gloATL Re-opened the Rhodes Theater for a Little While

Atlanta seemed so full of theaters then.

"The (gloATL) tour concluded Friday and Saturday in the organizations’ home city of Atlanta, where the artists repeated similar activities, centering on photographic murals and a performative installation at the historic Rhodes Theater."  - ArtsATL by Andrew Alexander

I grew up with two theaters. In Atlanta I could see everything, movies I never heard of. There were six theaters in Midtown close to Georgia Tech.


You can still see movies at the Fox once in a while. The Rhodes is the only other one standing. It's still standing but hollowed out, in the shadow of an I-75 entrance ramp.

I saw the Atlanta premier of Woodstock at the Rhodes. I saw Cries and Whispers there too. I preferred Woodstock.


In 1975 I saw Bergman's Magic Flute at the Rhodes. I thought that would be the last time.


"It was a beloved Atlanta landmark single-screen cinema, the flagship of the Storey chain, before closing in 1985." - ArtsATL by Andrew Alexander


The gloATL folks performed in the Rhodes November 8-10, 2013.



You can't tell it was a theater. It looks 1-story yet seems colossal, clever design by Ivey and Crook.


Everything "theater" is gone.


The screen was down there. Was there a stage? I don't remember.


The lobby was on the other side of that wall. There wasn't a balcony,


The arches are still there.


The cornice is still there.


gloATL performed inside.


Music, dance by gloATL, projections by Living Walls, photographic murals by Dustin Chambers.


I'm a gloATL fan and I like this sort of thing. I'm fidgety and at glo performances I don't have to stay put.


The dancers danced everywhere, the music sounded great everywhere.


The babies enjoyed it.


I couldn't take it all in.


This was probably my last look and last listen at the Rhodes, but who knows?


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Old school dancing in Grant Park

Architecture tourists go to events just so we can see the buildings. On November 11 it was the Lucky Penny Spectacular at the old Grant Park School, which is now repurposed and home to The Arts Exchange.



It was an evening of art, dance, and good cheer at an old school you've never seen. When you give artists, musicians, and dancers half a chance, they'll make some magic.


They'll take this workaday school doorway...


and make some magic with it...


...and draw a crowd by turning it into a dance stage.


The school's auditorium / gym is now the Paul Robeson Theater.

Lucky Penny really knows how to throw a dance whether on a sidewalk, in a doorway or theater.







Thanks to the Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday.

Demolishing the Hulse, Dancing the Rhodes, Moving the Randolph-Lucas - What a Week

I doubt Atlanta has many weeks like this. I am moved. Were you here too?

These deserve research, deep thought, analysis, and opinion. But I'm not blogger enough right now.

Hulse Residence:

Jim Winner tipped me about the demolition the Hulse House in Ansley Park. Designed by Anthony Ames (1984?).


I told Joe Dreher who'd studied this house while pursuing his architecture degree. We kind-of covered it. Joe has some wrenching but fascinating videos of the demo.

Rhodes Theater:

 

gloATL and Living Walls opened the Rhodes Theater for the weekend. It was "The Traveling Show Town Six." I'm standing where the screen was, looking towards where the the lobby was. Designed by Ivey and Crook (1937).


I dropped in on Thursday night to see a rehearsal (above) with Rhodes Hall glowing from across the street. I caught the wonderful Friday night performance too: music, projections, and dance in this gutted but still impressive space.

Randolph-Lucas House:


 
The Randolph-Lucas house moved this week. On Thursday, they took the second floor off. Designed by P. Thornton Mayre (Completed 1924).


It's journey to Peachtree Circle started with an impromptu street and house party about 1 a.m. Saturday morning.

What a week. Were you there too?

gloATL performs "Livers" at Flux 2011

Do you understand the title? If you do, you were probably there. If you don't, then follow gloATL and Flux Projects on Facebook, @gloATL and @FluxProjects on Twitter.



Flux 2011: night of art + experimentation September 30, 2011 8 pm to midnight castleberry hill arts district (pictured below D'AIR Aerial Dance Theatre at Flux)



gloATL: a collaborative platform of exceptional contemporary physical performance. gloATL’s mission is to create exceptional contemporary dance through live performance, public works, and a choreographic LAB



"Livers": A contemporary physical performance...Sonic Gestural Kinesthetic Being Together “We are all Livers.” Guy Debord...



"Livers" was one of 34+ happenings on Friday night. Livers alone was too much to take in. Flux was overwhelming.

I'm afraid my little camera could only manage a blur, a poor substitute for being there.

A dancer waited alone in the fog between two buildings, a stage of wood chips.



Meanwhile, the company gathered on the Peter's Street railroad bridge.



They bolted and stopped unpredictably in their lumpy leotards. Did they notify the Ministry of Silly Walks?



They knew where they were going but we didn't.



They stopped to twist and shimmy to shake and wave. The man pushed the music in a grocery cart.



Look at the faces in the crowd. Most were seeing the dancers for the first time. "What is going on?" They moved fast. They turned right on Fair Street. I had to run to keep up.



When we'd stop to grok, shapes would slink by.



The crowd was thick as the company raced north on Walker. I could barely keep up with the gloATL piggy-backers making their way though the crowd.



The company arrived.



I'm at a loss: It was a mystery. It was mesmerizing, unpredictable.

Not everybody enjoyed that sort of thing.

I was happy to lose myself for a little while.



The crowd was part of the performance. For most gloATL performances, there isn't a specific place for the audience.







There were several pas-de-deux's.



There was some fun. I called this the turtle-back.



gloAtl leader and "dancemaker"Lauri Stallings looked on.



It wasn't all smooth ballet moves.



The troop climbed out though the balcony...



...leaving a pair alone in the fog.

It was magic for a while, disorienting, mesmerizing, memorable. There will only be 2 performance of Livers. This was the first. The 2nd began an hour later.

They needed a rest but the rest was part of the performance too.

And it didn't break the spell.



Now do you understand the title? I don't think I've explained a thing.

Symphony Hall Stage is Half a Million Cubic Feet of Magic - Thanks gloATL

Unless you go out, there's little chance of serendipity. You increase the odds if you go out to see gloATL.

Terry's Tiny 10-Step Guide to Enjoying gloATL is at the bottom of the blog.


We followed Virginia down these stairs.


She led us to the stupendous, empty stage of Symphony Hall.


It's 6500+ square feet and 81+ feet tall. It seemed bigger than the gallery (where folks sit).

But the evening didn't start there.


gloaTL started the performance in the wildflower meadow, actually a retention pond between One Atlantic Center and 1180 Peachtree. I didn't know it was there. This is where Calatrava's Symphony Hall was going to be.


They stared in the meadow and migrated that-a-way.


That-a-way across the Promenade II garden. Ever seen the Promenade II garden? It's groomed to the "9's" and I was afraid to disturb one blade of grass.


Sometimes they moved, sometimes they stopped. Reminded me of playing "sling the stature" on summer evenings.


Sometimes a pas de deux.


Sometimes a solo.


Sometimes an upside down quintet.


Sometimes prone.


They crossed 15th street. What next?


Virginia led us down the stairs.


Down the stairs to the grand stage. I was overwhelmed.


For a while the performers were in the gallery and the audience on the stage.


Virginia surveyed the action across the 122 foot stage.

I didn't want to take pictures anymore. I just wanted to be there.


Maybe I can come back for a longer look.

gloATL performed "glo and Paper-Cut Collaboration: gestures that soon will disappear phase I: ROMANTIC BODY" in Five parts: Once in Westend, once in Midtown, twice in Roswell, and once in Westside Atlanta | location announced soon Saturday, July 19 at 8:35pm.

I'm blogging the Modtown performance on Friday, July 11, 2014.

Terry's Tiny 10-Step Guide to Enjoying gloATL

1. gloATL dances where folks don't usually dance.
2. It's kind of crazy, it's rehearsed and unrehearsed.
3. You don't know what will happen next.
4. They move about so you'll need to move about.
5. Beginning and endings are rarely obvious or abrupt.
6. The performers may talk to you and you can certainly talk to them.
7. You can't see it all.
8. You don't have to stay still and be quiet.
9. Sometimes you'll want to stay still and be quiet.
10. The longer you stay the more it gets you.