Sunday, October 29, 2006

Brazilian Motion: Mauricio Campos on Capoeira


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Photo by Karen Newman

Brazilian-born Mauricio Campos (Gringo) moved to Houston in 1990 and took a turn from his professional skateboarding career to study martial arts. After a few years of practicing and teaching martial arts he returned to his Brazilian roots and began training Capoeira in 1997. Under the supervision of Master Jelon Vieira (pioneer of Capoeira in USA), Mauricio became part of a worldwide school name Grupo Capoeira Brasil. He has conducted classes and workshops in several schools and universities. In 200, Mr. Campos and his students started the Brazilian Arts Foundation, a non-profit organization with the mission to enhance cultural awareness and develop a pro-social community through the preservation of the Brazilian culture. Today the foundation offers programs at their own cultural center located in the Heights Historical District and also at Rice University, Jewish Community Center, and Houston Independent School District. Mr. Campos enlightens us on the rich history of Capoeira.

When I watch Capoeira I see part dance and part game. If you had to describe the form in one sentence to someone that has never seen it what would you say?
MC: Capoeira is a mix of dance, martial arts, acrobats and music. All of these elements blend in on a game of strategy and creativity and survival.

Where did the work originate?
MC: Both dances originated in the state of Bahia in Brazil, which was the first point of entry for all the African people that were brought by the Portuguese.

In the tiny bit of Capoeira that I did with you a few years back there seemed to be an element of challenge or competition in the form. Can you talk about this?
MC: Yes, Capoeira is a game and competition is always present, you are competing with yourself and with the other capoeirista. In Brazil we compare Capoeira to chess, the difference is that you are using your body and have to make decisions in a split second but the strategy and creativity are the same.

How do you train?
MC: I train in the physical and the musical part of Capoeira everyday as I am teaching and also set times to practice by myself or with a partner. I practice the mental part of Capoeira 24 hours a day; it may sound crazy but with time it becomes your way of life. The same way you have to make decisions, deal with different people and energy, be grounded, calm, smart etc in the game of Capoeira, you should transfer all these elements to everyday life and vise versa. I can honestly say today that capoeira helped me to become a much more balanced person!

Did your skateboarding skills give you an edge?
MC: It sure did, I believe that any physical sport or dance can be helpful withanother since they all bring a different style of movement and awarenessas far as your body, space, timing, distance, speed and flow of movements.

Music is a large part of Capoeira. Give us a bit of history on the instruments and how music fits into the Capoeira picture.
MC: The music is the soul of the art and the Berimbau (African instrument) is the instrument the dictates the rhythm and the style of the game. The capoeirista moves according to the speed and style of the rhythm, we also play Atabaque (drum) and the Pandeiro (tamborim), the capoeiristas that are not playing the game clap their hands and sing the chorus.

How does the work give us a flavor of Brazilian culture?
MC: Capoeira in Brazil is only second to soccer, so you can imagine how rooted the art is in our culture and everyday life. The art reflects the personality of the Brazilian people; we emerge of a straggle to celebrate every second of life with great passion and happiness.

Do people ever tell you that the Capoeira reminds them of contact improvisation, modern dance, or break dancing?
MC: If you ask 10 different people about Capoeira you will probably get 10 different answers. Yes, we hear all kinds of comments and comparisons and it is very interesting to me to find out how people see Capoeira.

Is Houston been receptive to your group?
MC: Yes, I have been teaching Capoeira in Houston since November of 1998 and it's been a great journey. Today, we take part of traditional events in the city like Tapestry of Dance and the Houston International Festival etc; we also have programs at Rice University, Jewish Community Center, Wellness Memorial Center and several after school programs around the city. The Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County has also approved grants for our annual event for the past 2 years.

Tell us what you will be doing on in November at Barnevelder and other locations?
MC: We will be performing Capoeira, Maculele (dance originated at the sugar cane fields in Brasil) and puxado de rede (dance of the fisherman bring the net from the sea), and also an acrobatics show. Also in November we will have our annual Batizado, a series of workshops
during the week and the celebration and the Capoeira students graduation, Several masters and instructors from Brazil, Canada, France and all over United States-about 150 capoeiristas- will be participating in the events.

The Brazilian Arts Foundation presents Batizado on October 31- November 4th. The workshops will be held at 1133 E. 11th Street Houston , tx 77009 and the Batizado will be held at Barnevelder Movement/Arts Complex on November 4th from 2 to 4pm, located at 2201 Preston.

Contact www.brazilianarts.org or www.grupocapoeirabrasil.com
.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

The Sounds of Silence: Two Star Symphony Scores The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

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Houston’s most theatrical string quartet, Two Star Symphony, is at it again. That is, defying the usual boundaries of string music. At the MFAH this October they’re scoring The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari the 1919 classic German Expressionism film about a carnival hypnotist and a girl-snatching somnambulist. “It’s a match for us; it’s creepy, dark, and almost funny,” says Margaret LeJune, the quartet’s outspoken spokeswoman and cellist. “The scale of the set is wonderfully distorted with weird skewed angles. Plus, scoring films is what we love to do.” Are you listening Hollywood?

Marian Luntz, Curator of Film and Video and Director of the Film Program at the MFAH, invited the quartet to score 19 silent films for Unseen Cinema last season. “They were great and it was a true silent film concert,” says Luntz. “They were game for expanding their expertise with silent films and we needed a Halloween film.” All Two Star members contribute to the score. Don’t expect Mozart; the troupe plays only original music. LeJeune and Jo Bird (viola) have been playing their instruments since childhood while violinist Debra Brown is mostly self-taught. Bird prefers heavy metal and is rarely seen without her motorcycle boots. “I hear sounds that I didn’t know were possible coming out of Jo’s instrument,” says Brown. “Sometimes I think she just might catch on fire.”

For this event Two Star will expand to also include Jerry Ochoa (violin), Cathy Power (marimba, bells), Kirk Suddreath (percussion), John Duboise (clarinet), and Chris Bakos (bass).

For a troupe that started out playing pirate tunes at Oscar’s Creamery, they’ve gathered an impressive following. They often fill the house, whether at the MFA or Rudyard’s Pub. Their fan base—all over the map age-wise—spans socialites to art rock kids. “Some people come just to see Debra, everybody has a crush on her,” says LeJeune about the hottie of the band. “We call her our secret weapon.”

These babes with bows play at bars, underground venues like Helios, with theater and dance groups, openings and benefits, and even on the street. They landed a big gig playing at a top ten ad firm party when an executive heard them playing on the Manhattan streets. “You can’t deny there’s something sexy about seeing girls playing stringed instruments in a bar,” says Chronicle blogger Sara Cress about their unusual choice of venues. They even charmed the folks at the opening of Body Worlds 3 at the Houston Museum of Natural Science and have even played at a Houston Symphony after party. But film is there favorite place to strut their stuff. “We are very visual musicians,” says LeJeune. “I always have a story in my head when I play.”

Two Star are Houston’s go-to girls for original music. Dominic Walsh commissioned a score for his piece, Alchemy, for American Ballet Theatre Studio Company. Last season Two Star rocked the house in their 3rd collaboration with Bobbindotrin Puppet Theatre’s gothic exploration of life from the grave, Danse Macabre, in full zombie garb no less. Artistic director Joel Orr wrote the scripts around their entrancing original scores. “Living with their music and writing for it has to be one of the most fully satisfying artistic endeavors I have ever experienced,” says Orr about the fruitful collaboration. “Every year we challenged ourselves to look deader than the year before,” says LeJeune.

Two Star’s big dream is to be able to do more original music for film and they fully intend to explore some less ghoulish themes just as soon as Halloween is over. For now, the question of the evening: Will the notorious leather and boot clad musicians be in dressed for the spooky occasion? You bet, and they expect you to be as well.

Learn more at www.twostarsymphony.org/

The MFAH Film Program presents The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari), Directed by Robert Wiene, with live accompaniment by Two Star Symphony Orchestra on Friday, October 27, 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, October 29, 7:00 p.m. Visit
www.mfa.org/film.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Much Movement in Much Ado About Nothing: Matt Williams talks about his work on the Alley’s new production

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Melissa Pritchett as Ursula and James Belcher as Antonio in
William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.
Photo by T. Charles Erickson

Matt Williams brings a well-trained dance eye to the theater stage. Armed with a BFA in Choreography from UC-Irvine, Williams has brought his swift moves to La Mama, Lincoln Center, and Buffalo Contemporary Dance. This is his second collaboration with director Scott Schwartz. He took the time to visit with me about his work on the Alley Theatre’s hilarious new production.

First off, thanks for taking the time to visit with the Houston dance community and congratulations on your vivid work on Much Ado about Nothing. I am always interested the way dance shows up on the theater stage. Can you tell us how you got involved in this project?

MW: Scott Schwartz is a big dance fan and knows how dance can add high energy to a show, whether a musical or a straight play. With such creative original music by Michael Holland, it was a natural progression to have dance in this play.

When Schwartz explained the treatment, which I might describe as whimsical surreal Laugh-In meets James in the Giant Peach (Houston, you have to see it to believe it), what went through your mind movement wise?

MW: At first, nothing. I had no idea after looking at the costumes and set what I was going to do. But then 10 minutes later, once the dizziness settled, I could think again. I started at a very basic level. I drew from what I knew already and then researched genres that were "Group" type party dances. I studied styles from 19th Century Grand Marches and Quadrilles to the Polka and Schottische.

The look and feel is so eclectic and your dances really reflect that. One minute I feel like I am watching a Brazilian carnival, the next, a Chinese New Year festival. Can you comment about how you integrated the visual wildness of the production into your choreography?

MW: It was actually an easy integration. My choreography tends to have this type of eclectic wildness already. That is partly why Scott chose me as the choreographer. A good director knows how to assemble an effective creative team. Scott's a good director.

One of the dances actually had a functional component in that the stage was cleared as part of the dance. How do you see dance as an effective way to transform the space?

MW: Well let's face it; it's just more interesting to "dance" a set change. In addition, I love to work with props. The set in this instance was a big "prop." So we figured out how we could turn the poles and casters and balloons into dance partners. I'm sure you recall Fred Astaire's duet with a coat rack, same thing. Gene Kelly did it too, with a variety of props and set pieces.

There are nods to straight Shakespeare hidden in everything from
the costumes to your dances. During the last dance you snuck in a bit of Elizabethan flavor. Tell us how that came about?

MW: That was just dumb luck. I'm sure in my subconscious it was there too; it just bubbled up.

Obviously the Alley actors are an embodied lot, but are not trained dancers (with the exception of Melissa Pritchett). How does that curb or inspire your movement choices? SEE CORRECTION

MW: When you are working with folks who are not trained dancers you
simply take a step and water it down. I've always thought of dance as fancy
skipping and walking. So you take a glissade assemble for instance,
simplify it, and it's a hop from one foot to the other, then a jump to
two feet. My choreography is usually narrative. Actors connect with that. I
think actors in many cases, are more interesting to watch dance because of
their ability to communicate with their faces. And, I never call them
non-dancers. Everybody can dance, we all just dance differently.

Do you have any tips for choreographers wanting to break into theater?

MW: Teach dance (so you can practice choreographing and get paid for it), put together a good reel (5 minutes of high quality footage of your choreography, however you can get it), be a great "people person," make friends with directors, be open to choreographing anything, and, most importantly, help other people in the business. Refer folks to jobs you can't take, help an actor find a place to live, feed a starving stage manager, do anything that crosses your path to help. It will come back to you. But don't do it because you expect good karma to boomerang back to you, do it out of love.

What's next for you?

MW: I'm getting married on March 10th to the most beautiful, thoughtful, courageous, and loving woman. Her name is Jennifer.

Thanks for your time and best of luck with the big day!

Much Ado About Nothing continues at the Hubbard Stage at the Alley Theatre through November 5, 2006. Call 713-228-8421 or visit www.alleytheatre.org

Correction: I have since been informed that several members of the Alley cast are indeed trained in dance. My since apologies to those dancer/actors.

Monday, October 09, 2006

A Street Called Hubbard: Chicago’s Legendary Dance Company Stops in Houston

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Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Photo by Todd Rosenberg

New York may not be the center of the dance universe after all. Lou Conte, a pioneering figure in dance, thought Chicago would do just fine for his center. Conte started Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC), a company and studio, in 1977. When someone asked him the name of his organization, he looked out the window and saw the “Hubbard” street sign. Now, when you mention the word “Hubbard” people think dance. Today the studio is a major training facility and the company that has grown to be one of the most successful repertory performing companies in the U. S. Their repertory contains the work of the giants of contemporary dance as well as emerging choreographers.

Conte started the company to showcase his own work, but quickly outgrew that single choreographer model. In the 1980s, Conte commissioned several works by up-and-coming choreographers Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Margo Sappington, and Daniel Ezralow. In 1990 he formed a ground-breaking partnership with American dance legend Twyla Tharp. In the years following he brought some of the world most renown choreographers to work with his group, including Ohad Naharin, William Forsythe, Nacho Duato, Lar Lubovitch, Christopher Bruce, and Jirí Kylián.

Conte retired in 2000 and handed the reins to choreographer Jim Vincent. Conte still directs the school but has give Vincent ample space to carve his own path. These were some mighty dance shoes to fill but so far Vincent is pleased with how the transition is going. “I like to say he took his shoes with him,” says Vincent. “Lou gave me space figure out my own path at Hubbard.”
Vincent brings an impressive resume with him, including a 12-year tenure with Jirí Kylián’s Nederlands Dans Theater, a guest appearance with Lar Lubovitch, and two years with Nacho Duato’s Compañía Nacional de Danza in Spain. As a dancer, he worked with many of the choreographers that now grace the HSDC repertory including Kylián, Duato, Lubovitch, William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Hans van Manen, Christopher Bruce and Ohad Naharin. Vincent’s works, counter/part and Uniformity, are also on the HSDC rep.

In speaking with Vincent one gets the feeling of just how fluidly this company is run. Seven pieces are currently in rehearsal for the fall season, so multiple combinations are possible. Confident that the right combination will make itself known for each engagement, Vincent likes to wait until the final plan reveals itself before announcing the program. The company is completely ready to perform any arrangement of the seven works. Vincent explains, “My job is to bring the best ingredients together and put them in the same space.”

HSDC performs two Chicago seasons tours nationally and internationally. Thus far, the company has appeared in 44 states and 17 countries including the A-list of dance festivals such as the American Dance Festival, DanceAspen, the Holland Dance Festival, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, The Joyce Theater, the Kennedy Center, Spoleto Festival of Two Worlds (Italy), and Spoleto Festival U.S.A.

Performing with live music is key to HSDC’a mission—live music as in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Pinchas Zukerman. HSDC has adapted several works for the Orchestra stage. The idea is to actually share the space with the musicians and adapt each piece to make it work. So far the results have been sell outs.

HSDC boasts 21 of the most versatile and virtuosic dancers on the American stage. “We try not to homogenize,” says Vincent. “I want people that work together and able to put themselves aside and be part of the collective ego, but can also stand up and be an individual.”

The repertory is challenging and at times grueling. Tobin Del Cuore has been dancing with HSDC for five years. It’s not unusual for him to be dancing in every single work in the program. “We do so many different kinds of movement,” says Del Cuore. It’s been an amazing opportunity, but the pace is hectic at times.”

The menu for Houston, although still in motion at press time, is likely to include Brian Enos' Diphthong, a work set to Zap Mamma that was originally part of HSDC choreographic workshop process. Enos, a company member, is well known to Houston audiences. Three of his works have been performed by Houston Ballet and Enos danced with the company for a brief time. Enos researched movements that complement or contrast the syncopated voices of Zap Mamma’s vibrant music. Vincent encourages company members to develop their artistic voices. “We got hooked on Brian’s piece pretty quickly, it’s literally a visualization and quite demanding technically,” says Vincent about the young choreographer. “I feel like Brian dances better when he is working on his own choreography.”

Another work by company member Alejandro Cerrudo is likely to make the final cut. Cerrudo, formerly of Netherlands Dance Theater 2, harks from Spain and is working on a piece inspired by the songs of the highly idiosyncratic indie folkie Devendra Banhart. Cerrudo found a match in Banharts wavering tenor voice. A sneak peek of a new work by American Modern legend, Lar Lubovitch is a strong possibility. Set to music by Meredith Monk, Lubovitch continues his exploration of organic group formations. Also under consideration is a new work by Japanese choreographer Toru Shimazaki with music by the eclectic duo Dead Can Dance. Kobe-based Shimazaki brings in his rich cultural heritage and a flavor of the martial arts.

Letting this company evolve minute-by-minute keeps the process fresh and close to the bone. As for being in Chicago and not New York, Vincent seems clear the center is what you make of it. “Chicago is such a great place,” says Vincent. “It has everything that New York has much less stress and dirt. Houston is as important to us too and we will give you a great performance.”

Society for the Performing Arts presents Hubbard Street Dance Chicago on October 14th at 8:00 PM at Jones Hall. 713-227-4SPA or http://www.spahouston.org/

Reprinted from Artshouston.