DragonFly Dance Experiment - Blog

Marinating in the Creative Process

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 17:02:26 -0800

This performing season has been an incredible experience for everyone involved with DragonFly. It was a season of firsts. The first for our newly established board of trustees, the first fundraiser we produced, and the first full length concert with our new repertoire. We collaborated with each other as well as other fabulous artists and we danced our hearts out in the studio as well as on stage. By the time we completed our last performance of the season on July 1, we were thoroughly proud of ourselves as well as thoroughly exhausted.

For the rest of the summer, we will be spending time much needed time in the studio doing what we absolutely love to do...create :o). The Thread project, which we have been working on for almost a year has been a really special experience. Its consisted of several stages including a performance of the original piece by Annapolis High School and a collaboration with the AACC Symphony Orchestra. We are re-working the piece with different music, and digging a bit more into the motifs and themes of the dance. Its truly a luxury to have this time together. We've been under a lot of pressure to complete work for performances and now that we don't have the pressure of a deadline, its amazing what is coming to light in the studio. The piece is shaping itself differently, revealing new and different moments and truly becoming something that we love. Here is a sneak peak of some of the work that's been happening in the studio over the past several weeks.

Dock Side Dance - Recap

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:37:36 -0800

Yesterday was a beautiful 90 plus degree day downtown Annapolis. The sun was high and scorching, the ground sizzled like hot sand and a breeze blew every half hour. It was a beautiful day for dance.

Although Mother Nature didn’t change her plans to give us a nice 75 degree day, at least she didn’t rain on us! Dragonfly Dance Experiment had a wonderful performance at the City Docks in Annapolis.

We performed an hour show to a very warm audience (pun intended). The show started with a duet, “Before Bed” choreographed by Dragonfly’s director, Megan Morse Jans and guest choreographer, Stephanie Yezek. Jans and Yezek recently performed the piece at the Oxford Fringe Festival and the British influence was a light hearted and fun start the show. Next to perform a self-choreographed solo was Dragonfly, Sarah Keller. The feeling of falling in love was represented by her sweet choreography that melted the hearts of our audience. Following was the Dragonfly premier of “Build, Run, Speak” a piece choreographed by guest artist, Becky Radway, artistic director of Becky Radway Dance Projects based in New York, New York. The three section piece performed by six of the Dragonflies is based around the creation of a working machine. Remember, “If you build it, he will come.”? Well, we built it and the audience flocked to see.

The second half of the show included some Dragonfly favorites and a new duet. “In Her Hands” choreographed by guest artist Stephanie Yezek was performed by four Dragonflies. This intense performance of powerful movement was a great addition to the works presented at the Docks. Dancers jumping for their lives as it would seem, didn’t give up even in the heat. To cool things off (and not in a temperature sense) a duet featuring Jillian Barber, Dragonfly Rehearsal Director and Megan Morse Jans was a light hearted petite allegro. The dancers seemed to be playing a bit of cat and mouse as they tried to one up each other in a friendly and delicately choreographed competition. It was a fun piece that brought smiles to the glowing (hopefully sunblocked) faces of our audience. Closing the show was “Like a Peach” a sweet and thoughtful piece in Dragonfly’s repertoire. The piece represents the challenges of adapting to mother-hood and closed the show by putting the baby to bed.

Dock Side Dance was yet again a fantastic evening of dance offered to a wonderful community of supporters. Anyone who would sit on the 100 degree brick for an hour is a lover of dance and we are so very thankful for that! Next year bring your beach umbrellas because we will be there shine or shine!

An Exciting Summer with DragonFly!!!

Mon, 31 May 2010 18:22:38 -0800

Welcome to Summer 2010 with DDE! Thanks to the hard work of the dancers, board and all of the contributors to our company we are able to bring the second annual Dock Side Dance to the community for FREE. Please join us on Sunday June 13 (rain date Sunday June 20) at 5pm at the Campbell Stage on the City Docks of Annapolis. We have a very exciting program including new works by Artistic Director Megan Morse Jans as well as Artistic Contributor Stephanie Yezek, the Manhattan based dance artist Becky Radway, a new solo choreographed and danced by DDE dancer Sarah Keller and a new collaboration between rehearsal director Jillian Barber and Megan Morse Jans. For more information about the performance please check out the events section of our website or email info@dragonflydance.com.

DragonFly has been commissioned to create a new work in collaboration with the AACC Symphony Orchestra. "Thread" will be performed to a live rendition of Ravel's Bolero on July 1st at the Celebration of the Arts performance at the Pascal Center for Performing Arts. Truly a performance not to be missed!

Also, don't forget to register for our upcoming Dance Repertoire Workshop that is part of the Kids In College program at AACC. The two week workshop will include technique, rehearsal, discussion on dance related issues as well as a performance.

We are looking forward to a tremendous summer of dance! See you there!

Dancer Bio: Janet Parker

Sun, 02 May 2010 14:03:20 -0800

Janet Parker joined Dragonfly in April of 2009 and brings an extensive background in dance and fitness. Janet grew up studying Ceccetti Ballet in Springfield, OH and took exams through level six by age 15. She studied jazz with Claude Thompson and Michael Owens at Hamas Dance Space in Studio City, CA, interned at Broadway Dance Center in New York City and attended Kent State University in Ohio. Janet graduated from KSU with a BFA in dance performance.

Janet has danced with numerous dances companies and ensembles including, Leaven – Liturgical Dance Company, Kent Dance Ensemble, Loreal Professional, Coastal Carolina Center for Performing Arts and Kathy Harty Gray Dance Theatre. She enjoys many styles of dance and appreciates the challenges that are unique to each style. She enjoys the athleticism, emotion, and intricacies of modern movement, but also highly values the strength and discipline that ballet inspires. Her favorite style to dance and watch is probably jazz dance. While interning at Broadway Dance Center, Janet, especially loved dancing with David Marquez, Michelle Barber, and Pilates.

Janet recognizes her Dad as her inspiration; he did what he loved and was happy to do it. Janet is very passionate about what she does and brings a great energy to the studio when rehearsing with Dragonfly. During the time not spent with Dragonfly, she teaches fitness classes and works as a certified personal trainer. And when she is not getting people in shape, she loves to take heath and fitness classes. Janet is extremely dedicated to everything she does.

For many dancers, there is specific performance that they can recall as impactful to their dance life. For Janet that performance was the first time she saw the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre. They performed Revelations and Janet was moved to tears because the movement was so beautiful.

Today, Janet resides in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband, Max, and their “little boy”, a beagle named Jack. And yes, she drives all of the way from Northern Virginia to be a part of Dragonfly.

Janet would like to thank:

“My mom for being such a great source of strength and faith. My amazing and supportive husband Max. Without his love and support this would not be possible.”

Severn School Performance

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 13:07:00 -0800

Get Excited! DragonFly Dance Experiment is performing this coming Thursday! We are honored to have been asked to perform in the Severn School Dance Company’s Spring Dance Concert. Severn School’s dance company is a student run company in its fourth year. Severn students create choreography, direct rehearsals, manage show production and perform. This season the company’s nine members (their largest group to date) have put together a collaborative concert including performances by the Severn Dance Company, the Severn Step Club and Severn dance classes. They have invited guests including DragonFly Dance Experiment, Essenza, Maryland Performing Arts Company, Severna Park High School, SPARK, Rohanna Dance Productions and American Dance and Fitness. This is sure to be an evening celebrating dance in many forms and we hope you can join us.

If you missed the Rhapsody show or simply loved our performance of “Like a Peach”, this is a great opportunity to see us perform.

Severn School's Price Auditorium
201 Water Street
Severna Park, MD 21146
Thursday, April 29, 2010
7:00pm, $5 general admission

Coming soon, new photos of the Dragonflies!! This past Saturday DDE was photographed by the talented Mandy Sroka. We had a great time during the photo-shoot as you can tell from our super fun group picture.

Dragonflies Overseas!

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 13:06:37 -0800

BARE travels abroad to Oxford, England to present an evening-length work of duets and solos at the Burton Taylor Studio 31st March - 3rd April, 2010, 18:30-19:30. Joining Stephanie Yezek across the pond will be Renee Brozic-Barger and Megan Morse Jans. Presenting original and collaborative choreography, Between Me and You examines closely the ups and downs of relationships in an intimate black-box setting. Link.

The first week of April, DDE’s very own artistic director performed at the Oxford Fringe Festival, oxfringe 2010, with BAREdance. Dragonfly guest choreographer, Stephanie Yezek, is an original choreographer of BARE, a collaborative contemporary dance project that was originally commissioned by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Under the direction of Yezek, BARE performed an evening length work, Between You and Me, choreographed collaboratively by the performers including Yezek herself, DDE's Megan Morse Jans and HCC Dance Coordinator, Renee Brozic Barger. The work was inspired by individuals struggling to maintain their identity in and out of reletionships. The work was extremely well received by audiences and critics.

Fringe Review writes of Megan Morse Jans:

A breath of fresh air in the now increasingly disturbing evening is ‘Like a Peach’. The music from Alison Krauss and Robert Plant lifted the mood as the technically powerful Megan Morse Jans, blessed with a wonderfully expressive face, connected strongly with the audience. So close were we to the performance in this intimate venue, we could feel her every emotion and sense her every breath. Link.

David Bellan of the Oxford Times:

Barger’s After Dinner is danced by Jans and Yezek, the former an innocent, the latter a sophisticate. Is this the beginning of a seduction or a slowly developing estrangement? It’s ambiguous and quite dark, intriguing and satisfying. Link.

oxfringe 2010 was a wonderful experience for all of the BARE performers. A great trip oversees, wonderfully received performances and a good time had by all.

Dancer Bio: Charlene Gentles

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 17:15:10 -0800

“Dance is so universal—it helps us enjoy being alive.”

Charlene Gentles has been dancing with Dragonfly Dance Experiment since April 2009. Charlene achieved a Bachelor’s degree in Dance from UMBC and has performed with many dance companies in the area. She has danced with Eleanor Roosevelt Dance Company, Ek Dil One Soul Indian Fusion Dance Company, Clancyworks Dance Company, Jessica Marchant Moves, Baltimore Dance Project and Deviated Theatre. Charlene has danced almost every style of dance including, Hip-Hop, Classical Indian, Bhangra, Merengue, Salsa, African, Modern, Ballet, Liturgical, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Lyrical and Interpretive Dance with American Sign Language. Charlene doesn’t limit herself to just performing. She also has taught dance workshops with Baltimore Dance Project for Project REACH and taught Hip-Hop Dance through the D.A.R.E Dance program.

When asked if there was a specific performance that really impacted Charlene, she described a performance by Clancyworks Dance Company, Back to the Wall, in 2001. “I was very new to the modern dance world and seeing the physical, athletic, yet fluid movements of the dancers really helped understand more of what modern dance could encompass. I also enjoyed the metaphoric nature of her work. I love that dance can be a medium to express ideas and social interactions with one another as people.”

Charlene is a true blue Maryland girl. She grew up in Hyattsville, attended high school at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt and is currently a kindergarten teacher in Prince George’s County. She is currently pursuing a Master Degree in Elementary Education from Bowie State University.

When Charlene isn’t dancing with Dragonfly or teaching Maryland youth she is reading and writing down her thoughts. She loves to imagine and reflect and keep learning new things. And since she does work with 5 year olds everyday, she is constantly coloring, drawing or cleaning up something. Charlene currently lives with her family and her beautiful German Sheppard, Roxie, who helps her laugh and play everyday. Although she loves what she does both with work and dance, she would like to design and build her own house one day, equipped with an awesome playground in the backyard.

Charlene would like to thank:

“God for giving me the gift of dance in the first place. Without Him I would have been lost and rhythmless for sure. My Mom and Sister for supporting me for the past 15 years, they STILL come to all my shows. Megan for being an awesome Director who respects and values all of her dancers. Thank you to everyone who is passionate about what they do. Passion is key to embracing this world and living the life you’ve always wanted.”

Rhapsody: Recap Act Two

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:06:34 -0800

The second half of Dragonfly Dance Experiment’s February performance, Rhapsody: A Collection of New Works featured a new work choreographed by Megan Morse Jans. “Like a Peach” was set to music by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant from the Raising Sand album. The music and the movement evoked a Southern charm which was inspiration for the piece. The costumes for “Like A Peach” were dresses in pastel colors made by Mrs. Morse.

The first movement was a solo danced by Brigid Myers, inspired by a performance by Megan Morse Jans while she was pregnant with her son Jacob. This movement represented feelings of a mother-to-be who experiences changes in every aspect of her life. The piece was set to the song, “Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us” by Alison Krauss.

The second section was a playful piece as tribute to Southern women who can take care of themselves. The piece was set to “Rich Woman” sung by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant. It was performed by dancers, Janet Parker, Kimberly Kandra, Sarah Keller and Shannon Siriano. This work was inspired by Contra Dance movement taught to the Dragonflies by Kim Forry.

The movement set to the upbeat “Gone Gone Gone” sung by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, was representative of what it is like to have an infant. The piece featured all five dancers moving all over the stage in a furious attempt to keep it all together.

The final section was set to “Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby” by Emmylou Harris. It was a calm movement performed by all the dancers. This part of the piece represented the feeling at the end of a long day when you put the baby to bed. A wind down from all the mayhem when there is time to reflect on a fulfilled life.

Rhapsody - Recap Act One

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:24:36 -0800

The Dragonfly Dance Experiment (DDE) performance, Rhapsody: A Collection of New Works, was a wonderful experience for Dragonflies and Dragonfly fans. The performance included four works, "Bittersuite", choreographed by DDE Artistic Director, Megan Morse Jans performed by Dragonfly Dancers, "Thread", choreographed by Megan Morse Jans, performed by Annapolis High School Dance Company under the direction of Jillian Barber and "In Her Hands", choreographed by guest artist, Stephanie Yezek, performed by Dragonfly Dancers.

“Bittersuite” is wonderful work of DDE’s repertoire. This piece has been performed at the 2009 Dockside Dance and Maryland Council for Dance Festival. This work was performed by dancers, Brigid Myers, Charlene Gentles and Janet Parker.

The second work performed at Rhapsody was “Thread”, a work that is still in development. The piece is a flashmob, with this version translated to be performed on the stage. The piece was choreographed by Megan Morse Jans with input and choreography developed by the Annapolis High School dancers who performed the piece. Stay tuned for additional developements of Thread in 2010.

The final work of the first half of the performance was “In Her Hands”, choreographed by Stephanie Yezek. The athleticism of this peice had audience members amazed. This work was originally performed by Bosma Dance. The quartet was danced by Dragonfly Dancers, Brigid Myers, Sarah Keller, Janet Parker and Charlene Gentles.

Please enjoy these photos taken by Kimberly Kandra featuring “In Her Hands”.

We would like to thank all of our friends, family and fans who made February 21 a wonderful afternoon of dance.

Come See Our Show!

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 16:15:08 -0800

In case you were worried, the Dragonflies do not let a little snow get their mood down. We are pumped and ready to go for our performance this coming Sunday, February 21. Dragonfly Dancers will be performing two works choreographed by Megan Morse Jans and one work choreographed by guest choreographer, Stephanie Yezek. The Annapolis High School Dance company will be performing an original work choreographed by Megan Morse Jans. It is sure to be an afternoon of wonderful modern dance and we hope you will join us.

We will be performing at the Pascal Center for Performing at the Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, MD. The performance will begin at 2:30pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $13.

See you Sunday!