First-Person: Dancers-in-Residence Share Movement, Emotion
“In our studio in Brooklyn, we don’t have any mirrors. I want you to turn to face this side of the room, Don’t worry about how you look. Feel the movement.”
I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly. It was such a refreshing feeling, to follow my intuition without being judged. I felt so happy.
Amanda Stevenson and Lee Duveneck, members of the Paul Taylor 2 Dance Company, spent last week at Groton School, teaching participants in the afternoon dance program and members of the JV girls basketball team. The dancers also visited an AP Music Theory class, where they discussed phrasing in music and dance, Stravinsky's rhythmic “The Rite of Spring,” and what life is like as an artist.
Their positive energy was infectious.
In one dance workshop, the dancers led us through contractions, gestures, and leaps, challenging us to make bold and technical movements. Students of all dance backgrounds enjoyed the workshop. Says Amanda: “What I love about modern dance is that you can break down movements into simple steps.”
In one dance workshop, the dancers led us through contractions, gestures, and leaps, challenging us to make bold and technical movements. Students of all dance backgrounds enjoyed the workshop. Says Amanda: “What I love about modern dance is that you can break down movements into simple steps.”
During one workshop, we began by rolling down to touch our toes, plié, and stand up again. Then, slowly but surely, the instructors added little complexities: a twist in the spine, a swing of the arm, a drop of the pelvis. The pattern of motions was structured, but in a very natural way.
Next, they taught us original choreography from a Paul Taylor piece titled “Runes.“ The dance was counted in sevens, combining slow, creeping movements with sharp and sudden ones. The dancers-in-residence not only described the quality of the movement, but also asked us to channel the emotion of the music. After we learned the combination, they asked what we were thinking about during certain moments of the dance. One girl compared a motion to how she felt when she was home alone and heard a sound at the door.
Near the end of the lesson, Amanda and Lee taught an exercise called “birding.” Small groups of students flocked in patterns, running across the floor while maintaining the same distance between all the dancers. This was a practice in spatial awareness, they explained as they demonstrated with ease. Dancers fumbled and laughed, but eventually found their rhythm together. That newfound harmony lasted throughout the workshop.
The dance program also hosted a Q&A session over dinner to learn more about the dancers. When asked for his best piece of life advice, Lee replied with the phrase: “Happy to be here, easy to work with.” Both Lee and Amanda epitomized that statement.—Abby Kong ’17
See more photos from the Taylor 2 residency on our multimedia page.
See more photos from the Taylor 2 residency on our multimedia page.
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