Magpie’s Nest
Seraka Dance Company’s Official Blog.
New Fundamentals Format!
With some downtime since our last class semester, I’ve had the time to think and restructure some of the class formats. One of them that’s been re-structured is our Fundamentals class.
Previously Fundamentals was a 5-week mini-series that just touched on the surface level of some dance moves, and included a moderate section of each class on some non-dance concepts and discussions.
The NEW Fundamentals is now a 10 week course where you get to dive a little deeper into the concepts, work with the movements more and in greater detail, and we get to play with combos and (light) improv more. There’s a new musicality component built into each class, so you’ll train your ear and learn new rhythm structures as you go. There’s also a new super-secret page for class dancers with fun link with articles, books, videos to watch, and music to listen to (if you want to study a little at home).
The new 10-week semester begins September 29th 2019 @ The Dance Centre (286 Torbay Road, St. John’s NL)
- Fundamentals (New/Beginner) @ 6:00p – 7:00p
- Study Sessions (Intermediate/Advanced) @ 7:05p – 8:05p
Registration open now!
Some March Series Cancelled
Level 1 series will continue as scheduled @ 7:15-8:15pm for the month, starting Sun 04 March. We start Combo C this month, and it’s a delight!
Due to registration numbers, the following FULL SERIES are cancelled for the month of March:
- Fundamentals (Sun @ 6:00-7:00pm)
- Level 2 (Sun @ 8:30-9:30pm)
Any Level 2 student who have pre-paid for March are welcome to transfer that payment and join Level 1 for the month, or the payment can be refunded. Please email classes@seraka.com to advise of your preference.
All Classes Cancelled – Sun 11 Feb
All classes for tonight (Sunday, February 11th) have been cancelled because Vanessa is mostly dead with The Nasty Cold of 2018. Please check your emails for details.
Registration Open for Winter Classes
It’s that wonderful time of year when we get back into the swing of things with our practise. We’ve just released our schedule and upcoming classes for the Winter session! See our schedule and options on our Classes page.
Classes will be held at our usually home-away-from-home at The Dance Centre (Coaker Meadows Plaza at 286 Torbay Road, in St. John’s NL) and start on Sunday, 7 January, 2018!
To register, send Vanessa an email to classes@seraka.com. Registration open now!
UNKNOWN Tickets On Sale Now
We are gearing up for another full-length performance. This year’s production happens Saturday, November 11 at DF Cook Recital Hall, MUN School of Music here in St. John’s, and features 17 dancers from the avalon area.
Reserve your tickets here: www.seraka.com/unknown2017
This years show is exploring the idea of change, facing fears, challenging the norm, and growing in the face of the unknown. We’re using the concept of space (even aliens) as a loose basis and starting point for choreography development, and we’re working with the cast of dancers to meld and explore how each of us relates to, or reacts to, being challenged in that way – by external forces, unknown changes, “alien” circumstances to our lives.
It’s been a weird, wild, and downright thrilling ride as we’ve been working the pieces, refining the movement qualities, and staging these pieces. We’re so excited to share with you.
Change to Winter Class Schedule
After discussing with the class(es). I’ve decided to amend the scheduled for the remainder of the winter session, effective today 19 March 2017.
- Level 1 Studies – good to go as scheduled. No changes
- Fundamentals – good to finish with our last class tonight.
- Remaining Spotlight/Combo classes will be cancelled, so that instead of 10-weeks, it was only 5-weeks. This class will not be held tonight.
- DrillZilla will be modified to a one-hour class from 7:15-8:15pm starting next week (26 Mar), open to Levels 1+.
An email will be sent to students who’ve paid up front for classes to discuss refunds & shifting payments.
Reminder – No Class Feb 12
Gentle reminder, per our regular schedule for the semester, that there is no class on Sunday, February 12.
As this was taken into account before classes were scheduled for the semester, it does not affect your registration or length of session.
For detailed dates & class times please check the Classes Page.
See you next week!
Vanessa
AQUEOUS – Tickets Selling Quickly!
If you’re making plans to see AQUEOUS on Sunday, you should grab your tickets while they’re still available in advance! It saves you $5 off the ticket price – but online sales & advance sales end on Saturday November 12.
Read more about the show here: www.seraka.com/aqueous
Read about how we created the show here: Aqueous – The Director’s Cut (Blog Post)
Join the Facebook event here: www.facebook.com/events/195508344219411
Ticket will, of course, be available at the door for $20.
Aqueous – The Director’s Cut
We are so excited to finally release the details about our latest endeavour – AQUEOUS. For details about the production, please visit www.seraka.com/aqueous or join the Facebook Event.
I don’t want to write about what the show is, but instead want to share some insight into how the show is developing. This show has been an absolute 180 from our usual productions in so many ways.
The first difference with AQUEOUS is that we’re incorporating an overarching thematic structure; one inspired by the ocean, waves, liquids, the ebb and flow of tides, and the marvellous mythology of sirens. We started brain storming the show with a concept, then we chose the music and merged the songs into one continuous soundscape which has a clear introduction, build, climax, and resolution. This has allowed us to breathe some continuity into the pieces to create a full-length work of art, instead of stringing pieces together and forcing them to fit, after-the-fact (which is a more common practise when designing our sets).
Secondly, we’ve taken a new approach to how we disperse choreography. We usually pick a song, then merge our ideas and hash things out in the studio together, creating the piece collectively, then dance the piece we’ve created. This process for AQUEOUS is different in that we are distributing the music selections among the 5 of us, each taking ownership of the generation of movement for that piece. For each piece, one of us is working as the choreographer, then as the director, melding our ideas onto the dancers for that piece. We are stepping back from the performance of it, allowing the piece to grow and adapt to the dancers, and enjoying our ideas unfold before us instead of on us. Some of the other pieces include a mixture of structured improvisation, and choreography developed in our usual way.
The third, and most fundamental difference is that we’re not alone. We’ve enlisted a cast comprised of ourselves as well as 11 belly dancers from the greater St. John’s area. As opposed to arranging a lineup of independent pieces from each group or dancer, we’ve merged all dancers into one group and have choreographed onto the group as a whole, to work together as one unit, to create a merged, collaborative work.
I sincerely hope that you are as please to see the work as we are to present it. We’re all hearts in, and hope it brings you on at least some of the journey it’s brought us on along the way.
– Vanessa
Reminder – No Classes Mar 27 & Apr 3
Vanessa, Karen & Susan are travelling to Toronto to be part of The Lavish Project 2016 – an artist in residency program directed by Audra Simmons & Heather Labonté of The Dark Side Studio. Working five 10-hour studio days with 12 dancers from across Canada to prepare and create pieces for “harmony/discord” on Sat Apr 2 at ROUND venue in Kensington Market.
Since we’re not in province, make sense that classes will be cancelled. The final classes for this session are: Mar 20, Apr 10, Apr 17 & Apr 24. See you at The Dance Centre!
