"Fleeting Perspectives: A Paper Ballet" Part 2

After much preparation, organization and scheduling, the first phase of the project took shape and a photo shoot with the dancers in costume was set. What better location than a dance studio used by the ballerina to stage the shoot! We all met at Suzie's Studio in San Rafael. I had driven up with a car so packed with paper portfolios, that I could barely see out the back window! The excitement of actually seeing this project take flight filled my heart with joy.

The two dancers for the project, Mymuna Demora and Grier Cooper, were there when we arrived already warming up. Coming from very different backgrounds in dance, one a classically trained ballerina - the other coming from the inspirations of the great 20th century modern dancer and choreographer Martha Graham, I had a feeling the tension created by these varying approaches to dance would further my exploration of balance and instability within the image. They did not disappoint! The talented Gwen Allen documented the day.


Phase I is now complete!  Here is a small selection of the resulting posses captured that day. Now to build the sets and drop these dancers into them... With scissors in hand, I am beginning the process today, eager to see this project completed by the end of the summer and hopefully land an exhibition of these images here in Los Angeles by the end of the year!

I asked all participants about their history in dance and art, as well as their experience on the set of "Fleeting Perspectives: A Paper Ballet":

GRIER COOPER:

I was trained in classical ballet, beginning at age 5. I trained at the School of American Ballet in NYC and San Francisco Ballet School. Never before had I performed in paper costumes of any sort. 

As far as experience on set, it was an elaborate process to prepare for each shot. Getting dressed took up the most time since each costume had many pieces and we had to be very careful getting in and out of them (so they didn't tear and no one suffered paper cuts!) Once we were dressed I felt disoriented at times (esp in the costume where only my mouth was visible and I had to balance multiple pieces). Movement was very different than in other types of costumes – paper limits the range of movement, of course. 

But it's also lightweight and has such an incredible range of applications from pleated tutus to Guiness-world-record-length nails. I felt very doll-like while working in the costumes; generally the lines of my body were more angular because of the rigidity of the paper. Such a fun project and a cool idea to repurpose art materials that would otherwise have gone to waste. 

(Grier is a California based writer, photographer, and dancer who has performed worldwide with the San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet.)

MYMUNA DAMORA:

Martha Graham, one of the original inventors of Modern Dance, is my namesake. My birth name is Martha which I go by in some circles. Early in life I was forced into tap and jazz vis the lineage of sister dancers in my family. Later in life I studied Tia Chi with chinese masters and became a certified teacher of the "Internal martial arts." Thats right, teacher of the world on this inside. 

After I realized I was too much of a handful for the male masters, I turned toward tribal fusion belly dance with some great female teachers who wielded that forbidden sex power! In general I mostly took a class here and there and would teach myself. I am a self taught pole dancer as well and quickly earned the title of "shaman pole dancer" ! Ariel dance became a portal for my spiritual world and dancer theatrical self the freedom to combine.

I give all credit to my spiritual journey and awakening to the true nature of myself. From this awareness  there is only movement which I have developed a sense of mastery on many levels. Dance is the sum total of the wonderment of nature/elementals expressing themselves through the form. Its never-ending, Always a beginning, the road is ongoing.

I have never danced in paper. My whole identity, if ever there was one, was gone baby gone in the paper costumes, I loved it!  The quintessential experience for the mystical dancer.

MIKE KABLER:

I am a paper collage artist who has received no formal training. I began making collages in high school after viewing a book at the library about Soviet propaganda posters. I immediately made a connection between the Dada style of the posters (cut and paste, reengineering of images) to that of punk band flyers and record covers. At this time I also discovered famed punk collage artist, Winston Smith, who did much of the early Dead Kennedy's print material. I have had several solo and group show, and most recently, been published in Next Door Magazine, a publication out of NYC. 

This photo shoot was brought to life with the help of some very creative people. They saw my vision and ran with it. It is so important to collaborate and work with similar minded creatives. Like a real ballet, with a multitude of artists working towards creating a cohesive whole, our humble Paper Ballet was born. 


Julie Pavlowski Green
June 8, 2013