Want to have a breakdown? Produce a Dance Concert.

  Posted by: Carisa

So. It has been about a month since the last post.
That is most likly because this SHIT IS HARD…
We are very sleepy….

Between emptying our pockets for daily rehearsal space and dancers dropping out last minute(more on that later—that deserves it’s own blog) -Putting up a concert is nuts.
However- We will let you decide for yourselves…

You SHOULD totally put up a dance show if…

If you are looking for a way to go broke.
If you never want to see family or friends again.
If you don’t want to be able to sleep due to random panic attacks.
If you enjoy having 3 hour conversations about the COLOR or your dancers costumes.(“The choices are brick red or brickish red- lets make a list of pros and cons”)
If you enjoy dealing with drama queens, divas, flakes, and idiots.
If you want to cry randomly at a Starbucks- becuase your paitience has been tried to the limit and the Fucking hipster barista just made your venti non-fat Chai tea latte with whole milk instead of skim!!!!!!!!

Basically

If you are thinking of putting up a show yourself— my suggestion is DON’T…

Jump Start Tickets!!!!!!!

dates: July 27th & 28, 2007

time: 8:00 pm

where: Lifeline Theatre, Chicago (6912 N. Glenwood)

call: 773.281.3140

$15 general admission, $10 students with valid I.D.

pieces and shows

Posted by: Gail

one show down! Rebound Dance’s Ascending was performed this past weekend, at the Ruth Page Center. Our uber talented dancers (Rachel & Mike) and musician (Jay) did a fabulous job.

On to the next–Open House! Recess is FINISHED! Although our dancers are dropping like flies-we started with 20 and are down to 14….so…I am thinking Carisa and I must be worse than we think??? Or our choreography is so awesome that it just takes a special person to be able to withstand it.  Open House Dance will be performed June 28, 29, and 30th at 8pm at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts-1016 N. Dearborn, Chicago.  For further information visit www.householdarts.org

AND–

JUMP START! come see it- July 27th and 28th at the Lifeline Theatre 6912 N Glenwood-Chicago.  8pm. 2 nights only! Featuring fun dances and interesting choreography.  This show promises something for ALL!!! For tickets, please call 773.281.3140.

off to rehearsal!

Publicity You Say??

Here is a special look at the postcard for our upcoming show, Jump Start!

Come one, come all!

Nothing to do on the Holiday weekend?

then you need to come to the Matter Dance Fundraiser!

When: May 25th, 8-11 pm

Where: Lincoln Tap Room, 3010 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago

Details: $30-all you can drink-plus snacks and an uber-fabulous raffle with baseball tickets, golf packages, wine baskets etc.

Why? WHY NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Support Chicago’s newest dance company(that would be us, MDC) in their production of JUMP START!, a show that promises something for all!

Don’t wait to celebrate Memorial Day until MONDAY-start early! with US! we are fun. and cute Hope to see you there.

More time for the finer things…

  Posted by: Carisa

So yesterday at Rhapsody in Booze rehearsal – Something wonderful happened!
We finished teaching the principle choreography. (GASP!)
That’s a BIIIIG DEAL!For ALL of you out there that loyally read the Matter Dance Blog-
I will tell you WHY this is a big deal…………After you FINISH teaching the choreography- you don’t have to create any more choreography- which means your rehearsal schedule is lightened a little…
So instead of 2 rehearsals a week for Rhapsody in Booze-
(one to make up the dance and one to teach the stuff you just made up)
I will only have one!!!!!!This leaves a lot more time for some of my favorite hobby’s;
Showering
Eating Dinner Sleeping
Drinking Alcohol
Watching Television
Watching Television whilst drinking Alcohol
Enjoying a bag of Skittles
Enjoying a bag of Skittles whilst drink Alcohol…
Ahhh…Hobby’s!
It is very important to have a hobby! ANYWAYS!!!
We are chugging through these dances…
But just to keep you all up to date – here is the tally for pieces.
(I am choreographing 4 pieces for this show… )
Rhapsody in Booze – choreographing with
Chad… CHOREOGRAPHY DONE!
Abandon – choreographing with Gail…CHOREOGRAPHY DONE!
Recess – choreographing with Gail…IN PROGRESS
Eau De Ballet – by my lonesome…IN PROGRESS
Two down- Two to go!
BRING IT!I guess that’s it.
I have no rehearsal tonight- so I think I will pick a hobby from the above list and enjoy it…whilst drinking some alcohol!

Just a post about my hair! (I know you’re excited!)

  Posted by: Carisa

So…here I am at my temp job again…
It has been a while since I posted… so let’s update the masses that read this website! Since my last post- I got incredibly sick and I got a hair cut.
The gross sickness I could handle…unfortunately my hair cut was something I could not handle!
I know…It’s hair…It doesn’t seem like a big deal… but it was…to me…
AND Please do not tell me “It’s hair- it grows”…
B/c it cannot grow fast enough when you are walking around with a fucking mess on your head!I will spend money on my hair- more money then I should…More money than I have…
WHY? B/c your hair is the only thing you wear EVERYDAY!
A $300 pair of  shoes, A $250 pair of jeans, an $80 shirt?
I cannot justify it… But hair… I can reason!
Hair is with you ALWAYS!!!! 
So when it’s bad— It’s really bad…

So anyways…I cut it short…
Well- I didn’t cut it short…the butcher of a stylist did…
 But I guess when it comes down to it…it is my fault.
Because when you go to a salon you must be sure your instructions are crystal clear…
Like when I said- “I would like it shoulder length or a little longer.”
Who’s shoulders? Mine? Someone with no neck? Who’s shoulders!!!
Well… that is my fault…I should have specified – “I would like my hair at MY shoulders…”
My fault! Moving on!When I said- “I would like to get the red dye out of the underside of my hair and make it all blonde- is that possible?”
And then she said- “Oh Yes!”
I should have taken it that extra step farther and asked- not only “is that possible” – but “Are YOU capable of performing such a procedure?
Not IF IT IS POSSIBLE for a highly trained professional to make it a possibility but rather if you – my stylist-  Can accomplish such a feat on my hair today!”And then when my hair turned a ragged hot pink from her attempts to turn my hair blonde and I calmly said- “Ok… what’s our next step” and she said… ” I like it!” and then I just starred at her with my cold dead eyes… and then she said “ummm… we can change it to a pretty sandy blonde”
and I said… “lets do it!”
And then an hour later I had short uneven, black and blonde hair…
I take full responsibility- for the choppy cut and botched dye job  that I know have on my head!IT IS TOTALLY MY FAULT!The good news is…
After living 2 weeks with my Fucked up new hair- The salon agreed to re-do the cut and color for free.
I went in and the new stylist actually said… “Ok so our salon cut your hair 2 weeks ago….when did YOU cut your hair?”
This woman thought the cut was soooo bad that I CUT MY OWN HAIR…
Long story short.
They fixed it a bit… so I don’t feel so utterly freakish!
And that is that…
This post has nothing to do with dancing…
it is 100% vain and 100% about my hair trauma of the last 2 weeks… THRILLING!
 
Ta Da

Great Progress!!

  Posted by: Jess

After almost four weeks of rehearsal the dances are starting to take shape!!!! One of the most rewarding experiences in choreography is watching the movement you have created jive so harmoniously with your dancers. Sometimes you can run into the obstacle of fumbling through an explanation by poorly articulating what you envisioned in your mind (guilty as charged). However it’s nothing  a little patience and collaborative efforts can’t fix!! Cheers to another fantastic week of rehearsal!

Less than 3 months to go!

 Posted by: Gail

I woke up with the realization that in 3 months the concert will be OVER.  Instead of blogging at 9:00 in the morning, I will probably be enjoying the beautiful summer weather and not worrying about if my piece will be finished. 

Update on status of pieces—Trio is coming along quite nicely.  I have to do a mini-showing of it on Wednesday, therefore am slightly in panic mode….”Bound” or what is the New Bound…is pretty much finished-and it looks beautiful! And we finally have a musician / mandolin player to tie it all together–hurrah!

I am slowly realizing that I don’t have much to blog about today……..until next time.

Monday Morning Tally

 Posted by: Carisa

So it’s Monday and here is the Tally!
1 beat up face due to stupid curtain hanging incident….CHECK
1 popped blood vessel in eye due to rouge jump rope accident…. CHECK
1 super sore throat and achy body due to sickness and lack of sleep….CHECK
1 cup of tea with gobs of honey….CHECK
1 packet of saltine crackers to combat this mornings bout with nausea….CHECK
1 Drug addict sister….CHECK
1 upset family….CHECK
1 Dance show that needs to be pulled together….CHECK
1 new cupid show that is going up May 4^th!….CHECK
1 temp job that sucks…..CHECK               
1 sinking ship of an office that is currently in a meeting (with the doors OPEN!- so Carisa can hear everything) to be told that this branch is closing and the company is being sold to another company…..CHECK!
1 very upset office…..CHECK
1 Carisa watching the sinking titanic of an office safe aboard her lifeboat- The SS TEMPJOB!….CHECK!
1 breakfast buffet in the break room to combat severe sadness in soon to be laid off employees…
Because Nothing stops the suicidal tendencies of an entire office being laid off like a warmer full of sausage patties……..CHECK!
1 free breakfast for the sick and tired Carisa Anne Barreca….CHECK
Ok…so that is the check list for Monday at 9:00am!
BRING IT ON!