I'm thrilled to be co-teaching The Ume Group's 12 Week Physical Theatre Course with Yokko from February-April 2017. In this course, students work to grasp the fundamentals of the company's 3 primary disciplines: yoga, butoh and devising. The variety of technical, analytic, meditative, and creative course components are aimed at creating for each student a deeply embodied understanding of critical concepts for the physical theatre such as energy lock, active stillness, whole body listening, soft landing, neutrality, embodiment, resonance, ensemble play and more!
Ren Gyo Soh's First Anniversary Party
What a gift it was to be included in Ren Gyo Soh's First Anniversary Party, celebrating a year since it's initial founding. I was able to perform an excerpt from The Ume Group's Dream Dances and premiere a new piece choreographed by Ren Gyo Soh's Yokko; a Butoh exploration of Hamlet entitled The Name of Action.
Dream Dances Closes.
The Ume Group's Dream Dances began development in October. Through five months of training (butoh, gymnastics, yoga nidra, physical theatre), dream journaling and sketching, the ensemble- Kate Douglas, Fabio Motta, Mike McNulty, Byron Hagan and myself- led by director Jordan Rosin (assisted by Yokko and Christian Leadley) devised what has been one of the greatest sources of pride and growth in my career thusfar. Resisting the urge to be easily classified or marketed as 'all this' or 'all that,' we were led through a process that challenged our limits as performers, building new skills and developing new senses for intimate, authentic and resonant storytelling. I have nothing but gratitude for Jordan, the team and the wildly supportive and enthusiastic audiences that shared this journey with us. On to the next.
Photos by Jorge Luna Photography.
Dream Dances Begins Previews March 5th
Ren Gyo Soh Fundraiser Performance- April 18th
Save the date- I'll be performing a Butoh piece directed by Yokko at Ren Gyo Soh's 1st Birthday Party Fundraiser at the ABC Sanctuary, along with a bill of other exciting performances.
Void Theater Company's truth or dare
Void Theater Company's Fall Lab performance of truth or dare was a magically explosive and intimate experience shared with a small, invited audience in our private space on December 2nd, 2014. It's an honor and a privilege to collaborate with the lady-powerhouses of Void- voraciously talented dancers, actors and singers. We'll continue to develop this piece in the spring lab with plans for more public sharings in 2015. Void Theater Company is directed by Leni Mendez and consists of Leah Beltran, Julia Cavagna, Clarissa Hoffmann, Rebecca Lloyd-Jones, Lauren Lamalino, Marie Putko with sound by Emilio Cordero.
Rehearsal shots below by Jorge Luna.
Butoh Workshop with Yokko of Ren Gyo Soh
After a lengthy and intensive Void rehearsal Saturday AM, I hopped down to the ABC Sanctuary for a butoh workshop led by fellow Void dancer (and Ume Group member), Yokko- the founder of Ren Gyo Soh. It was an honor to explore and share deeply personal dances with this generous and open group. Many thanks, Yokko, for a beautiful afternoon!
The Ume Group's 'Dream Dances' Sketching Phase
After weeks of butoh, yoga nidra, acrobatics and physical theatre training along with intensive dream journaling, the ensemble has begun to sketch some of our most vivid, poignant, curious or personally stirring dreams using the ensemble to create representations of or responses to elements of within these stories.
Below is an image from last night's initial sketch directed by ensemble member Mike McNulty. The process has been challenging, invigorating and extremely fertile for me thusfar. Look out for more updates. Dream Dances will be performed March 5-7th 2015 at Grace & St. Paul's Church- 173 W. 71st St, NY NY.
Void Theater Company- Save the Date
I'm thrilled to have become a member of the Void Theatre Company. I'm humbled to belong to this octet of insanely talented female performance artists, headed by the inspiring Leni Mendez.
Our objective is to represent and promote artistic and cultural interests of a cosmopolitan nature. Theater, cinema, dance, music and plastic arts are utilized through an inclusive and multiethnic lens. We provoke the creation of an open space, a meeting point, exploration, fusion of new artistic languages incited by the cultural exchange fermented in New York City, whose cosmopolitan character makes it the ideal laboratory to create and "believe" art in this manner.
We'll be opening our doors and showing this fall's work on Sunday, November 30th at 8:30p in Manhattan. Details to follow. Please save the date.
'Mercy of Trees' at the Jefferson Market Library
I'm grateful beyond words to have been a part of Russell Brown's Mercy of Trees directed by Luis Villabon. I had the privilege of playing the Lady of Light opposite Kamaria Dailey's Mother of Darkness.
This immersive theatre piece led audiences through the beautiful Jefferson Market Library's Gardens and then into the former courthouse, incorporating dance and music into an evening of storytelling.
Our team is so grateful to the large and generous audience who attended and surrendered to this non-traditional experiences. I look forward to many future collaborations with this team.
The Ume Group's 'Dream Dances'
I'm humbled and thrilled to join The Ume Group as a company and ensemble member for the 2014-2015 season to collaborate on their new piece, 'Dream Dances.' I'll be working closely with a diverse, talented and inspiring team to use butoh, yoga, meditation and gymnastics to create a movement piece that explores the world of sleep and dreams. Performances will be March 5-7, 2015 at Grace & St. Paul's Church on 71st St. Stay tuned for more details.
A Mass for Isis- Butoh Performance
I'll be appearing as a guest artist in this upcoming performance!
__
The Ume Group presents
A MASS FOR ISIS
A site-specific dance ritual, drawing on butoh, yoga, gymnastics and healing movements to celebrate the animating power of the Egyptian mother goddess, Isis.
SCHEDULE
6:45pm A Moving Meditation led by Marie Putko
7:30pm Tea Reception
8:00pm Mass for Isis
featuring performances by The Ume Group Ensemble and special guests!
TICKETS
$25 - $30 at http://massforisis.bpt.me/
Get $15 & $20 tix with Discount Code: "ISIS15"
CREDITS
Choreography by Jordan Rosin
The Ume Group Ensemble: Yokko, Dave Herigstad, Marie Putko, Jordan Rosin
Also featuring Rachel Kodweis, Ilanna Saltzman, Leslie Erin Roth and Keelie A. Sheridan
LOCATION
Grace & St. Paul's Church
123 West 71st Street, New York, NY 10023
(72nd Street on the 1, 2, 3, C, & B trains)
ABOUT THE UME GROUP
Since 2011, The Ume Group has been producing live events, marked by "commanding, physically impressive performances" (The Village Voice) and a "risky physical vulnerability" (nytheatre.com). They have been seen at The New York International Fringe Festival, The Hollywood Fringe Festival, The CoolNY Dance Festival, and The Irondale Center (NY). Their major works include BUTOH ELECTRA, FACET, THE ISIS VARIATIONS along with countless short dance works and theatrical collaborations. The Group's core members come from a wide variety of backgrounds, but are all highly trained teachers and physical theatre artists, with years of experience in disciplines as far ranging as butoh and gymnastics to yoga and martial arts.
For more information, visit: http://www.theumegroup.org/
