Kaitlin Fayles Dance History 461 3/17/2014 Final Paper Trisha Brown

Trisha Brown was born in ber!een" #ashin$ton on %o&e'ber 2(th" 1)36* +he was the yo,n$est o- three chil!ren* ro,n! the a$e o- ele&en" Trisha be$an her !ance trainin$" learnin$ acrobatics" .a//" ballet" an! tap with 0arion Ha$ea$e* Trisha1s -or'al trainin$ be$an in 1)(4 at 0ills 2olle$e in 3a4lan!" 2ali-ornia" where she 'a.ore! in !ance* There she st,!ie! 0artha 5raha' techni6,e" as well as teachin$s o- Doris H,'phrey" 7sa!ora D,ncan" an! 8o,is Horst co'position* +he also st,!ie! -rican !ance" whose 9isolate! $est,res" ,n!,latin$ bac4s" an! pel&is:initiate! 'o&e'ent; <Perron 1)3= wo,l! later in-l,ence her wor4* D,rin$ her s,''er &acations" Trisha atten!e! the 'erican Dance Festi&al at 2onnectic,t 2olle$e an! st,!ie! with 8o,is Horst" >ose 8i'on" an! 0erce 2,nnin$ha'* Trisha1s parents were s,pporti&e o- her !ancin$* ltho,$h they !i! not initially thin4 o- it as a career -or her" when she was in&ite! to the 'erican Dance Festi&al -or the -irst ti'e in the early 1)70s" they be$an to co'e aro,n!* -ter $ra!,atin$" Trisha went to ?ee! 2olle$e an! -o,n!e! their !ance !epart'ent* Fro' 1)(@:1)60" she ta,$ht an! eAperi'ente! with i'pro&isation* The -ollowin$ s,''er" she st,!ie! !ance with nn Halprin in 2ali-ornia* This wor4shop was so'ewhat o- a t,rnin$ point -or TrishaB not only !i! she be$in to hone her 4nowle!$e o- str,ct,re! i'pro&isation" she 'et other artists <incl,!in$ C&onne ?ainer an! +i'one Forti= who beca'e so'e o- her closest -rien!s an! allies in the worl! o- art* +he also st,!ie! leAan!er an! Kinetic wareness techni6,es to help

her relaA her bo!y an! 'o&e with ease an! spatial clarity* 7n 1)61" Trisha 'o&e! -ro' 2ali-ornia to %ew Cor4 2ity an! be$an st,!yin$ at 0erce 2,nnin$ha'1s st,!io* There she learne! -ro' ?obert D,nn" who challen$e! his st,!ents to create their own sol,tions choreo$raphically* He also applie! >ohn 2a$e1s approach with ',sic <with chance an! in!eter'inacy= to !ance* #or4in$ with D,nn allowe! Trisha to -eel li4e she co,l! !o not only what she wante! to !o as a !ancer" b,t what she ha! to !o* Fro' this point" her 'ission beca'e to -ree the !ancer -ro' the restrictions an! r,les o- the ol!er" 'ore ri$i! $eneration o- !ancin$* 2lass at the 2,nnin$ha' st,!io le! to Trisha1s participation in the >,!son Dance Theater with ?obert D,nn* Here" she presente! so'e o- her earliest wor4s* t this point" Trisha was li&in$ in the sa'e +oHo nei$hborhoo! as -ellow !ancers +i'one Forti an! C&onne ?ainer" an! the artists ?obert ?a,schenber$ an! ?obert #hit'an* They were all relati&ely poor" b,t ha! si'ilar !esires o- brea4in$ the bo,n!aries o- art" so they -re6,ently wor4e! to$ether an! 'iAe! their &ario,s art -or's* Trisha was tr,ly $rowin$ to lo&e i'pro&isation an! the 9play an! proble':sol&in$ it allowe! in both 'in! an! bo!y; < n!erson" Brown" 0atta:2lar4 6)=* 0any people !,rin$ this ti'e perio! !i! not thin4 i'pro& was a respectable -or' o- !ance" b,t she contin,e! to eAplore with an! teach it* 7n the late 1)60s" Trisha le-t >,!son Dance Theater to .oin C&onne ?ainer1s eAperi'ental choreo$raphic $ro,p 5ran! Dnion" as well as p,rs,e her own wor4* 7n 1)70" she -or'e! the Trisha Brown Dance 2o'pany* 2ar'en Bea,chat" +yl&ia Palacios" an! 2arol 5oo!!en were a'on$ the ori$inal 'e'bers* ro,n! the sa'e ti'e" 5ran! Dnion was -or'e! by C&onne ?ainer* Trisha was one o- the ori$inal 'e'bers* They -irst calle! the'sel&es C&onne ?ainer an! Dancers" b,t soon chan$e! that in or!er to !isassociate the'sel&es -ro' the wor! 9!ance*; +o'e people belie&e! that their eAperi'ental"

i'pro&isational wor4 was not proper !ance" an! 'any people wal4e! o,t o- their per-or'ances" b,t their passion contin,e! to -,el the'* There was a sense o- co'petition an! challen$e a'on$ Trisha an! her -ellow !ance creators which helpe! the' each eAplore an! i'pro&e* 97t was an a,!acio,s" anarchic ti'e o- Ewhate&er yo, $i&e 'e" 71ll twist it" baby1; <0or$enroth 60=* 9Trilli,'; was the -irst solo that Trisha per-or'e!* 7t was so na'e! a-ter a wil!-lower that wilts an! -a!es i''e!iately a-ter bein$ pic4e!" which $i&es ,s an insi$ht into how she &iewe! 'o&e'entF so'ethin$ wil!" so'ethin$ that li&e! in the air* #hile the 'o!ern !ance pioneers stro&e to brea4 away -ro' the ri$i!ity o- ballet" Trisha Brown" at ti'es" stro&e to brea4 away -ro' 9!ance; itsel-* +he o-ten tol! her !ancers in rehearsals" 9That loo4s too ',ch li4e 'o!ern !ance"; with its 9lyricis' that o&er:eAten!s into yearnin$" clichG! e'otion" prepostero,s post,rin$; <Trisha Brown/C&onne ?ainer=* +he so,$ht o,t stron$ !ancers who ha! not !e&elope! the 'anneris's or habits o- reco$ni/able techni6,e -or's" !ancers who were 'alleable* For her" !ance was not abo,t per-ect t,rno,t an! -eet an! linesB in -act" she re-,se! to eAploit the $i-ts o- $ran! techni6,eHe&en tho,$h she hersel- ha! the'* 9+pea4in$ in all h,'ility" 7 ha&e an a'a/in$ bo!y"; she sai! <0or$enroth 60=* B,t !ance was abo,t chan$e" 'o'ent,'" 'otion" the bo!y* Trisha1s pieces !ealt with si'ple tas4s" props" an! 'o&e'entsB she re.ecte! clichGs" narrati&es" storytellin$" an! theatrical ill,sions* +he per-or'e! o,tsi!e o- theaters in or!er to $et people to thin4 o- !ance with a !i--erent perspecti&e" ,sin$ lo-ts" $alleries" si!ewal4s" roo-tops" par4in$ lots" pla/as" an! e&en ra-ts on a la4e to achie&e this p,rpose* 3ne o- her -a&orite concepts to create aro,n! was $ra&ityF she eAplore!" analy/e!" an! e&en challen$e! the sheer -orce o- $ra&ity in pieces s,ch as 90an #al4in$ Down the +i!e o- a B,il!in$"; a'on$ others* This piece was incre!ibly si'pleHa 'an was strappe! insi!e a harness which allowe! hi' to

literally wal4 !own the si!e o- a b,il!in$" parallel to the $ro,n!* That was it* That was the !ance* 7t 'ay see' ,ncannily or!inary" yet it achie&e! s,ch -a'e* 3nly beca,se &iewers ,n!erstoo! $ra&ity an! the li'itations it creates with their own bo!ies !i! they appreciate the aweso'eness o- this piece* Trisha &al,e! each !ancer1s bo!y in!i&i!,ally* +he saw each bo!y as bein$ so ,ni6,e that to s,bstit,te another person wo,l! co'pletely chan$e the wor4* ll !ay lon$" Trisha wor4e! with bo!ies" so she be$an to see the' as sc,lpt,re* +he treate! the bo!y as she treate! $ra&ityF so'ethin$ to be respecte!" challen$e!" an! eAplore!* Trisha rein&ente! the bo!y 9as a -iel! oe6,al places" with &aryin$ centers* ction Ico,l!J be initiate! -ro' any place at any ti'e*; < eschli'ann" Teicher" an! Ber$er 41= 7n her choreo$raphy" Trisha stro&e to capt,re spontaneity an! allowe! her !ancers to ta4e part in the choreo$raphic process* 3ne o- her 'etho!s o- creatin$ !ance was to ha&e !ancers i'pro&ise s'all phrases o- 'o&e'ent" soli!i-yin$ an! settin$ the' as they pro$resse!" ,ntil she ha! a whole !ance* +he sai! her .ob was 9to $,i!e the' to 'a4e won!ro,s choices witho,t !i'inishin$ their spirit; <?ainer=* Thro,$ho,t her career" Trisha create! !ances in cycles" eAplorin$ a !i--erent 'o!e ochoreo$raphy or other inspiration e&ery two to three years or so" s,ch as K6,ip'ent pieces <wal4in$ !own b,il!in$s=" 0athe'atic <!ances with lo$ical acc,',lations o- 'o&e'ent=" i'pro&isation <str,ct,re! an! non:str,ct,re!=" an! Laliant <harsh lines an! an$les" a personal inter&ention on Trisha1s nat,ral 'o&e'ent style=* K&ent,ally she went Mbac4 to /eroM an! eAplore! s,bconscio,s 'o&e'ent an! $est,res* Her !ancers were $rate-,l -or this chan$e" as the pre&io,s cycle o- harsh" power-,l 'o&e'ent was a lot -or their bo!ies to han!le* Trisha e&en ha! an opera cycle where she choreo$raphe! with stron$ ',sic in-l,ences an! on sin$ers* +he always challen$e! hersel- to !o thin$s that were new an! !i--erent speci-ically -or her" an! she

wo,l! as4" 9#hat ha&en1t yo, !one yet" $irlN; <0or$enroth 61=* +o'eti'es she breathe! new li-e an! 'eanin$ into si'ple" pe!estrian:li4e actions s,ch as sittin$" r,nnin$" an! $ettin$ !resse!* 3ther ti'es" she create! precise" 'etic,lo,s 'o&e'ent* Her !ances allowe! a,!iences to learn abo,t their own bo!ies as they watche!* K&ent,ally in her career" Trisha be$an to ,se the stan!ar! sta$e space 'ore o-ten* %onetheless" she -o,n! !i--erent ways to !ance on the sta$e while 'a4in$ the sta$e itsel- less oa pict,re -ra'e* +o'eti'es she ha! !ancers to,ch the c,rtains" other ti'es she ha! a 'archin$ ban! play o,tsi!e the act,al theater* #hen her !ancers per-or'e! in other &en,es than theaters" there was a certain inti'acy between the per-or'ers an! the a,!ience* Trisha always enco,ra$e! e'pathic relationships between the two* There were also the nat,ral bac4!rops o- the city <or where&er else they per-or'e!=* B,t when she be$an presentin$ wor4 onsta$e with her piece 95lacial Decoy; in 1)7)" thin$s nat,rally -elt e'ptier" so Trisha beca'e 'ore concerne! with cost,'es an! ',sic* D,rin$ the 1)60s an! 1)70s" 'en an! wo'en in the art worl! !resse! the sa'e" an! they loo4e! an! -elt e6,al* Trisha hersel- sai! that her cost,'e choices were base! on ne,trality" b,t ,lti'ately she !i! not ha&e ',ch 'oney" so that lent !ancers to be ',ch 'ore si'ply an! ,ni-or'ly !resse!* nother co''on ele'ent a'on$ Trisha1s wor4 was the ,se o- s4etches to create choreo$raphy* 3nce she !rew the hea! o- a !,c4 -iAe! ,pon a person1s sho,l!ersB this beca'e 9Dance with the D,c41s Hea!; in 1)6@" a piece where she also paper:'ache! a s4irt <in a sit: !own position=" sat insi!e it" an! sewe! it ,p -or the per-or'anceHin which she wore a $iant !,c4 hea!" o- co,rse* 98oc,s; was another piece hea&ily base! on a !rawin$* For this !ance" Trisha too4 a c,be an! !esi$nate! twenty:siA points on it that her !ancers wo,l! -oc,s on as they 'o&e!* This was an eAercise o- 'o&e'ent str,ct,re 'ore than 'o&e'ent content" b,t it was not

a piece that co,l! be per-or'e! by ,ntraine! !ancers* 7n 200@" Trisha co'bine! her two talents o- !rawin$ an! !ance into a ,ni6,e per-or'ance* +he !isplaye! an eAhibition o- her !rawin$s at the #al4er rt 2enter in 0innesota an! per-or'e! a se&enteen:'in,te piece in con.,nction with it* 7n this piece" Trisha place! stic4s o- blac4 charcoal between her toes an! s'eare! bl,e charcoal on each han!" an! then procee!e! to i'pro&ise 'o&e'ent across a lar$e piece o- paper in on the $allery -loor* +he switche! bac4 an! -orth between !rawin$ with the charcoal an! 'o&in$ her bo!y <in 'ore o- a !ance:li4e -ashion= to create a pict,re* Trisha Brown1s 'o&e'ent 6,alities ha&e been i'itate! by !ancers an! contin,e to be to!ay thro,$ho,t the Dnite! +tates an! K,rope" where she has recei&e! 'any awar!s* 7'pro&isation alone" which she was a h,$e proponent -or" has beco'e s,ch a lar$e part o- !ance e!,cation* Trisha1s style ,tili/e! a 'ore relaAe! stance" which oppose! 0erce 2,nnin$ha'1s !e-inite shapes an! post,res* B,t altho,$h her !ancers 'ay appear relaAe!" they are so in t,ne with their bo!ies that they co,l! leap into the air or collapse to the $ro,n! at any 'o'ent" which is an i'portant s4ill -or any !ancer to ac6,ire* 9Trisha Brown !oes not ha&e the intensity o0artha 5raha' or the ',sc,lar -orce o- l&in iley* Her sta$e is not as or!erly as Balanchine1s or as !eliberately ran!o' as 2,nnin$ha'1s* B,t she has a 'a$ni-icence all her own; <Perron 1)3=* +he e'phasi/es 'otion an! 'o'ent,'" which see's to spea4 o- 9an ine&itability that is not abo,t -ate b,t an e'brace o- the on$oin$ness o- li-e; <Perron" 1)3=* Trisha Brown re&ol,tioni/e! the worl! o- 'o!ern !ance* +he showe! people that yo, !o not ha&e to be 9bea,ti-,l; to be a !ancer" an! she -o,n! bea,ty in the s'all an! si'ple thin$sF 9the ',n!ane an! spectac,lar all in one $o; <?ainer=*

#or4s 2ite! eschli'ann" ?olan!" Hen!el Teicher" an! 0a,rice Ber$er* Trisha Brown--dance and Art in Dialogue, 1961-2001* n!o&er" 0 F !!ison 5allery o- 'erican rt" Phillips ca!e'y" 2002* Print* n!erson" 8a,rie" Trisha Brown" an! 5or!on 0atta:2lar4* Laurie Anderson, Trisha Brown, Gordon Matta-Clar ! "ioneers o# the Downtown $cene, %ew &or 19'0s* 0,nichF %ew Cor4" 2011* Print* Perron" #en!y* Through the ()es o# a Dancer! $elected *ritings* 0i!!letown" 2TF #esleyan Dni&*" 2013* Print* 0or$enroth" >oyce* $+ea ing o# Dance! Twel,e Conte-+orar) Choreogra+hers on Their Cra#t* %ew Cor4F ?o,tle!$e" 2004* Print* 0aca,lay" lastair* MP,re Dance" P,re Finale*M %ew &or Ti-es 2( >an* 2013F n* pa$* Print* +hapiro" 8in!a* M8ocal Dancers ?e-lect on #or4in$ with 7conic 2horeo$rapher Trisha Brown*M #eb lo$ post* Blogs.cit)+ages.co-* %*p*" 12 0ar* 2014* #eb* OhttpF//blo$s*citypa$es*co'/!ressin$roo'/2014/03/trishaPbrown*phpQ* ?ainer" C&onne* MTrisha Brown*M B/MB 1))3F n* pa$* #eb* Trisha Brown Drawing0"er#or-ance* Per-* Trisha Brown* *ww.artsconnected.org* #al4er 2hannel" 17 pr* 200@* #eb* Trisha Brown! $+ea ing o# Dance* Dir* Do,$las ?osenber$* Per-* Trisha Brown" 2harles 8* ?einhart* 'erican Dance Festi&al" 1))6*