Tuesday November 1, 2011 - I saw Stefanie Nelson's PROXIMITY SPIRAL at Joyce SoHo in March 2010 and was glad to receive an invitation from her to her upcoming performances at Triskelion Arts in Brooklyn - except that I was already booked for the dates in question.
Solution: Stefanie invited me to a rehearsal of her new work, PROLEGOMENA, and I asked photographer Brian Krontz to meet me there.
The Autumn light was flowing into the large studio windows as Brian began to shoot. Stefanie's dancers did a full run-thru of PROLEGOMENA and composer Alexander Berne was on hand, taking up his saxophone to play some of his score live. Also, violinist Regina Sadowski was in the studio - she not only plays (hauntingly) but actually participates in the dance at one point. Stefanie explained that film will also be integrated into the production.
The six dancers looked so beautiful moving in the light; Stefanie's choreography can often seem calm on the surface but there's a restless undercurrent that can burst forth from time to time. For one segment, Stefanie joins her dancers. The piece seemed ideal to me in its blending of music and movement, and it lasted just long enough to leave me wanting more.
Daniel Holt
Yin Yue
Sarah Matry-Guerre
Hunt Parr, Gierre Godley
Violinist Regina Sadowski
Ensemble
Yin Yue, Gierre Godley
Sarah Parker
All photos in this article by Brian Krontz. My own images from today are in a Facebook album here.
PROLEGOMENA
Triskelion Arts presents Prolegomena, a new work by New York choreographer Stefanie Nelson for seven dancers, created in collaboration with visual artist Karolien Soete and soundician Alexander Berne. The compositions for movement, stop-motion mural animation and soundscapes were created as part of an ongoing exploration of camera obscura techniques and a fascination with inner and outer spaces. Hailed for work that is “instinctual, untamed and edgy” (Infinite Body), with Prolegomena, Nelson weaves “subtly humorous touches” (Oberon’s Grove) into this “disturbing, sensual and provocative” (Luxury Spot) new work.
Featuring dancers, Gierre Godley, Daniel Holt, Sarah Matry-Guerre, Stefanie Nelson, Sarah Parker, Hunt Parr and Yin Yue.
Original sound scores by composer Alexander Berne with special musical guests Jaik Miller, Harold Bott Jr., Sholeh Dalai, Chuck Fertal, ‘The Beast’ and Regina Sadowski. Lighting design by Andrew Dickerson.
Performances are November 4, 5, and 6 at Triskelion Arts, Alduous Theater.
Live mural painting & music starts at 7:30pm - Dance at 8pm
Tickets: $15, available at the venue one-half hour before curtain.
Triskelion Arts is located at 118 North 11th Street (between Berry & Wythe), 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11211. (Take the L to Bedford Avenue. Walk north along Bedford 4 blocks to N. 11th. St. Take left onto N. 11th Street. 118 is on the left, between Berry and Wythe). [Kokyat and I did a shoot at Triskelion about a year ago...it's a really cool soace for dance.]
Stefanie Nelson Dancegroup will also be at:
Joyce SoHo
March 8-11, 2012
STRIPED: new work
Hopefully, I'll be doing some preview coverage of that event.
