The Living Centrifuge

I think that technique is almost completely image based. I believe that is a general statement that applies to theatre and film and dance equally well. I mean you have to have a little strength and proprioceptive awareness thrown in for good measure, but any improvement I've made in my dance technique in the past year has been based completely in resonant images that Barbara and Jay and other teachers and fellow dancers have supplied, or that I have generated myself. Of course, this successive revelation of images was concurrent with a rapid and marked increase in strength and muscle mass, and also an increase in my awareness of and confidence in my body's capabilities. But it was when connected to image that I always got a YES!! from Barbara or some quiet appreciation from Jay.

So, Barbara said she wasn't going to do auditions next year. This is a good thing. Means that I don't have to come here at some inconvenient time for an audition for a piece in which I may or may not end up participating. More information on the upcoming year: They are planning on doing one piece at the Festival, and it would open the festival, which would mean a certain amount of work, and a completion of it by the beginning of March, assuming of course I get in. So, more time to generate Butoh strip vocabulary with Ronya. The other piece they want to do is an interdisciplinary work, and that....that.....that....is very exciting. They would be fools not to cast me in that, considering the strength of my vocal work. But that could be in the fall of 07. Maybe I could schedule Torless around that, and go back and forth a few times, if they would have me. Interdisciplinary work. Ah!

Speaking of, I saw The Third Taboo last night, which was the piece for which I auditioned the day after Ben broke up with me. It was in fact pretty good. I was thinking it might have been just awful. The text with which they auditioned me was pretty bad, but the actors were able to bring it to life in a convincing way. And other than the fellow playing the role that I got but couldn't do, they were all opera singers, and I cringed very little at the acting. I think the artistic directors of that company are fantastic, and I was glad to see them encouraging opera singers toward some sort of satisfying and emotionally connected acting work. Great to see, and totally vital. The fellow playing my role ends up being a friend of Lopa's, who she admires greatly. He was very good, and also very cute. Greek. Yum. A bottom though. Oh well. Not as good as me, but I guess that's why I was the first choice. I'm FANTASTIC. His performance suffered from that perennial problem I associate with physical actors and dancers: weak weak weak vocal work. It reminds me to get myself into voice classes upon my return to Toronto. Maybe with Rae. At PAL? We'll see. I'd be curious to see how I work with Rae outside of the York University context. I'll give her a call when I get back into town.

I went to the doctor, and got some antibiotics perscribed for these wretched tonsils. Hopefully they help! I'm going to go pick them up now, in fact.

See you later.