This is the third piece in a series with San Francisco Bay Area artists Jenny Stulberg and Lauren Simpson.

What Now?

By Jenny Stulberg

On Thursday, March 31st, it happened: Simpson/Stulberg Collaborations presented STILL LIFE DANCES at ODC Theater. It's still a little hard for me to believe that after months of planning, rehearsing, and actualizing, we produced our first evening-length show. We opened on a Thursday, and two days later, we closed. I oftentimes imagine that putting on a show is similar to what it's like to spend months being pregnant, and then all of a sudden…. BAM! You have a baby (or in our case, a show). Lauren and I have jokingly stated before, "Well, we birthed another one!" in reference to the 3 previous Still Life pieces we've created together, and ironically enough, Lauren is due to have an actual baby in a few weeks! (Disclaimer: that one I had nothing to do with.) And though I clearly understand it is quite different to produce a show than it is to actually produce another human life, I believe there are definitely some metaphorical and abstract similarities between the two events. 

First, there is the Conception: The "idea" is created and then you decide to willingly go forward with making this idea a reality. 

Next comes the Developmental (or Pregnancy) Phase: You spend hours, days, weeks, and months figuring out what the piece will be and watching closely as it grows and takes shape in each different stage. You figure out how to navigate through your normal day-to-day while the "thing" begins to materialize and its presence in your life becomes undeniable. There is a lot of logistical planning and administrative work to figure out how you're going to pay for this creation and who is going to help you bring it to fruition. 

Next comes the Production (or Labor) Phase: Once this phase begins, you have a very limited amount of time to load into the theater, figure out your spacing and all of the technical elements, and before you know it, it's "showtime!" You've done everything you can do up until this point to prepare and plan, and it's anyone's guess (including yours!) as to how it will all turn out. Your role as Director and Choreographer is now complete, and the result of the production is out of your hands; the piece is going to happen. Everyone waits in anticipation to find out what will transpire and you take a deep breath and pray to the theater gods that the projector turns on. After all is said and done and the show closes, you finally have a moment to step back and revel in your creation (and hopefully take a nap). Then you are faced with the omnipresent and impending question: What now? (It's possible I may have left out a few details when it comes to pregnancy and birth, but I'm pretty sure I covered most of the key points. You're welcome.)

All joking aside, Lauren and I were incredibly happy and proud of what we created and how well it was received. They say, “You are only as good as the company you keep,” and that couldn't ring truer for the incredible artists we were fortunate enough to collaborate with for this production. Arletta Anderson, Virginia Broyles, Liane Burns, Mike Wall, and Alex Zendzian played such a huge role in bringing the vision of our work to life, and we couldn't have done it without them. As for “what’s next” for Simpson/Stulberg Collaborations, we are looking into the possibility of touring our Still Life Dance Series. The idea for this series was conceived within the walls of an art museum and inspired by what hangs on them, and we are excited and anxious to see how our work can continue to be shaped by and around those spaces and pieces. We're applying to several residencies and are in talks for teaching workshops and commissioned work, as well as translating Still Life No.4 from the stage to film. And oh yes… Lauren's going to have a baby.

What started out as a friendly and casual idea for the two of us "new kids in town" to make a piece together a year-and-a-half-ago has grown into a fiscally sponsored and grant-supported collaborative of which we are both very proud. The road to our company has been paved with support and opportunities from some incredible members of The Bay Area dance community, and we are so grateful for their belief in our work. First off, Wendy Rein and Ryan Smith of RAW Dance gave us a slot in their CONCEPT Series showcase where we created our first Still Life dance. Following that, Kimi Okada and the PILOT Program gave us the resources to make our second work. Charles Slender-White and FACT/SF gave us the means and generous opportunity to make our third work through their JUMP commissioning program. And Christine Cali, Sheldon Smith, Marie Tollon, ODC, de Young Museum, University of San Francisco, Hope Mohr and Risa Jaroslow have supported us along the way. 

The warm reception and interest in our work has further instilled in us the belief that Simpson/Stulberg Collaborations has a voice and place in the dance world, and we are excited (and eager!) to see where we go.

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Related links:

Part One: The Pre-Company Stage (By Lauren Simpson and Jenny Stulberg)

Establishing Simpson/Stulberg Collaborations: My Biggest Challenge So Far (By Lauren Simpson)

An Incredible Music Resource for Choreographers and Teaching Artists: Mike Wall and soundFORMovement

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