NAME: Gonzalez, Ching

BIRTH DATE/LOCATION:
21 October 1952, Manila, Philippines

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Photo: Thomas Bogdan

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  • identification & bio
  • key contact
  • human repositories
  • video documentation
  • photographic documentation
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  • movement notation
  • production materials
  • oral history
  • personal papers
  • immediate needs
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    IDENTIFICATION AND BIO:
    Ching Gonzalez is an avant-garde dancer and singer who, at the beginning of his career, performed with Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians as well as on Broadway. Since the mid-1980s, he has been associated with the work of performance artist Meredith Monk. A freelance performer and choreographer, he created the dances embedded in Thomas Bogdan's l'Amour Bleu, a musical review described as a "musical masque on gay themes." The production has been mounted three times in New York at the Danspace Project at St. Mark's Church, in 1994, 1995, and 1996. Gonzalez's dances appeared in all three versions, in which he also starred as the title character in elaborate female drag. The central conceit of the production is that the events recounted in the biblical book of Genesis, especially those related to God's creation of Adam and Eve, are augmented by the gift of "a special spirit, a muse, to bring forth their own perfect love and lust"—that is, l'Amour Bleu. Gonzalez appears at first wearing a big platinum wig, high heels, and elbow-length gloves. As the piece progresses, each scene reveals l'Amour Bleu wearing fewer accessories, or with wig removed, peeling away layer after layer until, at the end, the masquerade is over. In the 1995 production, which has been documented on video, Gonzalez has also augmented the staging with simple movement material and has choreographed Monk's "Memory Song" from The Games, her collaborative work with Ping Chong. In "Ophelia's Aria" Gonzalez makes an appearance as Isadora Duncan on the balcony of St. Mark's, waltzing and picking flowers, and ultimately choking on a scarf. He also appears as a central figure in the choreography to Monk's Requiem, where the lifeless bodies littering the stage become magically transformed and, by the end, keep watch over the friend left behind.

    KEY CONTACT PERSON(S)/EXECUTOR OF ESTATE:
    Ching Gonzalez
    151 W. 78th Street, #1D
    New York, NY 10024
    212-496-9771 (home)
    917-690-6772 (mobile)
    212-870-2832 (work)
    chingg@nyc.rr.com

    Thomas Bogdan
    236 W. 10th St. #30
    New York, NY 10014
    212-989-6024 (home and fax)
    lazlaf@aol.com

    HUMAN REPOSITORIES OF THE WORK
    (name and contact info, relationship to the artist and the work, assessment):
    Ching Gonzalez and Thomas Bogdan

    VIDEO DOCUMENTATION
    (location, format, condition, assessment):
    A complete video document of Thomas Bogdan's l'Amour Bleu was shot on 14 January 1995 during a performance at St. Mark's Church, 1'45” in length. The quality of the document is good, but the camera work and editing are minimal. The tape is held by Thomas Bogdan.

    There is not a copy of this tape at the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library.

    PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION
    (location, format, condition, assessment):
    Thomas Bogdan holds photographs of the production.

    MOVEMENT NOTATION
    (location, type [including notes taken by dancers], assessment):
    Ching Gonzalez holds his own movement notation for the production.

    PRODUCTION MATERIALS
    (scores, sound recordings, set/costume designs):
    Thomas Bogdan holds production materials.

    ORAL HISTORY:
    None identified.

    PERSONAL PAPERS
    (location of newspaper clippings, printed programs, press releases, notes, files, diaries; assessment):
    The Dance Collection of the New York Public Library maintains a clippings file on "Gonzalez, Ching," call number MGZR.

    IMMEDIATE NEEDS
    (archival assistance? storage? other?):
    None identified.

    OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
    The 1996 performances werre in memory of John Albano, director of the show, who died of AIDS-related causes shortly after the 1995 performances.

    LIST OR OVERVIEW OF WORKS
    (title, premiere date, music, production notes, performers):

    l'Amour Bleu (1994)

    BIBLIOGRAPHY:

    • Gener, Randy. 1994. [Brief review of l'Amour Bleu at St. Mark's Church.] Village Voice (22 March).
         		 
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