http://philadelphiadance.org/blog Making dance and dance writing in Philadelphia more accessible to everyone Fri, 17 May 2013 16:08:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://philadelphiadance.org/blog/2013/01/19/jaamil-olawale-kosoko-thoughts-on-building-audiences-for-performance-in-philly-and-nyc/ http://philadelphiadance.org/blog/2013/01/19/jaamil-olawale-kosoko-thoughts-on-building-audiences-for-performance-in-philly-and-nyc/#comments Sun, 20 Jan 2013 03:33:50 +0000 Roger Lee http://philadelphiadance.org/blog/?p=9521
By Roger Lee for The Dance Journal Jaamil Olawale Kosoko is the definition of a 21st century artist. His work transcends the genres of performing, visual, and literary arts. This creative chameleon’s work also spans across  Philadelphia and New York City.  Jaamil is currently the Co-Director of Kate Watson-Wallace | Jaamil Kosoko | anonymous bodies [...]]]>
By Roger Lee for The Dance Journal Jaamil Olawale Kosoko is the definition of a 21^st century artist. His work transcends the genres of performing, visual, and literary arts. This creative chameleon’s work also spans across  Philadelphia and New York City.  Jaamil is currently the Co-Director of Kate Watson-Wallace | Jaamil Kosoko | anonymous bodies and the Producing Associate at New York Live Arts. Jaamil caught up with The Dance Journal and shared his experiences working in Philadelphia and New York simultaneously and creating art for diverse audiences in both cities. “I don't believe that anything is new, but I do believe that ideas can be creatively re-imagined and re-contextualized to create a different outcome, perhaps one that is more connected to the present moment” says Jaamil. He approaches his performance work and curating from a historical context. Jaamil digs deeply into history and asks the imaginative question “what if this happened instead?” This sets the foundation for some really innovative, creative work that resonates differently with each audience member. It gives them a personal connection to Jaamil’s work. With a mixture of different historical references, props, costumes, and lighting, each audience member is bound to find at least one part of the abstract work to connect with. They may end up connecting with one of the diverse artists featured in Jaamil’s work. He takes the time to select just the right artists for each project. “There is no one prescribed way to select an artist,” admits Jaamil. “I think it's a mixture of personal mission, vision, creativity, instinct, and inspiration. Also, both parties must be equally invested in the work.” The artists Jaamil selects are always invested in his work and this commitment is bound to resonate with audience members. The experience of audience members is very important to Jaamil. “I don't think one can enter this field without considering the audience.  The viewer is the life-blood of the work,” he says.  The audience members are what take the hard work of rehearsal and turn into live art. According to Jaamil, “It's not art until it is seen.” So what has been Jaamil’s experience creating work for audiences in Philadelphia and New York City? “There are some amazing artists in Philly. I really enjoy feeling the sense of community and support from Philly artists,” says Jaamil. “It's a great place to make work.” He sees New York audiences as very outgoing, experimental, and open to trying out new artistic experiences. “The hard part, particularly in Philly, is getting people to see your work.”  He has performed in Philadelphia since moving here 8 years ago. While audience members have come and gone, Jaamil still struggles to build audiences in the City of Brotherly Love. One of his solutions for the city’s dwindling performing arts audiences is to develop strategic partnerships with other groups. “It's any opportunity to share audience and resources to realize a show,” says Jaamil. In a rough economic economy, sharing resources and audiences has definitely become a popular strategy used throughout out the performing, visual, and literary arts field. Jaamil also suggests taking the time build an authentic relationship with audience members. “It takes an equal investment from both the audience and artist. It is a relationship,” he argues. After experiencing low audience turnout for his shows, Jaamil decided to take direct action.  “I took this as a clear signal that it was time to re-strategize my process for creating work as well as the platforms I use to show my work,” he admits. “All of these signals have led me to more of a visual art aesthetic of presentation where audience have free license to observe and move as they see fit.” Jaamil also spent a lot of time analyzing the notion of popularity and how it translates into selling show tickets. “I am not popular (nor do I want to be), but it seems that in order to fit into the American framework of success, one must be popular to move a certain number of units or tickets,” he explains. “Dance Place in D.C., C.E.C. Meeting House Theater in Philly, Kelly Strayhorn Theater in Pittsburgh, and Joyce SoHo and Dance New Amsterdam in New York City are the few presenters who have taken a risk with programming me with my own evening.” Jaamil tries to always use these venues and platforms are ways to create new opportunities for other artists.  Almost always, I use these platforms as a way to create performance and creative opportunities for other artists. So what does Jaamil have happening in Philly in early 2013? He is closing out January with a performance in Falls Bridge, a new movement, improvisation, and performance festival by Curt Haworth and Nicole Bindler. Falls Bridge brings together the improvisation, performance art, and University of the Arts communities for performance, movement exploration, and collaboration. Jaamil will then spend the spring performing with anonymous bodies. They will perform at Scratch Night at Philly Lives Arts in March and collaborate with Team Sunshine at Christ Church Neighborhood House in May. For more news and upcoming events for Jaamil Olawale Kosoko, please visit his social media pages. He loves hearing from audience members and have an open dialogue about art, learning, and life.]]> http://philadelphiadance.org/blog/2013/01/19/jaamil-olawale-kosoko-thoughts-on-building-audiences-for-performance-in-philly-and-nyc/feed/ 0 http://philadelphiadance.org/blog/2012/09/24/the-juxtapose-series-returns/ http://philadelphiadance.org/blog/2012/09/24/the-juxtapose-series-returns/#comments Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:48:13 +0000 Steven Weisz http://philadelphiadance.org/blog/?p=8701
The JUXTaPOSE series will return to West Philly’s Studio 34 on Saturday, October 13, 2012. The focus of this installment within the JUXTaPOSEseries, will be on the work of female artists. Jaamil Kosoko will present an evening of female artists exploring what it means to exist as artists in feminine flesh. Inspired by the books, [...]]]>
The JUXTaPOSE series will return to West Philly's Studio 34 on Saturday, October 13, 2012. The focus of this installment within the JUXTaPOSEseries, will be on the work of female artists. Jaamil Kosoko will present an evening of female artists exploring what it means to exist as artists in feminine flesh. Inspired by the books, Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins and Rock My Soul by bell hooks and the research of multiple female artists on the African continent, the female perspective as it relates to performance is the current focal point of the JUXTaPOSE series. The women performing in JUXTaPOSE la deuxieme partie are Marjani Forté, Jasmine Hearn, Lela Aisha Jones, Deneane Richburg, Danielle Currica, and Liana Conyers. These artists will come from neighboring communities and cities of New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Atlanta to share their work - some brand new and some revisited. EGO, a solo being performed by Marjani Forte, explores the plague one’s Ego unleashes on the multiple dimensions of the self- the imploding nature of it all. This piece is a visceral search - a gasp, a silent scream - examining the transformation in seeking to capture the process of living in one’s authentic and present self, as opposed to a caricature of the self. A collaboration with artist and composer Everett V. Saunders. Airlooms, will be premiered in JUXTaPOSE as a solo performance by Lela Aisha Jones. This work has formerly been performed with a cast of five women and in this solo reincarnation will dig into the fleeting ways in which we keep history and memory in the body. It is not linear and static; past traditions sometimes merge with current living practices oddly and unconventionally. The movement exudes a physical investment in multiple genres of social experience, movement culture, and ritual. These elements intersect to form fresh possibilities of archiving and honoring the historical holdings and cultural memories within the moving body through artistry. JUXTaPOSE began as an idea while curator, Jaamil Kosoko was in residence in Wesleyan University's Institute for Curatorial Practice in Performance. It is a performance platform that through engagement of leading practitioners in the field has developed a clear curatorial identity and mission. At its core, there is something innately political about JUXTaPOSEIts goal is to provide an alternative model for presenting, producing, touring, and creating community and discourse around contemporary performance. By providing artists with a safe space to exchange ideas among each other and local scholars and audiences, JUXTaPOSEaims to push conventional standards of performance presentation into an arena more focused on the communicative dialogue between viewer and performer. JUXT[a]POSE! la deuxième partie anonymous bodies || art collective in partnership with Studio 34 Running Time: 75 minutes. Mature content and themes. WHERE: Studio 34, 4522 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia, PA WHEN: October 13th 2012, 7:30PM & 9:30PM (TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY) TICKETS: http://danceboxoffice.com/product_details.php?item_id=49 Hosted by Saroya Corbett Post Performance Discussion moderated by Brenda Dixon Gottschild Performances by Marjani Forté, Jasmine Hearn, Lela Aisha Jones, Deneane Richburg, Danielle Currica, and Liana Conyers. Curated by Jaamil Olawale Kosoko, Co-Director of anonymous bodies || art collective About the Artists: Marjani Forte is a Los Angeles, CA native and Harlem resident. She graduated with a B.A. in Marketing and Dance from Loyola Marymount University and attended Los Angeles High School for the Arts. She was a member of Urban Bush Women Dance Co. for 5 years, and has worked with Garth Fagan, Blondell Cummings, and Nia Love's BSD|dance. She is now co-founder of LOVE|FORTÉ A COLLECTIVE- a research/process, performance, and teaching geared collective with a commitment to social and politically conscious art making, that connects the human experience through time.  www.loveforte.org Liana Conyers received her B.A. from Bennington College in 2003, where she concentrated in dance. There she studied under the direction of Dana Reitz, Susan Sgorbati, Terry Creach and Peggy Florin. Liana has studied at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and The Merce Cunningham Studios. She has completed internships with The Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, the Joyce Theatre SoHo, N.Y., and has performed with Keith Thompson, Jhon Stronks, Wayne Smith, and CORE Performance Company. Liana has choreographed for Spelman College Dance Theatre, and has taught movement classes for Several Dancers Core, Dynamic X-Change Program and the Ballethnic Summer Dance Intensive. Most recently Liana was a guest instructor at the American College Dance Festival NW Conference. Her work “I know this much...” was presented at the ACDF Adjudication concert in 2011 and performed at the Big Range Festival in Houston, TX 2011. She was a guest instructor for the Big Range Festival Summer Dance Intensive 2012. Saroya Corbett is a certified Dunham Technique instructor and has a Masters in Fine Arts degree in Dance from Temple University where she additionally holds a certificate in Women’s Studies. Currently, she is a dance and teaching artist and founder of Saroya Corbett Dance Projects. Born in Guyana, South America, and raised in Memphis Tennessee, Danielle Currica graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BFA in Dance and Choreography in 2009. Relocating to Philadelphia as a freelance dance artist, Danielle has worked with Charles O. Anderson of Dance TheatreX, Jumatatu Poe of IdiosynCrazy Productions, Antoinette Coward- Gilmore of Dance4Nia Repertory Ensemble, Lela Aisha Jones of Flyground and the Requisite Movers, Meredith Rainey of Carbon Dance Theatre, and is 'Sophie Sucre' of Philadelphia’s neoburlesque troupe The Peek-a-Boo Revue. Jasmine Hearn is a native Houstonian. She graduated magna cum laude from from Point Park University with her B.A. in Dance. She has had the wonderful opportunity to have performed premiere works by Helen Simoneau, Mark Dendy, and Robert Battle. She has danced with the Houston Met Dance Company, Dance Alloy Theater, the August Wilson Dance Ensemble, and the Pillow Project. Jasmine currently moves with the Staycee Pearl dance project and anonymous bodies, and she also creates her own work that has premiered in the Pittsburgh area. Lela Aisha Jones is a native of Tallahassee, Florida and is at home when creating. While in movement she found her entry point as an artist, she cannot be defined by one discipline or practice; her experiences have lead to a more nomadic existence. She is the founder of FlyGround—her creative home, co-founder of The Requisite Movers, and development coordinator as well as a member of Mascher Space Co-op. Lela walks with her transitioned as well as living family; she is humbled and so thankful for all those who have nurtured her, especially her grandfather, mom, dad, and sister. Deneane Richburg & Brownbody Brownbody’s artistic work combines sound and movement that extends the translation of bounded realities to tell a story. Through modern dance, figure skating, and/or theater, Brownbody’s on ice and stage work acknowledges and explores issues typically relegated to the peripheries of mainstream consciousness. Via raising levels of socio-cultural and historical awareness, this work incites individuals to evaluate their relationship to self and their surroundings. As a part of The Requisite Movers, Richburg & Brownbody will present TBA—a work that plays with variances in speed and dynamic impulses to uncover our own personal and continually evolving truths. Brenda Dixon Gottschild is the author of Digging the Africanist Presence in American Performance: Dance and Other Contexts (Greenwood Press 1996, paper 1998); Waltzing in the Dark: African American Vaudeville and Race Politics in the Swing Era(Palgrave/St. Martin’s Press 2000, paper 2002 – winner of the 2001 Congress on Research in Dance Award for Outstanding Scholarly Dance Publication); and The Black Dancing Body-A Geography from Coon to Cool (Palgrave/Macmillan 2003, paper 2005 – winner of the 2004 de la Torre Bueno prize for scholarly excellence in dance publication). In 2008 she was awarded the Congress on Research in Dance Award for Outstanding Leadership in Dance Research; in 2008 and 2010 she received grants from The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage through Dance Advance to begin work on a new book, entitled Joan Myers Brown & the Audacious Hope of the Black Ballerina - A Biohistory of American Performance. She is Professor Emerita of dance studies at Temple University and a former senior consultant and writer for Dance Magazine. She performs with her husband, choreographer Hellmut Gottschild, in an innovative form of somatic and researchbased collaboration for which they coined the term, “movement theater discourse.” Jaamil Olawale Kosoko is a curator, producer, poet, and performance artist. A 2012 Philadelphia Live Arts Fellow, and an inaugural graduate of the Institute for Curatorial Practice in Performance (ICPP) at Wesleyan University. With his long time collaborator Kate Watson Wallace, he is Co-Director of anonymous bodies || art collective, a performance company based in Philadelphia. As a performer, Kosoko has worked with Pig Iron Theatre Company, Keely Garfield Dance, Miguel Gutierrez and The Powerful People, Headlong Dance Theater, and The Philadiction Movement. In 2011, Kosoko published Notes on an Urban Kill-Floor: Poems for Detroit (Old City Publishing).  ]]> http://philadelphiadance.org/blog/2012/09/24/the-juxtapose-series-returns/feed/ 0 http://philadelphiadance.org/blog/2012/06/04/review-us-by-anonymous-bodies-and-fidget/ http://philadelphiadance.org/blog/2012/06/04/review-us-by-anonymous-bodies-and-fidget/#comments Mon, 04 Jun 2012 17:18:14 +0000 Kat Richter http://philadelphiadance.org/blog/?p=7490
Photo by Bill Hebert by Kat Richter for The Dance Journal I’m always a bit skeptical of companies who do weird things with punctuation like anonymous bodies and fidget, especially when the stage is strewn with electrical cords, a lap top and a portable fan that just won’t stay upright no matter how many times [...]]]>
Photo by Bill Hebert by Kat Richter for The Dance Journal I’m always a bit skeptical of companies who do weird things with punctuation like anonymous bodies and fidget, especially when the stage is strewn with electrical cords, a lap top and a portable fan that just won’t stay upright no matter how many times co-collaborators Kate Watson-Wallace and Jaamil Kosoko try to fix it.  But Sunday afternoon’s show, the fourth and final performance of us. at the Christ Church Neighborhood House was both entertaining and thought provoking, and what more can you ask for in experimental dance? Watson-Wallace and Kosoko’s self-titled anonymous bodies, however, read like a conflicted tossed salad.  The ingredients were good, from the silver tinsel wigs worn by both dancers to the t-shirts they twisted up over their heads to obscure their identities and reveal their bare chests (his white on black skin, hers black on white), but the work seemed to lack direction.  I interpreted Kosoko’s trembling caresses of a flag-draped bench as a “funeral for the United States of America” only because the program notes told me to.  Watson-Wallace’s moved deftly in and out of the detritus that littered the stage, crumbling to the floor and bounding back up, but the “genre-defying faceoff” between artists never occurred. Fortunately, Kosoko’s solo, other.explicit.body, said something.  Appearing in a stylized white sweat suit covered with graffiti, Kosoko stepped into a pair of white sneakers which were chained to a basketball.  He circled his arms and writhed to the sounds of an NPR with post-racial theorist Toure then pulled down his pants to reveal a pair of underwear printed with the words “black power.”  The references to black identity were both humorous and harrowing, and the work ended with Kosoko rolling around the stage as the chain imprisoned his legs. Subject in Two Parts, which premiered in 2008, continued with the theme of identity but on a lighter note thanks to the work of videographers Peter Price and John Luna.  Choreographer Megan Bridge appeared naked onstage and pulled a ticker tape from her mouth.  Lampooning the work of choreographer Jack Coles and Marilyn Monroe, she rolled her shoulders and thrust her hips, shifting her breasts into place and poking her stomach in.  The addition of dancers John Luna, Lorin Lyle, Rebecca Sloan and Annie Wilson in Part Two did little to further the piece, not because they weren’t talented dancers—they were—but because the second section lacked the intentional awkwardness of the first, which was what made Subject in Two Parts so delightfully zany despite the overly explicit reference to Yvonne Rainer and theorist Michel Foucault.  Nonetheless, us. was a hopeful start for to cooperative works of Watson-Wallace, Kosoko and Bridge, and I hope there are further collaborations to come. Kat Richter is a freelance writer and teaching artist who holds an MA in Dance Anthropology.  Her work can be found at www.katrichter.com.]]> http://philadelphiadance.org/blog/2012/06/04/review-us-by-anonymous-bodies-and-fidget/feed/ 0