Archive for the 'General' Category

Let’s go see Misnomer!

Misnomer @ Symphony Space

Misnomer @ Symphony Space

New Season Opens April 2nd at Symphony Space! Great atmosphere, incredible art. Bring your friends and prepare to be stimulated :)

More info, visit: www.misnomer.org/symphonyspace/index.html

On Your Mind: Misnomer, Unraveled

Deaton Jones, a student at Columbia University who grew up in the South, shares with us his thoughts on a recent performance by Misnomer Dance Theater. While the troupe’s name declares a cheeky skepticism towards audience members’ or critics’ attempts to interpret what they’re observing on stage, we think Deaton’s done a pretty swell—and brave—job of offering up his perspective. It’s not everyday in NYC that you come across a mind unjaded, and so we’re excited to hear more from Deaton as he explores the city and its cultural offerings with an unusually fresh and open eye.

A few days ago, I attended a performance at the Baryshnikov Arts Center by the Misnomer Dance Theater. Rather than marveling at graceful pirouettes or effortless lifts, I found myself captivated in a search for the dances’ meanings.

Modern dance is still relatively new to me, as I have only a little bit of first-hand experience in hip hop and ballroom. Interpretive in style, the Misnomer performance served as medium for storytelling. The performance reminded me of the music of band The Dirty Projectors. The Dirty Projectors are an indie/experimental rock band out of Brooklyn – they’ve been around for quite a few years now, but I only recently started exploring their music. I am often caught off guard by the group’s juxtaposition of octaves and unsuspecting use of instruments.

The Misnomer performance echoed this emphasis on juxtaposition. The abstract performance took place in a studio named after one of the greatest ballet—a type of movement considered more traditional—dancers of all time. The performers’ outfits ranged from everyday wear to full on, alien-like costume. I was often caught off guard by Misnomer’s interpretation of what constitutes “prop.” At a point in the performance, one of the dancers crawled on top of another dancer and then wrapped himself horizontally around the other dancer before shimmying his way to the floor. I would have never thought to use another person as a type of “pole” before seeing this take place.

I applaud the Misnomer Dancer Theater for promoting innovation. It was obvious that the choreographer and dancers pushed themselves to achieve a unique performance aesthetic. Audience members may not always understand, spot-on, the meaning of their performances, but they can be sure of one thing: attending a Misnomer show means bearing witness to something refreshing and unusual.

- Deaton

A reply from Chris Elam, Misnomer’s Artistic Director:

Hi Deaton,

Thanks for attending our show and for writing your post. I don’t know if you know this, but if not, it’s ironic that you mentioned the Dirty Projectors in your post about our show. They were actually in the audience that day :)

Glad to share the art with you and appreciate your curiousity!

- Chris Elam

You can read this article and respond to it here.

Misnomer Unpacked, Episode Two: Too Late Tulilp

Misnomer Unpacked Series: Too Late Tulip from Chris Elam on Vimeo.

Choreography: Chris Elam

Music:Greg Brown, Chet Baker, Giora Feidman, Pickpocket Ensemble

Commissioned Music: James Sizemore

Interviewed: Coco Karol, Brynne Billingsley

Appearing: Brynne Billingsley, Coco Karol, Jennifer Harmer, Luke Gutgsell, Dorian Nusikind-Oder

Sand County Photo Shoot

Misnomers Jennifer Harmer directs models at the Sand County photo shoot.

Misnomer's Jennifer Harmer directs models at the Sand County photo shoot.

On October 25th, Misnomer had the pleasure of being involved in a very cool collaborative photo shoot with photographer Tanit Sakakini and Nightjar Creative in Brooklyn, NY. Jennifer Harmer choreographed the shoot – translating Misnomer’s signature movement vocabulary into still shots. Jenny Campbell was one of thirty models involved in the day long shoot outside of 3rd Ward.

TEDxEast – Chris Elam – 11/06/09

Hi all,

My TEDxEAST talk and performance is now up! Please check it out, rate, comment and share it. I’d love to get this message out for people to hear.

–Chris

Support from EDA

Engaging Dance Audiences Logo

Misnomer is honored to receive new major support for our Audience Engagement Platform (AEP) through Dance/USA’s “Engaging Dance Audiences” program. We were one of nine organizations selected from 179 submissions by this new national funding program established by the Doris Duke Foundaton and the James Irvine Foundation.

For more information on AEP – visit misnomer.org. or email aep@misnomer.org.

National Arts Marketing Project

Chris has been asked to serve as this month’s expert in the “Ask The Expert” column on the National Arts Marketing Project website, http://artsmarketing.org/. Visit the site to read Chris’ responses to questions on new media, dance, and leadership (or ask your own question!)

Jaki Levy and Chris recently contributed an article to the site as well, called “Sharing a Staged Peformance Across the World.” Published in two segments, the article explores the process of producing a live dance webcast.

Read “Sharing a Staged Performance Across the World: Part One” (by Chris Elam).

Read “Sharing a Staged Performance Across the World: Part Two” (by Jaki Levy).

Thurs 5/28: Chris Participates in NFF/Chronicle of Philanthropy Webchat

The Nonprofit Finance Fund and The Chronicle of Philanthropy are presenting a series of free live web chats called “Financial Management in
Tough Times” – Free Advice for Managing Your Organization Through the Recession.

Misnomer Dance Theater’s Artistic Director Chris Elam will be a guest at this week’s chat, “New business models for arts organizations” which will take place online on Thursday May 28th at 12 noon (EST). Other participants include Clara Miller -  president and CEO of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, Steve Runk – Executive Director of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and Holly Sidford – a strategic planner, program developer and fundraiser.

Official description from the NFF:

Thursday, May 28, 2009 at Noon (EST)
New business models for arts organizations

Arts organizations face unique challenges in weathering the recession. Many groups are facing a significant decline in their audiences as patrons cut their expenses. Many others are seeing a drop off in charitable support.

This discussion will give arts leaders and those who support them an opportunity to talk about new, promising approaches to overcoming financial pressures, driving profits and business outcomes, managing high capital costs in the current market, and connecting with audiences in new ways.

To join, visit http://philanthropy.com/live/recession_series/ on May 28th at 12noon (ET) and click “Join the Discussion”. If you can’t join us live, check back after the chat for the complete transcript.

To submit questions now, visit http://philanthropy.com/live/recession_series/. Questions submitted in advance have a better chance of being answered.

To read the transcript of last week’s web chat “Nonprofit Financing Options in Recession”, visit http://philanthropy.com/live/2009/05/financing_options/index.shtml.

Misnomer Dance | Live on the Web Wednesday April 29

Misnomer has been rehearsing next door to the New York Stock Exchange in an old bank vault – a unique space granted to the company by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC).

Join Misnomer Dance Theater for a live webcast from inside the vault on Wednesday, April 29th at 5:30pm EST.

Watch it online at http://www.misnomer.org.

The 30 minute show includes an introduction from Artistic Director Chris Elam, followed by Misnomer’s newest work-in-progress, and an excerpt from Too Late Tulip.



Misnomer Live Webcast April 29th, 5:30 PM EST from Chris Elam on Vimeo.

Dancer Spotlight: Jennifer Harmer

You’ve been a company member since the beginning. Please describe your experience as the company has shifted and evolved.
Chris and I met in the Dance Conservatory at NYU, Tisch School of the Arts. He was getting his M.F.A. and I my B.F.A. He was looking to cast a trio he wanted to make for one of the student concerts, and a fellow dancer, Chris Yon, recommended me to him. I’ve never really talked to Yon about that recommendation, but I think about the ramifications of it sometimes… that boy really did set the course of my life in a big way!

Anyway, I fell pretty hard for that first piece of work, “Looking Long in the Stampede.” It was a trio set to Tuvan throat singing and “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on my Head”, with silences interspersed. The unifying element of the piece was represented by bright green painted index fingers for all three dancers. Chris’ work just made perfect sense to me. I enjoyed creating work that really showcased my personality and emotional make-up as a human being– the universal aspect of that as well as my uniqueness as an individual. I felt at home exploring the balance point between dichotomies such as unbridled joy and sorrow; loneliness and fellowship. It seemed that everything could be felt and conveyed fully in just one piece, that each work was a universal strand of DNA all unto its own. That initial satisfaction with Chris’ work has never left me, and I have been working with Chris for almost a decade.

Misnomer did a webcast of the final performance from the 2008 New York Season to a worldwide audience. How did you feel on the night of the webcast?
I felt like we were boldly stepping where no dance company had ventured before. It was thrilling to know that people all over the world would be watching us live to help close out our unprecedented two week run at Joyce Soho. I thought I would be more nervous when I got onstage (thinking about it beforehand in the dressing room made me shudder with equal parts joy and terror) but luckily, I forgot all about it once I started moving, and the camera sat quietly and unobtrusively in the back of the house. It was so wonderful to know that my parents would be watching me in real time on their vacation in Cabo San Lucas!

What do you do outside of Misnomer?

I am taking a year off from making new work with Misnomer in order to focus on building my teaching practice. I am enjoying creating a new class format based on the martial art Bagua (a cross between Tai Chi and Shaolin) that functions like an Eastern Calisthenics class.

I am excited about it because it combines the best of aspects of modern dance and of yoga– the Chi Gung breathing and zen like quality of a yoga class combined with the movement through space, intense physicality and dynamic range of a modern dance class. I am also teaching Gyrotonic at a wonderful studio in the West Village called ‘Village Gyrotonic’ and continuing to perform with the caburlesque troupe Lady Rizo & The Assettes.