Photoshoot: Kathryn Cartwright, Dancer. Part 1

This is Kathryn C.

I think Kathryn is the cat's pajamas.

The Bee's knees.

I've practically raised her from a pup.

Nooooooot really, but I have known her a very long while.

We met at a Repertory Dance Theater Summer Intensive, in SLC, UT... way back in the day...

She was a highschool student, and I was in the midst of my under-grad dance career.

I reconnect with her at the University of Utah Modern Dance Department.

I was a fresh-faced Grad student, and she was a world-wise Sophomore.

This meant that we got to graduate together... THE VERY BEST great wonderful long-time-coming day.

I am going to miss her, as she jet sets off the the BIG APPLE to pursue her dance career.

EVERYBODY - Wish my girl some luck and send her off in style.

Break some legs, take some names, and MERDE, Lady K.

 P.S. Thank you for letting photograph you

and your awesome dances moves.

You are a good friend and a beautiful dancer!

  P.P.S. Prepare yourselves for Kathryn's Dance Photoshoot Part 2...

I just have to finish editing them!

(Kathryn was photographed at the Salt Lake City Library, in SLC, UT)

Serena Dances

Serena is a dancer. A GOOD dancer. And one of my good friends.

... aaaand a little firecracker, to boot.

I was really excited to be able to shoot some dance photos for her portfolio.

I owe her for the 3 billion rides to rehearsal she's given me in the past year!

But seriously, I really adore this talented person, and I am happy to finally get these photos to her.

I'm posting a few of my favorites from our shoot in downtown SLC.

I am a work of fiction. (Photos from my Thesis Piece)

Title:

I am a work of fiction. (2012)

Choreographer: Claire Valene Bagley Hayes

“This piece is one-thousand piece jig saw puzzle.  It is the collection of moments, a mélange of details, a gallimaufry, pastiche, a mixed-bag of people, places, and things that when fit together form the soul/body/breadth of a singular person's reality. This piece is my montage of non-fiction battling fiction, reality vs. fantasy, my circus, my mess, my party.”

Dancers: McKenzie Barkdull, Laura Brick, Christine Crepeau, Laura Gumbrecht, Gretchen Huff, Kylie Lloyd, Samantha Matsukawa
Music: Andrew Bird, Cat Power, Dan Deacon, Edith Piaf, Emily Wells, Jacques Dutronc
Hair and Makeup: Rachel Clark, and Relik Salon
Lighting: Alyssa Tolman
Costumes: My closet. My dancers' closets. Decades, in SLC, a place I wish was my closet.

I would like to thank my splendid dancers for their stories, their timelines, their pieces to this puzzle. They have made my job easy. These ladies will probably take over the world someday. . . they have both the looks and brains. I love each one of them. Dear Committee, thank you for your valuable feedback and support! Is it cliched to say that I couldn't have done it with out you? There. I said it anyways.

I will post a video later/soon/as soon as I get it. I need to thank the most excellent photographer, Alyssa Tolman, of the blog The Happy Pear, for her awesome Dress Rehearsal photo shoot. These photos make me remember the magic all the more. It's hard to shoot a staged modern piece, and I am so very grateful for her glorious artist eye.

I personally feel that “I am a work of fiction.” displays a new height in maturity for myself as a choreographer.  If I could critique my own piece with fairness, which I find hard, as it is my creative baby, I would say that, to me, it was and is a successful and entertaining piece.  Not only does it portray emotional depth, but it carries forward its narrative with aplomb.  It contains a sense of childlike wonderment, while exploring various sensibilities of beauty, femininity, and a touch of darkness brought forth in irony.  Yes, this piece has its imperfections, and yes, not everyone will enjoy watching it half as much as I did.  But to me, I have created something that I can be proud of.

iT'S OVER, Lush, and the joys of getting things.

Ahhhh... Christmas break is finally here... Today was the last day of the semester. Today the nightmare is over. Goodbye stress dreams. Goodbye breakouts, forgetting to eat, and not doing my hair for weeks on end. I am ready for my rest and relaxation. But let me fill you in on what has been going on these last couple weeks.

Last weekend was my Graduate Thesis concert, where I premiered my modern dance piece "I am a work of fiction." After two semesters (really really though...? A YEAR for McKenzie, Samantha, and myself... ohhhhh the duet....) of working on this piece, after running my piece over and over through the thesis committee gauntlet, the faculty scrutiny, after the nightmares and the stress spasms... this performance finally happened! Flowers and applause is what I'm taking to the bank right now. It was very well received, and I haven't heard the end of all the great things about the performances. And that leads into some other great news...  I am so very pleased to announce that my piece has been chosen to be performed at the American College Dance Festival this coming Spring semester! I AM ON A ROLL.

Sweet sweet validation... something I don't often get from my art form. Modern dance is a cruel mistress.

I will definitely be posting pictures (and video?) of this piece soon, but right now I have to give a shout out to all of my sweet, beautiful, and talented talented TALENTED ladies, who trusted me to lead them through this journey, and in turn taught me so much.  These dancers made my job easy, really. They were brilliant at being present and prepared to work hard every rehearsal, they all had the chops to handle the choreography, the changes upon changes, the improvisation, the theatrics.... If any of you are reading this, I LOVE YOU.

To end this little love fest, I would just like to give mad props to my girls for knowing me so so well.  They gave me a really great gift the last night of the show:

Heaven and Hearth Snow Globe from Anthropologie

'Secret Santa' from Lush

-which is this amazing bath bomb, "Cinders", that CRACKLED and the most fragrant soap on god's green earth, "Honey I washed the kids". Go here. Buy a bunch of stuff immediately.