Pilobolus is a highly physical group with quite the reputation when it comes to theatrics. While their numbers seem organic, every move is precise to avoid injury and to create the intended formation, shadow, or structure for other dancers. I mean, just look at THIS, and THIS!
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This is a video of a workshop at the Jerusalem School of Music and Dance in Israel in 2010. The workshop was held by 3 company members for a 90-minute session with students. You might spot a familiar face!
This is a video of a workshop at UNL from last year.
Pilobolus has posted the dates of their adult dance workshops for Summer 2013. If you are interested in potentially working with Pilobolus check out their page HERE! There are 3 different sessions this summer throughout the month of July.
Are you interested in performing with Pilobolus and are wondering what the auditions for a group like this might look like? Check out this video!
As you can see, they do partner work, combinations of same sex and opposite sex partnering as well as combinations of auditionee partnering and company member partnering. They also look for acrobatic technique and what appears to be structured improvisation.
Not only does Pilobolus perform, they inspire others to think and create. To see the Pilobolus Vote Project, click HERE! To see the art they inspired through their choreography, click THIS! Also, Pilobolus has made several appearances on Sesame Street, helping teach numbers, shapes, and letters to children across the nation.
Pilobolus is on of the reasons I started taking modern dance classes. Before seeing them perform one fall when I was about 10 years old, I had only ever taken ballet classes. Modern was something I did not understand or think was for me, so I stayed away from it entirely. My dance studio went to see Pilobolus as a group and I was enthralled. The company was strong, interesting, humorous, and theatrical. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. The performance was weird, spectacular, and awe inspiring. I even bought one of their t-shirts after the performance, a true sign that I thoroughly enjoyed what I had seen. The next day, I was enrolled in modern class. I have wanted to see them again since then, but have yet to have the chance. In fact, Pilobolus has been hidden in the back of my mind since then until doing this project. Needless to say, I have fallen back in love through my research.
If you are like me, and want to see them perform live (an experience I highly recommend), here is their 2013 tour schedule.
Be sure to check out the official Pilobolus blog at http://blog.pilobolus.org/
Pilobolus is on of the reasons I started taking modern dance classes. Before seeing them perform one fall when I was about 10 years old, I had only ever taken ballet classes. Modern was something I did not understand or think was for me, so I stayed away from it entirely. My dance studio went to see Pilobolus as a group and I was enthralled. The company was strong, interesting, humorous, and theatrical. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. The performance was weird, spectacular, and awe inspiring. I even bought one of their t-shirts after the performance, a true sign that I thoroughly enjoyed what I had seen. The next day, I was enrolled in modern class. I have wanted to see them again since then, but have yet to have the chance. In fact, Pilobolus has been hidden in the back of my mind since then until doing this project. Needless to say, I have fallen back in love through my research.
If you are like me, and want to see them perform live (an experience I highly recommend), here is their 2013 tour schedule.
Be sure to check out the official Pilobolus blog at http://blog.pilobolus.org/
You can also like them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PilobolusDance
I think by teaching students contact improvisation skills, they understand their own internal structure of their body and how that relates to the ground, space, and another's weight. This practice also strengthens their understanding of how to react and read another's movement quality. Through contact improvisation, one can feel how the other is feeling. Whether that is tentative and worried about the experience or open. Through this reading, they can approach their partner so both have a positive experience.
ReplyDeleteThere work looks really cool! I would love to take a workshop or master class. Thanks for posting the information on it. I think it is interesting how they can do such dangerous looking things, but you said make them very specific to avoid injury.
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