Author Archives: Ruby
Telling Stories with Dance
Last night I met with a fellow instructor/choreographer and we spent some time bouncing around ideas for a dance performance piece. In truth, I have about six pieces in the nascent stages of production, but the hardest part of the job for me is… finishing the job. It’s the filling in of the details, getting … Continue reading
Embarking
Today, I confirmed that I have a subletter for my apartment. I’ve already packed my suitcase (which probably needs to be partially unpacked and lightened). Tomorrow I begin to put personal things in boxes to be stored away. A new person will fill my current space and be my place-holder, paying the bills so that … Continue reading
Why You Need a Partner for Your Art
I’ve been doing partner dance for well over 10 years now, but before I got into formal partner dance I was always seeking partnership in my art. As a college student, studying modern dance, I never had more fun or felt more inspired than when my friend Leah and I would go to the dance … Continue reading
I Can’t Dance
I have a new rule that I have to dance every day. It’s based on my Law of Minimums. But some days I just don’t have it in me. If I’m mired in soul-crushing despair, or buried in a design project, it’s hard to change up my inertia to jump and bounce and flow in … Continue reading
What I Love About Social Dance
I went out to a local bar with a friend of mine that I know from the Swing Scene here in Chicago. As we stood to the side of the room, watching the band, waiting for a song that we wanted to dance to, I marveled over how isolated we were in this room full … Continue reading
If Dancers Were Drummers
If I were a music teacher, I’d probably compare teaching Dance to teaching percussion… mainly due to one observation. A natural percussionist, can play soft or hard, slow or fast, but the way that they attack the drums is with a level of relaxation and precision that the unnatural percussionist probably can’t achieve. I don’t … Continue reading