Hermesdorf & Zeltzman

Story from Dominique Zeltzman

I don’t know how I got up the nerve to ask Kathleen to dance with me. Or to nag her until she did. I was certainly no match for her virtuosity, and yet I knew we would have something no one else had.

She did cave eventually, and we proceeded to create Heart Knots (AKA Forget Me Knots) in 1996, which we danced at 848 Community Space, The Lab, the Jon Sims Center, and other venues, before doing our evening length production Alter Ego Duality Dances at Footwork Dancers Group in 2000. In that show, Kathleen premiered her fantastic and unmatched Solo for Supergirl, I performed No Ordinary Chore (which KK optimistically called a public service announcement…I wasn’t so sure), and we made Nostalgia Sea, which unfortunately gets lost on video in the dramatic lighting, but shows moments of promise. How I wish we could workshop that one for a few more years…

Kathleen came to rehearsals bearing gifts: special notebooks with el corazon printed on the smooth covers, with pens to journal our scores, wonderful costumes to try, and snacks. In fact, before I danced with Kathleen as a duo, Selene Colburn (my dance partner of Zeltzman and Colburn fame) and I made an insane trio with her. Again, I forget the story of its origins except that Selene and I were in the habit of consuming elaborate macrobiotic meals that left us exhausted, and we were enthralled by Kathleen’s power and strength when she seemed to live off of coca cola. Together, we created Snax Amerika, which we performed at ODC Theater. I don’t know that a recording exists, but that’s ok. It included relay races, much eating of Captain Crunch cereal, and drinking of huge fountain cokes. Not very good. But really really fun.

Selene and Kathleen—the dance loves of my life. I never thought I’d be writing this. In fact, much the opposite. I always assumed I’d go first and could count on S and K to tell my daughter Aurelia about my dancing days.

KK I am sorry this does not do your genius justice. You were a dream. I hope to dance with you again.

Love,
Dominique

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