Post Edinburgh thoughts

Its always hard to figure out what to do next with a piece after a major festival/performance. I've been going back to the 'drawing board' and thinking of how this piece can develop. As a choreographer, sometimes I'm always looking for a way to reinvent a piece that I've created and put on a stage. With Habitat, I may go backwards in time to my original idea of mounting it in a gallery type setting or a white box theater. I also want to get the projections to shoot off the dancers' bodies as the light fragments on their bodies because its a metaphor for the person living in a world that feels like a sum of all worlds. Visually, I think this would look really exciting.
I'm rambling a bit from my thoughts... I will leave you with a documentary film that Laura Lamp edited and shot during the performance run titled "Dreaming to Escape"

Dreaming to Escape from Nesby Darbfeld on Vimeo.

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

Preview from Alaine's solo text

I wrote a poem that I recorded to be used as a soundscape for my solo in Habitat. Here's a snippet of it. I hope you like it!


This is me
What am I doing here?
These four walls, pillows, closet, dressers filled with clothing and relics of the past.
A near and distant memory of homes.
Memories.
Why do you want to know?
I’m weird.
I like to sleep with the lights on.

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 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!

Habitat of a Singaporean dancer: Kai Eng

In February, I went to the home of a Singaporean dancer, who had just moved back from living in Stockholm for a number of years. She had just moved into this apartment she shares with her boyfriend and her landlord that has typical Singapore views of government-subsidized housing called HDBs in an area that I'm not familiar with. Even though I've grown up living in Singapore, I didn't have many local friends as I attended an International school and an American school later on. Almost all of us lived in private condos and no one I knew lived in an HDB flat from my schools. I had very few local Singaporean friends who I'd met through the dance studios I trained at and through the ice rink (I used to be a figure skater). This particular dancer, I had met at the ice rink. She and I were rink buddies back in those youthful days. We sort of lost touch after I moved away from Singapore to the US but reconnected on Facebook. She became a modern dancer while in Sweden.

When we look at the Habitat we place ourselves in, it reflects a physical place of where we our in our life in that current moment. I had asked Kai why she didn't move back "home" with her mother and she replied that she was going to live with her boyfriend that moved with her from Sweden and didn't want to burden her mother. She chose her living arrangements. I believe that when we get to choose our own living arrangements, we are much happier wherever we are. We get to unleash our truest selves 24/7 instead of just behind closed doors.

Photo Credit: Alistair Chew (Visit his Tumblr blog with AMAZING Dance Photography! Tonight We Dance)

 
























 


Photo Credit: Alistair Chew (Visit his Tumblr blog with AMAZING Dance Photography! Tonight We Dance)

Her current habitat is humble and simple. Her landlord was excited to have us film and photograph in her apartment.


A BIG Thank you to Alistair Chew (Seriously check out his blog: Tonight We Dance) and Kai Eng for this photoshoot! I'll have more pics highlighted from that shoot that will be used as part of the backdrop for Habitat. 

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".

Habitat Pictures from Around the World

 

I find other people's habitat extremely interesting because you really get to know someone just by visiting their home. From the decorations, household items, to the architecture of the home is all orchestrated by the inhabitant of that place. A few months ago, I had an open call for pictures of people's past or current habitat and these are a few of the pictures that were sent to me. These pictures will be used as a backdrop for Habitat.

If you would like to send me a picture of your past home or current living situation, feel free to email me at ahdancecompany@gmail.com








Anastasia Ashman's Habitat

Cheilaugh Garvey's daughters' former Habitat

Maria Foley's Habitat

Rob Oandasan's Childhood Habitat

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 showing of a solo at Cool New York 2013 Festival

Cool New York 2013 Festival is coming up and we will be a part of it! Quite exciting b/c this will be the first of many showings.. virtual and live leading up to the big global premiere this coming summer in Europe! (Yes, we're excited.. can't you tell!! We're even pre-announcing before the official announcement. hah!)

Anyways back to Cool New York..

Here are the details:

CoolNY Dance Festival originated in 2004 as a component of Cool New York, the City’s winter celebration of “arts and parks” events. Mayor Bloomberg put his personal stamp of approval on the celebration, deeming it “the perfect opportunity to get out this winter season, explore new neighborhoods and appreciate the magic of the city.” WHITE WAVE honors its milestone 10th Anniversary CoolNY 2013 Dance Festival this January 30th – February 10th.

The CoolNY 2013 Dance Festival is FREE and contributions are greatly appreciated in order to continue festival presentations.

Featured companies include: 
Amos Pinhasi, Jennifer Mellor Dance Project, Inclined Dance Project, ANAHATA Dance, NEVILLE Dance Theatre, FLUSSO Dance, Raw Delivery, Andrew Jannetti, FluidEdge, “NOT for reTAIL”, Cori Marquis + the Nines [IX], Sapphire Moon Dance Company, Anne-Flore de Rochambeau, A.H. Dance Company, MUSE309, KDNY, The Brooklyn Dance Ensemble, 4thrightdance, RG Dance Projects, Enzo Celli-Celli Contemporary Ballet, Dorcas Roman Dance Theatre / DRDT, ADANZAVECVOS, Core Dance Contemporary, Hwa Suk Lee Dance Project, Olsi Gjeci, BAXco, Brooklyn Arts Exchange Teen Company, Liz Piccoli, Bo Kyung Lee, Adams Company Dance, Tamara LaDonna Moving Spirits, Inc., Kyla Ernst-Alper, Juhwan Hwang, Theodora Boguszewski, Megan Nicely/Dance, Regina Nejman & Company, Yin Yue Dance Company, Jules Bakshi/ Subtle Details Dance Theater, LJ Leach/Movement Arts, Double-Edge Dance, SoGoNo- Tanya Calamoneri, BodyStories: Teresa Fellion Dance, Asterial Dance, MJM Dance, Kitchen Sink Collective, Nehara Kalev, Shauna Dever Dance, Whiteroad Dance Media, Sheena Hagy, Jennifer Phillip, Nadine Martinez, Melanie Cortier/Eidolon Ballet, Kip Martin, Elinor Harrison and more…

Program H

February 8 @ 9-10:30 pm
February 10 @ 6-7:30 pm

Location: WHITE WAVE John Ryan Theater, 25 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Directions: F train to York Street. Walk along Jay Street towards the waterfront. Entrance is on John Street.


Watch the beautiful Laura perform part of her solo at the festival!

Photo Credit: Fig Tree Photography

Here's Laura performing Chameleon at the Outlet Dance Project this past fall.

Photo Credit: Silvia Si-Wei Chen

Laura performing "Nothing Matters When We're Dancing" Flashmob in Washington Square Park co-choreographed by Alaine Handa, Michael Mao, and Natalia Duong as the closing for Locating the Sacred Festival hosted by Asian American Arts Alliance in September.








Here's a rehearsal video snippet of the solo:

Lauren's Habitat, Photos by Jene Youtt

Last Winter in NYC, we shot a segment in Lauren's apartment of Lauren in her natural habitat. I filmed a choreographed improvisation of gestural series on her bed, brushing her hair, picking out an outfit while photographer Jene shot the series in slow motion. We spent a couple hours shooting her from different angles.

Here are some of the pictures taken from that evening.

I love the raw vulnerability of these pictures and the calmness of Lauren's face as she was dealing with a sustained ankle injury at that time.

Many thanks to Lauren & Jene!

Photo Credit: Jene Youtt

Onto new adventures...

Its been eerily quiet on this blog for a number of reasons.
1) I moved halfway across the globe to Singapore
2) Haven't had time to think about the next steps of this piece because a) its not really finished b) I'm re-creating it to fit a traditional stage
3) Re-creating the piece

With that said... the past couple weeks, I've been re-envisioning this piece as vignettes of solos with group transitional segments.

Habitat is the space in which we live. Our personal space. The environment in which we confine ourselves to become our truest self. The quirks, neurosis, emotional highs and lows, habits, transformations, etc. What happens behind closed doors when we come into our physical home. What happens to the self when we leave, do we change the way we think, act, dress, interact with others...

I'm hoping this new way of looking at this piece will hone in on all the stuff we were creating the past year in the studio in New York. I'm not completely abandoning all that material. Just drawing upon this new revision and adding some of those material into the new stuff we've come up with.

Photo Credit: Laura Lamp

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.

How well do you know your neighborhood?

I sent out my dancers on a mission to take pictures of a neighborhood that they are familiar with and unfamiliar with. I walked around my neighborhood and realized how much I don't know or notice when I walk around.

Here's the mission I sent my dancers out on:
1. Go to an area of the city that you're familiar with & take snapshots of people living their life. Try to capture their emotion, action, or something unique about how they are going about their day.
2. Go to an area of the city that you're not very familiar with & take snapshots of people living their life in that area. Try to capture their emotion, action, or something unique about how they are going about their day.

So my dear readers, I would like to challenge you to do the same. I'd love to see the pictures and include it in the Habitat Project (with your permission and you will be credited in the program of course!)


Photo Credit: Alaine Handa