Drottingholm! ~ by Sarah Edgar

relaxing in the boys' dressing room in between our swirls on stage

The set for the end of Act III (minus the statue of Mars that rises out of the floor)

close-up of the legs

backstage

in the gardens

The Gang in Stockholm: me, Caroline, Jason, and Rachel

The pensive Fire

our dressing room

me, vainly posing in my mask and costume

The palace at Drottninghom

Ladies and Gentlemen, I hereby offer my meager description of the delight of performing with The New York Baroque Dance Company in the opera Orlando at Drottningholm.

First of all, you should know that the Drottningholm Theater is one of the very rare 18th c. theaters in which many parts are still original. The set designs are faithful copies of the sets found in the theater when it was rediscovered in the 20th c. (before that it was used as a storage house), and the stage designs are flown in and out of the stage using ropes, according to the way it was done in the 18th c.

We had 17 stagehands flying any number of sets and objects in and out, and in the last aria of the 2nd Act (Orlando's "Hello everyone! Now I am completely Mad!" Aria) we made them pull practically every rope in the theater--- the set itself changed a couple of times, the cloud machine came down to whisk the lovely Angelica away, a boat glided across the River Styx (with waves, thanks to our Supers!), and a chariot carrying our magician, Zorastro, flew across the stage as the curtain came down.

Everyone on the stage and in the orchestra pit spent most of the time at the theater in amazement at how different doing a baroque opera in a baroque theater really is. The acoustics of the theater were stunning, and it was fantastic to really hear the orchestra.
Orlando was directed by our charming leader, Catherine Turocy, and she is brilliant at coaching the singers in a natural and historically-informed performance. The mix of comedy and tragedy in Orlando is particularly highlighted in this production, and all of the singers brought new depth to this aspect in their performances.

The dancers played the genies of Zorastro with Caroline as the genie of fire, myself as the genie of water and air, and with Jason and Alan as the Salamander genies. Although there is no dance music per se in this opera, we helped maintain the magical element of the plot. I really enjoyed the quasi-grotesque nature of our roles, exploring the off-kilter spirals so beloved of 18th c. gesture and relating to my fellow dancers in a more exaggerated way than when we are "people" onstage.

Our dressing rooms were the actual rooms where the performers lived in the 18th c, with even 18th c. wallpaper on the walls! Since Drottningholm was the summer residence of the royal Swedish family, the performers lived there the whole summer season with their families and pets. They were paid in wine and given free room and board--- typical of the aristocracy to not actually pay! I heard that Gustav III loved novelty, and the performers were not allowed to do the same show more than twice in a month. Whew!

The people who worked at Drottningholm-- the dressers and makeup artists and production staff-- were all very helpful. We made ourselves right at home and hope we can go back sometime soon!

Update from Sarah Edgar

I am pleased to announce my new performance group in Cologne: The Punks Delight! It is an experimental company playing with dance and music history to make new forms for today's audience.

Our debut Cologne performance was at the Arkadas Theater/ Bühne der Kulturen on February 4th and 5th, 2009.

Check out our website-- www.thepunksdelight.com

Best Wishes,
Sarah Edgar

Thoughts on Choreography for Dido and Aeneas (performed 2/16 with the Dallas Bach Society)

From Catherine Turocy
Photo by C.Andrako

As choreographer for this work I tried to imagine the first performance of Dido and Aeneas at a girl's school in Chelsea in 1689. I thought of the freshness of youth and the excitement of the young ladies on the cusp of womanhood as they portrayed the tragic story of Dido. Their dance training was intended to prepare them not for the stage, but for society where they were expected to dance a graceful minuet. They also studied the art of declamation and gesture. Performing the dances in the opera gave the young students an opportunity to show their parents how they mastered these subjects. The figured dances of Act I demand a knowledge of geometry, rhythmic complexity, musicality and an understanding of ballroom dance steps. The pantomime dances in Acts II and III ask for a command of gesture, expressive posture and the courage to stand out as a character playing a role. The Baske dance performed to the chorus "Fear no Danger" is specifically indicated in the original score. This dance type was originally performed with swords but for a girl's school in 17th century England it was common to replace the swords with flowered branches. Eventually the branches were replaced with garlands and became a part of the May celebrations.

I was very happy to have the experience of working with the students of the School of Contemporary Ballet Dallas over these past two months. Learning a new dance style and dancing in corseted dresses with hooped skirts and in heels is quite a change from leotards, tights, ballet slippers and toe shoes. However, they met the challenge and were able to tell the story with purity, spontaneity and a sense of "wonder" which added to the charm of the evening. Some comments from the audience:

“This is the best concert from the DBS I have ever seen. And the girls were not dancing to be seen for their own talents, they were dancing as a group to tell the story. They had such integrity and dignity, it is inspiring to see this in girls so young, very unexpected and refreshing. It was so beautiful! “

“The dancing brought a sense of magic to the stage. The young dancers’ presence underscored the simplicity of the musical structure and matched the symmetry in the poetry. It was just beautiful!

I am also delighted Glenda Norcross was able to be a guest artist from our company. She was not only an inspiration to the dancers, she also coached them along with their teachers, Valerie Shelton Tabor and Lindsay DiGiuseppe Bowman. The young girls ranged in age from 11-13 years.

Riot Report Photos

This is the information from Chris Woltmann about seeing all the photos and obtaining copies for private use:

Go to http://www.chriswoltmann.com/. At the bottom of the screen, click on 'login'. Use LadyRiot (case-sensitive) for both the 'name' and 'password'. You will be directed to the photos. If you need to see some larger, let Chris know which ones and he can email them to you or anyone who is interested. Chris's rates are $50 per hi-res image, $90 for two, $120 for three, after that he will discuss.

Riot Report

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

What a delight it was to see you at the ball last Saturday evening! I enjoyed the masks, the costumes, the cocktail attire (especially Lady Riot’s dressed wig, she assured me no animals were harmed in the creation of her rooster regalia) and the general air of amusement and good fellowship. I promised you a few more details about the dances and here they are!

(Note: photos are coming soon.)

1. La Bretagne

Danced by Lady Rachel List and Lord Terence Duncan
Choreography: Guillaume Louis Pecour, published throughout the 18th century in Europe and its colonies. Music by André Campra

2. Le Prince George

Danced by the Assembled
Choreography by Raoul Auger Feuillet, first published in 1706

3. Kellom’s Minuet

Danced by Lady Caroline Copeland and Lord Jason Melms
Choreography by Kellom Tomlinson, first published in 1735
Music by Paisible

4. Le Menuet du Chevalier

Danced by the Assembled
Choreography by Raoul Auger Feuillet, first published in 1706

5. El Fandango

Danced by Lady Catherine Turocy and Lord Carlos Fittante
Music by Luigi Boccherini
Choreography based on original sources and arranged by Carlos Fittante with a little assistance from Lady Catherine

6. Lady Riot’s Spanish Can’tdanza

Danced by the Assembled
Choreography by Catherine Turocy in honor of Lady Riot
Music by Arcangelo Corelli


Biographies of the Performers:

Caroline Copeland received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Goucher College in Baltimore, M.D. Upon graduating she joined the New York Baroque Dance Company, with whom she continues to perform as a soloist. Her roles have included Euridice in Gluck’s Orphée, the Galant in Mozart’s Les Petits Riens, and Doris in Royer’s Le Pouvoir de l’Amour. She has also performed as a guest artist with the Boston Early Music Festival in their productions of Lully’s Thésée and Conradi’s Ariadne. In addition, Ms. Copeland has appeared with numerous other companies and contemporary choreographers in New York City, including The Metropolitan Opera, The Maffei Dance Company, Trebien Pollard, and Elke Rindfleisch. In addition to dancing, Ms. Copeland teaches and consults on 18th century movement, holding workshops for groups such as the Aquila Theatre, Manhattan School of Music, and Lincoln Center Theater.

Terence Duncan received his BFA in dance performance from Towson University where he worked with artists such as Mark Taylor, Lawrence Keigwin, Stephen Koplowitz and Mark Dendy. He was a principal dancer with New York Theatre Ballet for seven years and danced with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet for three seasons. Mr. Duncan has performed a wide range of both classical and contemporary repertory, including works by Tudor, Balanchine, and Lubovitch. He has been a guest dancer with companies including Connecticut Ballet, The Tallahassee Ballet, and David Parker and the Bang Group. Terence began dancing with The New York Baroque Dance Company in 2000 and continued until 2003, taking leave to attend graduate school. He was awarded the Suzanne Farrell Fellowship at Florida State University from 2003 through 2006 and received his MFA in dance in the spring of 2006.

Judson Griffin, violin, appears in New York as concertmaster of Concert Royal, Amor Artis, and the American Classical Orchestra, among others, and has been named concertmaster of a new classical-period orchestra, Sinfonia New York. He has been guest soloist and concertmaster with the Dallas Bach Society and New Trinity Baroque in Atlanta. He was associated with the Connecticut Early Music Festival for many years as concertmaster, soloist, conductor, and for six years as Music Director. He has been a principal player with Helicon, the Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra, the Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra, and Apollo's Fire of Cleveland; and concertmaster of the Philadelphia Classical Orchestra.

Carlos Fittante is a dance artist of remarkable diversity. He is a graduate of the School of American Ballet and currently specializes in Balinese and Baroque dance. He is the artistic director of BALAM Dance Theatre (BALAM), a contemporary dance company inspired by Balinese theatre founded in 1979 by Islene Pinder. Through his work with BALAM he has studied and performed extensively in Bali and has choreographed a multitude of East/West fusion works including “Sita Lost in the Forest ,” a story ballet inspired by the Hindu epic, “Ramayana.” “Sita Lost in the Forest ” received international critical acclaim in July 2000 when it was presented at the Bali Arts Festival hosted in Denpasar, Bali. He began his studies of Baroque dance with Catherine Turocy in 1988 and was a member of the NYBDC for 14 years. We are happy to have him join us again for Lady Riot’s Costume Ball.

Rachel List has been a member of the New York Baroque Dance Company since 1990, performing soloist roles at venues such as Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the Handel Festival in Goettingen, Germany. Previously, she performed nationally and internationally with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, The Vanaver Caravan, and Partridge/ Benford/Dance/Music. Ms. List has taught ballet and Baroque dance in universities and conservatories across the U.S. and in Europe and is currently on the faculties of Hofstra University, Queens College, Barnard College, and Peridance. Ms. List created numerous works for her own company between 1985-'95 and also founded and directed Manchester Dance, a summer workshop in Vermont. She is frequently on the faculty of the Bates Dance Festival in Maine. Ms. List recently served as movement consultant for the Pearl Theater Company's production of Marivaux's Double Infidelities. She holds an M.F.A. in Dance from the University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee.

Jason Melms began his training with the Tidewater Ballet Association and the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. In 1991 he moved to New York City to study at the Joffrey Ballet School, where he was selected to perform with its touring company, Joffrey II. Shortly after, Mr. Melms accepted a principal dancer position with the Eglevsky Ballet of New York City. He has also performed with Ballet Theatre Pennsylvania, The Virginia Ballet Theatre, Bravo Ballet, Tony Powell’s Music in Movement and The Virginia Opera. He has worked with such noted choreographers as Laura Alonso, Trinette Singleton, Glenn White, and Sally Wilson. In 2000, Mr. Melms accepted the position as the Artistic Director to the Harrisburg Dance Conservatory, and during his directorship was a chair member for the Regional Dance America’s northeast festivals, where his choreography was featured in the 2001 festival and received with much acclaim. Mr. Melms has also worked as a faculty member for the USDAN Center for the Creative and Performing Arts and is currently on faculty at Peridance in New York City.

Nina Stern is one of North America’s leading performers on the recorder and classical clarinet. She is also hailed as an innovator in teaching school-age children to be fine young musicians. Ms. Stern performs regularly as a principal player with The New York Philharmonic and New York City Opera as well as with many of North America’s major early music ensembles. Ms. Stern is on the faculty of the Mannes College of Music and has taught at Oberlin Conservatory and at the Five Colleges. For her work in education, she was awarded an Endicott Fellowship in 2003, and Early Music America’s “Early Music BringsHistory Alive” Award in 2005.Nina Stern’s latest projects include performances of traditional music of Eastern Europe and the Middle East. She recently released an album of world music entitled “East of the River”. Ms Stern is the author of “Recorders Without Borders.”

Catherine Turocy, Artistic Director and co-founder, with Ann Jacoby , of The New York Baroque Dance Company, is internationally recognized for her contribution to the current revival of 18th-century ballet. In 1995 she was decorated by the French government in the Order of Arts and Letters in recognition of her work in French Baroque ballets. In 2001 Ms. Turocy received the prestigious New York City BESSIE AWARD for Sustained Achievement in Choreography. She is also featured in Janet Roseman’s book, Dance Masters: Interviews with Legends of Dance. This last September she received the Natalie Skelton Award for Artistic Excellence from the Dance Council. She is a stage director, choreographer, performer, teacher and often lectures and writes on historical dance.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO:

Lady Riot played by Valerie Eads is far to complicated to describe in a paragraph. But, in an effort to do her some justice, she received her Ph.D. from the City University of New York Graduate Center in 2000 with a Major: Medieval History; Minor: Comparative Literature. Her dissertation: "Mighty in War: The Role of Matilda of Tuscany in the War between Pope Gregory VII and Emperor Henry IV." She earned a Distinguished Scholar Dissertation Fellowship: Helaine Newstead Bequest Award 1996-97. She also holds: M. Phil., History, CUNY Graduate Center, New York NY and B.A., English Literature, Temple University, Philadelphia PA . She was on faculty at State University of NY at New Paltz and the School of Visual Arts, SUNY-New Paltz, Manhattan College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Queens College CUNY.

Lady Riot’s entourage: Austin McCormick, Yeva Glover and Laura Careless of Company XIV, a non-profit mixed media dance/theater company based in Brooklyn, New York. Founded by Artistic Director, Austin McCormick in June of 2005, the company works in the mediums of live dance/theater and film. It is contemporary, yet baroque inspired. The mission is to create compelling theatrical dance productions that elicit a beautiful affecting experience for its audience. Company XIV also seeks to present unique historical and cultural dance perspectives through the exploration of various artistic partnerships.

And to the sponsors of the ball: The New York Baroque Dance Company and the Harkness Dance Center 92nd Street Y

Volunteers, thank you for all your help: Jay Brenneman, Peter Brown, Joy Havens, Ani Udovicki
Photographs: cwoltmann@yahoo.com

Costumes for the company were designed by Marie Anne Chiment and Marilyn Skow.

Suggestion for period clothing on line: http://www.smilingfoxforgellc.com/

Catherine Turocy stage directed Handel's opera. ORLANDO, for the Goettingen Handel Festival in Germany. With sold out houses and unending applause, this production may have future appearances in Europe. We will keep you informed! Bonnie Kruger is the costume designer and this is one of her sketches for the production.

The talented Nicholas McGegan conducted the Festival Orchestra of Goettingen (FOG) in this dramatic interpretation with William Towers as the mad Orlando, Dominique Labelle as the fickle Angelika, Susanne Ryden as the comic Dorinda, Diana Moore as the young Medoro and Wolf Matthias Friederich as the powerful Zoroastro.

Sarah Edgar was the sharp-eyed assistant to the stage director as well as a dancer, playing the genie of air and water and the shadow of Persephone. She was joined by the fiery Caroline Copeland who also portrayed a quivering Princess Isabella, and Alan Jones and Jason Melms who spent the whole opera in remarkable Fire Salamander masks designed by Jane Stein. Our trusty production assistant who never missed a beat was Leonie Wener.

Of course we could not be a success without our supers who played Cupid (Christian Hauke Poensgen) and the lovers (Franziska Poensgen, Selen Erdogmus, Marc Duck and Florian Hallaschka).

Scott Blake designed the wonderful sets and Pierre Dupouey transformed the stage with his lighting design. The last performance ( of 6 ) is this coming Monday, May 12th. So if you are in Germany, fly to Goettingen on a dragon to catch this unusual production!

The Squirrel vs. The Gondoliers; or, why you shouldn't get your PhD in Venice

This is an example of the super-fat-completely-unafraid-of-humans squirrels that The New York Baroque Dance Company had to contend with during our residency at Cornell University. They stalked every tree-lined path on campus for students dreamily looking at the sky and thinking about Heidigger with mufins poking out of their pockets. Then they would strike!! Oh, the horror.When not avoiding these fiends, we spent our time making the adorably funny commedia dell'arte show, Harlequin's Capers. You can read all about it (along with fabulous background information about baroque dance) here in the Ithaca Journal.

After the performance, I went directly to Trieste, Italy for the last installment of The Fairy Queen. I was so happy to see my Italian friends again , and in addition to the joy of jumping around on the stage like a maniac again, allow me to list the other highlights:

1. going to Miramare Castle to smell that special parterre garden air and see a nineteenth century toilet

2. during aperitivo time, eating hand-sliced chunks of prosciutto cotto and drinking good local wine (although I have to admit that I also drank really BAD wine there, too) and then deciding that dinner was unnecessary

3. drinking coffee in a tiny pastry shop where the owner told us all about the supreme goodness of the Illy family

After the shows were over (I only cried a little bit during the last bows), I met Jeremy in Venice!! We had a lovely time, and it was hilarious how both the Italians and the Americans would say "oh, so romantic" when I told them of our plans. It was suitably romantic, but still awfully touristy even in the lowest of the low season. We were quite lucky that it didn't rain because in November there is always the threat of the canals overflowing, called "aqua alta".

Jeremy and I hit all the hot spots: San Marco, where we saw a poor girl being attacked by pigeons (on purpose, her parents were laughing and taking pictures, and she was quite a sport), the Rialto Bridge, the 18th. century museum, etc. etc. We were good tourists and didn't even get lost too much.

Our favorite things:(lists are so much easier than paragraphs)

1. Sarde in Saor, a Venitian speciality of whole sardines served cold with white wine, sweet onions, pine nuts, and raisins (watch out! I may try to make this!!)

2. seeing boats that deliver all of the food, etc. into the city, along with the garbage boats and ambulance boats-- there are no cars!!

3. We always ate Tramezzini (tiny sandwiches with different fillings) for lunch.

4. lots of quiet walks down narrow, twisting streets

Now, to explain the title. We happened upon a strange ritual near the University-- a girl appeared to have just received her PhD, and she was standing in front a huge poster with lots of tiny print and a picture of her swinging through the trees as a monkey. She was wearing padded hot-pants and a tube on her head, and while she tried to read the tiny text of the poster, her friends shouted "Drink!", threw eggs, and squirted her with ketchup and milk. The next day we saw the same thing happening to a boy, so this was no isolated incident. Ha! I can't believe I missed my chance to squirt ketchup at Jeremy. Posted by Sarah at 4:54 AM

Printemps des Arts de Nantes

June 16....Well, it is finally arriving! We are off to Nantes to celebrate the 300th birthday of Marie Sallé at the conference in her honor organized by the Printemps des Arts de Nantes this June 19 and 20th. I will be speaking about the dance technique required to perform her dances and will be joined by Sarah Edgar. With many thanks to the Florence Gould Foundation for covering our travel expenses... we will be joining Rachel, Patricia,Glenda, Jason, Terry and Seth in Paris for the international dance conference at the CND (Centre National de la Danse) where I am lecturing (they are demonstrating!) on training today's dancers in Baroque technique. Of course we will find time to visit Versailles and the Paris Opera, stop in a cafe on the left Bank, visit the rare book shops and get lost in a few museums. Au revoir!