The official trailer for Habitat

Habitat in Edinburgh Fringe Festival trailer from Alaine Handa on Vimeo.
Habitat Directed by Alaine Handa
Choreography by Alaine Handa in collaboration with the performers
Performers: Laura Lamp, Ezekiel Oliveira, Belinda He, Alaine Handa

Habitat premiered at C Venues (+2) theatre at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. August 2013.

This production is supported in part by Singapore International Foundation (sif.org.sg) and in kind support from Centre Stage School of the Arts (centre-stage.com/) and donated pictures from Expatriate Archive Centre.

This performance footage is shot and edited by Kevin Tadge & Laura Lamp.

Some pictures from Habitat in Edinburgh

Taken from Video Stills by Kevin Tadge.

Many Thanks to Kevin, the Expatriate Archive Center - for sending us some lovely images of habitats of expats from different parts of the world and different time periods!

Quick update from Edinburgh:
Hello everyone! I hope you are having a great time wherever you are in the world. Ever since we arrived in Edinburgh, its been a whirlwind of activities. We jumped into rehearsals immediately, then tech, dress, preview performances, performances, networking, getting audiences to come (a daily hustle!) see us, making new friends, and also trying to see as many shows as we can because Edinburgh Fringe is THE largest arts festival in the world.

I managed to squeeze in some sightseeing yesterday and went up to Edinburgh Castle which is in the middle of town. The view from up the hill is gorgeous with the historic cannons, crown jewels of Scotland, and historical buildings once occupied by Queen Mary of Scots and her son King James. I have also met up with an old friend of mine who I haven't seen since we were 12 years old and attending an International School in Singapore! She's Scottish and lives about an hour away in Glasgow. It was great to catch up with her.

More later....
- Alaine

Video still captured during Ezekiel's solo by Kevin Tadge

Habitat Sleep Pattern Promo

 

Habitat
Directed by Alaine Handa
Choreography by Alaine Handa and Dancers
Dancers: Alaine Handa, Belinda He, Laura Lamp, and Ezekiel Oliveira
July 31- August 31, 2013 @ 1:50 pm everyday
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
C Venues, venue 34, Adam House, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Purchase tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/dance-and-physical-theatre/habitat
Habitat blog: http://www.habitatprojectahdc.blogspot.com

Habitat is supported in part by Singapore International Foundation's Singapore Internationale grant scheme (www.sif.org.sg) and Centre Stage School of the Arts (www.centre-stage.com).

Habitat feet promo

Habitat
Directed by Alaine Handa
Choreography by Alaine Handa and Dancers
July 31- August 31, 2013 @ 1:50 pm everyday
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
C Venues, venue 34, Adam House, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Purchase tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/dance-and-physical-theatre/habitat
Habitat blog: http://www.habitatprojectahdc.blogspot.com

Habitat is supported in part by Singapore International Foundation's Singapore Internationale grant scheme (www.sif.org.sg) and Centre Stage School of the Arts (www.centre-stage.com).

Rehearsing in spite of haze

Last week's rehearsal was on the day that had the worst PSI reading of 400. Masks, lots of breaks, water, and coughing.

But we still managed to have a laugh with our masks on. 

Habitat: The Press Release

Photo Credit: Ji Yoon Kim

April 21, 2013                   

 

A.H. Dance Company presents Habitat in Edinburgh Fringe Festival

The Edinburgh debut for international contemporary dance company based in New York City and Singapore, following performances in New York, Guangzhou, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur. Habitat (world premiere) is a multimedia dance production explores how we coexist and how we adjust to changes in our environments based on our senses, perception, and quality of life.  

What:	Habitat
Who:	A.H. Dance Company
Where:	C Venues, C (+2), Chambers Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom Venue #34
When:	31 July – 13 August, 2013, 13:50 pm everyday
Tickets:	Tickets cost £ 10.50 – 11.50. Purchase tickets: Habitat | Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Habitat Publicist:	Alaine Handa, ahdancecompany@gmail.com Laura Lamp, lauramlamp@gmail.com
C Venues Fringe Festival Publicists:	C venues press and marketing department publicity@cvenues.com Tel. 0845 260 1234

About Habitat

Habitat is a multimedia dance production – assessing how humans coexist in the habitat(s) in which we live in and how we adjust to changes in our environments – inspired by our senses, perception, and quality of life. When we retreat into our physical home what happens behind closed doors? Our personal space is the environment in which we become our truest self. The quirks, neurosis, emotional highs and lows, habits, transformations, etc. This multicultural cast of dancers from Singapore, USA, Portugal, and Indonesia transcend national boundaries to share their lives with each other onstage.

About the Choreographer/Artistic Director

Alaine Handa is attracted to work that engages audiences from a sociological context. Her choreography has been described as “quirky, honest, athletic, and lyrical.” Alaine received her B.A. from UCLA’s department of World Arts & Cultures in dance studies. In Los Angeles, she has worked with Yvonne Rainer, Simone Forti, Mandala Danceworks, Space + Movement Exchange, Victoria Marks, among others. Since relocating to New York City in 2005, she has performed for Larry Keigwin + Company, Sasha Soreff Dance Theater, Open Floor Dance, The Movement Collective, High Frequency Wavelengths, Gabrielle Lansner & Company, Scott Lyons & Company, and Stephanie Liapis. Her own work has been shown at Toronto Fringe Festival, Dance Forum, University Settlement, Abrons Art Center, Dance New Amsterdam, Movement Research, Merce Cunningham Studio Theater, Meridian International Children’s Festival, Capital Fringe Festival, Cool New York Dance Festival, and various other venues.  Ms. Handa has lived in Indonesia, Singapore, Los Angeles, and New York. For more information please visit www.alainehanda.com.

"Most of Alaine's work is based on some sociological observation or a desire to inform and enlighten through dance. In fact, she epitomizes the best traits of global nomads and is an excellent ambassador."

- Lisa Finnegan "Changing the World through Dance" for Parenting While Abroad, 9/12/2010

About Edinburgh Fringe

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world and takes place every August for three weeks in Scotland’s capital city. Every year thousands of performers take to a multitude of stages all over Edinburgh to present shows for every taste. From big names in the world of entertainment to unknown artists looking to build their careers, the festival caters for everyone and includes theatre, comedy, dance, physical theatre, musicals, operas, music, exhibitions and events. http://www.edfringe.com

A.H. Dance Company

A.H. Dance Company is a multicultural modern dance company based in New York City and Singapore. A.H. Dancers perform work that reflects the diversity of the cast and various collaborators. Founded in December 2007, A.H. Dance Company has performed in various theaters, studios, community centers, conferences, and festivals in the United States and beyond.  A.H. Dance Company’s mission is to present and support independent contemporary artists and companies worldwide. Through collaborations with local dancers and artists of other mediums, A.H. Dance Company strives to share modern dance with communities that lack exposure to it. Through the work of Ms. Handa and the company members, A.H. Dance Company aims to present work that is engaging to a vast range of audiences.  For more information visit www.ahdancecompany.com

 

Habitat: Indiegogo campaign

Our indiegogo campaign has less than 9 days left and we need all the help we can get. Will you check out our indiegogo campaign video and if you are able to donate a few dollar bills, we would be very grateful!

Thank you shoutout to Media Generation (http://www.media-generation.com/, Annette Floystrup, tribalyna, Anonymous, and Kyla Barkin for your donations!

A lone dancer in rehearsal

I have been conducting virtual rehearsals for a few months with Laura now working on her solo and this project, it got me to thinking about the process of rehearsing and how it changes the work we create in different types of situations and spaces. This piece is very much a collaborative process with my dancers because I'm working with them one-on-one and in the case of Laura, virtually. The ideas that I have come to fruitition entirely when we both come up with ideas. Back and forth emails. So much of how we live today exist in a virtual habitat and a physical habitat.

I know I'm not alone in this same process of creation. I've spoken to a number of artists who do collaborations trans-globally with each other seem to also work this way as well.

Now I'm curious because when I'm in a studio alone, I feel very much alone in my own skin. Even if I'm choreographing for something, I feel alone. Does anyone else feel this way? I wonder if Laura feels this way when she goes to the studio to work on Habitat. Maybe its different because she's accountable for these video recordings to send them to me so I can give feedback. Because there's that accountability.

I'm having a hard time shaping my own solo for this piece. Perhaps I should create an accountability and make videos as well to send to my dancers for feedback.

This is the most recent video of Laura's rehearsal. The solo is shaping up nicely. A little more tweaks and then I can be satisfied with it.


p.s. I like the studio that she's rehearsing in has light colored marley and white walls. I'm imagining all the projections behind her bouncing off.

A rehearsal video

I have a new dancer in the Habitat piece and his name is Ezekiel. We work for the same arts school who is also generously donating space for us to work together when the studios aren't being used. A BIG shout out and THANK YOU to Centre Stage & Pete for generously letting us use the studios.

Here's a rehearsal clip from our first rehearsal, this will be part of a transition section currently titled "Wall".

Laura's Solo performance at Cool New York 2013

The snowstorm dubbed "Nemo" did not stop Cool New York 2013 festival from happening. The Show must go on! With the impending storm, Laura went to tech/dress rehearsal before the storm. We were scheduled to perform Friday evening and Sunday evening, however, "Nemo" blanketed the East Coast with over 2 feet of snow (POWDAH!) and she only got to perform Habitat on Sunday to a FULL HOUSE!

The following video was taken during dress rehearsal. We'll be working on the solo in the coming months so its a bit more polished for the upcoming fringe festival in Edinburgh (more on that later on!). I love the lighting and mood of this solo - it fits Laura so well.


     


Laura had to alter the performance a bit due to the FULL HOUSE with people sitting on the floor in front of the pillars. But I'm sure she danced beautifully. (I wish more performances were livestreamed so global audiences can watch as well)

Habitat is shaping up really nicely - I have rehearsal this weekend with a dancer/teacher living in Singapore. I'll definitely share the rehearsal video in the coming weeks.

A.H. dance company will be performing and presenting our first public showing of "Habitat" - a multi-sensory dance installation during the FIGMENT Arts festival on June 9th from 12:30-1:30 pm at the Nolan Stage.

Lets have a picnic afterwards!


About Habitat:
A dance installation that examines how we coexist in the habitat(s) in which we live in and how we adjust to changes in our environs based on our senses, perception, and quality of life. By taking away one of our senses, we heighten the other senses and our perception changes. This multi-disciplinary dance installation will invite audience members to experience and be an active participant in the performance. Each audience participant will first be directed into the space blindfolded, as the piece unfolds, the blindfolds come off and they are directed to sit, lay down, stand in various configurations. By blurring the lines of performer and audience member each person involved will experience Habitat a little differently. This piece will be completed in the summer 2012 and ready for our premiere performance in the fall of 2012.


Photo Credit: Jene Youtt 


About FIGMENT arts festival
FIGMENT celebrates an abundance of creativity and passion, challenging artists and our communities to find new ways to create, share, think, and dream.
http://figmentproject.org/

Click here for directions to Governor's Island  

Habitat Project: Lauren's Tap sequence

This tap inspired sequence is performed in the perimeter of the audience members. Audience members are placed in a large circle facing in towards the center of the space. They experience the rhythms while viewing a Busby Berkeley inspired phrase done on the floor in the center of the space done by other dancers.