February 2008 On February 9th, The Equus Projects premiered a new work at the American College Dance Festival held on the campus of Connecticut College in New London. The work was created for the huge central green on the Connecticut College campus and featured four horses and equestrians and six dancers.
Despite chilly winds, a large crowd of dancers and dance educators attended this, the first Equus Projects performance graced with snow flurries!
Photo: Kim Matarese
The Equus Projects dancers are quite familiar with rehearsing and performing in unusual weather conditions. Site specific challenges are a unique aspect of the performing life of Equus dancers. Our rehearsals for Equus I - a work that premiered in Richmond, Virginia in April 2004 - took place during January and February 2004 and temperatures in the barn often hovered just above 17 degrees!
Photo: Kim Matarese
Equus Projets' Connecticut College performance featured dancers Marcel Dou, Laurence Martin, Rebekah Morin, Gina Paolillo, Emily Quant and Equus Alum Alberto Denis. Equus Equestrians who performed were longtime equestrian Partricia Norcia and her daughter Francesca, Also an Equus performing alum, Leslie Woodard and Tony Astmann.
January 2008
The Equus Projects spent four amazing days at the Parelli Ranch in Reddick, Florida. We had the great pleasure of working with Linda Parelli on our ground skills dancing with an equine partner at liberty.
Our time with Pat and Linda Parelli was also unique opportunity to share ideas about movement and artistry. We came away immensely inspired and having gained a wealth of information.
While in Florida, The Equus company also had the pleasure of
hanging out with our fantastic equestrian collaborator, Karen Rohlf.
Photo: Marcel Dou
We
were treated to a demo of Karen's awesome liberty work. Karen and Monty joined us in the round pen to investigate some new choreographic scores.
Photos: Marcel Dou
Upcoming Plans for 2008 Our studio work and equine training continue through the winter, with visits to equestrian, Judy Meilinger, and her four horses on Long Island as well as some training with Barb Stanley's horses in Rhinebeck, NY.
In April our clinics gear up again with a clinic planned in Petersburg, Tennessee for April 11-12th and several others in the works.
The Equus Projects heads down to Glen Rose, Texas for a unique Creative Collisions think tank in late May.
The company will teach its annual Dancers' Intensive June 23-29th.
In July The Equus Projects will be returning to Wolfeboro, New Hampsire, where then heading up to Maine for three weeks at The Bates Dance Festival. This summer the company will present a performance demo in Maine in August.
And finally the summer will conclude with a clinic in Kerhonkson, NY.
