LATEST NEWS- April 25, 2013

NEXT- Next I teach a workshop to actresses from various theatre companies across Indonesia in Solo, organized by Ines Somellera and Sari Madjid and then Arwinda joins me and we do two shows in Jakarta, Indonesia at Salihara June 7th and 8th.

The Munich show went SOOOO well!!

Thanks to all that came! The audience participation was fantastic! I loved that most of the audience stayed (many for almost an hour!) after the show and kept talking to each other. Watch my blog for statistics from the show... every show I ask the audience questions and I will track the answers! 

SOME AUDIENCE COMMENTS:

"The piece has the potential to get people to question their attitude about life. Lovely haunting music and you are a strong personality able to hold everything together."

"I went back and forth between laughing and my jaw dropping open"

"Wonderful topic, great music and interesting perspective on death"

"I liked the show, especially the topic, This is something that is not often talked about (in public).  I really liked the two women singing together."

"I loved your program. You have (a) nice spiritual message and it makes the audience reflect."

 PLEASE COME! or tell your German friends!

 

PAST NEWS... 

April 11, 2013  I am in Munich area now rehearsing with Arwinda... we are working VERY HARD and it is going well! Always the same in any rehearsal process- never enough time! Just saw Michael Rubenfeld and Jamie Maczko in Cherry Docs in Munich, which was a blast! the two weeks I am in Munich- there is a play from Canada where I know the author, director and both actors! And SUCH a great show!!

April 1, 2013   I spent an intense two weeks with Rainsford in Melbourne really experimenting... we went out on some really compelling limbs with no broken bones... but the work was hard at times and truly challenging and in the heart of my interests- working deeply and freely with Rainsford as a solid outside eye and support. Now, after a family vacation traveling in Flores and diving, which seemed a world away from theatre, I spent the day in the Labuan Bajo airport, waiting for a delayed plane, while my son was juggling, I was learning lines to get ready to work on the The Smell of the Soul, for the Munich performance April 19th withArwinda- I am quite excited about this new show and if you are in Munich, I hope to see you there! If not, i hope I can bring the show to you somewhere... or if you are passing by Jakarta June 7 or 8, you can see it there too! 

February 20, 2013

I am headed to Melbourne to work on another show/process with Rainsford, but meanwhile,

January 15, 2013

Happy Gregorian New Year! after an intensive week working with Rainsford in Melbourne, some exciting Australian travel and more work on the script, I am back in Bali. I am taking traditional Balinese dance classes through the Dell'Arte International Bali program, which I recommend to anyone who wants an intensive Balinese theatre experience. Friday I head back to Sydney, Australia to work with Suzanne Bartos - a visual artist I am collaborating with for another future project!

November 19, 2012

Many exciting projects moving forward and things soon to be in place. Headed to Melbourne to work with Rainsford starting Dec 10th, very excited about this!! Working with several theatre companies in Indonesia setting up some advanced training for professionals that I will offer actors in Jakarta in February. Had a great skype work session with Arwinda last night; Lisa Schamberger is creating some amazing music and we will be performing together in Munich area in April - date soon to be set! Keep watching here for more details... been too busy to blog as much as I'd like... but some rich stuff coming soon from the work with Rainsford I am sure. Script is moving along!! Body hurts more than I'd like... need more Balinese massage! 

October 8, 2012

I am back in Bali after Turkey, Uzbekistan and Georgia. The performances went better than I could have possibly imagined, the collaboration with Arwinda was SO EXCITING we are going to create the whole new piece together and it is going to take me quite some time to process this whole extraordinary trip. (see below and Studio Journal for more details) With several new projects on the horizon now, I am trying to find the balance between digging in to the work here in Bali, and more traveling for the next year. Video will appear at some point of the performances with Arwinda.

September 14, 2012

In a few days I leave for Istanbul and this exciting extended artistic tour through Uzbekistan and ending in Tblisi, Georgia (see past news below). I will be trying to blog daily on our activities, with hopefully photos and some video if I can get it together! It will be in the Studio Journal starting Sept 18th approx! 

 

September 11, 2012

Developments with my upcoming trip and performances (see past news Aug 22 below) are exciting...

I am collaborating with an exciting German music group Arwinda to animate the opening. Tom Kerr is creating some fantastic music for us back in Toronto, while I try desperately to become a lyricist (learning fast on my feet) and skype is invaluable! I can't believe I am leaving in 5 days!

 

August 22 2012

I was invited to join 9dragonheads for a trip through Uzbekistan and I decided (at the last moment) to do it!

This is a group of international artists whom I joined in Korea in 2004. We meet for an event at Istanbul Modern, then for a journey through Uzbekistan ending with an event in an abandoned ship (in which I will be performing) in the now dry Aral Sea, Sept 29th and then in Tblisi, Georgia at the Karvasla National Museum Oct 5th. for the Artisterium. Exciting places for me to workshop aspects of this growing solo! Check out 9dragonheads and the journey- for more info on this trip - click 9dragonheads and look for Nomadic Party II

July 8th 2012

Turned 50 today and tomorrow I get on a plane for Asia! I will be in Bali for at least 6 months, maybe a year and we will spend some time traveling in... India and Australia and who knows? Some writing, some studying, some developing new work... 

 

June 21st 2012

I did an unusual reading of a super early draft of my new solo... it involved getting the audience very involved! It was terrifying! but went really well! I am very thankful to those who came and the feedback was very helpful. Tom Kerr, the composer, joined me and as usual was fantastic! I missed Teresa Przbylski and Elizabeth Asselstine, who are both off in Europe and unable to join me, but they have been critical to the development of this new piece... The workshops are over as well as the advanced class - which was so exciting! Thanks to Ontario Arts Council!! One more showing to go hopefully before I leave...

I am also working with film maker Aaron Phelan on recording some older solos... we spent all day June 27th doing Mr. Raisin Head with an amazing team!

The departure to Bali gets closer and closer...  keep following the blogs... I'll be in a new continent but still sharing what's happening in the studio...

Advanced Kinesthetic Transference (6 session series) 

Eligibility: Open to participants who have studied with Erika previously, or who have done similar work such as Authentic Movement or Grotowski work. Please include an overview of your embodied performance practice experience with registration fee if you have not worked with Erika before.

Dates and Times - 9 am- 12 pm

Fri May 25, Tues June 12, Wed June 13, Fri June 15, Mon June 18, Wed June 20                

Location:              251 Sorauren Ave, 4th floor, Studio 405

Cost:                    $40 per class (unregistered drop in- please let me know day of!)

                           $35 per class (if you pre-register)

                           $200 for all six classes

This class will review the principles of emotional connection through physiological awareness and go deeper! The class will include time to explore independently within the group as well as group improvisation... we will source as always from sensation but include at times image, music, text and self-directed choices. A great class to play and discover new material, deepen your emotional authenticity as a performer and challenge yourself in a structured group environment.

 

MOST RECENT PAST WORKSHOP- 

Spirituality and Performance 

Eligibility:             For experienced performers

Dates:                  June 3 (10am-4pm)  

Location:              251 Sorauren Ave, 4th floor, Studio 405

Cost:                   $75 

This workshop will include a series of exercises, practices and principles that consciously examine the spiritual aspects of performance as well as how elements of meditation and prayer can be applied directly to performance.

 

HOW TO REGISTER:

A Non-Refundable Deposit of 50% is required to register for the workshop.

All participants must email erika@batdorf.org to register. You will be sent an invoice and paypal link. If you do not use paypal please mail a cheque made out to MOLEMAN PRODUCTIONS to:

• Moleman Productions
• 20A Lavinia Ave
• Toronto ON M6S3H7

Once downpayment is received your registration is complete. Balance of fees are required not later than the first day of class.

ERIKA'S BIO:

Erika Batdorf has written, created, performed, directed and choreographed original movement theater since 1983. Her solo works have appeared in such places as the Smithsonian Institute, The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Landegg Academy for International Development in Switzerland, on the mainstage for The 7th International Women Playwrights Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, Nine Dragon Heads International Art Symposium in South Korea, France, Hawaii, Mexico, Harvard University, the Movement Theater Festival International and the Women's Theater Festival in Philadelphia, Trinity Repertory Theatre in Providence, RI, for three years featured at Boston’s Women on Top theatre festival and in NYC for PS122, Dixon Place, Moonworks, So Grand Studio's Movement Theater Festival, the NY International Fringe Festival and recently in Brooklyn. She has performed in Toronto at Theatre Passe Muraille backspace, twice in Hysteria at Buddies in Bad Times and 3 times in Rhubarb! Batdorf performed for the UN conference in Switzerland entitled, ‘The Role of Women in a United Europe’, the UN Global Summit in Copenhagen. She has performed, created plays and guest directed for universities and theatres across the USA. She ran The Batdorf School for Movement Theatre in Boston for several years and currently teaches at York University in Toronto. She has received 4 Dora nominations since 2005 (two for new plays, one for performance and one for directing).

She has created and directed original productions for Luminato 2010 (One Pure Longing), and several with The Thistle Project. Her directing work has made the top 10 list in NOW for theatre twice- 2006 for the smash hit Gorey Story and 2010 for Peer Gynt, featuring Susan Coyne and Matthew Romantini. She also received the jury prize at Summerworks 07 for co-creating and directing Faye Dupras in Bird’s Eye View.

NEWS!!  

Erika is developing a new solo with Teresa Przbylski and Elizabeth Asselstine as designers and co- creators that they will workshop this spring in Erika's studio with support from The Ontario Arts Council... they will need brave audience members to play with Erika- as this piece is becoming very interactive! They will do a call for test audiences in late May and June thru early July.

Erika is then moving to Bali in late July with her husband and son for 6 months and after that- who knows!! She will be studying, working on this new solo, maintaining a blog and creating a video blog and if all goes well, beginning to write a book!! She will be back next summer... but the blog's will be active- so keep watching!