The Weblog of Catherine Bell: Goodbye Angus
Thursday, Jan 30 2003, 12:40
Lots seems to have happened since I last wrote. Angus left us which was very sad! We performed the piece he had made for us and then said farewell, he seemed pleased with us and the effort we had put into the 2 weeks. Am going to keep practising the first four puzzles of contact improvisation he gave us (they were made up by the mighty Steve Paxman! founder of contact impro').
I found these are quite difficult to master, and my shoulders were black with bruising for the first week of trying! I bruise like a peach though. Also, mental note to self! continue trying to hand-stand!
Last monday we got back to regular two classes in the morning and dum, dum, dum! Collaboration project in the afternoons. We have a new Graham teacher who has come up to teach us from sunny England (the weather is filthy here at the moment!). So we had to take the 'easy' bodies we had created with Angus straight into hardcore Graham! Nice! These techniques are soooooo incredibly different it makes me wonder whether one is right and the other wrong!
How would Martha and Skinner have justified their techniques to each other had they, or when they met. (My dance history is not very complete! Were the releasers around in Martha's time?). Ever the diplomat, I think it is imporatant to train in both! Anyway, Graham it has been for two weeks, the teach is very dynamic and keen to mould us into perfect contracters!
Collaboration is under way. I feel like a movie director with my camcorder and tripod going on location. This weekend I am filming some of my movement on a beach. I pity my dancers though 'cos it's snowing at the moment and larking about on the beach with only one layer is very, very, very brave!
Still they are keen, and we might even be able to borrow a friend's horse for the day, for some atmospheric moments in the freezing sea. Editing on monday and tuesday all afternoon, which should be interesting! Am trying to lure a film student down with me. If not have had great advice so should be fine!? I am quite nervous.
Filed by Article19 at 12:40 PM | 
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