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Joffrey Ballet School's Jazz and Contemporary Students Collaborate with Flair at New York Fashion Week

Reconstruction 3.0: Life is a Journey

A Postcard Celebrating A Confluence of Ideas In Style

featuring students of the Joffrey Ballet School's Jazz and Contemporary Program, students from Parsons The New School for Design, and students from The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music

March 5, 2013

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As an exciting conclusion to New York Fashion Week, students from Parsons The New School for Design, The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and the Joffrey Ballet School's Jazz and Contemporary Program premiered Reconstruction 3.0: Life is a Journey, an evening of live performances featuring original music, dance and fashion inspired by Louis Vuitton and its heritage of travel.

This cross-disciplinary initiative began this past fall with five teams each consisting of a Parsons fashion designer, a New School Jazz composer, and a Joffrey Ballet School choreographer. The teams were tasked to develop a live performance consisting of an original music score, choreography, and conceptual garments that reflect the theme Life is a Journey. The garments were reconstructed from re-claimed Louis Vuitton ready-to-wear and textiles.

In a postcard to The Dance Enthusiast, Michael Blake, Director of the Joffrey Ballet School Jazz & Contemporary Program shares his thoughts about the experience.

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This project was the brainchild of Fiona Dieffenbacher, Director of BFA Fashion Design at Parsons. What began as a fashion collaboration between Luis Vuitton (LV) and Parson's student designers, evolved into a multidisciplinary collaboration of fashion, music and dance over the course of three seasons.

 

 

Reconstruction 3.0: "Life is a Journey"; Photo Marie Havens

The dancers and musicians were given the theme Life is a Journey, and they took the idea and ran with it. Each team's ideas flowed from all parts of the puzzle - music, fashion, dance.

For the designer the task was about the deconstruction and reconstruction of the LV garment. However, the challenges extended beyond just that. Sara Kozlowski, Director of External Projects and the Assistant Professor of Fashion, explained that the fashion students had to "learn to drape and cut in tandem with the choreographed movements of each dancer's personal identity." Very Challenging.

The winning team was led by choreographer - Angelica Stiskin; designers: Lucy Jones, Kumie Asai, and Jack Burns and composer, Arthur Hnatek. The team was chosen based on their originality, creativity, and execution.

 

 

 

 

Reconstruction 3.0: "Life is a Journey"; Photo Marie Havens

 

 

 

 

 

Reconstruction 3.0: "Life is a Journey"; Photo Marie Havens

Here are the Program notes from the winning work: CHRONOGENESIS:

Choreographer: Angelica Stiskin
Performed by: Catie Leasca, Maria Rodriguez, Jaedon Thomson, Alex Hopp, Amy Patterson, Shay Saver, Carly Piotrowski, Kali Mikelson, Anna Simms, Michele Montana of Joffrey Ballet School’s Jazz & Contemporary Division
Composer: Arthur Hnatek of The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music
Costumes: Jack Burns, Kumie Asai, David Valencia of Parsons School of Fashion

We utilize “time” to accomplish our everyday lives, whether it be the alarming wake up call, the unwanted rush to work, or the heart fluttering decision of when dinner plans will be. There is an undying attempt at chasing the clock that so easily sits and pulses away, but we are more than just this indefinite push. If we extract time and mask the minutes of our lives, this rhythmic frenzy shines light on the details of our journey that go missing. Why not share the beauty of this frenzy? It takes one person to question the importance of this dependence, which then follows in a revolution. Through design, music, and movement we represent the luxury of the chase, inspired by the animality of our beings. The journey always triumphs. We create how we arrive at our destination. We are the genesis of time.

 

 

 

 

 

Reconstruction 3.0: "Life is a Journey"; Photo Marie Havens

Every participant on this project came away with new ideas about the creation and evolution of their craft. (That is not to exclude the program directors from Parsons, The New School and Joffrey.)

 

 

 

 

Reconstruction 3.0: "Life is a Journey"; Photo Marie Havens

I am learning that the 21st century is not about the separation of ideas. It entails the confluence of the best qualities of who we are, and how we blend those qualities with others and the universe. Our successes are magnified by our ability to multitask - to listen and learn and simultaneously integrate our mind, body and spirit to produce the highest quality we can with each other in the world of art.- Michael Blake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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