Interview with Intern Sarah

What has been your strongest impression of Atlanta?

At the beginning, I had a hard time to get around in Atlanta. The city is so spread-out and to know a good place to go out for eating, shopping, dancing was difficult. But after the second week, I was able to ride by MARTA and the bus and by asking, people gave me advice. Being an intern at CORE help me a lot too. You guys were so nice with me, ready to give a hand any time. Thank you for that!!

From your time here, what is your impression of the Atlanta dance community?

There are a lot of amazing choreographers and dancers here. I had a chance to see many of their performances and I would say, thank you again to CORE to get me in touch with all those concerts. My second impression, compare to France, even if it’s hard to get funds, place for performing, the community is really active and passionate.  

You participated in the Fieldwork workshop this spring. What was that like for you?

CORE give me this opportunity to have a space to create and perform, it was just amazing. It was one of my wishes to try as an un-professional, to explore my capacity and my idea about movement. I don’t think that in France, we have a similar program. It would be so great!!! (CORE responds: There is one in Berlin now. You could always take it back with you to France!)

What will you take with you from your experiences at CORE?

Your involvement for the dance community through the events, the connection that you are doing in the dance community. 

Best wishes on your future endeavors!

Fieldwork Showcase in Houston

The Fieldwork showcase is a performance showcasing works in progress created by artists of different mediums. Each week throughout the process, each artist show their work in progress until the culmination, which is a showing in a local, profession theater. CORE has been a part The Field and has provided the space and facilitators for Field workshops in Atlanta and Houston. The next Fieldwork showcase is in Houston on May 15th, and Lydia Hance, Field Facilitator in Houston, wrote us these words about her experiences with Fieldwork.

"Fieldwork has changed my life as an artist in several ways. First, it has
given me structure and accountability. To have a group ready and willing to
give feedback on my works-in-progress every week has been a challenge to
continue to create new work. While there is never any guilt if I don’t have
work to show at a weekly session, I recognize it as a lost opportunity to
gain valuable feedback from the artists. It’s a momentum that all artists
need.

It has changed my perspective on creating work. Fieldwork has given me
permission to linger in the process, and to realize that I’m free to create
work even if it doesn’t result in a final product to show publically. It’s
exercise, it’s struggle, it’s sinking into creation. For me, art is between
98 and 99.9% process, versus the final product. Showing work that is
mid-process has always felt risky. But through Fieldwork I’ve challenged
myself to show work in its first stage, when it’s barely begun. While this
is very vulnerable, it opens the work to so many more possibilities and
freshness outside of my own boundaries. Invaluable. In this way, Fieldwork
had allowed me to grow in my perspective of my work and myself. It isn’t
about proving myself, but allowing the work to develop— surrendering to the
process.

Thirdly, Fieldwork has provided a community of diverse artists. Poets,
dollmakers, choreographers, filmmakers, actors, musicians, costume
designers… I relish the valuable perspectives of artists outside of my
genre. It’s really all about opening ideas and breaking my self-constructed
boundaries in the way I approach my work. I’ve come to use their words,
reactions, experiences, and perspectives on my work as fuel to grow and take
the work in new directions.

I recommend Fieldwork to everyone who considers herself an
artist—professional or amateur. We all possess creativity, and it must be
nurtured."

Like Linda Hance, many artists that gone through the Fieldwork process experience growth and change in themselves and their work. Come and share in their experience. Again, the Fieldwork showcase in Houston will be May 15, 2011 at 2pm at the Barnevelder Movement/Arts Complex. Tickets are just $7. We look forward to seeing you there.

Happy dancing,

Sharon

Weaving Culture into Dance

CORE Performance Company is set to perform Corazón Abriendo (Heart Opening) in Miami, Florida on May 13th for the Miami Dance festival. I was able to sit down with CORE Performance Company member, Alex Abarca to get his take on the the piece.

SS: Talk a little bit about Corazón Abriendo.

AA: It’s about the Mayan people and their culture and how weaving is integral to all aspects of their life. I try to find a common thread (ha-ha, common thread) to link all of the sections together. Each section deals with life and living, and throughout the piece I try to think about how all life is interconnected.

SS: You had to take a trip for this piece. Where did you go? What was it like?

AA: We went to Guatemala. It was inspiring. It was eye-opening. It was humbling. It was very personal. Because of this experience, I think about color. I think about heritage and history. I also think about how magical and mystical everything is. There’s so much mythology involved in the Mayan history and how they explain how the world works.

It is always a treat to hear thoughts from a company member about the work that he is performing. Feel free to post questions in our comment section about Corazón Abriendo for the dancers to answer.

Check out our website for information on our upcoming events. There, you will also find links to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Happy dancing,

Sharon