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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 9, 2011)
arts & entertainment New Film goes Behind the Scenes with Bill T. Jones P ublic Broadcasting will unveil a por- career ‘Fondly Do We Hope...Fervently Do trait of America’s foremost choreogra- We Pray’, an original dance-theater piece in pher, Bill T. Jones, Friday, November honor of Abraham Lincoln’s bicentennial 11 at 9 p.m. The documentary ‘Bill T. Jones: commissioned by Ravinia Festival. Performers from the Bill T. A Good Man’ is broadcast Jones/Arnie Zane Dance as part of the American Company work with Jones Masters 25th anniversary IIIII through two tumultuous season. American Masters years of rehearsal and cre- “Abraham Lincoln and PBS series premiers ativity. Bill T. Jones make total Bill T Jones A good Watching the film we wit- sense to me,” says Susan Man Nov. 11 ness raw moments of frus- Lacy, series creator and tration as Jones struggles to executive producer of communicate his vision to American Masters series, a his dancers and collaborators, as well as seven-time Emmy Award winner. “The courage and convictions of both moments of great exhilaration when move- men are a testament to the timeless ment transcends the limitation of words. Jones and his company come face-to-face endurance of art and action.” The 90-minute film chronicles the intense with America’s unresolved contradictions creative journey that Jones makes as he about race, equality and the legacy of our tackles the most ambitious work of his 16th President. Initially an indictment of “The Great Emancipator,” the work evolves into a tri- umph of hope for our struggling democracy, with Jones revealing that Lincoln was “the only white man I was allowed to love unconditionally.” Jones is a 2010 Kennedy Center Honors recipient and two-time Tony® Award win- ner for Best Choreography Co-directors Bob Hercules of Media Process Group and Gordon Quinn of Kartemquin Films open a window into the creative process and the creative crisis of one of our nation’s most enduring, provoca- tive artists as he explores what it means to be a good man, to be a free man, to be a cit- izen. “I had always wanted to make a film that follows the creation of art from the very beginning all the way to the end,” says Hercules. “Bill T Jones: A Good Man gave us that chance… Luckily, we had the resources and determination to keep filming through the whole process up to the premiere of the piece two years later. The result is an unvar- nished look at how art gets created.” Throughout the film Jones explains how his childhood, artistic journey, personal feelings about Lincoln, and current emo- tional and physical condition affect the piece’s direction and development. Adel continued from page 6 hS: Who do you rate on the Portland scene? aa: I think there is some major talent in this city. Luck-One is get- ting ready to blow up. He’s amaz- ing. I think Mic Crenshaw is the best kept secret in Portland. There are several handfuls of Portland artists who are great, but whether they are marketable or not is another thing. That’s not really my call. Personally, I like conscious hip-hop if you want to know what I’m dancing to. I do think some independent and underground artists don’t take into account the importance of their image along with their sound. It puzzles me as to why some will spend thousands on their production but only a few hundred on the promo material/packaging. I think it should be 50/50. Not that I’m try- ing to get people to give me all of their money. In my opinion, I think that the image is just as important as the music. If people are serious about taking it that direction, my team and I have exactly what they need to do that. From the professional photo shoots to wardrobe and image styling, together, we can help cre- ate that image that goes along with the sound. What I really would like to do is expand beyond the hip-hop/blues/R&B genres and gain the interest of indie and alter- native groups as well because I think I have a dark side that would suit them just right. hS: What kind of parent are you? aa: I’m a hip-hop’n single mama! I have an 8 year old son and he really means the world to me. When he came into my life, it seemed like I did a 180. I’m prob- ably considered to be a little over protective when it comes to my child. I shelter him a bit. I don’t expose him to my adult life or dra- matic adult TV shows or MTV and BET because I want him to have his childhood. Read the rest of this story online at www.theskanner.com N ew Fe at u r e Online Now you can post your announce- ments directly, using The Skanner.com ‘YOUR BEAT, Eyes on the Street’. november 9, 2011 The Portland Skanner page 7
