Beautiful Melbourne

We are in Melbourne now finish up this tour. Last night was opening night and it was packed! I could feel the energy of the audience from behind the curtain before the show. There was an amazing presence both on the dancers' part as well as from the community in support of our performance. You could almost touch the connection there - of their curiosity and our willingness to do our best. All of us were nervous because Rebecca Hilton was in the audience. She is one of the icons in the Petronio "former dancer group". In fact in the seven years we danced together in the Petronio Company she taught me so much, not just about dancing but also about how to communicate, laugh at myself and humility. After the show the dancers felt relieved to meet her having heard only stories about how awesome she is. We had a great time reminiscing and talking with Stephen about the good old days.

Melbourne is an amazing city. It feels more like a European capital than many European cities. I think the quality of life here is pretty great especially since they are surrounded by art, great food and wine. What else could one want? There are enclaves of many diverse cultures represented in all the neighborhoods. There is an Italian quarter, Chinatown and the largest Greek community outside of Greece. Needless to say, eating well has not been a problem. And, the coffee is always great - a testament to a city's good taste - especially when on tour.

Since the festival is going on, there is quite a buzz of artists and locals ready to be challenged and wanting to see good work. It's a really well organized festival with free events in the square, in train stations and in all the major theaters. We were fortunate enough to see this South African theater company's (Amajuba) production of "Like Doves We Rise". What an amazing show! I think many of us were in tears throughout the evening. It is a simple production with five actors who sing and talk about their lives coming from a country with a diverse culture and a damaged history. These testimonials touched on family, abandonment, apartheid and all the complexity that makes up a country's strength, courage and resilience. It was a beautiful production!

Next door to us is Philip Glass doing a solo piano concert, his "Orion", Theatre du Soleil, and many more. It is a vibrant scene down here. I wish you all could see and feel it. I feel so lucky to be a part of it and so honored to be ending my touring days on such a distinctive platform. Wow!

Two Show Day

Saturday, October 15, 2005

Two Show Day

We have three of these days in this tour - days where there are two performances. It's really hard but today, I feel surprisingly ok. You can see the dancers all feeling the pain in their backs, legs and necks. This is what one would expect doing Petronio material full out on a daily basis. It starts to catch up to you. What I find helpful is remaining calm and breathing with the pain rather than panicking or expecting that you will always feel great. I try to stretch as much as possible and when I do I feel my teachers present with me. Pain can be isolating and unbearable. Remembering the words of my teachers seems to help physically and emotionally.

We are a tight little family on tour and when the dynamics are off kilter, watch out! It can be really difficult. We all fall into the trap of becoming immersed in the minutiae of daily life. This is when it really helps to be kind to one another. We often forget how lucky we are that we get to travel to such amazing places in the world and that we are not stuck waiting tables or behind a desk. I try to remind myself of this as I begin warming up for the second show in one day and somehow it becomes manageable. No, it actually is rewarding and full of opportunities for savoring each and every moment. The balls of my feet hurt. My hamstrings are tight but I'm happy to be healthy, dancing and performing with people I love.

Here's to the last show in Sydney...

Friday in Sydney

Friday, October 14, 2005

We're still in Sydney winding down a two week run at the Sydney Theater. It has been fantastic being in this town but I must say I am looking forward to Melbourne. We've had a pretty warm reception so far and last night we were part of a reception dinner thrown by Samsung, a major supporter of Sydney Dance Company. They are the reason we are here. Stephen's company was brought over as a stand in for The Sydney Dance Company's season. They are in Shanghai on a collaborative project with the Shanghai Song and Dance Company. They are to premiere Mulan in a few days. I wish they were here since I know many of those guys in the Sydney Company. I was here a few years ago when Stephen was commissioned to choreograph Underland on their 18 member company. It was a major success heralded with great reviews. I must say it was one of the most rewarding creative experiences I've had in my dance career to assist Stephen (along with Ashleigh) in making an evening length dance presented at the Sydney Opera House. They are still touring it to this day and are still receiving great reviews.

We have three more shows here, a much needed day off and then to the Melbourne Festival for five performances. I look forward to being in Melbourne since Sydney is more of an economic center whereas Melbourne is the food and cultural capital of Australia. I also can't wait to catch up with Rebecca Hilton, Philip Adams and Lucy Guerin (who choreographed Chunky Move's Tense Dave). They are all friends of mine whom I met in New York and who are still working in dance back in their home town. They are all amazing artists with incredible hearts and minds. I can't wait to catch up and see what they are all up to.

For now, I am taking it easy during the days trying to rest my legs. I can't really walk around too much since the show is really hard on my body. I am enjoying quiet afternoons in my hotel room and catching up on my school work. I am anxious to get home to get back to work and on with my life. I'll be teaching in New York at Dance New Amsterdam in November and December and continuing to choreograph, developing an evening of work that I've begun this summer.

Be well...

Gerald

Sydney

Hey all!

I'm in Sydney on my last tour with the Stephen Petronio Company. We are performing at the Sydney Theater as guests of the Sydney Dance Company while they are away in residence in Shanghai. This has been a great experience for us all in the Petornio Company since we feel so honored to be a part of this wonderful organization. We are also thrilled to be dancing in the Melbourne International Arts Festival. Although this is an exhausting program with 20 plus performances, I will always remember having my farewell engagement with my Petronio family in Australia. I am looking forward to seeing some friends in Melbourne as well - particularly Rebecca Hilton, with whom I danced for 6 years at the start of my career. She has inspired me in many ways as a dancer and teacher and look forward to catching up with her and her family. I will retrun to New York at the end of October to begin my new life as a teacher, choreographer and Graduate student. Looking forward to new opportunities and the future.

For now, my goal is to be present during these shows. I am trying to enjoy my dancing in such an intense capacity.

With gratitude and respect to Stephen and his lovely company...

Gerald