No Expectations

Last week we had a show that i co-produced with a couple other members from Piano Fight called the Pants Off Dance Off!!! which featured diverse dance companies from around the Bay Area. I also choreographed a new work for Alex Jenkins and myself aka BIG TROUBLE with all of the movement being informed by the super long title.


We had one of the best times ever onstage performing and I wanted to share with you some feedback from one of our friends and fellow PF company member Evan Winschester. He pretty much nailed it.

Hey Brian and Alex, Here is some off the cuff response... my subjective experience of your guys piece, which I really enjoyed.

The title no doubt set me up to think about these things. 

Turn it on / turn it off made me think of Book of Mormon, where one of the possibly closeted Mormon leads has a song called "turn it off". This song from Book of Mormon is all about shutting down thought, and just plugging along with your head in the sand.

So when I saw the piece, I saw some real yearning for connection (like when you end a scene reaching for each other but the lights cut before connection is made), passion, beautiful dance, and it was juxtaposed with a kind of nihilistic partying mode. I say nihilistic because of the more overt symbolism, like the fascist hand raised in the background, and how easily it returns to a state of partying. Some of it was really, really funny, like Alex when you are prepping in the mirror before going out for the night. I think it nicely hits a superficial note, but gently, and not in a mean spirited way. The pathos comes from juxtaposing the two styles - surface and fun / trouble and yearning.

Otherwise I just want to say it was really fun watching you guys switch between modes. The music was great. On that note, having very recognizable music like that is a good way to introduce even the more avant garde dance to a more general audience. "Here's something you know... here's something you don't." Inviting and it feels contemporary.

The first time you speak, Brian, it's very dramatic. 

The cuts in and out of music are nice, especially how abrupt some of them are.

posted below is a short clip of the "R Kelly/#dookiecrew section which is a personal fav.