I sent out the announcement of Resonance III last time. Now I have the link for "Hamadryad". The work choreographed by Jean Erdman who recently passed away of age 104 years young. She created this dance when she and Joe were staying in their Catskills house and she was going to her studio thru woods. She heard this music coming from somewhere, and it inspired her to make this beautiful work. Nancy Allison, the artistic director of Jean Erdman Dance Company, asked me the first time to dance this work for American Dance Guild's performance long time ago. And she had this idea of mixing rehearsal studio and out door space as this nymph was wondering around the woods. I loved the idea and I am so glad that this film captured so many different aspect of this dance. We actually filmed in Catskills!!! It was bit cold though...
I am very happy that i worked with Jean when I was very young before I started with Martha's place. Jean was always so nice to come see me at the Graham seasons.
I will share my ignorance as a young dancer story.
Joe was always there at rehearsals or performances. One day after the performance with Jean's company, she had a party at her apartment in NYC. I have never been to her place and Jean and Joe lives there with so many books on the shelves.
I asked "Joe,what do you do? "
Joe replied " I write."
me "Wow that is why you have so many books!!!
-----and party goes on...
A while after, Joe passed away, I send Jean a flower and a card and talked her little. She was missing him very much.
I was already dancing with Martha, and at the rehearsal Martha said to all of us,
"Tonight, I am not rehearsing. Instead, I want you all to go home and watch PBSat 8pm". That time, Martha was creating works so we worked 8-10pm every weekday. So I went home. I had small B&W TV and I turned TV on, channel 13 (PBS) and guess who came into the TV screen.....
Joe.
??? What is Joe doing in TV? and it was Bill Moyers show - Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth. I realized Joe is Joseph, Joseph is Joe??? And Joseph Campbell!!!
This is the person who George Lukas was inspired to make his epic movies - Star Wars!
WHAAAAAAT???
of course Joe is not here with us anymore. And no wonder he had so many books... Joe/Joseph was a very important person for Martha too!!! He inspired so many artists.
I so wished that I knew when I asked him,
" What do you do?"... I am sure he was laughing inside...
Oh well.
Joe was inspired by Jean so much too. I hear they always had a breakfast together, talked about what their thought night before, Joe used to write in the evening.
I told Jean that I have some idea for dance work about 20 years ago, I still remember that day in her Hawaii apt, sitting and looking over the water. She told me to keep working on it. I still remember what was the idea, so someday i will make this dance...
SO Please watch this beautiful dance work!!!
HAMADRYAD
A dancer, or perhaps a wood nymph, rehearses alone in a New York studio enchanting herself back into the forest.
Conceived, produced and directed by Nancy Allison and Paul Allman
Choreography Jean Erdman
Staged by Nancy Allison
Danced by Miki Orihara
Cinematography by Glen Mordechi
Edited by Paul Allman
Music by Claude Debussy, performed by Elizabeth Brown
Costumes by Karen Young Costume Design, Olivia Fuks, Miki Orihara and Nancy Allison

数週間前に「リゾナンス3」のお知らせを送りました。そして今回はジーン・アードマン振付の「ハマドラヤド」のお知らせです。
この作品はジーンが旦那様のジョーとキャッツキル(ニューヨークの郊外でウッドストックの近く)に毎夏に行くのですが、その時稽古場に向かう時森の中を歩いていたら、この曲が聞こえてきたそうです。そして森の中の景色、音カラコン作品が生まれました。ジーンは今年104歳で亡くなりました。私は数年前にハワイに行った時に、彼女に会ってきました。この作品、踊りだけのバージョンを見てもらいました。その際にはジーンはこの作品を自分で作ったことは覚えていないようでしたが、「きれいに踊るわね、踊り頑張ってね」と言ってくれました。ジーンのカンパニーの芸術監督をしているナンシー・アリソンからこの踊りを踊らないかと言われ、ずいぶん昔に踊ったので、今回のこのフィルムを作る時に昔のことも思い出し、楽しかったです。そしてこのフィルム、作品の良さを稽古場と外の、まさにジーンがこの音を聞いた場所(キャッツキルにて撮影しました!)で再現することができてとても良かったです。
ジーンのカンパニーで踊っていた時、公演のためのリハーサル、公演には必ずジョーが来ていました。時々いろいろなことを話してくれたり、楽しかったです。公演後の打ち上げが彼女とジョーのアパートでありました。中に入ると本棚がたくさん。本がぎっしり。そこで私はジョーに「ジョーは何をしているの?」と聞いたら、彼は「僕は物書きだ」と。「ほぉ〜〜〜」と思ったのを思い出します。。。
その後ジョーがなくなり、ジーンに花とカードを送り、ジーンと少し話をしたことも思い出します。
マーサのカンパニーでのある日、マーサが「今夜はリハーサルをしないので、皆帰ってテレビを見るように!」ということで、アパートに戻り、白黒の小さなテレビをつけました。スクリーンから出てきたのは何とジョー!
えっ???
ビル・モイヤーという有名なインタビュアーの番組。「神話の力」でした。
ジョーがジョセフ?ジョセフがジョー???と頭の中には???でした。
もちろん、今はジョーがいないので、いろいろ聞くことはできませんが、もっと早くに知っていればいろいろなことが聞けたのに・・・
と、残念なことでした。
ジーンがなくなり、寂しいです。
Stay safe & Stay well!!!
Love
miki