Kelly Talks Inversions!

Another clip released from the DTSB&Co documentary by Stone Soup Films. This time it's a short interview with dancer Kelly Southall.

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance: Interview with dancer Kelly Southall from Stone Soup Films on Vimeo.

Lunchtime entertainment

Today I taught a 2 hour dance class at the Ballet San Marcos in the center of Lima. The students were wonderful and afterwards I had lunch in the Casona where I watched dancers rehearse and perform.

Dana

Peru Study Program

I am excited to be in Lima making preparations for a George Washington University Peru Study Abroad Program that I will running. Students will study in DC in May and travel to Peru in June.

I visited Gina the director of the National School of Ballet today. She has a wonderful spirit. I watched a rehearsal of a Chinese Peruvian choreographer who was setting a work about Chinese immigrants to Peru in the 1870's. It was wonderful to speak to her about shared ideas of immigration and the Asian diaspora throughout the Americas. I will be back to teach and set a work at the National school in May/June.

More soon! Dana

Dana at home

A fun scene from footage taken of Dana at home in his kitchen for a documentary by Stone Soup Films

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance: Dana in his kitchen from Stone Soup Films on Vimeo.

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Washington Post reviews DTSB&Co newest work

As part of the their residency at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia DTSB&Co. performed with the National Chamber Players in a concert that featured the compositions by Philip Glass and Arnold Schönberg. The concert was reviewed by the Washington Post. Reviewer Alfred Thigpen writes of Dana's choreography:

This work benefited greatly from choreography by Dana Tai Soon Burgess, who used six dancers in various combinations emphasizing human dialogue. Juxtaposed against the repetitive structures of Glass, this visual element elicited an unexpected emotional quality...

Read the full review

Best of 2009!

DTSB&Co's October performance of Island was included in Washington Post's Best of 2009 list!

"Island" by Dana Tai Soon Burgess, Oct. 9-11 at Dance Place: D.C.-based Burgess employed a cool, stylized touch to conjure the past with piercing immediacy in this evocation of Chinese immigrants at the Angel Island detention center in San Francisco Bay in the early 1900s.

Washington Post article by Sarah Kaufman

Important People

Dana recently attended an event for local Washington, DC artists at the Vice-President's residence. He was thrilled to get a private photo with Vice-President Joe Biden and his wife Jill.

Tech fun

Dana's new work Island features beautiful historical images from Angel Island projected from above. To achieve this effect a heavy-duty projector was installed above the stage. Getting the projector in place and then back down at the end of the three night run took some teamwork.

A Professor You Should Know

Dana is featured in a new video published on the George Washington University student newspaper's web site

Backstage before the Island Premiere

The dressing room at the Dance Place was a bit tight but the dancers adapt quickly and even have some fun.













Photos by Kris Ikejiri

Premiere of Island

Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Co. performed Island to sold out audiences October 9-11, 2009 at the Dance Place in Washington, DC. The Washington Post and danceviewtimes published rave reviews.

STSB&Co wins 2009 Metro DC Dance award

DTSB&Co is proud to have won the 2009 Metro DC Dance award - Outstanding New Work for "Hyphen".

Congratulations to all winners and nominees.




photo credit: Mary Noble Ours

Strange Hat, Nice Bag

Spotted at the Charleston, SC airport

Island Musicality

Today's rehearsal was exhilirating. We worked with musicality details for Island. It has a beautiful montage of music from 1920's Shanghai to classical to electronic. When we get to the point in a rehearsal process where we can work on details, I get very excited. The company is always so supportive when I nit pick each scene and each detail. I believe the details are what audiences are ultimately moved by and it takes quite a while to be able to feel secure enough in the overall structure to then work on nuance. Every focus change or gesture becomes more and more important in a work like this.

Can't wait for you to see the show!

Dana

More Rehearsal Photos

The dancers are hard at work rehearsing for the October performance at the Dance Place.









Photos by Kris Ikejiri

State Alumni Member of the Month

Dana was named State Alumni Member of the Month by the US Department of State.

Fulbright Specialist and Cultural Envoy alumnus Dana Tai Soon Burgess uses his expertise as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher to encourage dancers and audiences alike to explore dance, and the arts more generally, as an expression of the global connections among individuals and communities. Read more..

2009 DC Metro Dance Awards nominations

Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Co. is proud to be nominated for the 2009 DC Metro Dance awards in three catagories:

Outstanding Group Performance
Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Co. in "Hyphen" at Lisner
October 24, 2008

Excellence in Costume Design
Judy Hansen for Dana Tai Soon Burgess Moving Forward in "Hyphen, Meditations, Khaybet, Chino Latino" at Lisner Auditorium
October 24, 2008

Outstanding Overall Production – Large Venue
Dana Tai Soon Burgess in "DTSB&Co" at Lisner Auditorium
October 24, 2008

The Awards Ceremony will be held at The Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater Monday, September 14, 2009 at 7:30. (more information)

Rehearsals in Full Swing

We are back in the full swing of rehearsals again!

The company looks amazing and I love working with everyone. Our new work Island is going to look so beautiful and it is an interesting new movement style for us as well. So challenging, so sublime.

Can't wait to see all our friends in the audience in October!

Dana



Photos by Kris Ikejiri

Philip L. Graham fund donation

We are so appreciative to the Philip L. Graham fund for their recent donation to the company which will allow us to purchase a new projector, camcorder and update our website. This support means the world to us and will really help with the finishing touches on my new work Island!

The work is looking fabulous. Please save the dates at Dance Place, Oct. 9-11, 2009.

Warmest, Dana

Philadelphia Retreat

Hi Everyone,
I have been in Philadelphia on a retreat regarding learning assessments and leadership in education. As the new Chair of the Theatre and Dance Department, GWU was kind enough to sponsor my participation at the AAC&U Conference.

It has been wonderful to catch up on learning rubrics and assessments while getting to know colleagues and hear about how other disciplines problem solve in their fields. I have been enjoying thinking about how to apply best practices in education to dance.

As many of you may recall DTSB&Co actually started out as a youth program for Asian American high school students in the District and teaching is still a major part of our company focus. You may know us from seeing us on stage, but DTSB&Co oversees dozens of master classes, educational residencies, lectures, demonstrations, panel discussions and conducts a summer program each year. We are constantly working with youth around the region as well as while on tour. We tie our programs to the parameters of what the focus of our repertoire is each season and we have such an exciting season coming up this year!!!


Pictured are Douglas Boyce (music), Elizabeth Chacko (geography), Heather Schell (Writing) and myself. Dean Paul Duff from GWU took the photo while we were down on South Street. It is a wonderful time at the GWU University where community partnerships and outreach are a focus.

Returning today with much inspiration!

Dana