Hi all,
Update: this series has been cancelled until further notice.
The new Wednesday night lab format is starting tonight, at 100 Grand Dance (Bill Young’s Studio), 100 Grand St., Buzzer B. The lab is moving from a drop-in lab to a monthly, dedicated group, with a showing on the last day of the month. Here is Edwin’s post on the lab:
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After much discussion and consensus building, we have a new, new, new plan for Wednesday nights. (Thanks to everyone who contributed to this discussion. Please feel free to spread this message far and wide on like-minded dance lists…)
The big idea: to create an opportunity for dancers to work together over a short, sustained period to explore and develop a practice of dance improvisation, working toward a “showing” at the end of each month. the group and content changes each month. the work might include CI, scores, concepts, techniques and principles and other elements that the group agrees to.
And here is the basic format:
— meetings will be every Wednesday night, at Bill Young’s Studio (100 Grand St., Buzzer B), from 7 PM – 9:30 or 10 PM.
— A new group starts on the first Wednesday of each month: the group is open. dancers who want to participate for a specific month come to the first Wednesday night session of that month. each pays $20, and attends sessions each Wednesday throughout the month. (how many sessions participants MUST attend is to be decided by each group)
— A group finishes with a showing on the last Wednesday of each month: at the end of the month the group gives a showing that’s open to others, with time afterward for a discussion. ideally, those who want to participate in the group will attend the Wednesday night showing of the previous month to see the work that’s been done and to join the post-showing discussion.
— we’re not 100% sure, but we think groups will benefit from a facilitator. whoever wants to facilitate for a month needs to arrive at the first meeting prepared to convey how they would like to work for the month. this person might “lead” or set the agenda for the group, or maybe help manage group decision-making.
— one member of the group each month must take responsibility for tasks related to the space: opening and closing the studio, gathering the money to pay for the space rental, and providing contact information so they can be reached if space booking issues arise.
That’s… pretty much it. It’s meant to be simple and flexible and open.
The first few months we think will be important. It can take some time to get ongoing activities like this going, so we’re hoping for some committed folks to help carry it throug the summer. I have various travel and other limits on my time over the coming months, but I’ll help out how I can, so if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!
Edwin