VESPERS premiered 36 years ago at the Victory Theatre - before the big remodel and name change. Choreography by the late Ulysses Dove; music by Mikel Rouse; danced by Sheri Williams, Shonna Hickman, Debbie Blunden, Dawn Wood, Karen Moon, and L’Tanya Wright. Vespers was performed third in a program that inlcuded INCANTATIONS FOR THE MOON, PROMONTORY, THE CREATION (guest artist Carmen DeLavallade), and LOVE AND THE WEATHER. From the moment the curtain arose on a seated and stately Sheri Williams, accompanied by anxiously “ticking” music, to the electrifying “shouts” and the final wave of “Amens”, performers, audience, choreographer, and director knew we had witnessed a major work. The premier performances were awarded with thunderous applause.

     Since that life-changing moment DCDC has performed Vespers nationally and internationally numerous times – in NYC at the Joyce Theatre and Lincoln Center, Jacob’s Pillow, American Dance Festival in North Carolina, in Germany, Lyon, France, Seoul, North Korea. And everywhere we performed Vespers, it was an instantaneous hit. Vespers remains one of our most popular and requested works.

      Shortly after the Dayton premiere, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre acquired the work in 1987; Patrick Dupond and the Centre Choregraphique Nationaux of the Ballet Theatre Francais De Nancy* performed it in 1989. Thereafter numerous companies from Dallas Black Dance Theatre to Verb Ballet have performed the work. Arguably, Vespers propelled Dove and DCDC to international notice. DCDC’s prodigious leap from successful regional dance company to competitive player in the major leagues through this work cannot be underestimated. But like most “overnight success stories” the truth of what propelled one choreographer and six dancers to stardom is in the painstaking details of patient rehearsal.

     Here now we begin our journey into that process through the written remembrances of the original performers. We commence this exploration with Karen Moon- Thomas and Shonna Hickman-Matlock.

INTERVIEWS WITH SHONNA HICKMAN-MATLOCK (SH-M) AND KAREN MOON-THOMAS (KM-T)

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

I believe his original intention was to use men and women. However, some men did not renew their contract, therefore, this changed the dynamic in the company. Yet the women remained intact during the season he was to create his new work. (SH-M)

I remember seeing Dove at our concerts before he came to set pieces on the company.  He would study the dancers to know how to cast them and the movement he wanted to explore with his dancers.  I believe, before Vespers, Dove was planning on creating an all-male piece and at that time, most of our male dancers were hurt, or healing from injuries so Vespers emerged! (KM-T)

How early in the process was the idea of an evening church service (Vespers) introduced? 

I don’t recall the exact moment. I believe it was very early in the process.  I remember the conversation and the explaining of what a vesper prayer was and how this tied into the thematic content of the work. Where it was birthed from and how it would evolve. He said as a young boy he wondered what happened in the room where his grandma and the other women of the congregation of the church would go for vesper prayers, and this was his illustration or imagination of what went on inside that room behind those closed doors. (SH-M)

The idea of church services came early if I recall.  I remember Dove sharing a story about his grandmother and what the vestibule of the church represented as well as what the women of the church did. (KM-T)

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

I don’t recall any specific stories. He did mention during Sheri and my duet when I enter and touch her shoulder that I represented his grandma as an angel watching over her (him) and when I turned and began to walk it was [as…] though I (his grandmother) was being called and returning to heaven, that is why there is that high lift in the chest as if drawn to a higher power. (SH-M)

How each woman played a role in keeping the authenticity of the service and how strong the women were.  They carried the weight of the church and the nuances of the services on their backs.  They were methodical in their movement and approach. (KM-T)

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

My first introduction to Dove was when he used to pop up at our warm-ups before performances on tour. 

This beautiful brown skinned man with piercing eyes, as though he knew something and he was going to reveal it at any given moment, was engaging, commanding, even without uttering a word, would appear while we were on tour.  He was observing us. I asked Jeraldyne who he was, and she said Ulysses Dove, the choreographer that was coming to Dayton to set an original work. I would later come to know him respectfully, and affectionately, simply as “Dove.”  And he would refer to us as “ladies”. If he used the term dancer, I don’t think it was often. I was immediately curious and drawn to him. He seemed like a man of importance. Or at least he carried himself that way. 

Even before stepping into the studio the process had already begun. As he observed, he was auditioning us. Dove’s seriousness was almost obsessive compulsive about his vision, his work. (SH-M)

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

We hit the dance floor running and didn’t stop. He expected full investment and commitment mind, body, and soul. You see in his eyes and body language that as you moved and expressed, he was moving and experiencing the movement with you. He had such a connection to his choreography. 

I think maybe one or two days later, he chastised us for not being prepared for his rehearsals. We were sitting around waiting for his arrival and he came into the room and unwrapped his scarf and chastised us for not having the dresses and chairs in place so that when he entered, he clicked the sound button and Vesper’s began. It took one time and we made certain that is what happened. (SH-M)

I remember how terrified I was being in a rehearsal with Dove.  I remember the chairs and being assigned to one.  Dove’s rehearsals were intense.  You knew you must give him everything you had…in essence, you had to leave it all on the floor: your blood, your sweat, and sometimes your tears.  You had to catch on quickly to his choreography.

My first closed-door rehearsal with Dove for a solo part was life-changing and catapulted me as a professional dancer.  Dove started by showing me the movement with his body while at the same time passionately making inflections of vocal sounds that dictated exactly what each movement should look like and feel like. One moment the movement would be upright suspended in the air as you turned, the next, down on the floor with your back arched into a contraction, then moving from that into a jump, turn with a leap, and a precision stop holding your leg starring right into the audience faces.  

Dove then turned to me and said, “let me see you do it”.  I remember thinking what in the “HELL” I don’t know what he just did!   How can I remember all that? Especially, when he didn’t even demonstrate all the movement with his body!   However, knowing that I had no choice, I timidly did what I thought he showed.  BIG MISTAKE!  Dove looked right in my eyes and said, I don’t have time to waste on you, either you show me what I am looking for or we can end this rehearsal.  “Karen, you just have to do it!” I thought to myself OMG, I can’t miss this opportunity of a lifetime, I must step it up.  I asked Dove to please show me the movement again.  He did.  The only thing I remember was taking a deep breath, going deep, deep inside myself to a place I had never journeyed with my dancing to feel the inflections of his voice that directed my movement in time, space, feeling, and execution.  When I was finished, Dove with a big smile on his face said, “Now that is what I am looking for! I knew you could do it!"

From that moment on, I understood Dove and his creative genius.  To work with Dove, you had to operate in the spirit and not in the flesh.  Trust me…he knew the difference! (KM-T)

Did Dove allow for movement suggestions from the dancers? 

During my solo the pirouette into the penché was to come from a parallel first. I tried my best, but from that position my momentum was limited, so I naively asked him if I could take it from a fourth position parallel. His eyes pierced me and I thought what did I just do. Had I not learned from Armon’s request. Yet to my surprise he said well let’s try it. So after the back soutenu with the whip of the arm into the sauté with the curved arm behind, he added the right arm which came down the body as it contracted and the right leg would slide back into a parallel fourth position plié with a release of the contraction into a spiral of the torso to the left and the arm pushes down straight with a flex position of the hand. At that moment, I felt comfortable and invited into the creative conversation. However, I never vocalized my suggestions, instead I understood that I could share through the execution of my physical movement and artistic choices. (SH-M)

I believe sometimes his movement evolved from seeing how dancers executed his movement. And sometimes I believe that Dove knew exactly what he wanted because he studied you, and he knew how to pull it out of you! (KM-T)

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

Even though he was serious about his work, he was warm, supportive, a storyteller, cared about your well-being, approachable and personable and a conversationalist. When he laughed his entire being would light up. (SH-M)

Dove was always serious about his work! During rehearsals, he did find moments to laugh.  After rehearsal, he was funny.  Dove and I had a spiritual connection outside of the studio and dance.  We talked a lot, and we had many laughs!! He was an amazing person and friend. I really miss him! (KM-T)

Imagine you must restage your part on another dancer. What will you teach them about: sitting, standing, running, falling, the chair, accomplishing speed without looking frantic, accuracy without appearing stiff, etc.?

⋅ When you do the first fall out of the chair, don’t plan it, just drop. It should not look danced or controlled. 

⋅ Sitting should be regal, not stiff, not relaxed, but calm.

⋅ Running – relax, run low in your legs, and use quick feet.

⋅ The chair, the prop – Do not focus on the prop or it will pull you into it causing you to hit, or knock it over. And when jumping in the chair jump to land in the middle to balance it.

⋅ Speed requires relaxation and not tension.

⋅ Even though the movement may appear frantic, it was controlled energy that gave the appearance of intensity, also don’t hold back and try to conserve, go for it full throttle.

⋅ Accuracy – practice, practice and more practice even outside the designated rehearsal. I was OCD about that part of it. Also, timing and the rhythm of the movement based on Dove’s vocal reference to communicate the musicality of the movement phrases.

⋅ Precision and use of your core center is key to being able to accomplish the speed, turns, getting in and out of the floor and executing balance.

⋅ Use your peripheral vision to be aware of the other dance artists.

⋅ Pay attention to detail – it added to the cleanliness and precision of the work.

⋅ Have a sense of awareness regarding the other women you share the work with creating a sense of trust and co-dependency in a good way.

⋅ Lose yourself in the dance and the rest will fall into place.

⋅ Approach the work with a sense of confidence and trust in your technical abilities. (SH-M)

⋅ About sitting:  back straight, chest full of pride, mind focused…. purpose.

⋅ About standing: I was first to get out of the chair and walk across the floor…when the music starts there should be a connection between you and the music.  The music is inside of you and it takes control of you to make your chest rise up with pride and your chest thrust forward-moving you to get up and out of your chair.

⋅ About running: Go for it! Think about being chased by a dog!

⋅ About falling: let go!

⋅ The chair: own it, don’t be afraid!

⋅ Accomplishing speed: live and be in the moment!

⋅ About Accuracy:  Listen for Dove’s voice inflections for the movement, breathe like him and when everyone does that, the accuracy magically happens! (KM-T)

Were you aware of the impact of this piece? When? 

I think almost immediately you could sense that all the ingredients were there for the making of a one-of-a-kind masterwork. The dancers, the chairs, the music, the dresses, and the choreography as well as the intent. This was going to be a stunning work of success that others will respect, envy, or try to replicate.  

I think we could all sense in the room something amazing, rare, original was happening and that we were part of it. (SH-M)

 WOW!!  Also, when I was told several times by different Ailey male dancers, that the Ailey Vespers cast was afraid that they would not be able to measure up….  REALLY!!!  I am still known around the dance community as “this is one of the original Vespers girls” and then dancers from DCDC, Ailey, and Philadanco, recognized me from Vespers!  WOW...too MUCH! (KM-T)

What did the process from start to finish teach you about yourself? 

It taught me that I was capable of so much more than I realized. It taught me to have an awareness and how work and rely on other dancers sharing the space; to trust my technique, (SH-M)

I learned to trust the process, I learned to let go and connect to the spirit or force behind the movement.  I learned not to be afraid but to go for it with everything that is inside you.  I am not the same Karen Moon-Thomas that I was…today, because of DCDC, Jeraldyne Blunden, Kevin Ward and Ulysses Dove,  I am not afraid of a challenge, I know I can learn and be taught to master anything!  I know I can accomplish my dreams if I “ just do it!” (KM-T)

Who were you before and after this process?  

I entered the process as an emerging dance artist, but by the end of the process I felt I was not only an original Vespers dancer, but that I had arrived at being a complete artist who could think for herself, apply and make artistic choices, whose voice had matured some more. (SH-M)

Side note (SH-M): I also had the privilege of being cast as an original in his “Urban Folkdance.” During that creative process it gave me a platform to tap into being vulnerable on stage, inviting people into the work as a spectator; a voyeur. How powerful that was for me to learn how to take the emotional risks that comes with being open.