The long and winding road

We went on a hike in the Pratomagno on Sunday with Scott and friends. Here are some notable pics (above is my favorite pic from this trip - Ben Sota on top of the Pratomagno):

William, Meredith, and I are about to start hiking:

Meredith and I take a water break.... seriously straight up:

YIKES!!!!

Even Persey is tired and she has four feet:

Ben and William make it to the top:

Lunch spot!

I'm tired:

My feet and legs take a rest during lunch:

Taylor and Jesse enjoying the view from the top:

Persey enjoys staring at her Daddy's sandwich:

Jesse being silly on top of the mountain:

Classic picture of Scott:

Jesse and I at lunch:

Meredith, Me, and Caroline on top of Pratomagno:

Jesse and I on top of Pratomagno:

A close-up on Ben on top of the cross:

The cross that Ben climbed (he's at the top):

Louise, Jesse Dunn, and Me:

Meredith and I coming down the serious hill:

We practiced the Greek Chorus on top of the Teatrino after the hike:Well, we have been busy again this week. If we have a week full of Acting, I won't be able to blog during those days and do homework, so I have to choose the homework because it is the priority, obviously and catch up on my blog when I can.

We started with Voice this week doing a warm-up that consisted of a self rub down, dry shower, and vertical shaking into jumps letting out sound. Then we worked on some tongue exercises. These are very good for me because I have a control issue with my tongue and it's connection to my jaw. I have a problem releasing both or using one and releasing the other. We went into some panting work with the nose, which is very good to build control in the lower stomach. Moving into stretching our lips then leaving them while humming. We worked with the difference between holding one nostril and humming then holding one and half closing the other while humming. We learned two new songs: Water Boy, a negro convict song, I knew this one cause Daddy used to sing it; Yo E Ma Mo, an african song, we used this as call and response.

In Acting this week we worked on the 4 ages on man: baby, 20, middle-aged, old. We added to the Boatman: fluid with repetition, Object in three different sizes - huge, small, toothpick - and improvising with a problem of some sort. For the Greek Chorus we added a second entry option, entering where the hero was before, telling a story, singing, and simultaneous movement. The simultaneous is harder, figuring out how to lead the group with your intention. You cannot waffle! 7 levels of tension - all released and no energy, sleepy walk, neutral, bubble inside, suspicious, angry tense guy, complete tension then release to the floor. We worked on the improvisations this time in threes... very interesting... now we are adding climate and characters. The newest thing we started was mannequins. Two and two for instance. You decide who these people are and what is there relationship. Then using as few movements as possible in the most efficiant way, you sculpt your partners. The point is to put two mannequins in a scene so there is some realistic qualities but there is always something just a little off. We decided to do this in Cabaret last night. Our mannequins were Meredith, Bob, and William who we made stand outside until we asked the audience for the scene. Courtney, Brian, Caroline, and I were the ones forming them. We asked our audience who Meredith is... they said Foxy Feline... Courtney took that to be a stripper named Foxy Feline. Then we asked, where are they... a shed... fantastic. Then we asked what is Bob and William's relationship to Foxy Feline... they are her cousins... wow. So we called our victims back in and made a pretty beautiful scene of Bob and William holding eachother scared - but William kind of wanted to look - while Meredith grabs her boob (poor Meredith - she was blushing hard) and looks are stripperesque. It turned out very nice I have to say.

In Movement today we started with three different speeds to music. First we gradually sped up as a warm-up, then we moved in slow motion exploring the a-semetric world, finally we had a free for all which was very nice and I found myself drawn to the wall for some reason. I really don't know why. We worked on rolling next. First as salmon rolls alternating front and back - difficult but interesting because you cannot use your hands or legs against the floor to move you - second sitting then a backwards roll - easier on my right rather than my left - third kneeling rolling backwards into another kneeling position then reversing the movement- fourth walking backwards then rolling backward and then continuing to walk back on the way up - we used a partner for this one as motivation and eye contact, the partner walks towards you as you walk backwards, it was very helpful in the dismount of the roll to keep walking backwards. We reviewed the bowling positions we used for handstand but modified it for cartwheels. Then we started doing cartwheels, first how we are used to doing it and then using the bowling position as our launch. I like cartwheels and have always been able to do them on my right side, but I have trouble on my left for sure. We presented our homework in pairs and started working on kinestetic response. Meredith and I will be working on ours together which will be really fun!

Last Week

The birthday girls in front of the fireplace:

Sorry for such a late post. Last week was kind of crazy. In any of my free time I was studying so I'm just now getting around to blogging. Meredith and I also celebrated our birthdays last Thursday night. It was nice to have a big party. Thanks to the Farmhouse peeps for hosting us!! To see pics from the party go to: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=125149&id=606945247&l=a3549771b1

This week started with voice. Warm-ups with some pelvis work, friction, dry shower, and rub down. We began feeling what it is like to push off the ground to walk. Then some group work walking in a circle forwards, backwards, and then changing direction. This sounds easy but it was much more difficult than it seems. At the piano we went through some Ro Ro Ro, Vee Vee Vee O and then did one of my favorite exercises called Cello, Viola, Violin. This helps you find different levels of sound on one note. This is a great help when once we begin working on voices in the mask.

We had voice again on Wednesday. We started with the looking glass image and blowing out hot air on it to clean it. Taking this concept and now letting out some sound, then sound and sustain that sound. We used the image of throwing a javolin and watching it land with the suspension. I find this a hard image to follow without moving my voice. Next we were walking through a crowded street constantly talking. Sometimes we would freeze and only two people would walk at a time. Then we did it one by one, stopping to look at the crowd and say, "My name is Dory (or whoever else's name it was)". Then Kevin stopped me and asked me to play the pro/con game. My subject was scorpions. Basically you just speak about the pros of scorpions until he says con then you go straight into the cons. The only way to play this game is to turn your brain off and not be scared of what crazy stuff may come out. I think I ended up having an army of scorpions spelling ART and then killing eachother so we could eat them. Great exercise. Kevin then gave us our vocography project which is telling three different stories in our life that involved sound.

We had acting most of the week with Marcello. We started with a quick review of all of our exercises adding components to them and moving into improv again. We moved the group through 10 different speeds. We did a lot of group building exercises with him which was really wonderful. Another exercise in this category is the chorus movement on a suspended board. The chorus decides when to follow the hero balancing the space and when they stop, another hero enters and the past hero joins the chorus. We worked on the 20 step glass grab (grab a glass, drink it, see another glass, grab it, throw the other one out, drink it). We moved this into 3 person improvs. It was difficult to keep the drink movement in mind while reacting to your peers and acknowedging there is an audience... as Caroline said, 'Welcome to theatre'. Then we presented one and two people improvs with a clear reason to enter the space and a clear reason to leave the space.

We watched a film on LaCoq and his work (this was one of Marcello's teachers so a lot of our exercises in acting are LaCoq based). Very interesting. The next day we worked on the 31 step boatman. We start this step exercises very sectioned and move them into a smooth transition between movements. 'The body remembers.'

In movement this week we started with a Feldenkrais exercise where we focus on our two thumbs together and they move us around the space. Then we played the peripheral game, having to keep two people always in your periphery. We warmed up swinging our arms back, around, & down then adding a jump in the middle. Next we stretched our legs getting ready for our next step into handstand. From crouching, one leg stretches back across the floor, when it is straight it comes up and you use that momentum to lift the other leg off the floor (image of painting a red line). We did hand stands across the floor starting with one leg up, then one leg comes up to say hello, scissors, reversing the movement, then using unbroken eye contact with a partner. Finally we worked on Negative and positive space playing the shape game with a partner. It was really interesting to see what kind of stories this game would tell based on the partner grouping. Was it beautiful and flowing, did it have a theme, or was it completely sectioned and weird.

We finished the week in Principia Comica with Scott and Mike then Music with Gianni. We told our aphorisms. Mine was: 'Reality is funny as long as it doesn't happen to you'. We made many observations and talked more about the expectations in class. We discussed the fact that most of our jokes were about sex. This segued into our discussion of the body and how it is percieved in different cultures and why. We will continue on this topice next week.

In Music we went over some of the dances we had learned the week before, and then learned the turns. We also learned a song to sing and Gianni gave us a beautiful poem to read. Great way to end the week.

Ironically I had been bitten by a spider this week on both arms and was having a pretty major reaction to them. I was about to go to the doctor when Thursday rolled around and I felt much better and the poison started to drain thank goodness. Well, I'm enjoying a much needed rest but I will be practicing most of the weekend as well. Tomorrow we are going on a hike in the Pratomagno with Scott so that should be fun.

My Birthday Weekend

My Birthday Pictures:
Here's Persey ready for my Birthday adventure!
Jesse and me!

Civita di Bagnareggio, la citta che muore.


Us in front of the city.

Me and Persey walking down the foot bridge.

Old Oil Presses found in the caverns where people used to live.

Persey and me sitting in an alleyway.

Sushi Boat!!

Me and Jesse at our table posing.

Hot Saki anyone?!

End of the night with my champagne and my Persey.


Here are some photos from the Wine Tasting:
Me, Julie, and look at Courtney!!
Ben pretending to work behind the counter for Bob and Meredith.

Me and Jesse

Kevin, Louise, Katie, and Bob

Caroline, Courtney, Meredith, and me

Taylor and me!


I had a great birthday weekend. It started with a wine tasting at the Charleston Enoteca. On Saturday Bea and Cesare gave me a book Il Barone Rampante and made me a birthday tiramisu. On Sunday, my actual birthday, I woke up to bellinis, breakfast in bed, and a bouquet of flowers (my husband is awesome). Then we went to Civita di Bagnoreggio, La citta che muore (the dying city), it is a place I've wanted to go visit for a long time. On the way we stopped at the Outlet Mall in Valdichiana so I could buy my birthday present from my mom (I bought three new pairs of designer jeans). When we got home Jesse had some wonderful Franciacorto champagne waiting for me and my present, a Breil necklace called Bloom; it is amazing because you can change the sizes and the look of the whole necklace -- it can become a bracelet as well! To end the night Jesse took me to a new Sushi restaurant. For those of you that know me well, you know this is my favorite food so I was really excited and it was gooood!! I love my husband! Momma called me and we were able to talk for a while. I miss her so much, especially during any holiday, so it was nice to get a long talk in. Everyone on facebook wrote me to wish me a happy birthday and it made me feel really special. Thanks you guys!! I had a great birthday!!!!

Last few days before my birthday!!

Thursday was a great day. We had Music class all day with Gianni Bruschi. We starting learning the basic steps of the Pizzicato which is the ritualistic dance in Tarantismo. After a person has been bitten by a spider, snake, or stung by a scorpion they would gather together musicians and the women of the town would dress the victim in all white. They would begin on the ground and start to dance for days and days. The family would cook for the musicians as payment. This is a very passionate tradition. Later that day we learned how to play the tamborello and some of the other percussion instruments used in the Tarantismo tradition. It was a really great day! Here's a picture of me and Brian posing with our instruments:


On Friday we started with voice class. We worked with a partner doing head and neck massages. Making sure the persons neck and head are free when they begin to hum. Then we worked with the freeness of the arms. At the end of this exercise we pulled our partner up to sitting and then let them down vertebrae by vertebrae. Next we worked with the baton doing some Pilates work, into hanging off the baton while standing, then sitting and exhaling as we go down vertebrae by vertebrae while the the baton pulls us forward. After this we worked in a circle as a group, first on consonants (breath then sound) then breathing. We each did a concert just using our breath which morphed into a group working with the E.E. Cummings text. This text has been very hard for me to memorize so I hope to make some more progress on that this weekend.

In movement yesterday we started by walking in the space. Next Claudia asked us to keep the space balanced, two people started and then we went in one at a time, then 3 ft. away from eachother to 6 ft. away to 9 ft. away then back in to barely touching moving into levels. After our Yoga we started working on elbow stands. I don't know how long it will take me to get this one. It does take a lot of strength. We did some downward dog relay races across the floor, forwards, backwards, and sideways. Then we started in downward dog and walked up the wall as far as we could go. I found this exercise very fun and helpful in finding the way my pelvis tilts when I go up in a handstand. We did this is groups using each other as a counterweight, going over and under each other. It was really fun and pretty funny. It was interesting to see who took what risks. I was a little too unstable to crawl on top of people while on the wall. I'll get there soon enough. Finally we worked on saggital and horizontal planes in Laban work. The saggital for me was much easier than the horizontal. I had more trouble figuring out what was and wasn't horizontal rather than what was or wasn't forwards, backwards, up, and down. This morphed into a group picture in both cases.

An Even Rainier Day

Me and Persephone Len having a nice conversation after class today:


It has been raining all week so far. This has been hard for me because I really depend on sunlight. I'm a pretty sleepy person when it rains all the time and sadness can really catch up to me.

Today was interesting but harder for my ADD self because it was a lot of sitting and talking. We started with Principia Comica I with Scott McGehee and Michael Grady. This is the study of comedy. What's funny? This class is aimed to help us form our thesis project through finding our own point of view or angle on life. We will be sharing things we find comic in life through Aphorisms, jokes, journaling, and our facebook page where we will share viral videos as well as other observations. We also broke up into groups and did some lazzi. Bob, Meredith, and I picked (without knowing what we were picking) a lazzi where someone had to use the other's limb in order to trick the third person. We made it a grave robbing scene... niccccce!

The film lecture series today was about the History of Comedia dell'Arte. Scott explains the historical implications and backdrop of the uprising of Commedia dell'Arte. Very interesting!!

We had our first music lesson with Gianni Bruschi today. We will study the southern Italian tradition of music, the Tarantella. Today we explained with words and pictures what music meant to us and how we found music. My story revolved around a picture of a foot print in the sand and then three other pictures that represented different points in my life. Here is my story:

'Mary walked into the living room and found her daughter sitting on the ground in front of the television. She was certainly amazed that her daughter was transfixed, mesmerized by the opera on PBS. I was 3 years old.

My father was the musician of the family. He had been raised in a poor family on a cotton farm in Opelika on the border of Alabama and Georgia. He told me stories of a time when there was no television, just their favorite radio programs. A time of deep seeded racism, hate, and poverty... But allso a time of music; Jimmy Rogers and the Blues. He played guitar with Paw Paw on the front "po'ch" as they say in Alabama. Songs that had been handed down between friends and families. Songs with stories, history, and worth.

I'm not sure when Daddy started writing music but it is the first music I had ever known. From the time I was just a baby sitting on his lap to the day in November when he passed away, music was his legacy, his gift to us.

Momma says she doesn't remember a time I wasn't singing. She insisted we join a church and Daddy agreed to the Presbyterian Church on Calvin St. because his friend was the minister and he was known to be incredibly liberal as well. I joined the Youth Choir and made my first best friend Jamie. Her parents were the Youth Choir directors and we did plays together. Their support and love really paved my way in music and theatre. We sang together from Elementary School to High School. My life from this point began to become sections that eventually informed my decisions in life and music. There was a time when I became a person that I never knew I would be: All-State Choir, Pom Pon Squad, Cheerleader, Theatre, pageants. But because of all of this, I was awarded a very prestigious scholarship to College if I majored in Music. That is when I started taking lessons with Janice Yoes who said to me, "You are a Coloratura Soprano". I had found my niche. Daddy said the last thing the world needed was another big woman standing on stage screamin'. However, he was very supportive and proud of all of my accomplishments in Opera.

There is always a point in time where you pull away from your parents. You need this to start making your own way in life, your own decisions. Then you come back and my bond with my parents became stronger than it had been since I was a small child. Daddy still didn't understand a lot of my taste in music. "Rap is not music. If you want to say it is a form of poetry I will slightly buy that, but I think it is a bunch of bullshit", he would say. I didn't pick up a guitar until it was much too late for Daddy to ever teach me anything because of the crippling arthritis that had taken over his joints. So, I listened to his records and stories about his life as a rockabilly star in the south. Opening for Johnny Cash was one of my favorite stories. "What did you talk to him about Daddy?" "Oh just about how hard it is to make it in the music business." Daddy used to get up in the middle of the night and tell momma the muse had come, then he would go and write music. I guess that is how it has always been for me, though my muse has always been my father. I can only hope to make as big of a footprint in the sand as he did in his lifetime. That is why music is in my soul.'

Happy Happy Fun Day

My headstand:
On the side you can see my wonderful headstand partner, Meredith. Thanks to my girl Caroline for taking this pic!


I have to start off my blog today saying 'Thank you' to my wonderful husband. It has a been a fun but long week. So last night Jesse told me he had some surprises waiting for me at home. I had no idea what they might be. I was really excited to find out he had gone to IKEA and gotten some new things for the apartment. Jesse can be incredibly domestic which is a side of him I really love and appreciate. I could not have been happier putting together our new furniture and additions to the different rooms of our apartment. I love him very much!! He always knows when to do the right things for me.

Today in voice we started with partner work on the wall doing the rub up and sweep down that we did yesterday in a flat lying down position. Next we turned around with our backs against the wall, our partner put their hands diagonally on our clavical and roll out with their hands while you hummed then let out some sound. Then we did similar things to the sternum, ribs, and pelvis (pelvis rolls up). The pelvis was a interesting point for me. When I finally let my partner take over and I gave up control of that part of my body, I felt the space in my front hip joints as my knees released out and away. Quite amazing and freeing!

Working in a circle individually we started to explore traverser and contourner motions. Next we explored rib expansion and deflation, first by letting all the air out then expanding and deflating the ribs without taking a breath, then the same thing after taking air in and not letting it out. This gave me more awareness and focus in the lower ribs on my back as well as the surrounding rib space. We moved into work with the straws this time also loosening our heads from our necks. This is a great exercise for vocalists. We worked on A Ü I O U in a scale. I like the exercise for warming up the voice. We sang it as if we were one of the seven dwarves. I was Sleepy... the yawning is a really good position to begin singing from, plus I'm always kind of sleepy! Finally we worked more on our African lullabye this time in cannon.

In movement we started with the Laban technique. We were walking around the room as if we were in a bubble but you always wanted to move the bubble forward through space while exploring your world inside the bubble. This was a neat exercise for me... something I have never done before and I found myself really creating this bubble world without forgetting about the space around me. It is easy to get lost in your own world. Next we explored only the left side of our world starting with eyes closed then slowly opening them (no bubble anymore): how do you enter the space? are you timid or confident? what enters the space first? We took this and sped it up, watching half the group the doing it ourselves. We did this with the left, right, and back. My left was jerky, lead by my hip, then jerking my head into it with my arm. My right was timid beginning with just the big toe then my arm lifts my leg in. My back started with elbows and buttocks but then snaked up to the crown of my head. This was interesting just to see how your body reacts to this. Not only does open the space but it lets out a lot of different emotions out of either side.

After some Yoga we did the bench roll through headstand again and then this time reversed it. Not as hard as it sounds though I had to keep reminding myself not to bridge over my partner but use her body as the middle axle of my see saw. Next with our partners we took this idea further and kept consistent contact with each other's backs. We are just rolling over each other trading places as the bench without stopping. Very cool. Then we took this even further and kept constant contact with backs and bellies but not having to do the rolls, just improvising and seeing what we could find. My partner was Caroline and both of us found the struggle between who was leading and who was following to be quite interesting. This is a great exercise when a group is trying to learn each other's bodies and finding how to listen to each other without speaking.

Rainy Day

Here I am at the end of my day watching Jesse call the 24 hour Veterinarian to come and pick up an old dog that has wandered onto the Villa grounds. We think it was hit by a car... sad sad day.


Today was a rainy colder day. We started on voice with Kevin. We began in partners, one laying on your front on the ground, the other rubbing up from the heels to the head three times, then sweeping down while the one on the ground lets out an 's' during the out breath. Next the one on the floor turns on their back and their partner takes their leg, moving it about unpredictably but softly, so they can be sure they have the whole weight of the leg. We continued this leg manipulation until we put both legs up, holding the ankle, and swinging the pelvis gently above the ground while the one on the floor finds a deep hum. Then the partner slowly pulls and lowers the legs, stopping everytime the person on the floor takes a breath, then the partner holding the heels right above the floor gives their partner a little side to side wiggle. To finish this series the partner puts the other person's feet on the ground and does some acupressure against the balls of their feet.

We worked on what we like to call the rolly spine stretch. This is very nice for a body awakening tool. We went straight into a pilates like move Bob calls the rising sun sternum. We begin by sitting with our feet planted on the floor leaning back on our hands on the floor behind us. The motion starts with the tipping of the pelvis, then the lower ribs, to the sternum, to the chin and reverse down. This is a great stretchy massage for your spine and promotes awareness of your torso.

Next we started on straw work. This is something I did quite frequently with my voice teacher and find very helpful when looking to float my sound on the air (which should be always). From this we moved back into Ro Ro Ro going lower we began singing Holiness then into I Am The King while strutting about the room into I am the Giant of this Land and picking someone up. To finish our class today we did some Vocal Stir Fry. This is a great little massage for your vocal chords.

In movement today we began working on the Feldenkrais starting on the floor and then moving into walking. The different discoveries I find in my body using this technique are very interesting for me and I look forward to working with it more. Remember, who's the driver?!

Next we did a short piece of Yoga before we started on partner side rolls. Then we kept our partner as a bench and bent over our partner while bringing one knee up then going back into a tripod headstand and then over. With both of these exercises you want to make sure to give your weight to your partner and use the opening of the legs to help control your balance. To finish our day we did our stretching routine.

I know I promised a headstand picture, but it just wasn't possible today. I will have one tomorrow for you.

Cabaret, Soccer and Friday!!

Our first Cabaret on Thursday night:

Bob, William, Meredith, and Caroline before Cabaret started.

Katie getting ready for her song.

Ben Sota as Professor Fluff "A" Nutter.

Juggling and balancing!!

Katie singing and playing 'I'm in Love With Your Ghost' by the Indigo Girls. One of my faves!!

Scott playing his pop song.

On Saturday we played Soccer:

Tristan, Brian, Ilse, and Kevin are getting ready for the big game.

Meredith and Caroline look ready to go!!Bob's war wound.

The Aftergame.

Taylor messing with me as per usual.

Jenna's war wound caused by Caroline's shoe.

Walking back from the PAM.

Brian walking his basket up the hill.

Kevin, Caroline, Meredith, Brian, and me taking a break after the hill.

We had a bit of an emergency with one of our MFA students on Thursday night, so Voice class was only one hour on Friday. We warmed up on our own doing stretches and movements Kevin has taught us. We were able to begin with vocal work in a group. Starting with the circular slide on a hum. Next we sang RO RO RO on a descending minor triad pointing from low to middle to high on the wall. Then Louise did some solo work and Kevin had her imagine running to catch the bus in Pescaiola. If she missed it she is screwed and has to walk the whole way to school. Fantastic!! Then we all did that together. Next we worked through Vee Vee Vee O going from the image of an opera singer to a muscle man. This works well between your legato and staccato.

In movement we did an interesting thing where we walked around the room, first remembering what we have been doing (going towards the prep into a handstand). Then we stopped, jumped together, stopped and started walking together. Each time we started walking again the tempo would speed up. At the end we were at a dead run. This is a great group exercise to work on listening to each other no matter how crazy the tempo can become. We went through some more Yoga exercises. I was very frustrated with the Yoga on Friday because I was feeling quite tired and couldn't really find my balance points. I'm sure these times will come and go frequently. Next we worked on rolling backwards then reversing it frontwards. This is not as easy as it sounds trust me.

We then started working on the dreaded headstands. Dreaded is the word I use because I was always afraid that if I did a headstand my neck would break or crush under the pressure. This of course is an unfounded fear that I no longer have thanks to help from Claudia and my headstand partner Meredith. I did one today during our Sunday practice!! Yay me!!!! We were shown two different headstand methods: the tripod and the hand cupping method. The tripod I still have not mastered because I'm a little too unstable yet, but the hand cupping I finally figured out. Very nice! We did some Alexander Technique walking (that is what I call it) where your partner puts their two fingers on either side of upmost part of your neck (where it meets the base of the scull) and you walk around, your head floating freely above your neck. Finally we worked with a partner who was your bench and you roll over them from the side always keeping contact with each other's bodies. Next we did this when the partner is in child's pose.