Continuum

I am focused on moments between things.
Actions, people, thoughts, words...all of it....
I jokingly called it an obsession this evening - but I'm realizing that (maybe) I am not joking.

I make dances to explore moments. And to have the freedom to dive as deep into a moment in time between people, experiences or decisions of enormous weight to find out why we do it (or don't do it.)

Generally it is a 50/50 chance that a reason or exploration will unearth things hilariously funny vs. something heartbreaking.

Something you should know:
Pressing Empty is a wild combination of:
- the sense of empty that exists when someone unexpectedly disappears from your life.
- the state of empty that occurs right before, or right after, a decision is made.
.....and
the warning my dad always gave me about driving on fumes.
thus, the name: Pressing Empty.

The tagline?
........decisions, panic & lots and lots of tulle.

Empty. and Walking.

In 2007 I choreographed our show Right Before You Fell - it was a piece that explored what might happen if all of the elephants-in-the-room, or things we don't manage to say, were physicalized. To serve all that is unsaid.....there needed to be an awkward love story (or two) wound in for good lack of communication.

One "love story" was a series of duets between a singer and a dancer to Crazy by Willie Nelson.
The internal narrative of the dance is a women walking the city to clear her mind of love...but she imagines hearing his voice and his kisses flying towards her on the air.


While I was building the piece with Zoe, my Grandfather (Poppy) passed away.


I came back to the studio knowing deeply that this dance was not just about a break up, but also the intense sense of presence and forever that now fully immersed my Grandmother.

Poppy was gone, but Nanny was feeling him around every corner, and waiting patiently (most of the time) for him to show up, laugh and help her make some sauce.

It didn't happen. Until now. Yesterday my Grandmother passed away. Quietly ushered into death with words of love from my Mom, Dad and me.

And when we celebrate her life tomorrow and Tuesday these new dances about emptiness and fulfillment will begin to be filled with the wisdom of loss, the joy of finding home, and the bubbling laughter that we all can't help but equate with Nanny.

She has always been a wise voice and good listener. She had the strength of love in her actions and words. She will be missed in body here - but her loving ways and advice are part of all of us and will never be lost or forgotten.
Theresa Cerone Sanducci 1926-2009

Beach Dance II (The better edit)

Film Collaboration between H. Frizzell & M. Riker
Music by Amos Lee

Beach Dances

Music By Amos Lee
A collaboration between H. Frizzell & M. Riker
________________________________________

New Blood....

We've had auditions for Kinesis Project and I am excited about what may happen in the next weeks with new dancers coming into the creation process. The dances so far have been Zoe, Madeline and Rebecca....even though both Zoe and Madeline are always helping me push the boundaries
already I've had people say Rebecca's movement changes the work significantly - that makes me happy - I love that we grow and change based on the dancers that are working at any moment -
However, I also trust that it is teachable movement, interpreted by the body doing it -
Next post: Video - Beach. Dancing. Sunset.

Attached....

More Pressing Empty...
my "what if" worries are the topic of the newest section -
this is a rough version (first day in the studio on it) of a duet dealing with those nagging questions.


music by Ingrid Michelson

....

Edit.... and Find a Story

I sat down yesterday with the intention of creating a rehearsal reel for Kinesis Project -
What ended up happening was something almost more interesting for the process of building Pressing Empty -
Something NOT a reel, but kind of a choreographer's exploration into Rebecca's character in Pressing Empty -
All disclaimers apply of course...


Music: Regina Spektor Dancers: Zoe Bowick, Rebecca Patek.

the dancing in the studio is part of the process of choreographic collaboration -
the dancing on the roof is solely improv by Rebecca.