While there has not been as much activity on the blog that has not been the case for the Flux Dancers. Natalie and I have gotten up bright and early these past two mornings to drive an hour over the Blue Ridge Mountains to Sweet Briar College. SBC is where Natalie attended college and toned her dancing technique. There she met Mark and Ella Magruder as professors and has continued on as life long friends.
Mark agreed to set a duet on Natalie and myself. While this process has the same ingredients as the work with Mary: a generous choreographer, three days, and lots of hard work and dancing, the actual process has been different. For this piece Mark is working in a very linear thought process. As soon as we walked in and were ready to go he set us in our starting positions. Once a movement has been set – it is set. There is very little going back to change movement. I have found this piece to not be so heady. Because the work was created in order my mind can stop thinking about where it is going next and let my body just move there. This frees up my mind to focus more on the quality and intent of the movement.
After the first day at Sweet Briar I felt solid with what I had learned and what my body could do. As the 2nd day started, the dynamic of the piece changed slightly and my confidence swung with the change. It is a lot. We have over 7 1/2 mins of strong and innovative choreograph in two days. We even have some of the kinks worked out that you always run into when you are first learning a piece.
Even though this process may be a bit different the Mary’s there still is a strong Common Thread. Mary and Mark do not know each other or where even born in the same decade but both put strong lifts and weight sharing ideas into their choreography. The pieces are completely different but at the same time will both showcase some great partnering work.
On that note, my arms are tired, my legs are sore and I have blisters on the bottom of both feet. I need a shower and in the morning we have to get up and do it all over again. With all of those complaints, I am doing what I love, working hard, and learning a whole lot – I have been thrown in to the sweet sweet briar patch.
-Laura Atwood
latwood
nyking
as always, the process sounds exciting with challenge, an exploration with destination. you have experienced exactly what one would expect in a briar patch – surprise, discomfort and change.
go sbc!!! think pink!!!
You are a hard worker. I am sure that you will rise to the occasion and do a wonderful job.
Good luck!!! It sounds like you have a challenge on your hands. Keeping you in my prayers.
work hard and believe in yourself. You can do it
This sounds like alot of hard work and dedication that will definetly pay off in the end.This is a great experience for you . You go girl!! Good luck!
Sounds very challenging. You know you have alot of support, not just physically, or emotionally, but most of all spiritually. You’re doing something that you love, with that comes alot of hard work, but the rewards will be worth it all. Hang in there and just have fun.
It sounds like you are a dedicated person in something that you love. You
will succeed in this process because of your strength and of your friendship
with your partners. The different ideas from each other will bring together
a wonderful routine. God bless you!
It sounds like you are a dedicated person in something that you love. You will succeed in this process because of your strength and of your friendship with your partners. The different ideas from each other will bring together a wonderful routine. God Bless you? Sorry, about the first message I recent it again due to some typing errors.
Congrats on being able to have the chance to do something that you truly love. Something that you are truly passionate about will give you the strength to carry on and have a beautiful performance in the end. Good luck and best wishes!