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January 2010
Happy New Year!
In writing a new year's thank you card to Eric Anderson, one of the fiercest friends of the company, I quoted what the young Rabbi said at the memorial for Arnie Zane in April of 1988: "The day is long, the work is great, we're not obliged to finish the task, but neither are we allowed to ignore it." This was a condolence to family and friends as we honored a young, talented man whose life had abruptly ended.
However, now, at the beginning of this new year, I would like this quote to be a gentle prod and encouragement to myself and, by extension, all who care for our company and the work we do, as we look not back, but forward. What is the work that we are privileged and obliged to do?
- We must radically re-imagine our organization.
- One way this may happen is a merger with a respected organization that complements our mission, but has different strengths. I can't speak in greater details right now, but stay tuned...
- This change will result in our broadening our description to reflect more accurately what we have been doing. What we have doing is behaving as a multi-disciplinary performance ensemble (working with actors, singers, live music and video on an ongoing basis) as opposed to a strictly defined "dance company."
- This change promises at long last the realization of our desire for a home.
- On a more specific creative level, this year sees the beginning of a new work. The artistic team, Associate Artistic Director, Janet Wong, Creative Director, Bjorn Amelan, and I are in discussions with Montclair's Peak Performances and Arizona's State University in Tempe about the development of an exciting hybrid event: A performance work created to be viewed by a live audience and broadcast simultaneously.
- This year we stay committed to expanding our audience base. One way we hope to do this is by the creation and/or restaging of smaller scale works with one to six performers affording us access to spaces and locations that have not been able to present the larger format works that have been the hallmark of the company for years.
- No matter what the new description of the company, educational outreach remains of paramount importance to us. This last semester saw senior company member Leah Cox take the lead of our newly founded Educational Department. This Educational Department has gotten off to a great start. Among other activities, we are looking to expand on last year's pilot program with Bard College by increasing our presence as teachers there. We are in discussions with Bard President Leon Bottstein, its Fisher Center for Performing Arts and its Dance Department to institute a yearly multi-week company residency.
- Lastly, the success of Fela! on Broadway has made it abundantly clear to me that I must clarify the relationship of my outside projects with this rapidly evolving entity that I have been the chief custodian of for the past 28 years.
- 2009 was an astounding year. We must learn from the accomplishments that were the Lincoln Project and the success of Fela! Now is the time to create a new model: in conceiving, funding, developing, promoting and presenting... A new way of being.
-- Bill T. Jones (Wednesday, January 6, 2010)
2 Comments
Hi Bill,
I have been a follower and fan for years. The other night I watched you on Bill Moyers. I cannot tell you how inspiring to me your comments and words were. I was particularly touched by you saying how hard it is to continue doing something you still love doing. At sixty one I feel very much the same. I love teaching dance but it is very hard to keep doing it. Physically it is so different from a mere ten years ago. I also was so moved by your prospective on having been young and super positive, so convinced that your life choices would save you from a souring countenance and bitterness. Your honesty that life can wear you down and that it is harder than we all thought. And that somehow ultimately art, and for us movement, can still excite us. Thank you
Janet Panetta
Hey Bill. I from Russia and I bad know english .. I NOT know english , but i hope you understand my 'chat' , you see my 'chat'. Well ... i dont understand what you write in blogs , "before happy new year" , but i understand what you doing , i hope i understand... I see film , where you with Natasha try live .. but you live , Natasha try live:))) im think.. and there , see film i get to know who are you:). I not have more old year .. only 18 , but i try study ART ... i play .. maybe live in theatre.. well you help me .. dont know who .. but . what you doing .. me need for change , for new live in art , in theatre " GESTURE" "Motion" live gesture and live motion it is maybe can good form for theatre. M.Chechov and Meyerhold try make performance , try make live with help this. But you think it is absurdity , maybe yes - maybe now:) , but but but.. i dont can give thought ( bad englsh) .. if you see it , if you wanna write me( i be learn english :) ) - my e-mail AndreikaPl@mail.ru! Good Luck! You very nice man! But in Russia not popular , WHY?! :-DDD
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