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About Fin Amour & Susan Hadley

 

hadley.4RDT has enjoyed a  long artistic association with choreographer Susan Hadley which includes two original commissions, Honor Guard and Fin Amours, plus Commonplace, Solitaire, and Blue Grass, as well as guest residencies in the 2002 and 2012 RDT Summer Dance Workshops.

Hadley’s choreography has also been performed by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, BalletMet, American Repertory Ballet, Ballet Memphis, Ballet Pacifica, OSU Dance, OSU Theatre, Contemporary American Theatre Company and Drums Downtown. Her work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, Choo San Goh Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, Greater Columbus Arts Council, OSU College of the Arts, and Wexner Center for the Arts.

Hadley was a principal dancer with the Mark Morris Dance Group, performing internationally and on DANCE IN AMERICA. She was a member of Senta Driver’s company HARRY and she performed with Meredith Monk. As rehearsal director for Mark Morris she worked with Baryshnikov’s White Oak Dance Project, with Zivili’s premiere of The Office, and with the Royal Opera’s production of Platee.

Recipient of the 2002 Colleges of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award and the 2006 OSU Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching, Hadley is a Professor in the renowned Department of Dance at The Ohio State University.

Details

 

RDT presents repertory selections from its prestigious library of dance. The works will help students understand the elements of dance with suggestions about how to watch and enjoy an art form that is filled with movement and imagination.

 

 
Filmed in 2007 during a Ring Around The Rose performance at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center

 

Script by Linda C .Smith

Narrated by: Alexander Cendese

Animation and editing by Nicholas Cendese

Cast: Nicholas Cendese, Rosy Goodman, Colleen Hoelscher, Tyler Kunz, Toni Lugo, Ashley Segura, Nathan Shaw, Aaron Wood

 
Program:

Blue Grass (excerpt) by Susan Hadley

Scarf Trio: (Exercises from the Denishawn School) by Ruth St Denis

Surprise Packages (excerpt,  Rolling Chair duet)   by Tim Hadel

Balls 2000 by Marina Harris

Fin Amours (excerpt “feet”) by Susan Hadley

Turf (excerpt) by Shaprio & Smith

Steppin’ (excerpt) by Natosha Washington

Grooming and Hat by Marina  Harris

Surprise Packages (excerpt “Shaky box”) by Tim Hadel

Fin Amours (excerpt, “Gestures”) by Susan Hadley

Baseball by Jim Moreno

Blue Grass (excerpt, Section I) by Susan Hadley

 

Details

 

Twosomes

One person dancing alone is called a solo. Two people dancing together is a duet.  When dancing with another person you establish a dynamic relationship, a partnership as you share a space, an emotion, or a story.

You could relate to your partner in a number of ways. You might have a movement conversation or ignore one another. You might lean on your partner, lift your partner, help your partner balance or keep your distance.

Dancing with a partner is a wonderful way to communicate without using words.

 

When you watch a duet, you should ask yourself some questions:

Was the dance BIG or SMALL?

Did the dance STAY IN ONE SPOT or TRAVEL?

Was the action LOUD or SOFT?

Was the movement FAST or SLOW?

Did the dance tell a STORY…communicate a MESSAGE?

What do you think INSPIRED the choreography?

Find some words that describe the relationship. Was it tense…friendly… combative …romantic…playful…competitive?

 

Grooming and Hat

Choreography: Marina Harris

Performance: REUNION (2013)

Performers: Alissa Thompson and Katherine Winder

D is for dancing as everyone knows

And everyone dances…some to and some fro

Dances take Energy. Just watch them go

Some require costumes, like an orange chapeau.

 

Our Love Affair

Choreography: Bill Evans

Performance: JUKEBOX (2013)

Performers: Katherine Winder & Aaron Wood

Nothing’s as graceful as Ginger and Fred

They know when to follow and when to be led

A Waltz or a Foxtrot, you glide, dip or spin

Just trust in your partner and fame you might win

 

Jitterbug

Choreography: Bill Evans

Performance: JUKEBOX (2013)

Performers: Sara Donahue & Tyler Orcutt

Most people like dancing. It makes people smile.

Please turn on some music…don’t worry about style

Just grab a fit partner and fling them around

But that which goes up must surely come down.

 

Gestures

Choreography:  Susan Hadley

Performance: FIN AMOURS (2013)

Performers: Sara Donahue & Aaron Wood

It’s easy to understand someone from France

People use gestures. They don’t take a chance

They wave, smile and wigwag while taking a stance

Conversing in silence. It’s kind of a dance.

 

Feet

Choreography:  Susan Hadley

Performance: FIN AMOURS (2013)

Performers: Katherine Winder & Tyler Orcutt

Some dance in a circle. Some dance in a line

Some square dance or folk dance and manage just fine

With practice and courage and music upbeat

Consider your partner. Don’t step on their feet

 

Für Elise

Choreography: by Nicholas Cendese

Performance: SOUNDS FAMILIAR (2019)

Performers: Jonathan Kim & Trung “Daniel” Do

It’s playful and witty. Surprises in store.

This classical music has rhythms galore.

Two spirited comrades are chums at the core

A dance about friendship. Can’t ask for much more.

 

Triptych (excerpt)

Choreography: Cherylyn Lavagnino 

Performance: SOJOURN (2022)

Performers: Lindsey Faber & Jacob Lewis

Serenely expressive.

A mystery unravels

This couple seeks answers

 On roads seldom traveled

 

Snack Pack (excerpt)

Choreography:  Linda C. Smith

Performance: REUNION (2014)

Performers: Efren Corado Garcia & Ice cream cone 

You could dance with the devil. Yes, dance if you dare

You could dance with your shadow, but people might stare

You could dance with your doggie or dance with its bone

Or find a cool partner…a big ice cream cone

 

Rolling Chair Duet

Choreography:  Tim Hadel

Performance: SURPRISE PACKAGES (2008)

Performers: Colleen Hoelscher & Nicholas Cendese

A bus or a train might take you to town

A cycle or skates make a merry-go-round

When traveling use caution. Two feet on the ground.

A chair that has wheels might land upside down

Details

JOURNEY - a concert by Repertory Dance Theatre focusing on the 120 year history of Modern Dance designed especially for students in grades 4-12.

This artistic voyage includes works from RDT's prestigious historic library linked with narration and multi-media to give audiences a greater understanding and appreciation of the development of American Modern Dance.  The concert provides information which links the social and cultural history influencing the creation of masterful work by America's leading choreographers.  RDT's JOURNEY spotlights Duncan and Denishawn, the Founders, The Avant Garde, Post-Modern, and the Contemporary Dance of the 21st Century.  Learning history through the arts can be both entertaining and inspiring.

 

 

For more about JOURNEY, visit the study guide.

 

 

Valse A la Loie (Scarf Dance) (1918)

Choreography: Ruth St. Denis

Music: Chopin

 

Prelude (1905)

Choreography: Isadora Duncan

Music: Chopin

 

Scriaben Prelude #6, Warrior (1927)

Choreography: Michio Ito

Music: Alexander Scriaben

 

Pizzicati Shadow Dance (1916)

Choreography: Michio Ito

Music: Leo Delibes, from Sylvia Ballet

 

Scarf Exercises (from the Denishawn School) (1900s)

Choreography: Ruth St. Denis

Music: Schumann

Cutting the Sugar Cane (1933)

Choreography: Ted Shawn

Music: Ernesto Lecuona

 

Martha Graham (Movement Phrase)

 

Doris Humphrey (Movement Phrase)

 

The Mazurkas, (Excerpt)(1958)

Choreography: José Limón

Music: Frederic Chopin

 

Lindy Hop (2019)

Choreography: Elaine Grenko

Music: Glenn Miller

Steppin' (2004)

Choreography: Natosha Washington

 

Opus Jazz Loves Bach (excerpt) (1973)

Choreography: Matt Mattox

Music: Bach

 

Exercise (2016)

Choreography: Nicholas Cendese

Music: Pointer Sisters

 

Hallelujah Junction (excerpt) (2022)

Choreography: Ishan Rustem

Music: John Adams

 

Brandenburg (2019)

Choreography: Marilyn Berrett

Music: Bach

 

 

 

 

What People are Saying

The diversity of the dancers really spoke to my students! It was great to see boys and girls dancing, and different races. The high level of engagement was so refreshing and got students excited about thecontent.
This activity was valuable because it helped students make connections between dance, rhythm, healthy lifestyles, and expression. The students were impressed by the talent of the dancers and it was motivating to them.
Opportunities for art and expression are so limited at school but so essential and valuable for all students, especially those who struggle to learn through traditional methods. My Kindergarteners have been dancing since you left!
This was so engaging. I looked around the auditorium and every student was watching. Not one person was talking or distracted
This activity is valuable to teachers and students because it gives them a creative outlet. We need movement in the classroom to engage, energize and deepen student learning.
I got great ideas on how to incorporate movement into math and science lessons.
I loved how you made movement and exercise relatable to the students. The dancers were full of energy and there was very little down time so students stayed engaged.
Our children were captivated by the performance. They listened to you and they were learning without knowing. They usually giggle when bodies are shown and talked about. But the way you presented it was so tastefully done, they now do poses and movement around the room and outside. You brokesome barriers and they took that permission and literally ran with it!