Not Every Woman...What's Your Story (N.E.W.)
Putting this performance piece together is quite a process for us! It is mix of fun, excitement, lots of rehearsals, marketing, music, character building, learning lines, stretching, running, leaping, overcoming fears, drumming, interpreting, growing and most of all dance. We thought you might like to know some of the inside scoop as to how we are putting this all together. Opening night is Friday, July 28th @6pm, yikes that is just around the corner.
"There is a deep need for women's stories to be told". Why? Because too often we are silenced by our families, teachers, society and/or our own insecure thought processes. We often feel alone as if no one else has had the same experiences. We are often times not sure of the outcome but somehow know that by stepping out on faith can make all the difference in the world.
As a woman who has been through many ups and downs within her own life, I wanted to create a work that would speak to other woman. To let them know they are supported, cared for, believed in and filled with the ability to get through the most challenging of times. This work is my way of saying there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you too can get there".
Know this..
Not Every Woman…
… is aware of her creativity
… knows that she is smart
…believes that she is beautiful
… hears a child cry and yearns for one of her own
… wishes to climb a corporate ladder
… goes to college or needs a degree
… can have what you have
… reads
… writes
… wants what you think she wants
… is bound by a glass ceiling
… believes that a career or a husband will make her complete.
… Can… or will… or is allowed to speak her mind.
But every woman carries a story.
Not every woman understands why we dance. But every woman understands what we feel.
What's Your Story?
July 28 - 30, 2006
Warehouse Theater - DC
About the piece:
Not Every Woman…
has the same story but every woman has her own story – first love, life's lessons, losses big and small. There are stories that some women will gladly tell and others that they are forbidden to mention. These are our stories, this is our dance…What's Your Story?
Why this project?"There is a deep need for women's stories to be told". Why? Because too often we are silenced by our families, teachers, society and/or our own insecure thought processes. We often feel alone as if no one else has had the same experiences. We are often times not sure of the outcome but somehow know that by stepping out on faith can make all the difference in the world.
As a woman who has been through many ups and downs within her own life, I wanted to create a work that would speak to other woman. To let them know they are supported, cared for, believed in and filled with the ability to get through the most challenging of times. This work is my way of saying there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you too can get there".
Know this..
Not Every Woman…
… is aware of her creativity
… knows that she is smart
…believes that she is beautiful
… hears a child cry and yearns for one of her own
… wishes to climb a corporate ladder
… goes to college or needs a degree
… can have what you have
… reads
… writes
… wants what you think she wants
… is bound by a glass ceiling
… believes that a career or a husband will make her complete.
… Can… or will… or is allowed to speak her mind.
But every woman carries a story.
Not every woman understands why we dance. But every woman understands what we feel.
What's Your Story?
July 28 - 30, 2006
Warehouse Theater - DC
posted by Debra K. Floyd at 12:13 PM
11 Comments:
About The Capital Fringe
For eleven days in July, downtown DC will come alive with the inaugural CAPITAL FRINGE FESTIVAL. Taking place July 20-30, the Festival features more than 400 performances involving over 100 artists and ensembles in 18 venues, from the Warehouse Downtown Arts Complex to the Canadian Embassy. The CAPITAL FRINGE FESTIVAL, a self-produced festival, will offer a full spectrum of work that falls within, between, and sometimes beyond the standard categories of theatre, music, dance, spoken word and puppetry. The CAPITAL FRINGE FESTIVAL is here to serve artists and audiences from near and far by creating an outlet for the development and presentation of significant work in the performing arts.
Our performances are set for:
Thursday, July 20 time (tba) for the opening night festival party
Friday, July 28 6-7 pm
Saturday, July 29 2:15 - 3:15 pm
Sunday, July 30 12 - 1 pm
Warehouse Theater
1012-21 7th St. NW
WDC, 20001
7/21/06 Update:
Found my costume last night now to work out my solo. I need to find the real character, the feelings along with the moves I want to express. It deals with the courAGE in being an older dancer in a world that so expects dancers to be young. Some of which does not bother me since my feelings are wrapped around my bringing so much experience to the stage. Most of my work is done in the moment, very improv and therefore the you will not see the same dance each night. Same character and feel, just a different moves or simular moves in a different order.
There are many more loose ends. Got to find just the right color blue paper for the programs, our marketing person is working very hard on creating them. We still do not have a lighting person and I have to make seperate CD's of all the music before Sunday's rehearsal. Next I have to organize Sunday's rhearsal so we maximize our time to get the most out of everything we to get done. It will be the first time we will run the whole show with "everyone"! Exciting indeed...
Debra
Tuesday 7/26/06 Update
Our performance so around the corner. So far our wonderful marketing/dance artist has completed the programs and they were emailed to the printer this morning. And I do mean this morning as in 12 am.
Next we are preparing press packets and working on promoting the show like crazy. We would love to have a full house each performance. That reminds me.. do you have your ticket yet? Pre-sale is he best way to go for they are only taking cash at the door.
Sunday's/Monday's dress rehearsals were pretty good. We have a bit of tightening up and tweaking to do and some more character work. There is a piece that is being done by adult dance class student and they are really improving on thier character development. It's not easy for sure. We finally worked out the finale dance and now I have to get everyone off the stage in a professional looking manner.
Tonight's reheasal is not a dress but more of running the pieces and making sure there are no last minute changes needed. I called off the Thursday night rehearsal so folks could rest a bit before the opening night.
over and out for now,
D
They often say that life imitates art (or vice versa) and today is definitely one of those days!! I'm having an accELERATION day. For those that are not yet familiar with accELERATION, it is a piece focusing on how hectic the corporate world and life in general can be. I had an all day meeting at work during which I continued to answer phone calls and e-mails, my boss asked me come back to the office for a 4:45 meeting, tonight I have rehearsal, I also have laundry to do and costumes to finish! I would love to share more with you, but I have to continue to accELERATE!!!
So, today's the big day. Already things are not going as planned... I was supposed to take the entire day off from work, but last minute emergencies required that I come in this morning. I'm hoping that I can leave sooner rather than later! But it is good that I'm here - lots of friends are e-mailing at the last minute to get information about the show (tickets, address, times, etc.). And with every e-mail, I get more excited about the performance tonight!
We had a great tech rehearesal yesterday! We are very grateful to the Mason/Rhymes Prodction company for supplying us with their light and sound crew! Whew, what a relief.
Yes, today is the day, it "Show Time" for sure. I can not focus on my solo and being a performer and not having to run back and forth through the audience to run the lights!
Picked up the programs yesterday and they look great, the theater space is larger than we thought, we changed a few entrances and section from the balcony will look awesome!
We are so excited and most of all we are looking to have a great performance.
Debra
Opening night was totally cool and exciting. Despite a few techincal clitches, the audience "loved it". We had a great crowd and I am so proud of all of the performers from the dancers to the drummer/vocal artist, sign interpreter - just every one that participated.
I am very disapointed that the management did not ask my policy for late arrivers and turned them away! Not good at all for many different reasons.
Overall, it was an awesome opening night!
Debra
The past couple of months have been crazy hectic for me. Besides rehearsing for our N.E.W. show, I've been working on marketing for the concert, dancing with another company in Baltimore and I started a new "day-time" job recently. Let me tell you...I am so TIRED and sleep deprived, but as they say, the show must go on. My mid-thirties body has been retaliating by causing pain in my ribs and hips, but again the show must go on; so I wrap my ribs and put those stinky pain reliever patches on my hips. The show did go on - Friday night. Once I made it to the theater way from Columbia, MD with about an hour to spare before show time, I calmed my nerves and got into performance mode. Like many dancers, I'm very self critical so I wasn't feeling that great about my performance during the show, but several people said they enjoyed the show and liked my performance, so that is what really matters. I felt a little better about today's performance, so we'll see how things go tomorrow...thinking positive. Well, my hips are retaliating again, so I should go tend to them and maybe take a nice long nap too!
Our Saturday show was so good! Once agan the audience loved it, got how the stories connected with the dances and felt the emotions. We end it all for this round that is, tomorow but we will keep this show as a package. Off for some mucu needed R&R.
Debra
It is over and I almnost can not believe it. We had an awesome 3-day run. I would love to hear from you the audience you can either add to this blog or send me email for posting. It has been quite a ride indeed. I am proud of each and every performer and my tech/house crew!
Debra
Absolutely wonderful! Deborah, you and your dance troupe should take your work to bigger audiences. I loved it and could watch it over and over again!! Deborah your piece was on. It definitely spoke to me, as an older woman who wants to dance.
Hope to see you soon,
Joan
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