Howdy Folks!
Check out our most excellent video update on Kickstarter. It includes some rehearsal footage, some looney tunes, and some general dorkiness. What else could you ask for?
Hurrah - 50% funded on the project!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Parallel Universes!
I've been thinking about the project and how we seem to be inserting ourselves in the site. I envision it like there are a bunch of portals to parallel universes in Banter. In these parallel universes, Banter looks basically the same: it has the same furniture, the same large brick wall...it's the people that are NOT the same. I mean they're kinda the same; they are young, hip looking, but what they DO is very strange.
In this parallel universe, people:
What would people do in YOUR parallel universe?
In this parallel universe, people:
- are upside down
- are hyper
- have a different idea of linear language
- make out at inopportune times
What would people do in YOUR parallel universe?
Friday, September 18, 2009
Kickstarter Project...3...2...1...LAUNCH!
Just two days ago, we launched Complex Environments on Kickstarter and are already 15% backed. WOOT! I'm getting really excited about the 'eventfulness' of this project and its got me thinking about the future. How can this be what I do? To make local events that support local art that are also lively, fun, and social? Ideas?
Anyway, I wanted to thank all of our backers and all of our soon-to-be-backers. Check out us on Kickstarter here!
Anyway, I wanted to thank all of our backers and all of our soon-to-be-backers. Check out us on Kickstarter here!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
9/9/09 Banter Rehearsal
9/9/09 Banter Rehearsal, originally uploaded by lssloan.
A short little bit from rehearsal. All the movement and text was taken during SPY TIME and turned into something new.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Banter is officially under Surveillance.
Hi everyone,
I’m Bethany and I’m really excited to be a contributor to MakeDanceHere. I can has blog? Thanks a gazillion, Lily. Wooty woot, ya’ll!
Now down to business.
It’s time to launch…
Operation: Banter Space Data Collection (BSDC).
Banter is officially under Surveillance.
You can HELP US OUT by completing one of the following missions. Or both, if you are super awesome. And we think you’re super awesome!
Mission I: Social Surveillance
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to visit Banter and watch people. If you feel brave, you could even talk to people. But first notice…
Are people alone? In couples? Groups? Young? Old? On computers? Reading? Eating? Talking? What are they talking about? Do they look friendly? What are they wearing? Are they blinking, singing, swaying, sneaking, underwater basket weaving? Do you see someone who moves or speaks in an interesting way?
We want any information you can gather. A-N-Y.
But if you need more structure, try this…
1. Tell us about who you see. Clothes. Age. What they are doing. Who they are with.
2. Tell us about the conversations you hear. Content or just random words.
3. Try to make a friend by telling someone you don’t know what you’re doing for the project and see if they’ll help you. It’s always amazing to see what other people notice that you might not.
Mission II: Sensory Surveillance
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to visit Banter with all senses on high. How does this space look, sound, smell?
What textures do you find? How do they feel?
How can you find new ways to look at and hear and feel the space?
Did you get a sandwich? A beer? Tell us how it tasted.
You can focus on the entire space or perhaps one small section of the café.
You are welcome to give us as much information as possible.
We’re happy to sift through it.
You can do these missions separately or all at once.
We’re doing the missions too, of course, but we’re really interested in what you find.
Like we said in Mission I, it’s always amazing to see what other people notice that you might miss.
Good Luck, Soldier.
I’m Bethany and I’m really excited to be a contributor to MakeDanceHere. I can has blog? Thanks a gazillion, Lily. Wooty woot, ya’ll!
Now down to business.
It’s time to launch…
Operation: Banter Space Data Collection (BSDC).
Banter is officially under Surveillance.
You can HELP US OUT by completing one of the following missions. Or both, if you are super awesome. And we think you’re super awesome!
Mission I: Social Surveillance
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to visit Banter and watch people. If you feel brave, you could even talk to people. But first notice…
Are people alone? In couples? Groups? Young? Old? On computers? Reading? Eating? Talking? What are they talking about? Do they look friendly? What are they wearing? Are they blinking, singing, swaying, sneaking, underwater basket weaving? Do you see someone who moves or speaks in an interesting way?
We want any information you can gather. A-N-Y.
But if you need more structure, try this…
1. Tell us about who you see. Clothes. Age. What they are doing. Who they are with.
2. Tell us about the conversations you hear. Content or just random words.
3. Try to make a friend by telling someone you don’t know what you’re doing for the project and see if they’ll help you. It’s always amazing to see what other people notice that you might not.
Mission II: Sensory Surveillance
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to visit Banter with all senses on high. How does this space look, sound, smell?
What textures do you find? How do they feel?
How can you find new ways to look at and hear and feel the space?
Did you get a sandwich? A beer? Tell us how it tasted.
You can focus on the entire space or perhaps one small section of the café.
You are welcome to give us as much information as possible.
We’re happy to sift through it.
You can do these missions separately or all at once.
We’re doing the missions too, of course, but we’re really interested in what you find.
Like we said in Mission I, it’s always amazing to see what other people notice that you might miss.
Good Luck, Soldier.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Bodies in Urban Spaces
Yet again, I was led to another great resource by my mom, BettyAnn, who I might add, is a fantastic blogger.
So, check it out:
Vienna/Austria based Cie. Willi Dorne created a work called Bodies in Urban Spaces that "points out the urban functional structure and uncovers the restricted movement possibilities and behaviour as well as rules and limitations."
An article from Weburbanist says how Dorne seeks to create an experience for his audience and wants to inspire viewers to change their perspective and see things in a slightly different way.
I love this kind of public, guerilla performance art. What is most interesting is the insertion of something totally wonderful and quite bizarre into an everyday environment. This is very similar to my desire for Complex Environments. I want to insert an alternate reality in a bar, using material made from real people. I think inserting unusual art in usual space is such a great way to think about changing perspectives and seeing things in s different way.
Does that make sense?
Side note- I do have a video coming from the Twitter/Facebook actions. Go Nadia for making an AWESOME little solo sequence with it.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
duh...it's about COMMUNITY
This project is about community. Why didn't I realize that before?
A few turn of events sparked my thoughts on this...
1. Dance Theater Workshop's (DTW) Community Choreography. These are short dance videos made from Tweets! Followers on Twitter send in an action; anything from 'spin!' to ' re-enact a death scene from an old western movie.' Then, the folks at DTW string them together and make wonderful little videos. My action can be seen in Community Chor. #11, however #12 is a MUST SEE.
Why does this all matter? I think the roots of these choreography projects are very similar to my own--sourcing material from other people, stringing it together, seeing what happens.
What's special about these kinds of projects is that ANYONE can be included, and you really do feel like a member of the creative team, even if you just Tweeted "point your finger in the air and spin counterclockwise."
2. KICKSTARTER! My brother just launched a new book project on Kickstarter which got me thinking about launching this project onto Kickstarter. It isn't official yet, but I think this could be another really great way to explore and expand on the idea of community.
**Background: Kickstarter is basically a way of funding creative projects through a community. 'Backers' donate various amounts, which are often based on a tier of intensives ( a free tee shirt, a book, an autograph, VIP seats, etc)
My idea: VIP Backers could submit some sort of ACTION which would be turned into an interesting sequence of movement. During the performance, this specific sequence could be "inserted," with some sort of bold announcement that clearly states where the movement came from....PEOPLE!
3. Lastly, just in thinking about this blog and how much I enjoy sharing my ideas, as well as how much people have responded to them, I feel like this idea of community is more central to the work than I might have first imagined.
Neat!
What do you think?
A few turn of events sparked my thoughts on this...
1. Dance Theater Workshop's (DTW) Community Choreography. These are short dance videos made from Tweets! Followers on Twitter send in an action; anything from 'spin!' to ' re-enact a death scene from an old western movie.' Then, the folks at DTW string them together and make wonderful little videos. My action can be seen in Community Chor. #11, however #12 is a MUST SEE.
Why does this all matter? I think the roots of these choreography projects are very similar to my own--sourcing material from other people, stringing it together, seeing what happens.
What's special about these kinds of projects is that ANYONE can be included, and you really do feel like a member of the creative team, even if you just Tweeted "point your finger in the air and spin counterclockwise."
2. KICKSTARTER! My brother just launched a new book project on Kickstarter which got me thinking about launching this project onto Kickstarter. It isn't official yet, but I think this could be another really great way to explore and expand on the idea of community.
**Background: Kickstarter is basically a way of funding creative projects through a community. 'Backers' donate various amounts, which are often based on a tier of intensives ( a free tee shirt, a book, an autograph, VIP seats, etc)
My idea: VIP Backers could submit some sort of ACTION which would be turned into an interesting sequence of movement. During the performance, this specific sequence could be "inserted," with some sort of bold announcement that clearly states where the movement came from....PEOPLE!
3. Lastly, just in thinking about this blog and how much I enjoy sharing my ideas, as well as how much people have responded to them, I feel like this idea of community is more central to the work than I might have first imagined.
Neat!
What do you think?
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