FACT/SF
Pretonically Oriented v.3
SEP 8-11, 2011
Pretonically Oriented v.3 proposes the creation of a dance work as a metaphor for the creation of identity. Formative experiences, statements of self, the rehearsal process, and performances are all juxtaposed to have a deeper look at what things are and how they came to be that way. POv.3 continues the development of the POv Project and System, which began at ODC’s Pilot 57 in September 2010. Material is sourced from each performer and the codified POv System is used to organize choreography for the stage. The entire rehearsal process is documented, and video footage from rehearsals is projected during performances so that, ultimately, both process (rehearsal) and product (performance) exist simultaneously.
The POv Project and System explained
The dancers complete free-writes around a shared formative theme, like an earliest memory. Then the dancers build their movement, based on the free-write, with a shared physical parameter, for instance – all movement is done with the left shoulder. What we end up with is a phrase, specific to each dancer and their memory, which is tied to the rest of the group. The phrase represents, for me, the ‘statement’ about the earliest memory. When we have the videos of rehearsal on stage, we’re showing the process of creating these statements, but also the process of creating the piece itself. In this way, for me, formative experiences and the way they inform statements we make about ourselves are parallel to the rehearsal process and the way that informs the performed choreography. I think this is our headiest piece yet, but it’s really just using the creation of a dance work as a metaphor for the creation of identity. It’s a dance which both utilizes and is about the people dancing it.
FACT/SF
Founded in 2008 by Charles Slender, FACT/SF has quickly gathered support, recognition, and an audience for its work, which is steeped in the traditions of dance-theatre, postmodern performance, and contemporary ballet. In just three years, FACT/SF has performed locally 53 times, throughout the entire state during a 173-location tour to every Wal-Mart in California, and in Portland, Oregon at Performance Works NorthWest. The company has supported the creation and presentation of eleven new dance works and has been curated into the SF International Arts Festival, Cal State East Bay’s 2nd Annual Queer Festival, Keith Hennessy’s Queer Performance Marathon, and the National Queer Arts Festival, among others.
Charles Slender
Charles Slender has been working internationally since 2006 – performing, making choreography, and teaching master classes. His work has been commissioned by professional dance companies, art galleries, theaters, and universities in the US, Russia, and Hong Kong, and has been described as “sexy…vicious…bizarre” (Ariel Soto, SF Bay Guardian). He has taught master classes at CSU East Bay, the SF Conservatory of Dance, the College Preparatory School, and the American Dance Festival. While dancing for Tatiana Baganova’s Provincial Dances Theatre in Yekaterinburg, Russia, he taught company class, toured frequently, and contributed to the creation of new works. Charles is a graduate of UC Berkeley with degrees in Dance & Performance Studies and English Literature.