Storeography: Telling A Story Through Movement

By Laurie Borst

Afternoon kindergarteners and first graders at Sandy Hook School were delighted by Storeography on Friday, January 12. Storeography is the brain child of Adam Battelstein, an acclaimed dancer and choreographer who has worked with Pilobolus and Momix among others.

Mr Battelstein explained that Storeography combined the words story and choreography and that inside every dance, you will find a story — if you look for it.

The first dance, titled “After Hours,” was introduced. The children were directed to imagine who the people are, where they are, and what they are feeling. Mr Battelstein reminded the students that the title is a clue to any story.

Mr Battelstein and dancer Ananda Wilson performed a dance to “Walking on the Sun,” a song familiar to the children. The dancers were clad in white T-shirts and pajama bottoms.

When the dance ended, Mr Battelstein asked when the story took place. “At night” was offered.

“Why do you think it’s at night?” he asked.

“Because they have their PJs on” came the reply. Mr Battelstein pointed out to the children that costumes are a clue.

Figuring out who the characters are and what emotions they are feeling helps tell the story. Some stories take place in familiar settings and some take place in their own world. Props help tell the story, also.

The next piece, “Figure Stick” performed to the music of Yo Yo Ma, was a solo by Mr Battelstein. He moved around the floor with strength and grace. When he finished, he asked the children what they thought the dance was about.

A variety of answers were offered: looked like ice skating, a caveman, karate, a hunter. He explained to the children the need to observe and collect clues about the story.

“The Suitcase Man” was the third piece performed. Ms Wilson moved a large, wheeled suitcase to the middle of the floor and left the stage.

“You’re probably wondering why a grown person would get inside a suitcase,” Mr Battelstein’s voice said from inside the luggage. “I like it, it’s comfortable.”

He then launched into “I Got the Inside the Suitcase Blues,” which told the story of the girlfriend he used to have, and the friend that left because he wouldn’t leave the suitcase. He couldn’t run on the beach or play Frisbee or soccer. He didn’t know what to do!

“Get out of the suitcase!” the students yelled. Laughter arose as the zipper opened a little, and an arm popped out. Slowly, the zipper opened more, until the man stepped out of the case.

“Did suitcase man like being inside?” he asked. Many hands were raised.

“Does anyone think he didn’t like it?” A few hands were tentatively lifted.

“Do you think he like and disliked at the same time?” Most hands shot up.

The students agreed that the conflicting emotions made the story more interesting.

The final piece presented, “Build A Story From the Ground Up,” was an interactive piece. Many students were pulled from the audience to help create the dance. The story was “The Woman and the Wind.” Ms Wilson was the woman and five students were selected to be the wind.

“Everyone tells stories,” Mr Battelstein said. “You must give your characters strong emotions.”

The Woman first showed no reaction to Wind, then, through body language and facial expression showed cold, excitement, and sadness.

Then, the scene was set: it is in the jungle at night. Mr Battelstein asked for suggestions of creatures to populate the jungle. Tarantulas were suggested and four students chosen to play them. Lions, which hunt at night, were also named and six students joined the others.

The next task was to add a challenge. “You need obstacles and challenges for your character in the story,” Mr Battelstein explained. “It’s boring if there are no challenges.”

The students brainstormed to find a reason to cross the jungle: get to her house, to face her fears. “And, you need a good reason for things to happen,” he continued. “You have to solve the situation.”

Students suggested the lions get spiders, someone helps her, friends will come. And some friends were created including Tiger Man, Hard-Boiled Egg Woman, and Snake Girl who help save The Woman.

“This story was crazy,” Mr Battelstein stated, “but it had all elements of a story: emotion, place, details, obstacles or challenges, and a creative solution.”

The Woman, Wind, Tarantulas, Lions, and Friends performed their dance with The Woman reaching safety just as the dismissal bell rang.

“It was really funny,” Katie McCabe, a first grader in Mrs Wexler’s class said. “I like to tell stories. I like to dance. I will write more after seeing this.”

Ananda Wilson, who lives locally, has been performing with Adam Battelstein for more than three years. She has studied dance since an early age. At 16, she began dancing with the Hartford Camerata Conservatory. She advanced into their college dance program, enjoying the dynamic classes with ex-Momix dancer Kelly Holcombe. She continued training with Ms Holcombe, later joining her multimedia dance company, Bludance Theatre in New Milford.

Adam Battelstein graduated from Middlebury College where he received a bachelor of arts in Theater Arts and English Literature. In 1989, he joined Pilobolus. For 17 years, he was a performer and choreographer for the group. Mr Battelstein helped create Pilobolus’ first children’s show.

In 1999, he began work on his own children’s show. About that time, he began freelancing. Storeography came into being five years ago. He chose to present his shows in Connecticut because of the reputation it has for really strong literacy programs, he said. He turned to Young Audiences of Connecticut, an agency that represents 60–70 artists who perform for schoolchildren.

He has developed a new program that he has been presenting for the past year that combines dance and science. The program is called Loco-motion. It is the science of movement covering such topics as balance, the inner ear, friction, gyroscopes, air pressure, and buoyancy.

For more information on the dancers or the presentations, visit storeography.web, adambattelstein.com, or pilobolus.com.