Lessons from Robert Battle
The class on Saturday was incredible!! Sarah came with me, Blanche and Gianna (from Fusionworks II) were there, plus several former Fusionworks dancers and old friends from Brown. It was a glorious reunion!! Lots of hugs and catching up with long-lost friends.
Another happy surprise upon our arrival was that they had completely redone Ashamu studio - it now has a much better seating arrangement, a real sound/light booth, freshly painted everything, a snazzy new foyer with lockers, much closer dressing rooms, and the best part of all: a new sprung wooden floor that has TRACTION!! In my undergrad years, you could run and slide 10+ feet on the floor... in your BARE FEET!!! Julie would have us doing runs across the room, then wonder out loud why nobody was taking big steps (it was because we were all afraid of falling on out butts!!!). I once saw a girl actually kick hard enough that her standing foot slipped out from under her because there wasn't enough grip on the floor! Crazy. So it was great to dance in the newly remodeled space (and it confirms that the school will NOT be grazing my precious studio to build a walkway to the main green!).
Robert Battle himself was funny, kind, very down-to-earth, and an excellent teacher. His company dancer Erica, who demonstrated many of the exercises, was also incredible to watch. The class was NOT percussive and intense throughout, as I had pictured, but rather started with an excellent series of gentle warm-ups that felt wonderful in my body. He even did a really beautiful adagio (slow combination) "from my old boss, David Parsons", which I loved and am trying hard to remember (it's from a dance called The Tower). The center combination was much closer to his signature style, though - quick, percussive, sharp, and fabulous (though without the predatory feel of The Hunt). I'm trying to remember that one, too.
At the end of the class I got to go up and talk to him (he shook my hand!!!!) and thank him for both the class and The Hunt, which remains the most incredible performing experience of my life, even though it nearly broke me (he responded with "yeah, it can do that!"). He was very gracious and kind. I have now touched the hand of greatness!!! :-D And given his partnership with Brown and Julie (dance department founder/professor), I have a feeling this won't be the last time he teaches at Brown. :-)
He had so many kernels of wisdom to impart, which he sprinkled throughout the two hour class. It reminded me of Joe Lanteri and how he used to work inspirational speeches into every class he taught at the dance conventions back in California. Among the things Robert Battle said or talked about (as I try to remember and hold onto them) were:
- "Unlike congress, we're going to move quickly here!"
- "Coupe, passe, coupe.... that's French!" (later) "Remember the French!"
- As dancers we tend to think of (and perform) movements as being disconnected, as a series of things rather than one continuum. Our brains have been somewhat trained to think that way in the age of Facebook and Twitter; we live in a world of sound bites that are not connected to any real whole picture. So when we're dancing, it shows because we get to the end of a movement and stop, then start the next step, or we forget what comes next because we don't think of the transitions as connecting it all into one phrase. He asked us to try and train our brains, while learning choreography as well as while dancing, to think of the phrases as one whole continuum and dance them that way.
- He talked about focus, and engaging your deeper self in the dancing you do. When you dance, no matter whether it's a simple tendu or huge jump combination, it has purpose. The movement is something emanating from you, from within your core, otherwise it's just exercise. He let us feel this point by facing a partner while doing a simple plie exercise, but doing it TO the person and letting our inner self emanate from within. It felt very different that way!
- He talked about how much energy is necessary to do a movement. He said developing dancers often try to push super hard and hit every movement with all the energy they have. But really, most movements don't require you to push as hard as you can, you just have to be firm. You don't have to expend all your energy in the first ten seconds, otherwise you won't have any reserves left for the rest (SO true, it's the only way to survive The Hunt!). Learning how much energy you actually need to put into each thing takes time and experience.
- He told the story of his dancers getting ready for their first premiere, the year he founded his company, and how nervous they all were under the pressure: afraid they would fall ("never mind that there's falling in every piece!"), afraid they would mess something up, etc. The great Carmen de Lavallade was with them backstage, and she said to them, "Nothing more is required of you than to stand on stage and tell your story." Robert Battle could see at that moment that the weight was lifted from their shoulders with those words.
Sarah and Blanche - what else did he say that I've forgotten?! I know he mentioned about five different people (and said "Google them!") in connection to a story, but I can't remember all of them. Something about an opera singer...?
The day of the class I was surprised at how good my body felt and how I wasn't sore. The next day, however.... ibuprofin for breakfast (along with real food!!). Stretching has helped... but still, OW. Totally worth it though!
Sarah is home for spring break this week - ten days in a row I get to see her and kiss her! Glorious. :-) Her parents have been spoiling us with great meals all weekend (and letting us curl up in front of their lovely wood stove, which was the only thing we wanted to do the afternoon after the master class!). Today she surprised me with iced coffee and a donut at work. I have the best woman in the world. :-)
Another happy surprise upon our arrival was that they had completely redone Ashamu studio - it now has a much better seating arrangement, a real sound/light booth, freshly painted everything, a snazzy new foyer with lockers, much closer dressing rooms, and the best part of all: a new sprung wooden floor that has TRACTION!! In my undergrad years, you could run and slide 10+ feet on the floor... in your BARE FEET!!! Julie would have us doing runs across the room, then wonder out loud why nobody was taking big steps (it was because we were all afraid of falling on out butts!!!). I once saw a girl actually kick hard enough that her standing foot slipped out from under her because there wasn't enough grip on the floor! Crazy. So it was great to dance in the newly remodeled space (and it confirms that the school will NOT be grazing my precious studio to build a walkway to the main green!).
Robert Battle himself was funny, kind, very down-to-earth, and an excellent teacher. His company dancer Erica, who demonstrated many of the exercises, was also incredible to watch. The class was NOT percussive and intense throughout, as I had pictured, but rather started with an excellent series of gentle warm-ups that felt wonderful in my body. He even did a really beautiful adagio (slow combination) "from my old boss, David Parsons", which I loved and am trying hard to remember (it's from a dance called The Tower). The center combination was much closer to his signature style, though - quick, percussive, sharp, and fabulous (though without the predatory feel of The Hunt). I'm trying to remember that one, too.
At the end of the class I got to go up and talk to him (he shook my hand!!!!) and thank him for both the class and The Hunt, which remains the most incredible performing experience of my life, even though it nearly broke me (he responded with "yeah, it can do that!"). He was very gracious and kind. I have now touched the hand of greatness!!! :-D And given his partnership with Brown and Julie (dance department founder/professor), I have a feeling this won't be the last time he teaches at Brown. :-)
He had so many kernels of wisdom to impart, which he sprinkled throughout the two hour class. It reminded me of Joe Lanteri and how he used to work inspirational speeches into every class he taught at the dance conventions back in California. Among the things Robert Battle said or talked about (as I try to remember and hold onto them) were:
- "Unlike congress, we're going to move quickly here!"
- "Coupe, passe, coupe.... that's French!" (later) "Remember the French!"
- As dancers we tend to think of (and perform) movements as being disconnected, as a series of things rather than one continuum. Our brains have been somewhat trained to think that way in the age of Facebook and Twitter; we live in a world of sound bites that are not connected to any real whole picture. So when we're dancing, it shows because we get to the end of a movement and stop, then start the next step, or we forget what comes next because we don't think of the transitions as connecting it all into one phrase. He asked us to try and train our brains, while learning choreography as well as while dancing, to think of the phrases as one whole continuum and dance them that way.
- He talked about focus, and engaging your deeper self in the dancing you do. When you dance, no matter whether it's a simple tendu or huge jump combination, it has purpose. The movement is something emanating from you, from within your core, otherwise it's just exercise. He let us feel this point by facing a partner while doing a simple plie exercise, but doing it TO the person and letting our inner self emanate from within. It felt very different that way!
- He talked about how much energy is necessary to do a movement. He said developing dancers often try to push super hard and hit every movement with all the energy they have. But really, most movements don't require you to push as hard as you can, you just have to be firm. You don't have to expend all your energy in the first ten seconds, otherwise you won't have any reserves left for the rest (SO true, it's the only way to survive The Hunt!). Learning how much energy you actually need to put into each thing takes time and experience.
- He told the story of his dancers getting ready for their first premiere, the year he founded his company, and how nervous they all were under the pressure: afraid they would fall ("never mind that there's falling in every piece!"), afraid they would mess something up, etc. The great Carmen de Lavallade was with them backstage, and she said to them, "Nothing more is required of you than to stand on stage and tell your story." Robert Battle could see at that moment that the weight was lifted from their shoulders with those words.
Sarah and Blanche - what else did he say that I've forgotten?! I know he mentioned about five different people (and said "Google them!") in connection to a story, but I can't remember all of them. Something about an opera singer...?
The day of the class I was surprised at how good my body felt and how I wasn't sore. The next day, however.... ibuprofin for breakfast (along with real food!!). Stretching has helped... but still, OW. Totally worth it though!
Sarah is home for spring break this week - ten days in a row I get to see her and kiss her! Glorious. :-) Her parents have been spoiling us with great meals all weekend (and letting us curl up in front of their lovely wood stove, which was the only thing we wanted to do the afternoon after the master class!). Today she surprised me with iced coffee and a donut at work. I have the best woman in the world. :-)