It was a beautiful night walking though the Sedge Meadow when I saw a moment.  This little dance happened after a very thought provoking day spent with a fabulous group of curious dance makers at the RDDI choreographic workshop with Tere O’Conor that included a fun duet with Jessica Cornish.

It was nice to be in the room with around 20 artists of various ages and stages in their careers spurred on as well as curious about one’s own process of  dance making and questioning ourselves and the form with Why and what am I doing now?  To question along with the rigor of our dancing body to find and explore new ideas or new tangents of the body language.

Thanks to Ginger Farley, Victoria Bradford and CDF for supporting Chicago dancemakers.

Geoffrey, Ginger and I had a great walk up to the Museum Campus.  This is a fishing dock just south of the main drive to the planetarium and Northerly Island.  We came upon the dock and I had to dance.  We have two shots since Geoffrey was with me on this journey.  His shot is longer then mine since my phone stopped recording and of course a different angle. One day I will edit this but for now this is the First Dance for April 16th.

I like the angles of this dance in structure and form with the dock itself.  I love the biker who passes mid dance.

This is one of my better dances I was feeling this one for sure.  I love how Ginger makes an appearance as well as the train in the beginning.

I am learning a lot about staying in the camera and the right vantage point as a mover in the frame.

I warmed up a little bit before this one as well maybe that is the key.

In every video dance I can recall what I was seeing, what I was thinking about, how the ground felt, the air, etc.. It is a fascinating documentation of recalling, memory, movement and inspiration.

I have a Sybil Shearer moment in this dance as I was trying to capture her spirit and remind myself or push myself to complete my work inspired by her entitled And The Spirit Moved Me.  The show is fast approaching and I still feel as if I am processing so much in regards to the project.

Show – June 4-5 as part of the Pivot Arts Festival – Loyola’s Newhart Theater.  http://pivotarts.org/festival-2/

This was the last day in Palm Springs – my parents headed off in their RV and I had a few more hours at Desert Willow so of course I had to dance.

My Mom bought me this outfit and wanted me to make dance in this outfit so this is for her.  It is a little long and I go in and out of it as the sand was quite soft under my feet and there were ants.  First time moving in this amazing jumpsuit, in this brilliant environment.

I had a great time in Palm Springs  I would go again.  My body felt really good in the dry heat plus being surrounded by mountains takes you to a deeper spiritual place.

The last one filmed in the wrong direction.  Phew!

The mornings were always a little cool.  I love the vastness of the space and the bright colors.   Palm Springs is inspiring especially at this time of year – I felt like a cactus flower in my bright pink shirt.

This one is long but I like it and the ant that crosses the front of the screen around :40.

Sorry I filmed this the wrong way!

First Dance Take 3 on March 7th – I couldn’t help myself one more from my hike up the Bump and Grind Trail. I guess I was inspired this day.

The hand as scorpion / spider and as mountain rock.

Sorry I filmed this in the wrong direction.

I found another location along the way and was inspired to have another First Dance.  This is close to the top of the hike.

I like this one a lot and the ending feels really good to me as well.  I am using some of this material in And The Spirit Moved Me.

I love the sound of the wind and the rocks under my feet.  Finding balance and peace in this sharp jagged landscape.

Sorry I filmed this the wrong way.

I recommend you watch this one from :50 to the end.  As this is a non-edited series I shouldn’t say that but  I was getting to know the environment in the first minute and then I figured it out and I think there are some interesting moments.

This is in Palm Springs on the Bump and Grind Trail – a popular workout trail that is very steep and with great views of the city.  You enter at the end of Fred Waring when it hits the mountain.

Hard hike but worth it – I was sore and enjoyed the mental ride of this mountain since I am not use to real mountain hiking.  I was surprised to see people running up this hill – older woman with amazing bodies moving faster then I could.  I even felt the altitude at one point with a tinge of vertigo since it is a rocky sharp edge but quickly got over that and enjoyed the views and the strenuous hike.

Sorry I filmed it the wrong way.

First Dance Joshua Tree – I was rushed with this one as we were on a little tour with a few folks but I got a dance in.  Joshua Tree is so beautiful and the cactus flowers were blooming.  It was a beautiful day.  You felt history in them there hills.

Sorry I filmed this the wrong way.

The Living Desert is a beautiful botanical garden, zoo and nature / hiking trails. This is on the nature trail I did not hike the full Eisenhower Peak as it was midday, hot and I was alone and there were signs that kept warning you not to walk alone. The desert is a harsh environment – jagged rocks, heat, scurrying lizards, mountain lions along with beautiful mountain vistas, flowering cacti and jutting fault line rock formations.

I enjoyed this First Dance moment. The ending is fun.

In ever new First Dance there is a moment of understanding the landscape, as I usually do not step into the environment until I press record.  I set up the shot, look at the frame and then press record and dance so I feel as though midway through an improvisation I am finding the essence of the space and my range of how curious I am in body and mind.

I like knowing what I was thinking in each dance, the way the ground felt, the temperature, my mood, etc.

I am continuing to explore camera perspective and landscape.

I am realizing when you do not edit the beginnings and endings of the clip are part of the piece.  It requires me to walk into and out of the frame and finding various solutions to that task.  I would love a remote control – does that exist?