December La Spectra performances

Photo by Olek. Adrian Jevicki, Anne Sorce, and Rebecca Ketchem performing.

La Spectra
Choreography by Adrian Jevicki
Costumes by Olek
Original Score by Chris Becker

December 12 and 13 at 8pm
December 14 at 3pm
at The Mary Anthony Dance Theatre Foundation, Inc.
736 Broadway, 7th Floor
New York, NY

$10 admission

Here's what Adrian has to say about La Spectra: "La Spectra began as an exploration of neurodiversity. Neurodiversity is an idea that asserts that atypical neurological development is a normal human difference that is to be tolerated and respected as any other human difference. As we've begun to develop this piece in rehearsals, the show has evolved into some sort of vaudevillian side-show where the cast-offs from a long lost Fellini film have resurrected themselves from the cutting room floor and again delight in the earthly pleasures of entertaining a (mostly) live audience."

The music for La Spectra began with me improvising with Ableton Live (using a collection of samples I had prepared in advance that I guessed might vibe with both the movement and concept of the piece) while watching Adrian, Rebecca, and Anne run through an early version of the dance. We did a few passes, Adrian pointed out of the musical effects that he particularly liked, and all of us discussed how we might shape or maybe accentuate some of the theatrical elements in different sections of the piece.

Actually, the piece REALLY began last summer when I sent Adrian a wonderful Betty Boop cartoon that contained movement and humor that reminded me of some of the work I'd seen him do - especially as a solo performer. Some time later at one of my gigs, Rebecca mentioned they'd watched the cartoon and found it inspiring some of the direction of what would become La Spectra. Here's the cartoon:



The improvised collection of samples and loops I describe above became the foundation for the score for La Spectra. Parts were fleshed out or expounded upon by vocalist Helga Davis and bassist Jeremiah Hosea. Some of the music was notated, but both Helga and Jeremiah had to "go off the page" in order to create their performances. In the studio, I work very collaboratively - and La Spectra is another example of such work where the line between what is composed, improvised, and/or edited is blurred.

Hope you can come out to see this very unusual and personal work. Working with Movement Pants Dance was a pleasure.