Putting Stories Onstage

Last week, guest artist Ellen Bartel presented a piece at the ACC Dance Informance. For those of you who didn’t get a chance to catch the show, or maybe you just want to know more about what you saw, read on to learn about her piece, her process, and her performers!

Scott Roskilly on the left and Jude Hickey on the right during Nebraska Sky. Photo by Brian Drake.

“I really trust these guys as performers so there’s a minimal amount of choreography” - Ellen Bartel. 

Nebraska Sky was originally performed in May 2015 as part of Ellen’s evening concert You Ain’t Alone. The male duet that Jude Hickey and Scott Roskilly performed at ACC is part of what Ellen is calling “non-fiction dance;” taking autobiographical stories, like the story from Jude’s childhood, and presenting them to the audience through movement, images, music and sound. 

“I really trust these guys as performers so there’s a minimal amount of choreography,” Ellen said. One section of the piece, nicknamed “the wiping section,” is a structured improvisation between the couple. Jude describes it as “wiping the debris off from the day before stepping into the bedroom.” The section relies completely upon contact; the dancers remain physically connected throughout the duration of the section.

Unlike many other duets in the dance world, this couple isn’t just portraying a relationship onstage. Jude and Scott have actually been married for 16 years, “but don’t tell the county clerk,” they joke. “It was almost self-indulgent,” Jude said. Doing multiple shows a year keeps him from spending time with his husband, but Nebraska Sky gave him a different opportunity. “I’m doing art with, for and on him. It’s interesting and compelling,” Jude said. But Scott points out the challenge as well, “it’s hard not playing someone else because you can’t hide behind anything.” 

Scott Roskilly and Jude Hickey in Nebraska Sky. Photo by Brian Drake.

“It’s hard not playing someone else because you can’t hide behind anything.” - Scott Roskilly

The piece draws from their relationship but also focuses on a story from Jude’s childhood. “Ellen asked us to juxtapose the story with where we are now,” Jude said. The process involves not only Jude telling his story about a violent encounter with his father but Scott also tells the story in his own words as well. “It’s his story through my lense,” Scott explains. Scott struggled with recounting Jude’s story, “It’s not my story to tell; I don’t wear it,” he explains. But Ellen draws from both perspectives to create an audio track for her non-fiction work. She layers both stories together to create a narrative behind the performers' movement onstage.

Ellen’s presentation at ACC gives students an opportunity to view a new take on dance being created right here in Austin. “I want students to appreciate that’s it not all bells and whistles all the time,” Ellen said. She applauds ACC for being the place where dancers could be their “own person onstage.”  Ellen sums her work up as “nonfiction stories to be creative with.” But one of her performers, Jude, weighs in on her process as well: “Working with Ellen is low pressure - it’s a fun process without the pressure for an exact outcome. She doesn’t expect you to DO something.” From Jude’s perspective, Ellen gives her performers permission to perform work that “doesn’t have to be compelling.” Inevitably, the process then produces just that - compelling, creative, non-fiction dances. 

Former ACC Student Takes the Stage Again

ACC’s Dance Summer 2015 Informance on Tuesday, July 7 at the Rio Grande Campus brings together a mix of students and professionals, and some self-proclaimed professional students. 

Atticus in rehearsal at ACC.

Atticus Rodriguez started attending ACC classes around ’07. Originally from Corpus Christi, Atticus came to Austin with an established background in performing, competing and choreographing. “I liked Austin and I was looking for more performance opportunities,” Atticus said about his move to Austin. ACC gave him a place to network with other dancers in the Austin community and expand his knowledge of dance.

Atticus is presenting a solo, Now This is Fun, for the showcase. The piece is inspired from his daily routines; relaxing after work, listening to records, and screen printing. “There’s not a lot of communication in my pieces. It’s more about appreciation of an atheistic,” Atticus said about the concept behind his movement. 

His solo is significantly tied to his music choice, Depeche Mode. “It’s my ode to old school,” Atticus said about his solo. He recorded the music for his solo off a record, purposefully keeping in the sound effects of the vinyl version. With a background in DJaying, Atticus is strongly inspired by records, “my turntables are my instruments,” he said. 

Atticus during a run of his solo at ACC.

Now This is Fun showcases ’80 dance motifs including hair whips, axel and pencils turns and lots of energy. Atticus said he wanted the audience “to get a sense of what it was like back in the day. Everybody has a Flashdance piece and this is my Flashdance piece.” 

Atticus teaches, performs and directs locally with his dance company Vitality Exhale in addition to other projects. He also creates unique screen printed shirts, some of which can be found for sale locally at Movin’ Easy.




Photography by Anne Wharton.

Choreographing Friendship

Tuesday, July 7 at 7:00 the Rio Grande Campus Mainstage Theater will be home to Austin dance artists, ACC dance alumni and current ACC dance students. This free annual show provides a unique opportunity to view a broad spectrum of dance. From professionals to students to experimental works, the evening is unlike any other dance concert in Austin.

Current ACC dance students, Nico Locke and Hien Nguyen, are joining forces to present a new duet for the showcase. Recalling Companions came from Nico's concept of capturing the enduring nature of friendship. "Friendship is one of those beautiful things that life gives us that we don't have to pay for," Nico said.

Hien Nguyen during rehearsal for Recalling Companions.

The dancers' own friendship is flourishing as they work together on the piece. "Hien is my 'yes or no person,'" Nico said. "It's great having her eye - she helps out a lot," he says describing her contribution to creating transitions in the piece. "Hien and I work really well together even though we have completely different bodies,” Nico said. Hien also points out that the dancers have "different vocabularies" as well. But both dancers agree having different movement styles is actually a strength for the piece.

Nico wants the duet to accentuate movements that both dancers excel in performing, but he also wants the piece to connect with viewers. "I want the audience to see companionship. At the very end, we have this back-and-forth movement like a metronome," Nico said. He explained that the final swaying is his way to represent the everlasting nature of friendship; your friends are always there to lean on.

Nico Locke and Hien Nguyen working their unison phrase in rehearsal.

The show is free and open to the public. For more information visit our Facebook event page.


Photography by Anne Wharton.