From Korea With Love

Julie Fiorenza

Digging way back into the passport that brought you to America could open up Pandora’s Box. That’s exactly what Julie Fiorenza did when she visited her birthplace last year… a trip to Korea that opened the door for my new dance, “My Room.” I had never set a solo on Julie, so unraveling the story of her adoption seemed like an interesting place to start.

Working through the first few rehearsals, the movement just poured out, and Julie took to it, like a bird takes to flight. Fostering cross-cultural diversity came easily with this dance, as we stitched together themes using a slideshow of images from Korea, poetry, beautiful music, and of course, Julie’s incredible dancing.

As you can imagine, this process saved a lot of money in therapy fees! Look for Julie’s debut of this solo on October 10th at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center in NYC!!!

Here’s a sneak peak of the poem:

Engulfed in a sea of faces like my own–
I feel a sense of belonging, but I am a stranger to this place.

You took me back, Korea…
for my eyes to see,
my lips to touch,
my nose to smell…

You’re a souvenir for only me to keep…
My nest, my cradle, my birthplace…

Roaming the streets of the city where I came into this world,
peering into the houses from high atop a hill–
I’m not alone…

It still feels like a dream… surreal.
But now I’ve seen it, stood there, brought a piece of it home.

I’m so glad I found you again…
~JF & MJA

Julie Fiorenza

Miles: A New Duet Comes About

"Miles" w/Ryan Schmidt & Ryan Lawrence

A very last-minute performance opportunity popped up this month at the Secret Theater in Long Island City, Queens.  The new duet I was working on needed a trial run, so I took advantage of the dates. Tonight and tomorrow you’ll see a new duet entitled, Miles, danced by Ryan Schmidt and Ryan Lawrence. I was inspired, yet again, by another piece by Maria Schneider, Pas De Deux, off her Grammy Award-winning CD, Concert in the Garden.  I knew the “two Ryans” had to meet and dance together at some point, as they are altar-egos of one another. They dance very muck alike… stretchy, long legs, and the technical prowess most dancers aspire toward.

With Maria Schneider’s concert this week at Birdland, (this was pure coincidence, or maybe not!), it all seems appropriate to wrap another one of her works  around a dance this week. Thanks again, Maria, for the tickets to the show! It was outstanding, as usual!

With all the universe is going through right now, why not treat yourself to Maria’s voice of beauty through music and dance this weekend? Thank you, dancers, for making this happen!

visit www.adamscompanydance.com

Film Noir

The Combo

In my inimitable style, I planned another piece while on the train into NYC. It’s a ride that takes care of so many needs, if you take the time to let the creative juices flow. This time it was more than dance, it was Godspell meets Baby Buddha, meets Richard the III, meets Doris Humphrey — toss in a narrative about Facebook, and you’ve got the gist of ACD‘s evening of film making, which I’m calling:  “Let’s Face It,” a scrappy, austere, film noir comment on the loss of literature and spirituality, to the techno-modes of communicating and learning.

I fooled the dancers and told them they were going to learn a short combination for a commercial reel I needed to make… never mind! I lucked out to get Peter Richards, videographer magnifique, to shoot this night of  weird and wacky antics. Fay Li was amazing to come and capture our zaniness through her artistic lens. Thanks to Annie, Julie, Ryan and Sarah for making the night of April 28th at Baryshnikov Arts Center an evening that I’ll never forget!

“Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer — by my editor!!!”

On with the film making! Coming soon to a YouTube near you!!

An Airborne Moment in 'The Combo'

The Spirits Were With Us!

Leap of Faith

Ryan Schmidt in "Ruby"

Ryan Schmidt, flying high in this leap, was not only relying on her skill as a dancer, but also on a good dose of faith to get her up so high.  This article we wrote together, was a therapeutic undertaking.

When you see a dancer  performing onstage, there’s much more that goes on behind the scenes, than what you could even imagine. Yes, there’s the countless dance classes, but then there’s simply LIFE to deal with. Everything shows on a dancer, from an ounce of excess flesh, to the mole on their cheek; but, what lurks from deep within the psyche, also shows up. That’s what you don’t see — except it does affect a dancer’s ability to even do a simple tendu. How good a dancer feels on the inside, interprets through to the tips of the their toes! Ryan stretched through her toes — all the way to the air — in this story. I hope you have time to read it… I think you’ll be happy you did!

Please visit www.adamscompanydance.com!

A Dance Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.

Permit me to deviate from the usual domain of  the modern dance sophistication, and allow a simple, yet deeply meaningful solo to color the wall of this blog. “Undisclosed Recipients,” (A Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.), ushers in a message  through movement, depicting the struggle that King lived, and honoring his goodwill that helped break down the racial divide. This peacemaker, minister, activist and man of color, was fighting for our nation to bring equality to all people, and though we still have a ways to go, the monumental shift he made, brought justice to a broken people. In this, we celebrate his achievement.

Dance has a way of telling a story that invokes a feeling. I hope that young people who may not get a chance to dig deep into the pages of a history book, due to the Cliff-noted, Wikipedia classroom these days, will feel just a little something from watching this piece. King’s message is about love, and so with the support of John Legend’s music and U2’s lyrics, I have created this cameo piece danced by former Martha Graham dancer, James A. Pierce III. Please take the time to share this with a young person. I am sure that Dr. King would have much – pride… in the name of love!