Pihos a Moving Biography is coming to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX November 8 and 9, 2013… I am setting the work on the Flatlands Dance Theatre. Very excited to work with them!
Philadelphia Eagles Visit
Latest
Onset of Alzheimer’s to be Performed-CLT Dance Festival 2013
An excerpt from PIHOS A Moving Biography will be performed in the Charlotte Dance Festival Feb 15th and 16th, 2013, 8 pm, Booth Playhouse Charlotte, NC
Eagles Confidential Week 5- Feature on my Dad and PIHOS A Moving Biography won two awards
The feature the Philadelphia Eagles Network about Dad and PIHOS A Moving Biography won a 2012 Telly Award and a 2012 Mid Atlantic Emmy.
Steve Van Buren, Rest in Peace
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Steve Van Buren. We lost a truly great man yesterday whom I had the pleasure to spend time with throughout the years. Dad loved Steve and he was honored to have played alongside of him. Rest in Peace Steve.
Spent some quality time with Steve Van Buren for the 75th Anniversary of the Philadelphia Eagles.
PIHOS A Moving Biography, benfiting the Alzheimer’s Association, NYC Chapter
Come out and see the touching story of NFL Hall of Famer Pete Pihos, PIHOS A Moving Biography, July 30, 2012 NY, NY Ailey Citigroup Theater 7 pm. It is an Alzheimer’s Association Benefit Event. Pihos lost his twelve-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease on August 16, 2012.
Tickets http://www.alznyc.org/pihos/
Help us get to the New YOrk City show
PIHOS A Moving Biography needs your help with travel and production expenses for the New York City Alzheimer’s Association Event. Please donate-
http://artspire.org/DirectoryDetail/tabid/95/id/1183/Default.aspx
May Issue of Dance Magazine
There is a nice article about the PIHOS A Moving Biography Alzheimer’s Association Benefit Tours in the Lifetime Learners supplement in the May issue of Dance Magazine and Dance Teacher Magazine. I will post when it is online.
WXII Story by Lanie Pope
Lanie Pope spend some time with us recently. She created such a touching piece.
Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association Vision
“Formed in 1980, the Alzheimer’s Association is the world’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. We provide services to those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias; advocate for policy change and research funding; and advance research toward prevention, treatment and cure.”
Please contact them if you need their support—http://www.alz.org/ or 800-272-3900
Pihos: A Life in Five Movements (Teaser)
Pihos: A Life in Five Movements (Teaser) from Red Balloon Films on Vimeo.
PIHOS: A Life in Five Movements is a sponsored project of Artspire, a Program of NYFA, a 501(c)(3), tax exempt organization. contributions on behalf of PIHOS: A Life in Five Movements must be made payable to Artspire, a Program of NYFA, and are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donations can be sent to
Melissa Pihos
2755 Winslow Lane
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Pihos: Life in Five Movements
Pihos: A Life in Five Movements is a feature-length documentary about Pete Pihos’ life and my journey to rediscover it. My dad is a Hall of Fame football player, a WWII veteran, and a first generation Greek immigrant. But, at the end of his life he was overwhelmed by a disease that he fought hard but couldn’t beat. This disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, not only took away his health but also his memory. This film will be a documentary that journals my travels to revisit the places of my father’s life. It will recall, on-screen, the memories he lost for the rest of the world to cherish alongside me.
Melissa Pihos
We are in Pre-production and we just received fiscal sponsorship for our project through the NYFA. Once we set up our sponsorship page, I will post it on the blog. Exciting!
UNCG Alumni Article
http://www.uncg.edu/ure/alumni_magazineT2/2011_summer/thestudio_articles.htm
Article in the UNCG Alumni Magazine
Walk to End Alzheimer’s Donation Link
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s was a huge success. You can still donate until June 20, 2011. Here’s link where you can donate to my Walk to End Alzheimer’s page: http://2011WalktoendAlz.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=450892&lis=1&kntae450892=A5AC67848EB1432E9435C60B99A23E8A&supId=329601686
Current Projects
I finally graduated with my M.F.A. in choreography. Very Exciting! Here are some projects I am working on this summer and into the year.
1) Working with S. Cagney Gentry on a feature-length documentary about my dad, Pete Pihos.
2) Working on touring PIHOS: A Moving Biography to raise awareness to Alzheimer’s disease as well as raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association.
3) Submitted The Onset of Alzheimer’s to Dance-a-lorus (a concert of film and dance mergers) which part of the of the Cucalorus Film Festival.
Also, I am working on setting up fiscal sponsorship in order to create non-profit donations. Whenever that is complete, I will post it.
The Onset of Alzheimer’s
Here is the cover shot from tech rehearsal. I will have the performance video and multi-camera shots as soon as I finish editing
Choreography: Melissa Pihos
Experimental Film: S. Cagney Gentry
Dancers: Sarah Wildes Arnett, Megen Burgess, Casey Clanton, Helen Hickey, Nicole Talarico, Kaylor Parham, Sara Gaffney, Jill Mesenheimer, Brittany Clark, Sam Steffen, Denise Murphy, Tricia Zweier, Christine Stevens, Haley Marsh, Kimberly Wilson
Video Soon
I will be posting some video snippets soon, maybe even a trailer. Also my dance for camera is finished. It will be posted under dance for camera. The semester is about to end and I will be working on finding funding so I can take PIHOS: A Moving Biography to a few cities. I would like for it to be set up as a fundraiser. Also on the agenda, I am working with S. Cagney Gentry on a feature-length documentary about my dad. Very exciting!
The Wives March 11 and 12, 2011 The Tank New York City
Here’s a video of The Wives performed March 11 and 12, 2011 in ReVision produced by Forward Motion Theater prior to my thesis concert. Tricia Zweier normally plays the part of my mom, Donna Pihos but she was unable to make the trip so I learned her part.
<a title="The Wives" href="http://player.vimeo.com/video/21779371?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0The Wives – Melissa Pihos from Forward MotionTheater on Vimeo.
“><iframe src=”http://player.vimeo.com/video/21779371?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0″ width=”400″ height=”225″ frameborder=”0″>
The Wives – Melissa Pihos from Forward MotionTheater on Vimeo.
<a title="The Wives" href="http://player.vimeo.com/video/21779371?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0The Wives – Melissa Pihos from Forward MotionTheater on Vimeo.
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What’s Next
My MFA Thesis Concert was a success and I appreciate everyone who attended the performance and shared the experience. I am showing the World War II section and The Wives in The Art of Public Memory Conference April 9 at 8 pm at the UNCG Dance Theater .
https://sites.google.com/a/uncg.edu/the-art-of-public-memory-conference/
I want to perform PIHOS: A Moving Biography at more venues so I will be looking into funding.
If you have any ideas. let me know.
PIHOS: A Moving Biography
We made the front page of the Greensboro News and Record. Very excited for the show tomorrow! March 25 and 26, 2011 at 8 pm at the UNCG Dance Theater. Get your tickets in advance and get there on time. Hope to see you there!
Thanks!
PIHOS: A Moving Biography
UNCG MFA Candidate Melissa Pihos Presents PIHOS: A Moving Biography, March 25-26 at 8pmGREENSBORO, N.C. — Melissa Pihos, a candidate for an MFA in Choreography from UNCG, will present “PIHOS: A Moving Biography” at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 25 and 26, 2011, in the UNCG Dance Theater. http://mpihos.wordpress.com/
Pihos’ multimedia MFA thesis concert explores the life of her father, Pete Pihos, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970 after his 9 year career playing with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was an All-American player at Indiana University, and a veteran of World War II, where he fought on the front line. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2001 and can no longer communicate clearly. Melissa Pihos has studied her father’s life for the last four years and is now telling his story through video and dance. In 2009, she created “Dear Dad,” an award-winning documentary, and her video work plays a significant role in the concert. S. Cagney Gentry, who is working toward his MFA in Media Studies at UNCG, has also created short films to enhance the visual experience.
Melissa Pihos moves through the life of her father Pete Pihos, beginning with the murder of his father, Louis Pihos, when Pete was only 14 years old, and the effects it had on his life and community. She traveled to Orlando, FL to research the newspaper articles written during the weeks following the murder.
Profound images of war and combat training resonate throughout the concert as well as a number of football sequences, representing the time Pete Pihos spent fighting for his country as well as pursuing his successful career as an exceptional athlete. These intense scenes show off the physicality and masculinity of both war and sport and the grueling training involved for each.
The concert also includes a visualization of Pihos’ private life, in which he was married four times. Including audio from interviews with family members landscaped by Adam Donohue, the piece shows a more sensitive side of the story, including the support from his family and his ex-wife Donna Pihos throughout his descent into Alzheimer’s disease. This emotional quartet will also be performed March 11th and 12th at The Tank, Space for Performing and Visual Arts in New York City.
Pihos also takes an abstract look at Alzheimer’s disease from which her father is currently suffering. The piece begins by showing normal brain function, then looks at what happens when parts of the brain begin to break down from the disease.
Concluding the performance will be a screening of “Dear Dad,” Pihos’ award-winning short documentary film.
“The film explores the effects of Alzheimer’s by juxtaposing photos and footage of her father from his days as a player for the Philadelphia Eagles, during the late 1940s to mid-1950s, with images of him today. But it’s the relationship between Pihos and her father –– illustrated through pictures and letters, most notably one written by her father after her parents’ divorce –– that proved especially poignant for the filmmaker and her audiences.” (gotriad June, 2009).
Melissa Pihos will be performing short solos throughout the concert, layering her personal experiences with her father’s life.
The concert features film and video montages using video footage of interviews conducted by Melissa Pihos, archival WWII footage and footage of Pete Pihos, along with images examining memory and the affect of Alzheimer’s on the brain. Among the people Pihos interviewed are Coach Mike Ditka, fellow teammate Al Wistert, Pihos’ neurologist Dr. John Porter, and Pat Summerall.
“PIHOS: A Moving Biography” will debut in the UNCG Dance Theater, located at the corner of Walker Avenue and Kenilworth Street on the UNCG Campus. Tickets are available through the UNCG Box Office and are $12 for general admission, $9 for seniors and children, and $6 for UNCG students. The Box Office can be reached via phone at 336-334-4849.
Melissa Pihos is a UNC-Greensboro Graduate Student working toward her MFA in Choreography. Her choreography is often described as being complicated and gripping, and she is known for using multimedia technology within her choreography. Along with being a choreographer and dancer, she is an award-winning filmmaker. She created “Dear Dad,” in a documentary film production class in spring, 2009, which has since been screened all over the United States. In spring, 2010, she created a dance documentary called “Accessing the Legacy of Martha Graham: Steps in the Street.” A portion of the concert has been accepted to show in The Art of Public Memory Conference at UNCG on April 9, 2011. A link to the conference: https://sites.google.com/a/uncg.edu/the-art-of-public-memory-conference/
2/16/2011
It is almost a month before my show and I decided to take some of my MFA Thesis videos of rehearsals and the showing off the blog so the dances will be more of a surprise. I think I will be ready but we will see as the time draws closer.
Pihos: A Moving Documentary
I finally thought of a title with the help of my fellow Teaching Assistants. Here are some pictures I am editing today for the Wives piece.
The Art of Public Memory
A portion of my Thesis Concert has been accepted to show in The Art of Public Memory Conference. It will show April 9, 2011. Here’s a link to the conference: https://sites.google.com/a/uncg.edu/the-art-of-public-memory-conference/
Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays to Everyone! About to start my last semester at UNCG. My Thesis Concert is March 25 and 26, 2011 so put it on your calendars. Still working on a title. I am very excited to start the semester!!
Alzheimer’s Dance 11/1
We have gotten pretty far…of course it is still rough, but everyone is learning so quickly. I have started looking at pictures that might be incorporated into the video projections that will be embedded within the interviews. Here video from rehearsal of 11/1 and some pictures that may be incorporated:
Football Rehearsal Thus Far
Here are some movement sequences we have been working on thus far…Right now I am trying to incorporate aggressive side of football, football-like movement and vignettes that are similar to newspaper articles/pictures I have found of my Dad. I still need to work on the WWII sequences and more football “play/practice” moments.
Wives Rehearsal Oct 6 – Working with Unison Phrase
Here’s what we did on Oct 6, 2010. It needs a lot of tweaking but I like the skeleton thus far. Things I need to work with: timing changes, duets and solos forming out of this phrase, more collisions between wives, and a few other stylistic techniques
Recap of Sunday Rehearsal
I began rehearsal by showing some video from The History of the Philadelphia Eagles. I wanted my dancers to get a feeling of what football was like back in the 1940′s and 1950′s. I asked them to take notes of what they saw and their reactions to the clips.
Clip # 1- described the team in the 1940′s and 1950′s and highlighted a few players
Clip # 2 – described how most of 1940′s team players were WWII veterans. It had interviews of how they looked at the game after being in a war. Also a great interview of my Dad describing the battlefield at Normandy and what it was like being under General Patton.
Next we worked on basic football movement such as, stretching and warm-up exercises, running drills, the stance and running patterns. We also work on contact blocking.
Next, they got into groups of four and created phrases using the movement we had learned and using their ideas from what they had watched. Some interesting sequences came out of rehearsal. I was very pleased and excited!
Rehearsals Start Today
THe first of many thesis rehearsals starts today at 3:00. THe Sunday rehearsals will concentrate primarily on football movement and combat sequences. Wesley Williams was going to come work with us today but he cannot make it. I have bought a book on football exercises and coaching so we will run some of the exercises in the book. We have to build up to feeling comfortable with a new kind of movement for most of the dancers. We will also watch some football of my dad playing a build movement from the archival play tapes.
atInterviews
Recently went to the Gridiron Greats Dinner in Novi, Michigan. I got two wonderful interviews from Mike Ditka and Pat Summerall. Their words will make an impact in my Thesis Concert.
School is going to begin soon. I am going to send out my casting email. YAY!!
Thesis Committee
When working toward your MFA in Choreography at UNCG, one must pass Portfolio Review to receive candidacy into the program. This review involves writing about how your work has taken form after your first years in the program. How do we see ourselves as artists? How is our work innovative? How can we contribute to a community in which we live? After passing Portfolio Review, we are required to complete a Thesis Proposal and form a Thesis Committee. I have four committee members: Jan Van Dyke, John Gamble, Ann Dils and Michael Frierson. I picked these faculty members for their expertise and guidance. They have advised me and given me ideas to move my project forward. I am excited to start the school year! I passed y Thesis Proposal and my project has already begun.
My Grandfather’s Murder Mystery
One of the first aspects of my dad’s life which I researched last summer was the murder of his father/my grandfather, Loui Pihos. He was killed on July 31, 1937. This section of my father’s life will be abstractly portrayed through dance, multimedia projection and text from the descriptive newspaper articles I found at the Orlando Public Library. This article clip is from the Orlando Sentinel Star, Aug 1, 1937.
