I had a blast the last two nights stepping into the shoes of a ringmaster at The Calhoun Cabaret's Spring showcase, "Under the Big Top." The evening was full of dances, songs, comedy, aerial silks, and more! The Calhoun Cabaret cast is an extremely talented one, with each member bringing something unique and special to the show. Working with Cabaret founder Mercy Roberts is always a treat. She is not only a creative genius, but a true Renaissance woman - she simultaneously directs, choreographs, designs, AND performs in each of her shows, and specializes in ballet, jazz, tap, and lyrical dance, to name a few. She even recently began training in aerial silks, and showcased her skills during "Under the Big Top." Take a second and follow The Calhoun Cabaret on Facebook here! A new show will be in the works in the not-so-distant future! Huge thanks and appreciation to those who put in hours of long, hard work to make this show a success!
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God, I love the performing arts. There have been times where I've pulled away from performance, because I thought I was burnt out, but I ALWAYS come back to it, and I know that my life would be nothing without it. Yesterday, I was a part of two small, short dance pieces at the Wood Festival. It's not the first one I've done, nor will it be my last. I always find myself critcizing certain parts of the show that I thought could have been better, or getting frustrated because maybe my leg didn't go up as high as I wanted it to on my temps de fleche, and as you know, with live shows, you often only get one shot to nail it. Coming from a four-year performing arts college, I've met a lot of dancers. And a great deal of their learning experience was based purely on how high the leg would go, or how close to 180 degrees a split was, or how many beats could be done in a jump. The majority of the dancers I met in college came from a competition background, where the choreography wasn't necessarily to entertain, but to win a prize. There's nothing wrong with competition dance, but a great deal of them spent their lives fearing (and often believing) that they would never be good enough, when in reality, every one of them was brilliantly talented. To me, that's not what the arts are about. I caught myself getting overly picky about certain aspects of my performance yesterday, so I stopped, and reminded myself that none of us are Russian ballet stars. We don't come from Broadway. We live in the middle of nowhere, WV! Heartwood in the Hills is different, and so special. Heartwood teaches dance in a non-competitive environment, and instead focuses on the joy that comes from giving your soul to an audience. It's about feeling the music shock you to life and connecting to complete strangers to make them smile. Instead of pushing artists into cookie cutters, Heartwood not only celebrates the diversity that each individual brings to the dance floor, but finds a way to highlight, accentuate, and use those unique quirks in an artistic way. Heartwood lets each student know they are beautiful, talented, and loved while encouraging them to challenge themselves and continue to grow. I am a perfectionist, and I will always be my harshest critic. But Heartwood in the Hills will forever be that voice that reminds me to not only perfect, but ENJOY my artistry. After all, if you don't enjoy yourself, what's the point? Thank you so much to all of our volunteers who helped yesterday's performances run with ease! And congratulations to all the young artists who are discovering their talents through our little art school. Check out a few neat photos from yesterday below! Heartwood in the Hills to Perform at Calhoun County's Wood Festival This Saturday, June 3rd5/31/2017 Hi all!
This Saturday, June 3rd, Heartwood in the Hills will be presenting two separate dance pieces at the Wood Festival in Grantsville, WV. The first will be the Mask Parade, which will take place in front of the Calhoun County courthouse IMMEDIATELY following the Wood Festival Parade. The parade itself begins at 11:30 AM. Then, at 3:30 PM the same afternoon, Heartwood will return to the front of the courthouse to present "Dancing For You!" a fast-paced dance piece that has been in the works for about twelve weeks. Both performances are free and open to the public, as well as 100% family friendly. Bring your kids out and show them the wonder and excitement that is Heartwood in the Hills! In addition, this Friday, June 2nd, at 3:00 PM Pleasant Hill Elementary School will host Heartwood as they present "The Great Blueness," an audience-interactive story about a wizard who can change the color of the world. This show will be great fun for children, as they learn about the colors of the rainbow and get hands-on theatrical experience! Below are stills from various rehearsals that have taken place over the past three months, as well as a flyer with all show information. Please share share share this post with your friends and family, and invite them to come out and experience the magic that Heartwood in the Hills has to offer. See you there! :) (Above) Heartwood's talented dance team performs "The Boot Dance" as Sunny the Dinosaur looks on.Heartwood in the Hills performed at Calhoun County's Wood Festival in Grantsville, WV on Saturday, June 4th.
Colorful masked characters (including unicorns, deer, a fox, tree nymphs, and a very graceful mermaid) armed with banners, orbs, and glittering wands paraded down the street and danced in front of the courthouse. Then, at 4 PM, the dance team returned for a thrilling performance of "The Boot Dance." Accompanying the team was Jack the Jester, Sunny the Dinosaur, and a pixie. The FestivALL! Princess also made an appearance during the parade. It was an extremely vibrant, energizing, and inspiring show! Heartwood has a few more events coming up this month. Jude Binder will be performing at FestivALL! in Charleston, WV, along with Jack the Jester and Sunny the Dinosaur. Then, on June 20th at the Women's Club on Virginia Street at 6 PM, Heartwood will be presenting the improvisational show, "The Great Blueness." (Speaking from experience, The Great Blueness is a FANTASTIC show for kids and adults of all ages, full of color, dance, storytelling, and excitement!) We hope to see you there!
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It seems in the blink of an eye, several months go by and I say, "Golly, I really need to update my webpage." Lots has happened since I last posted. The biggest thing is that I have been doing stunts for a reboot of popular web series Shotgun Mythos (see above photo). I've been shot in the face, body slammed, and kicked down some stairs... and that's just the beginning. I've been signed on for Season 2 as well! Check out the following YouTube link for the goods. Also... I am embarking on a huge endeavor to bring more combat/stunts into the world of theatre. I will be launching a theatre company that strives to combine acting, writing, dancing, music, combat, stunts, LARPing, gymnastics and more! Updates to come as they... come. The good news is, it looks like I will gain more reliable Internet access fairly soon, so if all goes well, you'll be hearing from me soon. Until then, enjoy watching me get the snot beat out of me in Shotgun Mythos Episode 7! This post is a bit late, as I have been super busy/out of service. One week ago, I flew back to my home among the hills, West Virginia. I completed the fourth and final week at the International Stunt School in Seattle, which was made up of various aerial stunts, including high falls, air ram, bungee, ratchet, wire, and interestingly enough, some circus stunts (aerial silks and hoop). To be honest, the week was a blur. I was so excited to work with a smaller group on wire, which (combat aside) has become my forte. Some of the bigger dudes in my class had way too much fun lifting my tiny frame in the air, as I got pretty close to the ceiling more than once! I don’t really have too much to say about the training this time, because my focus has shifted way forward – where am I to take all of the knowledge and skill I’ve acquired in the past month? My impulse is to head to the theme parks – Six Flags, Universal, Disney – and audition for some live stunt shows. I’ve been taking a pretty close look at Marvel Universe Live as well, which is auditioning in October. I will always have a passion for fight choreography, and in the coming weeks, I hope to put together two more short fights for YouTube. However, before I take off on another stunt adventure, my first objective is to continue to train – nail down a good workout regimen, get some more gymnastics training, and work on my falls. I want to again extend my endless thanks to my instructors – Jeff McKracken, Greg Poljacik, Wadi Jones, Chuck Johnson, Brandon Belieu, Amy Sturdivant, Dutch Stenehjem, Charly and John from Cabiri, and David Boushey – for giving me an incredible month of priceless experience and instruction. I'm so proud to have been able to work with them. Hope to see you all on the silver screen! And as the third week of stunt training comes to a close…. I am officially a stunt performer!
This week, we worked on driving, wirework, fire, high falls, air ram, air ratchet, and rappelling. I was nervous to get behind the wheel (especially one handed), but I didn’t do too terribly. I even managed to do a 90-degree skid. The intro to the wirework was pretty awesome; I did a few flips, and hovered “Mission: Impossible” style. Fire was INCREDIBLE. I was worried about doing the stunt, as I still had my cast on, but Jeff McKracken again went the extra mile and helped me wrap it in plastic and fire resistant gel. I had a blast. I also discovered where my boundaries lie in pushing the envelope. Due to my broken finger, I had missed out on a lot of techniques used during mini tramp, so the only major fall I knew how to do was a sit fall. When it came time for high falls, I got ten feet in the air and decided that it was not for me. I attempted a face off, and in doing so, I torqued my neck the wrong way and decided I was done with high falls until I could start back at square one with the techniques. However, I got some air on the air ram, and that was good enough for me. Today, we got tossed by the air ratchet and learned some basic rappelling techniques, including the “007” upside down rappel. I even had a classmate go Super Saiyan on me, sending me flying backwards. At the end of the day, Jeff presented us with our certificates, stating that we are all official apprentice stunt performers, and honorary members of the United Stuntmen’s Association. TL;DR: What. A. Week. Up next: The aerial intensive! Week two of the 2014 International Stunt School, complete. It definitely didn’t have the best start. On Saturday night, I somehow managed to smash my finger in the bathroom door, bad enough to warrant a trip to the ER with my stunt coordinator. Six hours, three x-rays, and several stitches later, I was told I had an open fracture, and they sent me back with a full cast. However, in spite of this ridiculous mishap, I made it to training the rest of the week. I sat out for the stair rolls, but I was able to participate on the mini tramp. I also got to try out some martial arts, although I was quite disappointed about my inability to try Capoeira. I can definitely say this injury has knocked the wind out of my sails a bit. However, the always-joking Greg Poljacik managed to cheer me up, as he has dubbed me “The Lobster,” due to my giant lobster claw of a cast. We did two fights this week – a 2-on-1 martial arts fight, and a 6-person found weapons brawl. David Boushey gave us a super helpful lecture on the business of stunts, which was FANTASTIC. On top of that, our instructors gave us a nice little surprise today that we had a lot of fun with (but it’s top secret!). I am so grateful I was able to at least give it all a shot. Tomorrow is our day off, and I intend to NOT get injured. HUGE thanks to Jeff McKracken, who drove me to and from the ER and sat in the waiting room for an eternity, to Greg Poljacik, who made me chuckle at my misfortune, to Chuck Johnson and Wadi Jones, for working around my injury, and to all my awesome stunt buddies here at the International Stunt School, for being super helpful and supportive. Up next: Precision driving, wire work, and fire! (And hopefully this girl will be minus one lobster claw by Monday.) Well folks, I survived my first week at International Stunt School! This week has been incredibly exciting and… eye opening. This just in: STUNTS ARE HARD. Who would’ve guessed? Day one focused primarily on basic falls and rolls, and boy did I learn my weaknesses quick; forward rolls are not my forte. I learned a lot that day, and we had tons of fun, but the next morning was absolute torture. I don’t think I’ve been that sore in my entire life, and that’s considering the fact that I used to do Shaun T’s Insanity workout on a daily basis. The pain continued through the next two days, which were focused on unarmed fighting techniques. Day two was all about learning various ways of pounding an opponent into hamburger, and on day three, we learned and filmed a short unarmed fight, receiving feedback from Mr. David Boushey himself. A little nerve-wracking to say the least, but extremely informative and helpful! On day four, we learned both knife and stick (or club). As a member of the SAFD and a certified actor-combatant, I was stoked to learn club technique, as it was never covered in the combat classes I took in college. I really enjoyed the flexibility the weapon provided in determining the circumstances of the fight. For example, is the stick a crow bar? A frying pan? A rolled up newspaper? Although I had previous experience with knife, it was interesting to learn a new angle on the technique. In college, I had been taught a more romantic/operatic way of handling a blade, so it was challenging and thrilling to make the fighting a little more “muddy” and gritty. We learned a few disarms, wounds, and kills, as well as how to amp up the illusion of danger in a fight. We did a lot of reviewing on day five, working on our falls, rolls, and knife/stick techniques. I also had the satisfaction of learning a hip throw (nothing feels better than slamming a dude twice your size down on a cushion). We then learned our choreography for knife/stick, and filmed it that afternoon. Again, it was a little intimidating having a fight critiqued by the founder of the SAFD and the USA, but extremely beneficial. So that brings us to today, our first day off. We have been told repeatedly to not go around hip tossing people or rolling down hills for practice on our breaks, and I can’t say I disagree. I’ve been teased a lot already for going to bed early (I’m still kind of running on EST), but honestly, at the end of eight hours of throwing myself at the ground, fighting, and being surrounded by tough, sweaty people, the last thing I want to do is go out for drinks. I’ve learned over the years, whether I was dancing, doing stage combat, or just working out in general, to listen to my body and follow its needs. If my eyes start closing at 10 PM, by gum, I’m going to sleep. And goodness knows that after being in a hot, sweaty room with 40+ people all day, I need solitude! So today, after my laundry is finished and this blog post is up, I intend to go for a long walk around campus, maybe head to the sporting goods store. More updates coming! Well. After seven terrifying hours in two airplanes, I have successfully made it to Seattle, WA!
I am here to participate in the United Stuntmen's Association's International Stunt School. Thanks to my stage combat professor, Charles Conwell, I was accepted into their program for the summer. I will be spending a month furthering my knowledge of stage combat, and learning all about high falls, fire, precision driving, air rams, and more! I met coordinators Jeff McKracken and Ian Boushey at SEA-TAC, and they are two of the coolest guys you could possibly fathom. Our first meeting is tonight, and then the training begins first thing tomorrow morning! More updates as they come! Wow, it's been awhile. I am currently performing with an old dance team at Heartwood in the Hills. Our performances begin this coming May, and I couldn't be more excited. One of the most thrilling aspects of this experience has been bringing my knowledge of stage combat into the world of dance. Thanks to Jude Binder, I will be performing a solo entitled "Run!" which combines modern dance with the various styles of stage combat and martial arts I have learned. In addition to this adrenaline-rush of a piece, I will be dancing in a few ensemble pieces, as well as bringing Jack the Jester (seen above) back to life! If you are in central WV and would like to come see the shows, the performances are scheduled as follows: Friday, May 23rd/ 10 AM/ Arnoldsburg Elementary School (Arnoldsburg, WV) Friday, June 6th/ 6 PM/ Heartwood in the Hills (Five Forks, WV) Friday, June 7th/ TBA/ In front of the Grantsville Courthouse (Grantsville, WV) All shows are free and open to the public. For more information, visit heartwoodinthehills.org. Hope to see you there! What a crazy few weeks. I've done a lot of performing since returning to my home among the hills in West Virginia. I got to perform with Heartwood in the Hills for their annual spring school tour. We traveled to Arnoldsburg and Pleasant Hill Elementary Schools to perform for the students. Jack the Jester was there (see photo) with several of his friends. It was a beautiful performance. On June 9th, I had the honor of performing at Cafe Cimino in Sutton, WV, during a fundraiser for Heartwood in the Hills. Jack the Jester, Sunny the Dinosaur, and a few other characters played for hours with the guests. Elaine Wine, a local musician, played a few songs, and Jude Binder led a few children's songs. It was an evening filled with music, dance, and great food and drink! One of the most important things I've learned since returning home is that, no matter the distance, art will always bring people together. At both shows, artists from near and far came to watch and perform with us. Commencement is tomorrow, and the UArts chapter of my life story is coming to a close. This morning, we did the typical commencement rehearsal, and received some words of advice from our respective deans. They told us to be persistent, to never give up, and to make art for our own sake, so that we'll always enjoy what we create. I also had the honor and privilege of attending the awards ceremony for the College of Performing Arts here at UArts. I received the Terruso Combat Award for my work in stage combat for the past four years of college. However, they should have recognized the man who made it all possible, Charles Conwell. When I first walked into Conwell's class my freshman year, I was a timid, nervous girl from West Virginia, who was already terrified after hearing that Conwell was "intense" and "serious." Much to my surprise, I was also chosen to be "Victim of the Day," or the class demonstrator for the hour and a half that followed. Of course, Conwell was tough on me, and always made sure to point out when I messed up, and yes, he was very intense! But despite all of that, I never once dreaded his class. His class was the only class I had never considered skipping (and let's be honest, for a college student to never skip a class is unheard of). I came to UArts because I thought I wanted to be a dramatic actor onstage, doing soliloquies and monologues. From the moment I stepped into Conwell's class to the moment I stepped offstage after my last SPT, I knew (and know) that stage combat would be (and is) game-changer for me. Four years later, I am headed to Seattle to pursue a career in stunt performance. If someone had said to freshman me, "You are going to be a stuntwoman," I would have laughed in that person's face. But it's a great indicator of how much I have grown as an artist and performer, and I have Conwell to thank for that. He has been an incredible motivator, and has continued to push me to do better than what I can do, because he believed in my potential. Conwell has taught me many things, but most importantly, he has taught me the value of commitment. Commitment is what makes you brave enough to stand onstage with another actor, dangerous props in hand, and look the audience in the eye and say, "Watch." Commitment is what makes you pick up a broomstick in your living room and go over the choreography for several hours a day, alone. Commitment is what makes you want to do just that for the rest of your life. My greatest hope is that I will have the chance to work with Conwell in the future. I am honored to have him as a teacher, a colleague, and friend. "Safety, aggression, danger, and pain. Moment to moment, total commitment." This has been an INSANE week or so. On Thursday, April 25th, The Arabian Nights, directed by the lovely Amy Dugas Brown, opened at the University of the Arts's Arts Bank. I choreographed and coordinated the fight scenes for the show. Charles Conwell attended the show, and afterwards congratulated me on (quote), "The best slap UArts has ever seen." What a confidence boost! On Monday, April 29th, I and and the rest of the Acting/Musical Theatre seniors participated in the Philadelphia Showcase in the Caplan Studio Theatre. I performed a short fight scene with my dear friend and colleague Sydney Wilson, which I believe was very well received. Most of the showcase went off without a hitch... with the exception that Sydney accidentally had some of her actual hair torn out as she was carried offstage by two of our classmates! The irony in this comes from the fact that, in the monologue by Bekah Brunstetter I performed before the fight, I said, "I could rip out your hair extensions." We'll just say the little mishap caused a huge ripple of excitement in the audience. On Wednesday the 1st and Thursday the 2nd, I had excerpts from my latest one-act, The Shakes, and my short story, Lily With a Y, read in front of an audience. And last but CERTAINLY not least, yesterday, Saturday, May 4th, was my last UArts SAFD Fight Proficiency Test. I was INCREDIBLY nervous, but after a long afternoon of sweat, swords, and Shakespeare, I was certified with EXCELLENCE in smallsword, saber, quarter staff, and sword/shield! Out of the eighteen fights performed before Allen Suddeth, there were fifty-two recommended passes, which is truly amazing. Although I am relieved to be finished with this week, it is bittersweet, because my UArts experience is basically over. I absolutely adore everyone I've had the honor of working with, particularly my stage combat class. Bring it on, commencement. I did another cool thing today: I took a two-hour trapeze workshop. During my two hours, I learned how to properly take off from the platform, gain momentum, perform a simple knee tuck, and complete a backflip from the trapeze. It was definitely more challenging than I imagine, and even more thrilling. After doing about four rounds of a simple routine, I was one of the lucky students who got to attempt the "Super Secret Bonus Round," or a partner catch. This is one of the more common stunts you might see at a circus: two trapeze artists swing simultaneously, and as they come together, they join hands and end up swinging from one bar. I was extremely nervous as I chalked my hands and forearms, not of failure or injury, but of making myself look silly. Then I realized that I just spent money to attend acting school for four years, and that my career goals include setting myself on fire and jumping off of buildings and crashing cars and sword-fighting. So I swallowed my pride and went for it. My first attempt resulted in me plummeting face first toward the net, which, I will admit, was only slightly stomach-lurching. Thankfully, the wonderful people at Fly School Circus Arts gave me a second shot. As I ascended the ladder, the sun began to peek out, and I joked to one of the crew members, "The spotlight is on me, and this is my moment." I centered myself on the platform and gripped the bar with my right hand. Dan shouted, "Listo!" which was a signal for the opposing trapeze artist to ready herself, and I put my second hand on the bar. She flipped over on her swing and shouted "Ready!" I took a deep breath and waited for her signal. "Hup!" I bent my knees and jumped off the platform. On the first swing, I brought my knees over the bar. On the returning swing, I let go of the bar and hung upside down. As I swung back towards my partner, I locked eyes with her, she grasped my wrists and I let my legs swing off the bar. The partner catch was a success! Even though it was only a beginning workshop, I feel extremely accomplished and proud that I brought myself of my own accord to "Daringly High." For a first-time flier, I feel really good about what I achieved. You can see a short video of my trapeze experience in the YouTube clip below. Today, I woke up at 4 AM, and with two other friends, headed to FDR Park to take part in Philadelphia's Zombie Run. We checked in and were sent to make up. I got the honor of wearing a latex mask. A lovely lady named Laura, who is the make up director at Eastern State Penitentiary's "Terror Behind the Walls" did my make up for me, which took at least a solid half hour. I was then sent to the "photo booth," where runners stopped to take have their photos taken. It felt like being on the red carpet! Except, you know, for the whole being undead thing. Volunteering my acting skills for this fantastic event was a lot of fun, and very rewarding. It has been a private wish of mine to be a walker on The Walking Dead, and this was pretty close to that. I just spent over six hours as a zombie. What did YOU do today? |
Jessi's ThoughtsHey everyone! This blog is to keep you updated on what I'm currently working on. I will be posting show dates, readings, and other crazy stuff here. Archives
May 2018
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