Category Archives: Photos

by Susan Vencl

Giving Thanks

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This image began with a seed.   I  photographed it then played with the photo.  The figures came last.  The process is similar to my dancemaking process.

by Susan Vencl

Class Matters

to me anyway.  This is Patrick Corbin’s ballet class, Gibney Dance Center, 890 Broadway, sometime last summer.  It was hot!!   Especially when I am developing movement I take class daily.  My studio work changes how I approach class and taking class deepens my relationship to the movement I am developing.

by Susan Vencl

The New Dance

Changing Places is an hour long abstract work to Pulitzer prize winning composer Steve Reich’s 1970 masterwork, Drumming. Five women kaleidoscopically define space by creating points, lines and planes within it. Stillnesses and place-to-place movements join to generate configurations which overlap, punctuate and dissolve into each other. The place changes.

This dance began simply, in 2005, with the urge to move. Intricate stepping patterns and evocative movement knots gradually emerged and seemingly organized themselves into distinct families. By 2006 this dance had its own roots, both structurally and materially strong. But then inexplicably all work stopped for almost a year, until finally by chance the choreographer found Drumming. This music so enlivened the movement material that the choreographer felt forced to accept its challenge. So it is the twin gifts, the gift of the particular piece of music itself and the gift of finding it that in the end has brought about Changing Places.

To this effort lighting designer Mike Riggs brings knowledge of the work of composer Steve Reich and of light artist Dan Flavin, as well as his team, sound engineer Nathan Leigh and costumer Sidney Maresca. Dancers all new to Vencl Dance, are Lisa Bostwick, Erin Pellecchia, Sara Roer, Julia Sabangan, and Lindy Schmedt.

Tickets $15/$12, are available at the door at 212-388-9563 or at susan@vencldance.org. Take the 1, 2, 3, A, C or L to 14th street; walk west to Hudson Street, south to Bethune, and west on Bethune to 55 (Westbeth).