Dance Anywhere

2011-05-27T01:29:00.001-07:00

Silence

2011-05-12T04:22:00.000-07:00

Like a ball of yarn....
my thoughts unwind.
leaving a mess

piled up
without form or reason

waiting for formation to take hold....
the tension of discomfort sits in the silence

but nothing happens

In My Mind...

2011-05-12T04:16:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel like music just speaks to me... in a way that can't be described. The sound just begs to be absorbed into my body and transferred into motion... transformed into movement.

In the words of Jason Mraz

2011-04-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

"Being buried by your own thoughts and fears, especially when you know it’s happening, can feel like a burden with a rusty flat-tired wheelbarrow turned over on top of it, where spiders and snakes like to hide before they SURPRISE! you. Fortunately, surprises are inevitable and keep us from being buried, even if means enduring the venom."

Jason Mraz
-Freshness Factor
4/7/11

The DanceAnywhere Project, has been a process for me. A process of digging deep and soul searching... looking deep within and contemplating how dance fits within my life. Leaving the daily grind of the dance studio was hard for me, but I did it to preserve my health. The daily grind of the studio and chronic health related injuries were destroying me physically and I had to completely walk away from the studio about 6 or 7 years ago to preserve my health ------------ the DanceAnywhere project is what happened when I left the studio and began a study of dance and movement in everyday life.

Though I miss the safety that the studio walls gave me, my love for dance and movement is not dependent on being surrounded by walls and bars. Through the DanceAnywhere Project, I have been able to develop and grow my love for dance without a studio to depend on.

Quoting Jason Mraz's post, Freshness Factor, "surprises are inevitable and keep us from being buried"

I believe that the DanceAnywhere project builds on the surprises of life, the inevitable unique aspects of life that make us human. If we tap into life's feeling zones and communicate these feelings authentically, then we are awake... and will not be living in monotone.

Letting Go… Letting Flow…

2011-04-14T21:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was thinking about how easy it is for me to get wrapped up in work and projects and forget about the joy of enjoying life and living in the flow. A yoga class and trip to the skate park made me realize how important it is to balance work with play... and how important it is to appreciate and absorb life's basic joys.

I always think of a comment I often hear in my yoga classes... "enjoy it... yoga is supposed to feel good... let it feel good".

Practicing yoga regularly over this past year has made me remember to take the time to breathe and to sit with my emotions. To let the thoughts melt away... and to listen to the feelings... to be in tune with the feelings that come up when to do lists and thought activities are taken away. I think that taking time to feel is so important to growing toward happiness and self-acceptance.

DanceAnywhere - Live Video Clips

2011-04-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

Since Live Video is back up, I was able to search and find that I had posted my favorite You Tube Clips on Live Video.

The channel can be viewed by clicking :

DanceAnywhere Live Video Clips

My favorite video clips can be viewed by clicking anyone of the following links below:

10 Mile Beach

On A Clif in Mendocino

Pursuit of Color

Catching my Breathe

Tears in my Eyes

Following the Waves

Searching for Flow

The DanceAnywhere Project Emerges From It's Grave

2011-04-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

Despite Beth Fein's theft of my youtube channel Dance Anywhere, I continue to move forward with my project.

Instead of re-creating the old channel, which was smothered and choked to death by Ms. Fein, I am letting go and moving forward.

I will be posting some lost clips as well as some old clips that were my favorites. Some clips sadly have been lost, because they were uploaded directly from a camera that is no longer in use.

My first attempt at re-birthing my video project. It's rough and gritty around the edges, so bear with me :-)

Dance Anywhere's Beginning

Open Letter to YouTube

2011-03-29T21:05:00.000-07:00

Recently, I attempted to log into my YouTube account and was unable. An email indicated that my account was suspended. I attempted to reply, but it was returned. No further contact information was provided.

The views and subscribers I obtained were based on hundreds of hours of work viewing videos, commenting, subscribing to user channels, developing unique concepts and attending YouTube festivals in San Francisco in 2007 and 2008. I also spent money making promotional materials for my YouTube Channel, danceanywhere.

Dance Anywhere is an original concept, not based on any other project. I was the creator, choreographer and dancer. My project partner shot the videos. These videos are original works.

According to section 1207 of the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (TMEP), specifically 1207.01(b)(ix), weak or descriptive marks have limited protection under trademark law. Clearly, the phrase “Dance Anywhere” is merely a descriptive term of what I do and therefore protection is limited to logos and service marks, neither of which I was in violation of.

My project was the interaction of dance with nature, natural elements, and landscapes as described in my interview with anthro vlog at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAWAWy8sgT8

Ms. Fein’s concept is that people everywhere should dance on a specific day of the year, March 18^th. This concept is clearly different from mine, which is why her trademark affords no protection under section 1207.

On an additional note, Ms. Fein, registered her trademark in 2008, after I had already been publicly using the term Dance Anywhere on You Tube, MySpace, Blogspot and on my domain, www.danceanywhere.com, registered in January of 2007.

Even if section 1207 didn’t protect me from Ms. Fein’s trademark claim, my usage of the term prior to her trademark registration, would offer legal protection for my use of Dance Anywhere.

Please reinstate my channel.

Dance Anywhere.... my soul dances even when the videos are down

2011-03-03T21:21:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years I have been studying movement in new forms like skateboarding, snowboarding and recently I've begun, or should I say, re-ignited an old love of yoga. Bikram Vinyasa awakened the yogi within me and I have become obsessed with the movement quality that comes from Vinyasa flow.

In classes, there is sometimes silence and sometimes music, but always a continuous play between flow and stillness. Stillness is a new concept for me, as it is the opposite of movement which has ruled most of my life.

I am currently working on capturing videos of the balance between stillness and movement, I will try to post these videos on a secondary you tube channel: as I am currently unable to post or even log in to my you tube account: youtube.com/danceanywhere.

According to You Tube staff, Beth Fein, whom I believe based on the google search engine and you tube search engine, has a website called: danceanywhere.org, has tried to put a copyright claim on my you tube site.

I am hopeful that my you tube channel will be available very soon so I can share with you the new movements I have been exploring Vinyasa Flow meets Musical Improv in random places.

We'll see how it goes.

A Creative Person Has to Create

2011-01-02T18:14:00.000-08:00

"A creative person has to create. It doesn't really matter what you create."- Katherine Dunham

The past few weeks have made me realize that I have been working too much and not playing enough. As Dunham says, "a creative person has to create."

Whether it be with dance, writing, music, movement variations....

I once had a customer tell me that each day should be balanced in 8's:

8 hours of work
8 hours of play
8 hours of sleep

I looked at my work load and thought he was crazy.

Years later, I look back and think, he is right.

What point is work without play and without sleep and recovery.

As children we dream of growing up and what it is like and in my world, play was always at the end of the journey. Yet, I find myself so wrapped up in creative work projects that I often forget about creative projects that involve inner growth and self development.

I started 9 months ago, giving myself 2 hours a day to practice yoga. The goal of yoga was to learn to let go of the day. I hope this year, to do more than just let go of the day. I hope to begin embracing the day with things I enjoy and things I create. :-)

To a beautiful New Year...

We'll see how it goes.

Dancing in the Kitchen

2010-10-17T15:35:00.000-07:00

Mary has been providing demonstrations which she calls 'Dancing in the Kitchen'. I just love Mary's concept.

You can check out her website at:

Mary Dancing in the Kitchen

May we all dance our ways to health!

Melanie

Yoga Flow

2010-09-20T21:40:00.000-07:00

Work is still rough, but I've been making time to visit the yoga studio at least 3-5 times a week. The new form of movement, Bikram Vinyasa Flow, fascinates me. It's a balance of movement and stillness that is helping me re-center myself after years of working too hard. I've been on a creative decline that has recently been stimulated by this new form of yoga. Perhaps my greatest creative block is the fact that I have been always studying motion and not exploring the opposing stillness that comes when movement is halted. The camera has been dusted and I am hoping to have time to explore the outdoors again soon. Until then, I am on an inward exploration. :-)

'Where ever you go, there you are..." - Confucius

Dance Anywhere Project Halted

2009-11-09T22:22:00.000-08:00

I'm currently working on a business that caters to individuals with allergies and Celiac Disease. I've been exploring the idea of renting dance studio space at the Sierra Center, but it's so hard to fit it into my current 8am-midnight schedule. We'll see how it goes.

On Board Video's Dance Anywhere

2008-08-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

Chris from onboardvideo, does his dance anywhere while I video. The tables are turned... lol :-)

On Board Video's Dance Anywhere... the best improv ever! Thanks Chris :-)

Dance Anywhere the Concept by Anthro Vlog

2008-07-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

AnthroVlog (youtube.com/anthrovlog) records me talking about the dance anywhere project that has been a life long process:

The Dance Anywhere Project, Melanie explains and idea she has been working with for years.

The Creative Habit

2007-05-10T11:38:00.000-07:00

“Metaphor is the lifeblood of all art, if it is not art itself. Metaphor is our vocabulary for connecting what we’re experiencing now with what we have experienced before. It’s not only how we express what we remember, it’s how we interpret it-for ourselves and others.” -Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit (p 64)

Looking for Freedom

2007-05-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

I really like the effect of the chain link fence in this clip.

Tim Woodford's Underscores

2007-05-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

The following are "Dance Anywhere" clips that were taken and combined with underscores by Tim Woodford. Thank you so much Tim, for contributing your talent and inspiring me to keep moving forward with my project.

"Dancing Anywhere"

(originally Improv Part I)

"Trail Dancing"

(orginally Searching for Flow)

"Stairway to Tunnel Dancing"

(originally Toward the Old Sac Tunnel)

"Dancing Down a Level"

(originally At the Mall - The Escalators)

What Color Do You Feel?

2007-04-09T02:01:00.000-07:00

This piece was inspired by a sculpture in Downtown Sacramento:

Playing With Escalators

2007-03-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

Playing With Escalators is a clip taken late at night at a mall:

Toward the Tunnel

2007-03-29T18:08:00.000-07:00

This clip was taken to play with both reflection and movement.

Short Clip on a Dirt Road

2007-03-21T20:31:00.000-07:00

This clip was taken while watching the sunset on a dirt road near Auburn, CA.

Memorial Auditorium

2007-03-17T15:52:00.000-07:00

While skating by this spot, I realized it would be a great place for a Dance Anywhere shot. I love the lighting and all of the elements I had to play with.

Under the Moonlight

2007-03-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

I was trying to create a silouette with this, but I should have used a tripod.

Following the Waves

2007-03-17T15:47:00.000-07:00

This improv was inspired by the movement of the ocean, the texture of sand and the lighting of a sunset. I loved making this one!

Tears in My Eyes

2007-03-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

This clip was taken a bit too late, lighting wise, but I decided to include it to my blog anyway. Despite the poor lighting, there are still components of the piece that I like.

The Making of Dance Anywhere

2007-02-16T18:11:00.000-08:00

The Dance Anywhere project began in 1984, when I began pulling out a table in the back yard to create a performance stage in the outdoors. The board was necessary when I was using my tap shoes. I spent my life from the age of 7 studying dance from Fresno and Merced to Sacramento where I studied with the Crockett Dance Company (now know as the Deane Dance Center), and Sacramento Ballet from 1992-1996. In 1995, I began dancing in the trees with fellow dancers at the Boston Ballet Summer School. We would shimmy across the trees in a local park singing songs and dancing while striking ballet poses for the camera.

Due to a severe injury, my dance career was hindered from 1996-1999 but while studying abroad in Oxford, England, a local choreographer Nicoli, got me back involved in performing. We practiced in an outdoor facility on the outskirts of Oxford. Nicoli also made me aware of Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance and how it could be the link to my poor health and chronic dance injuries. I am forever grate ful to her for this.

In 2002, upon my return to California, I began a gluten-free diet and at the same time I began studying improvisation and choreography classes with Dr. Linda Goodrich at Sacramento State University. In 2004, I graduated from Sac State and took a break from the masters program in Psychology to pursue my health.

From 2004 onward, I have been working on a project that involves a merging of arts, visual, musical and the art of motion... which could be considered the precursor of dance. I called the project dance anywhere, as I would often set choreography pieces in the trees of Sac State between my classes, or in McKinley park which was close to my apartment in midtown Sacramento. Taking dance to where ever I was going, I began to realize that my stage had always been in nature, and it felt more homely than the stage to which I spent my youth.

In 2005, the journal collages, mixed with hand written choreography notes and improvisational exercises led me to beginning the practice of video logging. Video logging, also known as vlogging, made it easier to remember choreography from improv sessions. Dyspraxia, a form of dyslexia often made my notes difficult to read and vlogging made note recording a lot easier.

The vlog project began being posted on YouTube, when a fellow YouTuber and I began traveling together on our shared Tuesday weekend. A time when most people were working the standard 8-5 job.

We traveled throughout California choosing random places that we considered beautiful, to create pieces of video art. I would connect my ipod by headphone and see where the music could take me. One take was all I got. So the pieces were really raw. Sketches that could be perfected later.

At the time, sharing the videos was a problem, but the problem was solved with sites like: youtube.com, livevideo.com and myspace.com.

In 2006, I was given a small digital camera, as a gift, to capture my dance pieces and I am currently posting these vlogs on my youtube site: youtube/danceanywhere.

This blog is dedicated to my continued journey through motion, art and dance and to my continued health.

The most joyous times of my life have been the moments spend moving with music, to music and for music. How can anyone sit still? We should all be dancing anywhere and everywhere we go.

Now posting is no longer an issue. Only time can tell what will happen with my online posting. I love feedback... so feel free to contact me if you have any ideas, questions or thoughts about digital dance blogging or about my project.

-Melanie