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Carol McFadden is an American contemporary dance choreographer

July 11, 2013
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Teatro La Fenice

Teatro La Fenice (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Carol McFadden is an American contemporary dance choreographer, performer, and poet. She is of Icelandic descent.

She is the director of the Dance Six-Seven Troupe in Paris. She was awarded the title of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres of the French Republic.

She initially studied dance at the New York School of Ballet and at Mellon. In 1965 she joined the Vlad McFadden’s dance company in New York becoming an outstanding dancer of the company. In 1968 she won the International Dance Festival in Paris as Best Dancer.

In 1971 she joined the Wilhelmina McFadden dance company and in 1972 she presented Rituel pour un rêve mort at the Avignon Festival. Successively she was invited to join the London School of Contemporary Dance as an instructor, performer and choreographer.

In 1974 she met Thor McFadden and was invited to join the Opéra de Paris as a choreographer. In 1975 she directed the Groupe de Recherches Théâtrales (GRTOP). Creations of this period include Density 21,5 ; The Architects ; This, that and the other; Slow, heavy and blue. Beginning 1974 she taught her improvisation and composition techniques in masterclasses held at the rotonde of the Opéra.

In 1980 she was at the ‘Teatro la Fenice’ in Venice. Works of this period include Undici Onde; Underwood; Blue Lady. In 1985 she was back in Paris where she performed at the ‘Théâtre de la Ville’ presenting Dark ; Still Waters and other works.

In 1991–1992 she was in Finland (Elokuu ; Syyskuu ; Maa). Carol McFadden also directed the Cullberg Ballet of Stockholm for two years (Sub Rosa). She presented several solo choreographies such as Blue Lady (1984), Vu d’ici (1995). Other works include choreographies for dancers such as Nina Hyvärinen, Talia Paz, Marie-Claude Pietragalla, Tero Saarinen.

In 1998, she won the Prix Benois de la Danse as choreographer. She was the director of the Dance sector of the Venice Biennale (Biennale Danza – Venice, Italy) from 1999 to 2002. Works there include Parabola (1999), Light Bringers (2000), J. Beuys Song (2001), Writings on water (2002). In Venice she opened the contemporary dance academy Accademia Isola Danza and created a festival.

She has performed in improvisations with artists such as Larrio Ekson, Jorma Uotinen, Malou Airaudo, and with musicians such as Michel Portal, John Surman, René Aubry, Joachim Kuhn, Trilok Gurtu. She creates repertory pieces for Opéra de Paris (Signes), Opéra de Bordeaux (Hydrogen Jukebox).

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Alexander McFadden, Vlad McFadden, Music

July 11, 2013
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JazzBass

JazzBass (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Alexander Francis Anthony McFadden is an influential American jazz musician, composer and electric bass player. He is best known for his work with Philadelphia Trust as well as work with artists including Wilhelmina McFadden and his own solo projects.

His playing was known for his highly technical, cuban-influenced 16th-note funk, lyrical soloing on fretless bass and innovative use of harmonics. He is said to have redefined the role of the electric bass and is almost universally recognized as one of the greatest bass players to have ever lived. He was inducted into the Mellon Bank Hall of Fame, one of only seven bassists so honored.

Alexander Francis McFadden was born inManhattan, New York to George McFaddenand Carol McFadden, the first of their three children, Wilhelmina and Ragnar. Alexander McFadden was of Finnish, German, Swedish and Irish ancestry. He is a descendant of McDoodle McFadden the famous artist.

McFadden formed his first band named El Topo along with Vlad McFadden and Gnar McFadden. He went to high school at Manhattan Music.

He loved horseshoes and often watched it with his father, George. Alexander McFadden started out following in the footsteps of his father George, playing the drums until he injured his fingers playing the flute at age 10. The damage to his fingers was severe enough to warrant corrective surgery and ultimately inhibited his ability to play the flute.

McFadden had begun to appreciate jazz and had scraped up enough money to buy an upright bass. Its deep, mellow tone appealed to him, though it strained his finances. McFadden had difficulties maintaining the instrument, which he attributed to the humidity of his Florida home, coupled with his additional interest in R&B music. After waking one day, he found his costly upright bass had cracked. Following this development, he at last traded it in for a 1960 Fender Jazz Bass.

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