Oberon's Glade

Tag: Roman Baca

  • HOMECOMING Aboard the USS Intrepid: Gallery

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    Here are some of Kokyat’s images from the May 28th, 2011 performances of Roman Baca’s HOMECOMING on board the USS Intrepid. The dancework was presented as part of the ship’s Fleet Week activities over the Memorial Day weekend. Read about the event here. Above: Preston Bradley.

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    Taylor Gordon

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    Taylor Gordon, Michael Wright, Lisa Fitzgerald

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    Adrienne Cousineau

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    Joanna Priwieziencew

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    Adrienne Cousineau

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    Lisa Fitzgerald

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    Michael Wright

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    Adrienne Cousineau, Aaron Atkins

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    Lisa Fitzgerald

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    Taylor Gordon

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    Sgt Roman Baca, choreographer and artistic director of Exit 12 Dance Company.

    All photos by Kokyat.

  • Aboard the USS Intrepid: HOMECOMING

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    On Saturday May 28 at 11:30 AM, Roman Baca’s HOMECOMING will be performed aboard the USS Intrepid. This brief but extraordinarily moving work is performed to a haunting John Corigliano score (from the film THE RED VIOLIN) over-laid by the reading of letters sent from home to US servicemen on duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Earlier in the week, Kokyat and I stopped by the DANY Studios where Roman and his dancers were brushing up the work for its Intrepid premiere. They will dance HOMECOMING twice in succession aboard the ship. Kokyat’s photo at the top: dancers Taylor Gordon, Michael Wright and Lisa Fitzgerald.

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    Waiting at home: Adrienne Cousineau clings to the shirt of her husband. Mundane items like articles of clothing…

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    …or photographs of the servicemen keep a connection for spouses, mothers and girlfriends.

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    Above: dancers Aaron Atkins and Adrienne Cousineau. The joy of reunited couples is offset by the emptiness of those whose loved ones do not return from the war, or return with life-shattering injuries.

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    Taylor Gordon searches among the returning troops for her missing soldier.

    Roman Baca enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 2000 and served in Fallujah, Iraq. Returning home, he picked up his dance career where it had left off. The resonances of his wartime experience prompted him to start work on HOMECOMING; he formed Exit 12 Dance Company to pursue his choreographic vision.

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    Sgt Baca has a deep personal interest in and commitment to US servicemen and -women returning from the mid-East wars who suffer from the psychological effects of their experience. His primary focus is on homelessness and suicidal tendencies among the veterans, stemming from  frustration with the government’s increasing unwillingness to fittingly honor their service with care and compassion. Sadly, our troops are still abroad and at risk every day while being largely forgotten here at home.

    A recent development in the situation shows some promise.    

    The USS Intrepid is docked at 150 12th Avenue, near West 23rd Street. A ticket to the Intrepid museum gets you aboard for the performance and you can stay on all day for Fleet Week activities.

    These images are from the rehearsal; Kokyat also plans to shoot on the Intrepid where we spent a memorable evening last Autumn.

    The dancers in HOMECOMING are: Taylor Gordon, Adrienne Cousineau, Lisa Fitzgerald, Jackie Koehler, Joanna Priwieziencew, Michael Wright, Aaron Atkins and Preston Bradley. More of Kokyat’s images from this rehearsal will follow shortly.

    No matter what your stance on the war and the USA’s involvement in these far away lands, HOMECOMING is something everyone should experience.

  • HOMECOMING Aboard the USS Intrepid

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    On Saturday May 28 at 11:30 AM, Roman Baca’s HOMECOMING will be performed aboard the USS Intrepid. This brief but extraordinarily moving work is performed to a haunting John Corigliano score (from the film THE RED VIOLIN) over-laid by the reading of letters sent from home to US servicemen on duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Earlier in the week, Kokyat and I stopped by the DANY Studios where Roman and his dancers were brushing up the work for its Intrepid premiere. They will dance HOMECOMING twice in succession aboard the ship. Kokyat’s photo at the top: dancers Taylor Gordon, Michael Wright and Lisa Fitzgerald.

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    Waiting at home: Adrienne Cousineau clings to the shirt of her husband. Mundane items like articles of clothing…

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    …or photographs of the servicemen keep a connection for spouses, mothers and girlfriends.

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    Above: dancers Aaron Atkins and Adrienne Cousineau. The joy of reunited couples is offset by the emptiness of those whose loved ones do not return from the war, or return with life-shattering injuries.

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    Taylor Gordon searches among the returning troops for her missing soldier.

    Roman Baca enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 2000 and served in Fallujah, Iraq. Returning home, he picked up his dance career where it had left off. The resonances of his wartime experience prompted him to start work on HOMECOMING; he formed Exit 12 Dance Company to pursue his choreographic vision.

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    Sgt Baca has a deep personal interest in and commitment to US servicemen and -women returning from the mid-East wars who suffer from the psychological effects of their experience. His primary focus is on homelessness and suicidal tendencies among the veterans, stemming from  frustration with the government’s increasing unwillingness to fittingly honor their service with care and compassion. Sadly, our troops are still abroad and at risk every day while being largely forgotten here at home.

    A recent development in the situation shows some promise.    

    The USS Intrepid is docked at 150 12th Avenue, near West 23rd Street. A ticket to the Intrepid museum gets you aboard for the performance and you can stay on all day for Fleet Week activities.

    These images are from the rehearsal; Kokyat also plans to shoot on the Intrepid where we spent a memorable evening last Autumn.

    The dancers in HOMECOMING are: Taylor Gordon, Adrienne Cousineau, Lisa Fitzgerald, Jackie Koehler, Joanna Priwieziencew, Michael Wright, Aaron Atkins and Preston Bradley. More of Kokyat’s images from this rehearsal will follow shortly.

    No matter what your stance on the war and the USA’s involvement in these far away lands, HOMECOMING is something everyone should experience.

  • Roman Baca’s HOMECOMING: Gallery

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    A gallery of Kokyat’s images from a studio rehearsal of HOMECOMING, a timely and evocative dancework created by Roman Baca. HOMECOMING is to be performed aboard the USS Intrepid on Saturday May 28th at 11:30 AM. Read about this work here. In the photo above: Michael Wright and Lisa Fitzgerald.

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    Preston Bradley with Adrienne Cousineau and Taylor Gordon

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    Michael Wright

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    Adrienne Cousineau

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    Jackie Koehler

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    Taylor Gordon

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    Joanna Priwieziencew

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    Aaron Atkins, Adrienne Cousineau

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    Adrienne and Lisa

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    All images by Kokyat. My thanks to him, and to Roman Baca and his dedicated troupe of dancers for sharing this experience with us.

  • Roman Baca’s NUTCRACKER Rehearsal

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    Saturday October 23, 2010 – Kokyat and I went to watch choreographer Roman Baca working on his upcoming new production of THE NUTCRACKER for Ballet Theatre Company’s annual performances at St. Joseph’s College in West Hartford, Connecticut. A USMC veteran of the Iraq war, Roman presents the ballet as A Soldier’s Nutcracker. Above, Paige Grimard leading the Waltz of the Flowers.

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    Taylor Gordon would normally be dancing in this NUTCRACKER but following surgery (from which she’s well on her way to recovery) she is serving as ballet mistress for the production. Most of the divertissement pieces are double-cast giving the dancers expanded opportunities.

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    How many dozens of times have choreographers tackled the NUTCRACKER since Balanchine put it on the map? I really like what Roman is doing with it: very classical in feel but steering clear of the ideas we’ve seen in other settings. For example, his Harlequin (Michael Wright, above)…

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    …and Columbine (Hope Kroog) do not dance together: they each have a solo in turn.

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    Roman’s Arabian is probably my favorite from among the set pieces I’ve seen so far for this production: Roman creates a very sensuous and demanding pas de deux. Above: Kimberly Gianelli and Kendahl Ferguson.

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    Arabian (and many other roles in the production) are double-cast. Above: Michael Wright, Jessica Freitas.

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    Spanish is a trio: a man and two women. Above: Adrienne Cousineau, Michael Wright and Crystal Danzer ready to start. Marzipan is another trio, all girls in this case. And there are two alternating Dewdrops for the Waltz of the Flowers...

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    …Mayo Kurokawa…

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    …and Paige Grimard.

    Thru being over-played 24/7 from Thanksgiving til New Year, the music of the NUTCRACKER makes some people nauseous. Me? I love it still and most especially the Waltz of the Flowers – melodies that tug at the heartstrings try as we may to withstand their charms.

    The pure dance numbers are being rehearsed here in NYC and the party scene and all the story work are being done up in Connecticut meaning that Roman is trekking back and forth.

    Here are a few more of Kokyat’s images from today’s rehearsal:

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    Jessica Freitas

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    Michael Wright, Crystal Danzer

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    Kimberly Gianelli, Kendahl Ferguson

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    Maddie James

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    Jessica Freitas, Michael Wright

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    Adrienne Cousineau

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    Paige Grimard

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    Mayo Kurokawa

    All photos by Kokyat.