home with on stage. The trust I can place in her is immense. Classes at Halifax Dance- again I feel at home. We are joined by Lesandra Dodson and Jacinte Armstrong and hit Moncton and the Atlantic Dance Festival. More bonds and more ties are created.
I had a very busy fall as I produced a large scale show in Toronto entitled ‘vital signs’ and was joined by Toronto’s
incredible Heidi Strauss to investigate old works of ours (we had a company called Four Chambers dance projects) as well as new works. It was a huge undertaking. I also had a new creation on the dancers at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre. Considering all of this, I was ecstatic to come back to New Brunswick for the holidays and to hunker into a creative lab at the Charlotte Street Arts Center.
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| Susanne & Lesandra |
As a choreographer, I am often commissioned to do works and often a product/production is to follow soon into the creative process. IncuBator2 was designed to give me studio space and some collaborative dancers to play/create/provoke my tendencies and perhaps go into new terrain. I was excited and nervous.
I brought together an incredible group of dancers. Susanne Chui (Halifax/Mocean Dance), Charles Cardin-Bourbeau (Ottawa/Montreal), Austin Fagan (Toronto) and Amanda LaRusic (Toronto/Truro). I had varied experiences with each of them and this was the first time they would work together as an ensemble. Lesandra Dodson is well versed in a choreographic lab. She has a long history with Ottawa’s le groupe de la place royale as a dancer and choreographer. She was my outside eye and mentor. In the studio, her aesthetic point of view is strong and clear. She continues to always ask and seek clarity in work and she is not afraid to try new things. She is meticulous and relentless. I knew having her as my mentor would be good for me.
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| New Year's Eve Party |
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| Jeff Staflund & Darryl |
In the studio, I was exploring the tissues of the human body. I was wanting to use some of my experience as a clinician (physiotherapist) to investigate how this could be a starting point. We played with breath/sound and movement studies. Connective tissue (connects), epithelial tissue (blankets/covers and supports), muscle tissue contracts/pushes and nervous system (electric). Group organisms morphed and tableaus and portraits appeared. The work was starting to take a directive in week 1.
Lesandra knows me as a dancer and as a friend. I like to be organized. ?right/left brained. I received tasks: to come to the studio unprepared (that was a hard day), to try something humourous/funny, she told me to keep dissecting small phrases. Tough, funny,antics...the dancers all look at me “What do you mean? This seems real heady”. Gulp! Habitually, I go nestle by the window and look outside to see if maybe something will speak to me. Large six foot snowbanks, gargantuan icicles hang from homes, the city seems frozen. Not much is moving. We will make better mistakes tomorrow.
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| Amanda LaRusic & Charles Bourbeau-Cardin |
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The beginning of Week 2, I felt heavy (not because I was named Abbie Lee) but from all the questions. I was doubting myself. Seeing old habits emerge when I was unsure. Personality traits (of my own) that affected the clarity in my process. I had a lot of support from the dancers and Miss Dodson and I/we pushed forward. I learned a lot about time inside the studio and the importance of trust. I witnessed the importance of how hard work and freedom need to partner each other. Gut instincts can be a good thing but to not rely on them too heavily nor quickly. Levity is a good thing. (I guess very basic principles in any walk of life not just in the studio).
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| Austin Fagan |
I took class with the dancers every day and when listening to the live music and dancing/performing the physical exercises to even Chaka Khan’s dance tmix “It’s Not Over”-Brooke’s favorite...I realized how much I love the practices inside dancing.
The week-end between the 2 week residency-I held a Teacher’s Seminar entitled “Motor Learning”. A warm and open group of inspiring teachers spent a cold Saturday with me in the studio looking at movement habits and trends. As I lectured with Lesandra sitting by my side (I listened to what i was saying and hearing some of the information for the first time-I become humbled.) I discover new things about sharing information and the dissemination of information.
The 2 male dancers mustered up a lot of energy with the locals becoming local dance celebs. “Boom! says hello to Austin & Charles!!!” We had a showing on the Friday night. The dancers really amped the work up and again I saw the material and potential in yet a new way. I am now sitting at the Fredericton airport waiting for my flight back to Toronto. I feel satiated and inspired. I am already homesick for Nia, Maddy, Brooke and Kendall aka Mandy, Susanne, Austin (F-Face) and Charles-all of them-I have completely fallen in love with. I will miss my morning ritual of bringing the auditorium to life with the beautiful long windows & Mother Nature’s inspiring and ever changing lighting plot. Rolling on the warped and wooden floor that had it’s own personality. It was fun playing. Through the frosted windows of Charlotte Street Arts Center-I can see a bit more clearly.
It’s Not Over!!!!
oxox
Darryl
Many many thanks to Mocean Dance for partnering and supporting me in this project! Huge thanks to ArtsNB, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (Toronto), Charlotte Street Arts Centre, Tim and Angeline. Also thanks to Jeff/Hugh, Lesandra and Mark Jarman for housing us. Big thanks to the beautiful dancers and to Lesandra for giving me this amazing gift and opportunity! xd
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