Pulse Director nominated local "Hottie"

In this week's issue of the Anchorage Press you'll find PULSE company director, Stephanie Wonchala, highlighted as one of Anchorage's hottest personalities. You can access the full article here.

Photo Credit: Beth Skabar

STEPHANIE PIA WONCHALA
The Dancer

Stephanie Pia Wonchala may have hit the big time first as Miss Alaska 2006, but you can check the pageant-girl stereotypes at the door. While she certainly knows how to rock an updo and evening gown, Wonchala is better known these days for founding PULSE, Anchorage's new modern dance company that just wrapped up a successful second season.

Wonchala started studying ballet at Balletschule Röhrig in Germany at age four, eventually minoring in modern dance at UAA. Feeling the Anchorage dance scene needed something new-something modern, visceral and volcanic-she decided to make that something happen.

Wonchala is a woman who likes to stay busy, which is good because she has a schedule that would challenge that of a heart surgeon moonlighting as an air traffic controller. In addition to working full time at an investment firm, Wonchala handles all the administrative work, outreach and event coordination for the dance company, and that's not including the time she spends in rehearsal and performing. Wonchala is definitely a woman who goes for what she wants-now just try to keep up.

Occupation: Executive assistant at an investment firm by day. The rest of the time, company and artistic director of PULSE modern dance company.

Sign: Virgo

Eye color: Hazel

Languages: Fluent in English and German (echt geil!)

Favorite joke: I'm kind of a "that's what she said" fanatic.

What gets Stephanie out on the dance floor: Songs that get my creative juices flowing include: "Cracks" (Flux Pavillion Remix) by Freestylers, "Lights" (Bassnectar Remix) by Ellie Goulding. And anything with creepy sounds and a driving beat.

On running a dance company: It's invigorating and all encompassing; it's a full time job on top of a full time job. I get off work and go to work-but that's when I come to life.

Stephanie's ideal date: I just want to laugh. I really appreciate a good beer and a clever boy. And if they can appreciate the arts-they don't need to love dance, or love going to the museum, they mostly just need to have an open mind and make whatever we're doing fun.

To learn more about Stephanie and PULSE dance company visit http://www.stephaniewonchala.com/ and http://www.pulsedancecompany.com/

Make it rain! (Dollars for PULSE)

Want to be the reason we can put on fantastic shows in great venues filled with beautiful lighting, awesome costuming and artistic fervor?! Consider becoming a PULSE Donor today!

There are several tiers available for you to make our 2012 dancing world go 'round:
PULSE Allies:  $300+
PULSE Patrons:  $100 - $299
PULSE Playmates:  $50 - $99

PULSE Pals:  $1 - $49

Donate via PayPal at http://www.pulsedancecompany.com/ or email us at pulsedancecompany@gmail.com!

With a killer second season behind us and an even better third season coming up (ready for Feb 25 auditions??), now is the time to shimmy and shake your loose change on over to PDC, the company that makes dance accessible to everyone.

xoxo

Company Member Playlist: Sophie Auburn

Ever wonder how PULSE company members get in the right mindset pre-performance? Featured Pulser Sophie Auburn shares her ipod playlist. Maybe you'll find just what you need to shake it, too.

SOPHIE, share your faves!
---


1. "Ungirthed" - Purity Ring// because it reminds me of our dance movie.  :)

2. "Polish Girl" - Neon Indian

3. "Wildfire"- SBTRKT

4. "Zebra"- Beach House

5. "Lights & Music" - Cut Copy

6. "Watching the Planets" - The Flaming Lips

7. "The Bells Sketch" - James Blake

8. "Hairy Candy" - TOBACCO

(I chose all of these songs because they pump me up and get me ready to go out on stage!!!!) :)))

Ahhh, and that's a wrap!

Yes. PULSE Dance Company just wrapped their second season with an exuberant, multi-faceted show at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. Featuring eight PULSE works, the world premiere of PULSE's Dance-on-Film project Inner Motion, guest performers Anchorage Classical Ballet and Peninsula Artists in motion, hors d'oeuvres by Ginger and drinks by Alaska Distillery, PDC in Concert was a huge success bursting with joy, creativity, and passionate supporters.

Special thanks to everyone who attended. For a list of our amazing sponsors, donors, and volunteers, check out our website!

Season II ended in bliss. Season III, watch out. Much love to all.
xo
PULSE

Is it Possible? [installment two]

Pulse's Associate Artistic Director Walter Barillas continues sharing his experiences in Washington with Merce Cunningham Dance Company.

I arrived in Seattle the afternoon of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company’s (MCDC) first program and made my way to my friend Jackie-Lou’s doorstep. She fed me a delicious vegetarian meal and a nice glass of wine before we made our way to the Paramount Theatre. But first, before I continue with this, I must digress and share something I observed earlier in the day.

As I sat on the LINK train from SeaTac to Downtown Seattle I overheard a conversation between a young couple and an older woman. Something about the lady that had me intrigued, perhaps it was the amount of energy and mental acuity she harnessed, and then it hit like a comet! I heard her tell the couple that she had arrived in Seattle to see MCDC’s performance and that she followed them around to various performances. My eyes and ears perked up and I knew that when I ran in to her I’d introduce myself and I’d share this vignette. Little did I know that meeting her less than 24 hours later and sharing a significant amount of time with her would be the highlight of my trip. More on this to come.

In the last installment I mentioned that MCDC is to dissolve January 1, 2012. If you’ve questioned why this might be, I have some insight.

Merce Cunningham decided that upon his death,  his Company was to disband after a two-year legacy tour. This is unlike other dance companies that have continued after the central figure’s death, like the Martha Graham Dance Company or the Limon/Humphrey Dance Company. The difference between  those two and MCDC is that MCDC is not a repertory company, meaning that MCDC only performs work by Cunningham while the others may perform works by outside choreographers. A two-year Legacy Tour, two-year severance package for dancers, staff and artists, and aide to incumbents for their career transitions were a few of the things Cunningham set up for the existing company after his death.

Now that you’ve gained a little insight into MCDC, its choreographer,  its significance in the Arts World and my interest in the work, the next installments will cover what I witnessed during my Cunningham/Halloween weekend in Seattle.

Stay tuned for more!

Is it Possible? [installment one]

PDC's Associate Artistic Director Goes Cuckoo for Cunningham

By Walter Barillas

As I lay in bed last month decompressing from a long day, I began thinking of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company (MCDC) and its ever-approaching dissolve date of January 1, 2012. Merce Cunningham’s work is what I’m currently most fascinated by. I appreciate its difficulty, the transformative properties it has on dancers, and his radical approach to dance making. His trajectory spans a mere 90 years! Cunningham has been named the “greatest choreographer of the 20^th Century” by Art Critics throughout the world. But what makes him the greatest, the most radical; what did he do that others did not?

Cunningham’s work was and continues to be radical in its use of compositional devices, music, and set design. His greatest collaborator and partner for nearly 50 years was John Cage, an experimental musician who is also known the world over for his compositional approach. Cunningham and Cage met in the mid 1940’s and their partnership dissolved upon Cage’s death in 1992. Other collaborators include artists Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, and most recently, Sigor Ros and Radiohead on Split Sides (2003), a piece that will later be discussed.

The most striking component of Cunningham’s work is that dance, music and set design were designed independently. Cunningham gave very little instruction or information on what he was creating; the most he would share is the length of the dance. Musicians would create a score, artists would create set design/costumes, and all three components are known to have first been merged on the date of the premier.

Cunningham’s use of chance procedures is what he is most famous for. His use of the I-Ching and the roll of dice often dictated how many dancers, what sections, where the entrances were made, and which sector(s) of the dance space would be used. A common misconception is that his work is improvised. There is very little improvisation, if any, in the many anti-ballets he created.

My fascination with Cunningham first began when I took class from Brenda Daniels. Daniels was Chair of the Modern Division at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, at the American Dance Festival (2009) held at Duke University in Durham North Carolina, a festival that has been around almost 80 years. More on the festival and its creator, Martha Hill, will be shared in upcoming blog installments.

I was intrigued by the difficulty of the technique and Daniels’ exceptional teaching style. I proceeded to read “Chance and Circumstance,” written by Carolyn Brown, a book recommended for any dance follower or historian.  Brown was Cunningham’s dancer for 20 years -from the company’s inception through the early 70’s. She remained Cunningham’s ally until his death on July 26, 2009.

My love for his work was cemented the Summer of 2010 when I returned to the American Dance Festival (ADF) on scholarship as a staff assistant to the Executive Office assisting director Charles Reinhart (now retired), THE curator of the Modern dance world and Co Director Jodee Nimerichter, now the Director.

I assisted Jean Freebury on the reconstruction of Inlets II (1983), and for six weeks I was privy to the learning the movement, viewing original video footage, and reading Cunningham's own notes. During those weeks I positioned myself throughout the Ark (100+ year old ), viewing and taking notes for Ms. Freebury from the front, the back, the sides and even from the second floor, birds eye view. The oft- asked question “Where's Wally?” was as present there as it has been throughout Anchorage's dance studios as they were never sure as to where I had positioned myself.

As I lay in bed that mid-October night it hit me that I would NEVER get the opportunity to see the MCDC. While I was saddened, that realization quickly turned to fuel. I got online, noted that their next closest engagement was in Seattle's Paramount Theatre and purchased a ticket - not caring if my schedule would allow. It was my last chance and I had to make it happen!

-W.B.

Keep an eye out for the next installement of Walter's Cunningham adventures! Next up: the events and behind-the-scenes as MCDC prepped for their performances.

PULSE Dance Bag GIVEAWAY!

“Like” Pulse's giveaway photo album (here) for a chance to win an awesome tote bag filled with goodies! Your signature “I <3 Pulse” dance bag makes the perfect accessory in or out of the studio. Cute, comfy and packed with delights, your tote includes:

-          Hot pink stirrup legwarmers by Sansha (So warm when it’s so cold!)

-          Medium weight Bunheads exercise band (work it, work it!)

-          One set Bunheads bobby pins (we can never have enough, right?)

-          Refreshing, moisturizing foot scrub by Earth Therapeutics (ahhh…)

-          Acrylic & Silver ballet dancer ornaments.(Get ready for the holidays with the cutest little dancers!)

The winner will be selected through a random drawing the afternoon of Friday, November 4^th. “Like” now, dance away happy later!