Thriller!

I performed Thriller with some of the members of Contradiction Dance, for a Cast of Thousands (special events entertainment) gig last night. It was a convention of nurses, and we were hired to perform Thriller and keep the guests dancing and happy.

Here are some pics from the evening:

UrbEx at Westlake in Seattle

I like urban exploration. I like the feeling of being inside an abandoned building when no-one knows that you're there and you could just be there forever. I like the feeling that I'm discovering something that many people pass by in their daily lives but very few step inside.

I like salvaging the detritus of past inhabitants and people who have passed through, and bringing their leftover bits and pieces home with me, and repurposing them into something new.

Most of all I just like wandering round places I shouldn't be.

Ahhhhhhhhhh...........feels so good to move

I'm sore. It feels damn good to be sore. Muscles are remembering what it's like to balance on one leg. Body is remembering how to turn, how to leap, how to move into and out of the floor.

It feels so good to be moving again.

Rehearsal Video: Objects of Hope: DC

rehearsal footage from yesterday.....me, Kelly Mayfield and Jasmine Artis...

Frustrated in General

I am quite frustrated with technology right now. My rehearsal footage won't upload - not here, nor Facebook, nor Youtube - and I joined twitter but can't figure out how to tweet from my phone, even though I totally followed all the instructions. And I miss my friends back home....ok that has nothing to do with technology but STILL, it adds to my general feeling of frustrations. Damnit.

Wow, the blog has devolved into a rambling rant. This is getting off to a great start.

......Hey everyone, I'm a great and professional writer, can't you tell? lol

(don't mind me, I'll just go sit in the corner by myself for a bit until I calm down)

BTW, if you wanna follow me on twitter I'm @shallomj

Now if I can just figure out what number to send my SMSes to, I'll be golden.

Settling in.....

Tomorrow I start rehearsals with Contradiction Dance. Settling back to life in DC has been quick and easy. In many ways, it feels like I never left. A part of myself will always feel at home here, even though it's so very different from Vancouver.

This time, like every time I go away, I am missing friends and family from home, but happy to reconnect with everyone in DC, and hoping that this trip will bring some new connections along the way.

....In fact, it already has. Stopped over in Seattle and met up with a couple of amazing artists whom I'd been in touch with online, and have very exciting plans for a spring collaborative art show. This is why I love the internet - it brings people together. But - only if the people are ready and willing to make the jump from web-based communication to meeting face to face and collaborating on making something amazing out of the partnership.

It also helps me keep in touch with those I've left back home, and I stay up til all hours of the night instant messaging the people I miss dearly.

So now it's time for bed, and sleep, and dreams filled with laughter.
Goodnight world. Tomorrow is a bright new day.

Back to DC

Wow, it's been ages since I last posted!

I am on my way back to DC to work with Contradiction Dance, and to visit my friends who I miss so very much.

I'm going to be posting here about my trip and then I am going to continue posting when I get back because.....YES! After a summer of barely dancing at all, I am finally going to be getting back into the swing of things.

I have a great new idea for a multimedia site-specific performance installation piece that I want to develop for next year's New Forms festival.

It's complicated and will take a lot of planning and prep work but I think will be really cool if I can pull it off.

More on that later.

Back to DC as of Monday night! Wish me safe travels.....

Looking for Film Extras: Shoot Date April 26th 2008

Hey everyone. I'm making a short dance film and I'm looking for extras :)

The shoot date is Saturday April 26th. Location TBD, somewhere in downtown Vancouver. You don't have to be a dancer to be in it, but if I can find enough dancers who are interested (and can make it to at least one or two rehearsals) I might set some of the movement on multiple bodies. We can't pay you but we'll feed you while you're on set :)

Here's a short description of the film:

The film "Look Closer" is a montage of site-specific contemporary dance and spoken word that touches on the themes of connection, self-awareness and acceptance within the context of an urban landscape. It explores the individual's search for reconciliation between a unique sense of self and the need to fit in with a larger group, as well as the desensitization and self-imposed isolation that takes place when living in an urban environment.

Choreographer: Shallom Johnson
Director: Daryl Thompson
Composer: Obediya Jones-Darrell

We've applied for Bravo!FACT funding and if we get funded we'll be doing more extensive shoots in June (specific dates TBC). Would love it if you could be involved for that too, if it happens...

Spread the word: if you have friends that might be interested, they can email me at shallom.johnson@gmail.com.

So You Think You Can Dance? Canada: Audition Dates!

Ok - so they've finally announced the audition dates for SYTYCD Canada! The audition tour is starting April 7th in Vancouver, then moving to Halifax, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto.

Vancouver, BC
Monday, April 7
The Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts
777 Homer Street

Halifax, NS
Saturday, May 3
Bella Rose Arts Centre,
283 Thomas Raddall Drive

Calgary, AB
Monday, May 12
MacEwan Conference & Event Centre,
2500 University Drive N.W.

Montreal, QC
Tuesday, May 27
Théâtre St-Denis
1594 St-Denis Street

Toronto, ON
Thursday, June 5
Winter Garden Theatre,
189 Yonge St.

Click here for full rules and regulations and all that jazz. I'll be posting updates as they come out.

Are you going to audition? Let me know! I'd like to start a discussion on song choice, audition tips, what you think they might be looking for...I'm auditioning, but not going in with any high hopes. I am curious to see how far I can get.

Also interested in feedback from anyone who attended the US auditions lately.

Building Performers Kids' Camp July 14-25 in DC

If you live in the DC Metro area and have kids in grades 3-5 (or know someone who does) you should sign them up for the Build, Draw and Perform Camp at the National Building Museum in Washington DC! (located at 401 F Street NW)

I'll be leading the "Building Performers" section of the camp, along with Dance Exchange Associate Artistic Director Elizabeth Johnson (pictured at right, with Cassie Meador). Read on for a full description of the course, and click the link above for more info about the other components of the camp, and how to register.

"Create a performance based on the Museum's historic and storied past! Discover what's hiding in the columns of the Great Hall, unveil the myths behind the Museum's friezes, and bring the outrageous characters found in and around the Museum to life. Under the guidance of members of the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, tell a story using movement, improvisation, and creative drama. The session culminates with the campers' original performance for family and friends in the Great Hall."

Sound like fun? Registration forms are online here.

Sore In All The Right Places

Sorry I've been radio-silent for so long! I've been busy wearing many hats and the writer hat hasn't managed to stay on my head long enough to get productive in any way shape or form.

I have finally managed to get myself into dance class on a semi-regular basis and, as a result, I am finally getting back in shape...little by little, it's finally coming back.

If you live in Vancouver and want a really good conditioning class for dancers, I heartily recommend Marlise McCormick's barre a terre (floor barre) class, at Harbour Dance Centre every Wednesday from 5-6pm. This is my go-to class for getting my dance muscles (rotators, abs, pelvic stabilizers, deep tissue muscles) in shape. Nothing works better - it's an intense hour of really specific work that lets you target all of the muscles you'll need to perform at your technical best when you're up on your feet. Check the link for a full class description from their website.

Every week I kind of forget how hard it is - and every Wednesday halfway through class I'm thinking "what the hell have I gotten myself into" and every Thursday I'm super sore, but in all the right places. After a few months of this I figure I'll finally start to feel strong and stable in class again. Because right now I'm wobbling all over the place, like a rookie.

Three Minute Kiss Freeze

In Vancouver and looking for something loving to do for Valentines' Day? The following idea
comes courtesy of a VPSN member who was inspired by the recent frozen-in-place revelry at New York's Central Station. I can't make it, but I wish I could be there! (Although I'd probably be one of the people kissing my hand, as I have nobody to kiss on this V-Day.

Anyways. Here's what's you do:

Grab a friend, partner, family member, pet or… ? and head down to Waterfront Station for 5:00pm!

At 5:00 pm start walking through the Waterfront Skytrain station, on February 14, 2008. Time your time piece to the atomic clock at

http://www.worldtimeserver.com/current_time_in_CA-BC.aspx

At 5:20 pm, FREEZE in a KISS. The kiss can be on the lips, on the cheeks, on the hands, on the wall, whatever - explore your creative options.

Make sure your alarm on your watch is set for 5:23 pm, at which point we will all casually move out of our kiss and keep walking moving as if nothing has happened. Yes, it's basically like a flash mob but toned down a notch.

The waterfront station on google maps is at:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=waterfront+station+vancouver&ie=UTF8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-
a&z=16&om=0

To be specific, the Kiss Freeze will be main atrium area, or main lobby, that you enter off of water street, at the waterfront station. See picture:

http://www.walkvancouver.com/CanPlace/108-0832_img.jpg

For more information, or to upload photos… See the Facebook event link:
www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10563839133

The Perils of Teaching Children's Rec Centre Dance Classes

My friend Melanie Kuxdorf has a blog called "Struggle and Strife: A Dancer's Life". It's a project for her Masters program in Journalism. She recently wrote a really great post about how difficult it is to teach kid's dance classes at community centres. As many of us do. Including myself.

I had lots to say in response but I've already posted a comment there, so why don't you just go on over and read what we both had to say. And leave your own comment, if you feel like it.

Melanie used to teach the classes that I'm currently teaching at Riley Park Community Centre. Barefoot on concrete floors. Preballet, preschool dance, acro dance, hip-hop (at least I can wear shoes for the hip hop classes). Still, I limp home afterwards with throbbing knees and aching feet. And I get the flu from kids with runny noses and coughs. And I clean up vomit on floors when parents bring sick kids to class. And I take kids to the bathroom and wipe their bums because they are too young to do it themselves. And I deal with parents who can't understand why their child isn't ready for pirouettes and grand jetes.

They don't pay us enough to treat our bodies like this.

Audition Notice: Cirque du Soleil

I'm going to an audition on Sunday for Cirque du Soleil. It's always been a dream of mine to dance in a Cirque production, and while I am pretty darn sure I'm not what they are looking for but I'm going anyways. Because hey, you never know. And there are never any auditions in Vancouver, so I go to whatever happens. And not only that but - wherever you are, it's always good to get out there and get seen by as many people as possible.



If you want to go, the audition registration starts at 4:30pm for women (5'4" and taller), 6:45pm for men (5'7" and taller) . It will be held at Harbour Dance Centre, 927 Granville St in Vancouver. You must be 18 years or older to audition. Pre-registration is not necessary. I'm not sure which productions they're hiring for, but you may be able to find more info on their website.

They're looking for professional-level hip-hop, street jazz, jazz and contemporary dancers. My advice is to arrive already warmed up and ready to go (or take class beforehand, there's a Jazz 2/3 class at 2:15), wear something that shows your lines and bring a 1 page resume and a recent 8 x 10 headshot.




Don't call Harbour Dance, they don't have any more info than what I've listed here. And I'm sure they've gotten a billion calls since the email went out this morning.

Photos:
1 Cirque du soleil characters by MarieLynn on Flickr
2 Cirque du Soleil by saltoricco on Flickr
3 Cirque du Soleil by Arlindo Camacho on Flickr

Some Random Thoughts...

I was planning on seeing Emily Molnar and Gioconda Barbuto's show Lifelines tomorrow night at The Dance Centre. Unfortunately the show was canceled due to an unspecified dancer injury. I got an email notification and was hit with a bit of a reality check...

Life as a dancer/choreographer/dance artist is so fragile. Nothing is guaranteed. A meticulously planned performance can be completely derailed at the very last minute by injury or sickness or something even more random like missing a flight. When your body is your instrument you are completely at the mercy of the body's fallibility, the body's imperfections and vulnerabilities.

Lately I have been worried that I'll be hit by a car (or something just as random and unpredictable) and be unable to continue dancing. I know that the chances of getting hit by a car are very slim, but it's always a possibility. I feel like I'm really just starting my career and to be injured now would be really really depressing. I'm not certain how I would go on with my life - although I'm sure I would - just stream energy into my other artistic interests, like writing and photography and painting.

I guess my mindset right now is that I need to take advantage of every second that I'm able to do what I do. I'm not getting any younger, and I need to make full use of my health and strength and vitality - because I may not have it tomorrow, or next month, or next year.

Photo: I took this pic while sitting in the doctor's office with the flu. It made me smile.