The index cards are coming

Dancers gizeh, Erin, and Jocelyn in rehearsal for Study Hall. | Image description: In the foreground, Erin is in a strong stance on two legs with one elbow and one hand outstretched to each side. In the background, gizeh lays on the ground and Jocelyn, who is standing, is caught mid-step.

The sun is dimmed by a light cover of clouds, and the mid-morning light feels calm as it pours in through the street-facing windows. Emily, Rebecca and I are seated in red chairs and looking out at an empty Joe Goode Annex rehearsal studio. We are taking a moment to settle and check in with one another before beginning the day’s rehearsal. 

At a lull in conversation Emily looks at Rebecca and I from across the row and says, “The index cards are coming.”

I hear Rebecca make an excited noise as they get up from their seated stance, enter the empty space, and begin to stretch. Meanwhile I break into a smile, lean forward, turn to Emily and ask, “What color?”

Emily’s eyes brighten and they exclaim, “Well that was the problem! I needed multiple colors.”

Index cards in the mail confirms that we are about halfway through the creative process for Emily Hansel’s new work, Study Hall. So far Study Hall has asked me, alongside Rebecca Fitton, Jocelyn Reyes and gizeh muñiz vengel, to spend time getting to know each other as much more than just dancers. In addition to freelancing as a contemporary/modern dancer, I am the administrator for a physical therapy clinic, a lighting designer and theater technician for dance shows, a contemporary dance teacher, a choreographer, a meal prepper, a pet parent, and I run my own 501c3 dance company. In Emily’s rehearsals I feel acknowledged for all of these pieces that must work in tandem to sustain my career as an artist. We have imbued community care into our rehearsal process, and this is evident in the relationships we have cultivated throughout movement scores and sections.

Dancers Jocelyn, gizeh, Rebecca, and Erin in rehearsal for Study Hall. | Image description: Four dancers stand in a line, each with a hand on the back of the person in front of them. They are lined up facing away from the camera.

Right now, navigating this dance feels like swimming in a pool with no floor. The water surrounding me is warm. I feel buoyant and safe. However I don’t know how long I’ll be in the pool, and I can’t touch the bottom. In my analogy, the pool water is the vast set of dance moves and phrases we have built together in rehearsals. The absent floor and my never-ending sense of time represent a dance that does not yet have a set beginning, middle, or end. I love so many aspects of creating dance, but the cusp of this floaty middle space is definitely one of my favorites. We are about to start futzing with transitions. 

The multiple colors of index cards will help Emily navigate this next step in our rehearsal process. Each movement phrase, section, or score will be written on its own index card. These index cards will physically move around as we piece together a dance that has structure, and can be repeatedly performed. I love this time as a choreographer because I get to deeply play with space, weight, time, and flow while fitting movement phrases together like puzzle pieces. I love this time as a dancer because I get to know what the choreographer cares about. Why we move from one scene to the next, and how we get there, provide deeper insight into the artist’s mind. 

Emily and her index cards. | Image description: Multicolored index card are laid out on the floor. Emily is bent over setting a green one into place while holding a handful of additional index cards.

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notes:
Emily Hansel (Emily, choreographer, director) she/they
Erin Yen (me!) she/they
Rebecca Fitton (Rebecca) she/they
Jocelyn Reyes (Jocelyn) she/her
gizeh muñiz vengel (gizeh) she/they

referencing preparations for Study Hall performances at iMPACt Center for Art & Dance, SF, May 16-18, 2024

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rehearsal photos by Noah Laroia-Nguyen