Ulysses Dove crafted a masterpiece when he created "Vespers." The intense rehearsals, depth of research, and attention to detail have made it a work that transcends time. Each generation to touch the work is changed forever after. Sheri "Sparkle" Williams has not only performed the work over numerous iterations, but mentored the next women to tackle the work. Read on to hear about the experience in Sheri's own words.

How did Dove begin: what were the first rehearsals like?

I don't really recall the initial rehearsals being any different than those of any other learning process. I remember Dove had to adjust his thoughts with regard to what the piece would be about (I'll speak to this later) but, I believe we began with movement phrases that became what would be called 'the wave'. All present learned everything. This movement would actually become the second section of the piece - the first section was created last.

Was it always going to be women, or were there men in mind?

Dove’s original intention was to create a work for both men and women. I believe he learned he would not be working with any men after arriving in Dayton to actually begin rehearsing. He had to re-imagine an entirely different work.

When and why were chairs introduced? Did initial movement explorations involve chairs?

The initial movement did not involve chairs. He came into rehearsal one day wanting to use the chairs. It was early on so he might have already known he wanted to use them. …there was talk of candles being stationed beneath the chairs. We all thought that would be great, but the logistics would have been a bit precarious, maybe even dangerous, so that idea was shelved. (I guess some sort of facsimile wasn’t available at the time.)

What stories did Dove tell you about those church services that he  commemorates in Vespers?

His stories recalled his mother and grandmother along with other women of the church gathering to have their private calling unto God. The particulars are not with me any longer but the message is quite vivid. The message is Vespers.

Before Dove began his Vespers residencies, what other experiences did you have with him?

I don’t remember any residencies. I knew Dove as a dancer with the Ailey company and because of him guesting along with Donna Wood on a few of our DCDC home concerts. He taught class while setting the work but I don’t recall having any previous working encounters with him.  He came in and there was only 1 residency…we worked 30 days STRAIGHT!!! ☺

Talk about Dove’s methods of choreographing, demonstrating, and teaching.

The suggestive mode of choreographing is prevalent, even the norm, today but such was not so much the case during the yesteryears. Dove was well prepared with what he wanted to be delivered. But on a real tip, things happen during rehearsal while attempting to deliver what has been given so if something happened spontaneously that he liked he was definitely open to explore it. There’s always room for exploration that might just end up becoming the end product. He used his voice a lot, making sounds that indicated the way he wanted us to move.  For example, using the sound made by forcefully blowing out while making the tongue vibrate against the roof of the mouth, to propel us during chaine turns. His method proved wonderfully effective. I use such vocalizing as my way of instructing, it is intrinsic to my being now. I can still hear him to this day.  

Did movement spring from him fully realized or did he take time to edit his ideas?

There was a combination of both. I don’t think I have ever been in a situation where a choreographer did not want both to expand and to edit his or her movement ideas. 

How hard/easy was it to deliver what Dove asked of you?

Well…it definitely was not easy but what he was asking of us also was not hard. For me it wasn’t about the movement being hard, the challenge was being able to harness the energy, drive, focus, and intent while delivering the technical proficiency Dove demanded. It was intense…and I loved it!  I had never been as physically sore before Dove and I have never experienced such pain after. (Or maybe ‘surviving Vespers’ made my tolerance for pain ridiculously high.)  

What were the most challenging parts of the process?

As the rehearsals progressed day after day, the most challenging aspect of the process  quickly reared its ugly head. It was the over-and-over, the torn/ripped-up feet, the total muscular soreness (head to toe) with no real way of combating it. And on top of all that angst, we had to deliver the work regardless! It was brutal…but I would not change one moment of it!

Was Dove always serious, or did he show other sides of his personality?

Dove was always pleasant. He wasn’t very serious at all. When it was time to work we worked hard, the atmosphere was all about getting the job done. It was never harsh or heavy but encouraging and positive with a constant drive to deliver more. He/we were able to laugh a great deal. (That is when we weren’t writhing in pain!)

Who did the original costume designs?

I don’t remember who did the original designs. We all did at some point go with Dove Thrift Store shopping. You should have seen us all looking through the racks finding dresses for each other to try on. “Ooo…Shonna, this would look good on you. Try it on!”I’m sure we were some kind of spectacle for the workers.  I believe dresses were made for all six of us but only myself and maybe one or two others ended up using them and the remaining were bought. Our wardrobe person may have gathered some dresses to try as well. 

Imagine you must restage your part on another dancer. What will you teach them?

I have restaged the entire ballet a few times and each time the first thing I have to do is to make the dancers realize they have to be at a level of calm. Each potential cast member undoubtedly begins with an exaggerated level of frantic that has to be addressed and put to rest. They have to be made to understand what the Vesper is and then come to respect the women whom they are portraying. The speed, accuracy, technical proficiency, usage of the chairs and intention of the work have to be made understood and then drilled…drilled…and drilled some more. There’s no way around the work that has to be done! The manner of the ladies is very particular which is ever present when taking our seat and while seated. To sit, one leg (the downstage one) is ever so gently eased backward to connect with the seat allowing us to gauge our distance as we descend. Once seated, we gather our feet together while smoothing our dress to cover our knees. All the while, our spines are long and remain so for as long as we are seated. Standing from the chair requires us to feel as though we are responding to a ‘call’. Not one that would sound via a phone, but a beckoning call from our Lord above. We must move our weight onto our feet without leaning forward, spine erect and without superfluous motion. We run with our arms down by our sides - no typical pumping motion. Our runs are fast and close to the ground. This groundedness makes for explosive propulsion which is necessary to navigate the bounding, turning and ultimately the jumps into the chairs. We move swiftly back and forth across the stage and into and out of the floor seamlessly. This is accomplished by keeping ourselves grounded and in control of our being. You cannot put on any ‘ism’ you have to simply be, if that makes any sense. If you have any delusions of grandeur in your head you will definitely crash and burn. I’ve seen it…it is not pretty! The calm comes from succumbing to the fact that what is transpiring is bigger than you. Dove used to say, “You have to move over and let the spirit of dance take over.” Honestly, I don’t know about any spirit of dance, but I absolutely know what he was saying. As seasoned as I have become, I have always along the way applied that sentiment when appropriate.  This might be the most important aspect of being able to accomplish our task.  When someone appears frantic, spastic, stiff or the like they’ve totally missed the boat. These women are mothers, grandmothers, sisters, wives, every iteration of female. They are regal, poised and never vulgar. But when the spirit calls them forth their answer is to cut loose with abandon. And once the service is complete they respectfully relay their Amen then saunter on home to Bébé and em’.  LOL!

What technical hints did Dove offer that made performing his choreography possible?

Dove wanted us to be clean and clear with our technique. It was a must! The highest relevés and the longest legs when mounting those high relevés, stretched and   articulated feet, and movement to its fullest. In a nutshell, he wanted/demanded that clean technique was never to be compromised! We were charged with delivering virtuosity!  Now with regard to hints as to how to go about accomplishing said demand, “Get it done” about says it all! 

Did you develop your own persona as you rehearsed the piece?

I don’t believe I developed any sort of persona as much as I relied on Doves direction to guide me to be honest with the movement. Meaning that I ‘trim the fat', so to speak, and not do anything other than what was asked. I didn’t have to become somebody. Armed with the respect we all had and have for the generations of women in our lives and knowing the sanctity of a vesper, my task was clear. Performing Vespers. For me, delivering Vespers requires being true to its intent while, of course, executing the movement with precision. When Vespers is on the marley I don’t think of it as a performance. I open the piece clearing the space inviting in the spirit(s) and only when the space has been successfully prepared will my ladies then join me, so we may begin our service. The audience just happens to be present in witness.

What are your thoughts on all-male casts? On pointe casts?

I have seen an all-male cast (I believe they are the only to exist) and I found it to be rather stirring. It was totally different from our presentation. The choreography was the same save a few alterations and a lot more pirouettes!!! (They were accomplished ballet boys so enough said…!) Now that I think about it, I’m curious as to what would have been Dove’s explanation of the vesper (his directive) as related to not only Caucasian people but Caucasian men. Not to say that white people do not participate in ‘evening prayers’ but I’m pretty sure the gathering of worship of a group of respected women of the black church in the name of their lord is profoundly different than what transpires during such for white men. 

As for any pointe casts, pointe shoes make the piece much too careful! Dove has set some wonderful and beautiful works en pointe, Vespers is not one of them so I say let’s just leave it as set – six women in dresses with six chairs and no shoes - well, I was allowed to wear ballet slippers…thankfully! 

(I do have to state that I really did like seeing the men…but I also love seeing a stage full of men presenting excellence! It’s a thing for me.) 

The lighting is an important part of the dance, often putting you in near total darkness. How did you manage to do the choreography?

Whew…now that was a challenge! Actually, for me it’s only a challenge during the first movement. I would only ever have one shot at acclimating myself with the lighting before any performance so I quickly learned I had to make sure (lightly 5 demand) a few things occur. I asked that the environment for the rehearsal run be exactly that which would be the case during the performance - all backstage work light be out, any doors in the house be closed and their lighting such as ‘exit’ or whatever be illuminated, and that their not be any light on during rehearsal that would not be on during the show. A light that should be on could be off during rehearsal and then appear later and wouldn’t bother me. But, a light that was on during rehearsal that was later not on during the performance could make things a bit intense for me. The latter only happened once which caused me to develop my humble demands. It threw me a curve that I had to handle on the fly…Actually, it pissed me off!

As you stated in the question, the lighting is extreme and pretty stark/dark so I found that using references within the house to spot enabled me to keep my bearings - not lose my front.  Necessity is absolutely the mother of invention. 

Were you aware of the impact of this piece?

We knew the piece would be greatly impactful. From the beginning I knew it to be like no other work I had ever done. Its mere intensity (when done well) is enough to send an audience into a tizzy. I am exceedingly proud of the result of the seemingly endless blood, sweat and tears that was cultivated into what has come to be known as Vespers. The work appeals to any and all who live and breathe. We had no idea our effort would unleash such a phenomenon but I am not at all surprised Vespers transcends any cultural divide. 

What did the process from start to finish teach you about yourself? Who were you before and after this process?

Wow…With regard to dance experience, I came into Vespers wise beyond my chronological years. Dancing under the leadership of Jeraldyne blessed me with having experienced working with recognized legendary teachers and choreographers. With that said, I was young (24 or 25), focused, and always up for a challenge. But man-o-man I had no idea of the challenge that was to come. Through it all, I learned to take hold of my technique and that being on stage was not always about presentation. Meaning that it’s not about an outward extension of oneself but in some instances it’s the power of simply being true to the movement and its intent. Jeraldyne taught me to be honest with my dancing so as to never project any pretense. Vespers catapulted my artistry forward, armed me with more tools for my belt so to speak. I believe being a dancer is not synonymous with being an artist.  Artistry is cultivated so dancers have to place themselves into the hands of those who can supply the necessary nurturing, instruction, guidance and the like. Artistry is destined to flourish with an experience such as that of the making of Vespers. I thought myself unafraid before Vespers but I came to know myself as fearless after.