Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City
April 2012 Previews

By Deborah Searle.

You may ask, how can the Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore 80s classic film Ghost be adapted into a singing and dancing stage show? I, too, was a skeptic, hoping that the show wasn’t going to be a corny rendition of the much loved story, as I took my seat in the gorgeous Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on 46^th Street, New York.

From skeptic to fan I was hooked from the very first seconds.  Ghost the Musical is a must see for any theater lover, or for anyone really. It is gripping, romantic, heart-wrenching, hilarious and thoroughly entertaining. At times I was holding back tears, clenching the arms of my seat, laughing out loud or tapping my toes. The story takes you on an emotional journey that feels real and relatable.

Caissie Levy and Richard Fleeshman as Molly and Sam

The cast is outstanding. Caissie Levy and Richard Fleeshman as lovers Molly and Sam were believable with undeniable chemistry. Both with impressive stage credits to date, the couple were the original main characters of the London West End production of Ghost.  As a preview showing, I expected to see actors still warming to their roles, but these two were obviously very comfortable with their characters and each other, and they shone.  They have impressive vocal and acting abilities.

However, if you go by the audience reaction, Da’Vine Joy Randolph playing Oda Mae Brown, was the star.  She was hilarious! Every time she came on stage the audience would erupt in laughter in no time. She is a true entertainer and seemed made for the role of the quirky, outspoken and brash Oda Mae. In her Broadway debut, with basically only a college theater degree to her name, Randolph is one to watch. It was exciting to see a new young star take her place on the stage.  She must be thrilled to be receiving standing ovations in her first Broadway role.

The musical is full of special effects using projections on large screens. The subway train scene is powerful and exciting. The scenes where Sam, as a ghost, moves through doors or objects are clever. There are many effects used to portray the ghosts and to show spirits taken to heaven or hell. These are chilling! With so many special effects the show could easily feel overdone, but it isn’t. Every effect is well incorporated, has a purpose and adds to the story.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Oda Mae Brown with the dancers

The musical is full of dancing and singing, as you’d expect from a musical, but not so much from the story of Ghost. Every song and dance number fits well into the story and is well written or choreographed to fit with the theme and build the story. My favorite song and dance scene was performed by Randolph as Oda Mae Brown when she thinks that Sam has just given her 10 million dollars. She sings and dances up a storm on top of suitcases with the dancers showing their prowess around her in sparkling suit jackets and sunglasses. It’s highly entertaining and was performed with energy and cheek.

I hope that Ghost the Musical has a long Broadway run, and even tours the country with Broadway Across America. It is an honest and captivating musical.

Published by Dance Informa digital dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events for the professional dancer, dance teacher and dance students.

Ailey Citigroup Theater, The Joan Weill Center for Dance NYC
April 2012

By Deborah Searle

This April, Ailey II presented a mixed bill of modern and contemporary dance works for 11 nights at the Ailey Citigroup Theater. Audiences could choose from two programs, either Modern Moves or Contemporary Choices.  On the evening on April 19 we were treated to the contemporary program which featured three distinct works; The Corner (2010) by Kyle Abraham, The Legacy of Inheritance (2011) by Stefanie Batten Bland  and Shards (1988) by Donald Byrd. Each work was very different and showed the varying strengths of the company’s young dancers who are all students in Ailey’s professional dance courses.

The Corner surprised me as it had a strong street dance and hip hop flavor, as opposed to the modern dance usually displayed by Ailey dancers. It included spoken word, characterization and much fun and frivolity as the dancers became friends hanging out on what I envisioned as a street corner. It involved moments of humor, games and comradery as the dancers grooved in colorful, casual costumes. The soundtrack was a mixture of popular music and classical with funky, jazzy choreography and some slower, softer more lyrical moments.  An upbeat group number at the end was entertaining. The stand out dancer for this work was Elizabeth Washington who seemed to embody her own personal groove and really suited the choreography. The other dancers, although they all executed the steps well, didn’t always embody the theme and style as Washington did.

The Legacy of Inheritance which followed was starkly different from the first work. It was much more raw and contemporary. In the intermission we could see fog being dispersed across the stage as well as a huge piece of white, light material. This intrigued me, as I wondered how the dancers were going to work with such a huge prop. To begin, the cast of dancers picked up the white material and wrapped themselves up in it as they slowly swayed. It was eerie but intoxicating. Although the movements were simple, the manipulation of the cloth, the way the light hit it, and the dancers’ commitment to creating interesting shapes were rapturing.  A swimming-like scene where the dancers in lines seemed to swim on the ground in different directions was mesmerizing and unique partnering scenes involved inventive lifts and lines.  Stefanie Batten Bland’s work was very interesting and it showed the dancers’ technical strengths as well as their ability to work with what could have been an overpowering prop. I thoroughly enjoyed this work. Thomas Varvaro in his first season with Ailey II was delightful to watch. He finished every movement and danced with clarity and ease.

Lastly, Shards by Donald Byrd was different again. We were hooked from the first second as the company started in a group center stage, in the spotlight. With the dancers all in royal blue, the bright costumes coupled the bright choreography perfectly. At times the music was very dramatic and the dancing matched. The dancers were able to perform simple port de bra with such dynamics to fill out the strong music and keep us entertained.  The choreography was quite balletic and demanding. It involved much batterie, battements to second, penchée on relevé and some flinging but controlled movement.  A pas de deux by dancers Fana Tesfagiorgis and Colin Heyward showed Fana’s flexibility and strength. A solo by her later in the program cemented her as a stunning dancer.  Anne O’Donnell, in her first year with Ailey II, was stunning in this work. She has lovely lines and strong ballet training.

Contemporary Choices by Ailey II was a dynamic program that showed the young dancers’ versatility. It is wonderful to see these budding young stars have the opportunity to present such works to a large and appreciative audience.

Top photo: Fana Tesfagiorgis in Troy Powell’s Reference Point. Photo by Eduardo Patino, NYC.

Published by Dance Informa digital dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events for the professional dancer, dance teacher and dance students.

Manhattan Movement & Arts Center
March 31 2012

By Leigh Schanfein.

When was the last time you went to a school dance performance?  When was the last time you even had the inclination to do so?  It may have been last week, it may have been a decade since, and chances are it was because you were related to one of the budding star performers.  Of course we tend to associate school shows with baby ballerinas, simplistic choreography, and immature dancing, but we have to remember that not all dance schools put on the same show, especially in a locus like New York City.  Perhaps we should not be so quick to dismiss amateurs when seeking a dance fix at the theater, and I can say this now because I have recently witnessed the unexpected.  On March 31^st the Manhattan Youth Ballet pulled off a great feat for any dance school; it put on a performance worthy of an audience that is comprised of more than family and friends.

The Manhattan Youth Ballet is a non-profit curriculum-based dance academy founded by Executive Artistic Director Rose Caiola, who is also a Broadway and film producer.The Ballet has a small but impressive faculty roster, including Head of Faculty Deborah Wingert, Choreographer-in-Residence Brian Reeder, and Artistic Advisor Daniel Ulbricht, the last of whom would also make a surprise appearance mid-show.  The ballet’s Spring Performance opened with a new ballet by Reeder. Holding Court was a minimalist neo-classical piece that was far too dependent on a sense of irony that was completely lost on the youthful cast.  The dancers looked beautiful in their vaguely baroque costumes, but there was better work to come.  Le Jardin Anime, from the classic ballet Le Corsaire, was nicely done.  Nicole Zadra did a particularly lovely job, looking very composed, soft, and elegant.   The younger girls who made up the corps were very cute and not the least bit clumsy.  What followed was a scene from another major ballet, Don Quixote, in a smartly staged series that notably included the delightful Liza Knapp-Fadani as a Kitri who pierced the stage with her flight and fire.

The second half of the show opened with an excerpt from George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, that first struck me with the visual delight of colorful bug costumes that adorned the young cast.  The shimmery fabrics were ingeniously twisted into wings and shells appropriate for the stage and cast, by a trio of costume designers who, as we were told in the opening remarks, are former professional dancers.  After being thoroughly bowled over with the cute, I was doubly blown away by Daniel Ulbricht, appearing as King Oberon.  He more than impressed me with his impeccable batterie, downy-soft landings, butter smooth turns, extremely smart use of space, and, oh yeah, his muscles.  Ulbricht not only serves as Artistic Advisor to MYB, he also serves as a magnificent guest star and incredible model for the young cast.  He was a fantastic surprise that momentarily carried my imagination to the majesty of Lincoln Center, and brought the level of the performance to that of the company with which he performs, New York City Ballet.  Of course, my eyes and my mind had been seared.  I was worried that I’d be unable to objectively review the remainder of the performance after Ulbricht magnificently manipulated my perspective.  However, I continued to find the second part of the program to be a delight, my view perhaps prejudiced in favor of this talented group.

The second part continued with a series of variations: from La Fille Mal Gardee, which lacked confidence, Four Little Swans from Swan Lake, which required more teamwork and facial control, Raymonda, which had dramatic countenance but bumpy bourres, and August Bournonville’s Jockey Dance, which stood out as a winning performance.  Both boys, Thomas Barnea and Julian Donahue, did a commendable job.  The show closed with a short excerpt of Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes.  The energetic corps looked great posing to Sousa, and soloist Savannah Green shone with strength.  If only her smile were as unwavering as her pirouettes!  I was left a bit disappointed that there was no solo variation, but the excerpt was a bright flash of color and enthusiasm that left a glow after the lights went down.

This pointe-predominant performance was entirely cringe-free, a feat for which I enthusiastically applaud MYB’s instructors.  I find it strangely common to find dancers very weak en pointe in performance, even at a professional level.  I’ve all too often held my breath, waiting for the imminent twisted ankle, precipitated by the “deer in the headlights” look in pre-professional, collegiate, and regional company performances.  MYB should be proud of that. Even its youngest dancers look downright comfortable in pointe shoes.  A problem remains, however, and it lays with the men.  Usually, when there is a dearth of male dancers, those that are present carry a disproportionately large amount of the work.  With MYB however, the four boys were a minimal presence, which was sad considering the budding talent these boys demonstrated.

If you seek cheap seats to see classical ballet and you are tired of the nosebleed section of the theater, you can easily satiate your craving with Manhattan Youth Ballet.  With guest stars like Ulbricht, a smart program, and up-and-coming young dancers, you’ll be inspired to seek out the unattainable beauty of classical ballet.

For more information about Manhattan Youth Ballet, visit manhattanyouthballet.org

For more information about MYB’s home Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, which holds a limited selection of open classes and workshops, visit: manhattanmovement.com

Joyce Theater, New York
March 16 2012

By Stephanie Wolf.

The crème de la crème of New York’s modern dance scene gathered on Friday night to pay tribute to one of modern dance’s most prominent figures as the Martha Graham Dance Company took center stage at the one and only Joyce Theater. It was an evening of drama and dancing, as only Graham herself could envision it. The performance acknowledged the company’s rich history, while welcoming its bright future.

Before the dancers entered the stage, the audience was treated to Beautiful Captives, a video montage by Peter Sparling. It was an endearing multimedia collage with snippets of Graham and cinematic dancing, which appropriately set the mood for the evening. The old-timey ambiance was then greatly juxtaposed by the primitive solo Witch Dance, featuring the choreography of another great modern dance pioneer – Mary Wigman.

Once the audience had fully digested these dancing ‘hors d’oeuvres’ the evening progressed into the more iconic work of the Graham Company, starting off with Graham’s 1939 exploration of a foolish woman’s psyche titled Every Soul is a Circus. Graham’s flair for over the top drama, complicated storylines, and intriguing costumes is not for everyone. And, perhaps, Every Soul is a Circus’s conceptual dialogue goes on a bit too long. But what Graham does show in these early works is how ahead of her time she was, as a choreographer and conversationalist. She tackled complicated storylines, which typically featured a female as the lead character, and created work that was truly original and forced her audience to think and feel.

From a woman’s muddled thoughts in the big ring, the evening took a darker turn with Lamentation Variations. The work is an inspired concept and proved to be a true testament to Graham’s significance in the future of modern dance. Based on Graham’s iconic solo Lamentations, the company commissioned seven current choreographers to create new “variations”. Friday night featured the variations of Azure Barton, Richard Move, and Lar Lubovitch. Each choreographer brought a new and stunning interpretation of Graham’s solo about a grieving woman.

It’s difficult to name a standout from the three because they all highlighted different aspects of the work. Barton created a moving duet for two ladies, which was danced sublimely by company members Miki Orihara and Mariya Daskina Maddux. She focused on the anguish, having the dancers use every fiber of their being to portray the grief. Move chose to keep the piece a solo and created an engaging number on Katherine Crockett – whose superhero strength and extensions hypnotized the audience, as she steadily made her way across the stage towards a bright light. Utilizing the entire company, Lubovitch’s rendition closed out the series of variations and played on Graham’s use of timing and unique costuming.

What better way to close out a night that pays homage to Graham, than featuring her 1947 Night Journey? The work highlights the infamous story of King Oedipus and his tragic prophecy. However, rather than focusing on Oedipus’s demise, Graham placed the emphasis of the ballet on his wife/mother/queen Jocasta; once again making the central figure a woman. Carrie Ellmore-Tallitsch was a wonderful Jocasta, embodying the drama in her every move and facial expression. And Blakeley White-McGuire led the Daughters of the Night with unrivaled strength and confidence. All the dancers performed exceptionally and Night Journey was a perfect representation of why Graham’s choreography and technique still has relevance in today’s society.

All and all, it was a great evening to be out and about, experiencing some of New York City’s finest in dance. Additionally, it’s reassuring to know that dancers, choreographers, and directors will never forget where they came from and who inspired them to pursue this difficult profession. But, at the same time, they all look towards the future of dance and greet its possibilities with open arms.

Published by Dance Informa digital dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events for the professional dancer, dance teacher and dance students.

Project 7 Contemporary Dance Company

February 17 2012
7 Stages Theatre, Atlanta GA

By Deborah Searle.

For the past four years I have been watching Project 7 Contemporary Dance Company mature and find its place in the Atlanta dance scene.  Under the direction of Cherrise Wakeham, Project 7 continues to give young dancers a place to learn, express and push the boundaries of commercial contemporary dance.

"A Long Walk". Photos Daniela Jordan

With not an empty seat in the house, Project 7’s newest performance was a showcase of ten distinct pieces interwoven with text. Each piece was very different but worked towards a message of how love and hope can overcome fear.  Some dances were very lyrical, some very introverted and intricate, and others more jazzy and isolated, with props such as steps, a door and umbrellas utilized in interesting ways.  Each piece had me fully engaged and on a journey with the performers.

The stage design was simple, but elegant, with an eclectic mix of dimly lit chandeliers hanging from the rigs. At times all the chandeliers were lit and at others, just a few. They created beautiful shadows on the cyclorama and were very effective.

Wakeham’s choreography is always intricate, interesting and enjoyable to watch. It isn’t so contemporary that it’s an acquired taste for those who enjoy the unusual arts, but it isn’t so commercial that it seems over stylized and competition dance-like. Wakeham has created a balance where the general public, dance lovers and artists alike can walk away from the theater challenged, touched and inspired.

"Fearidescence".

The highlights of the evening were the pieces “Why”, which I had seen performed before, and “Forgiveness”. Both these pieces took my breath away. They were obvious crowd favorites as well.  The way that Wakeham connected her movements and embodied the music in even the smallest of twitches or shoulder rolls, was something special. She has a movement language of her own.  Every piece presented was fully realized. Wakeham captures the potential of her dancers, the music and the movement.

The dancers of Project 7 are stunning, expressive dancers, who can explode into a dynamic leap out of nowhere, but also melt with coolness and calm. Under Wakeham’s direction this group of talented young dancers has the world at their feet.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.

Joyce Theater, New York
February 8-12, 2012

By Laura Di Orio.

During its New York debut, Cloud Gate 2, a Taiwanese modern dance company, presented at The Joyce an evening of five works by four choreographers and provided a glimpse into the emotional and physical range for which this company has the capacity.

The group, despite being called “number 2”, is not second to Cloud Gate Dance Theatre; rather, it is its own entity, one that prides itself on creating substantial works by a number of young Taiwanese choreographers. Both Cloud Gate and Cloud Gate 2 are directed by Lin Hwai-min, and while Cloud Gate performs mainly his works, Cloud Gate 2 is a springboard for newer creative voices, but is definitely just as strong.

During their four-performance run at The Joyce this February, the troupe seemed to fuse dance theater and pure dance phrases, along with interesting musical choices and standout lighting. Cloud Gate 2 seems to not be a company of hierarchy. Each dancer had his/her own individual voice, and the group as a whole was nothing less than connected.

The mixed program began with “Wicked Fish”, choreographed by Huang Yi, who also danced in the piece. It opened with a string of dancers across the stage, with overhead lights casting down on the dancers, dressed in blues and grays, and shrill music that at first seemed obtrusive. Within just a few moments it was apparent that these dancers were extremely well-rehearsed – their movements so in sync and their bodies moving in a most aesthetically-pleasing wave.

Cloud Gate 2 in Huang Yi's "Ta-Ta For Now". Photo: Liu Chen-hsiang

At one moment, only knobby body parts like elbows and knees could be seen under the lights. At the next, the group moved in canon and in slow motion, and then they’d quickly rewind. A series of duets – boy and girl, boy and boy, girl and girl – graced the stage. The couples’ bodies seemed to never depart contact through the slides and around-the-body lifts. The dancers were so athletic, so committed, but the best part of “Wicked Fish” was that the movement was so beautiful and fluid that we almost forgot about how piercing the music was overhead.

Next was Wu Kuo-chu’s “Tantalus”, which opened with six dancers in pedestrian clothes standing hunched over, eyes out to the audience under a square of light. They remained still for a long, long moment. Then one dancer stirred, out of discomfort, and then the whole group was awoken. One by one, an individual’s movement became contagious through the group, which was only brought back to neutral with long, loud breath patterns.

After several minutes of only sounds of claps, breaths, sighs and foot stomps, we welcomed the music of Meredith Monk, a storyteller herself. The piece became funny and human in that we recognized that we, as people, exhaust ourselves, constantly running and not getting far enough or even fighting with the air.

“Passage”, choreographed by Bulareyaung Pagarlava, pinnacled the evening in showcasing Cloud Gate 2 as a group with a strong dance theater element. A pretty girl was unwillingly clothed in different dresses and fabrics by four characters who seemed to be her caregivers. The girl was distracted, seemingly possessed, longing for something beyond her room. Meanwhile, a strong presence – a figure covered from head to toe in white – slowly strode around the scene, as he carried a large umbrella and wheeled a black suitcase beside him.

One by one, each character stripped off their black coat and danced in a powerful fit, as if they, too, had become possessed. Towards the end, clouds of white powder were thrown to the sky, creating a most strikingly beautiful image, and the dancers lay under a white sheet, where the girl had preceded them.

In Huang Yi’s second piece on the program, the quirky “Ta-Ta For Now”, was like a day at the office without the boss. The dancers, wearing office clothes, spun on, climbed over and stacked desk chairs. They interacted with each other, passing along imaginary objects, making finger people and even throwing their shoes. Despite its apparent light feel, the piece involved such incredible precision. There were times of amazing body response to the music as the tale was told via the violin in Aram Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto in D minor.

Cheng Tsung-lung’s “The Wall” closed the program. The dancers, all in black, began by walking the perimeter of the stage, creating some kind of wall, encasing themselves in a world of their own. Again, one by one, the dancers broke the mold, stripped their black and burst into their dance, nearly naked but so sure of their decision.

“The Wall” displayed the company as incredible movers, and some of Tsung-lung’s phrases appeared to have the feel of hip hop’s body isolations. At the end, one figure, who remained in black, walked into the field of what may have been mistaken as “chaos” but was surely just the temptation of the freedom of dance. Will he, too, be tempted?

During much of the evening, it was sometimes hard to tell the dancers apart. Aside from the choreographed moments of staring out into the house, their dancing was so internal as a whole, as if they were one body, each dancer just a different limb and one expression of a larger voice. And their bows were so gracious, their eyes almost in awestruck of what sat before them.

Cloud Gate 2’s engagement at The Joyce was one of such interesting, engaging work. It wasn’t dance for the sake of dance; rather, it was movement for the sake of saying something, and each of these young artists seems to have something profound to say.

Top photo: Cloud Gate 2 in Bulareyaung Pagarlava’s “Passage”. Photo by Liu Chen-hsiang

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & events.

By Deborah Searle.

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
February 10 2012

Internationally renowned choreographer Twyla Tharp has created a new storybook ballet for Atlanta Ballet and The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, in The Princess and the Goblin. Based on the 1872 children’s tale by George MacDonald, this ballet has the potential to become a classic for the new generation.

The story, which tells of a young Princess Irene who saves forgotten children from the Goblin Kingdom, is cute and fun, however I was a little disappointed as the story was confusing and lacked emotional highs and lows.  

The ballet opened with a grand party scene in King Papa’s garden where Princess Irene, played by Alessa Rogers,  soon discovered that the town’s children were being kidnapped by goblins. The dancing was beautiful, the music was fitting and the costumes elegant. But once this scene moved into the next, where Irene and her male companion Curdie entered the Goblin Kingdom, everything seemed to become a little messy.

Photo by Charlie McCullers, Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet

White streamers of silk fell from the sky all across the stage, which at first looked beautiful, shimmering in Don Holder’s exquisite lighting design, but they soon became distracting. They were so long that the dancers got their hands and heads tangled in them and it was hard to see the choreography being performed upstage.

The movement phrases given to the goblins were fitting, and the goblins were entertaining, but one couldn’t quite tell if they were meant to be in time with each other or not. Everything just looked a little sloppy. Some of the choreography for the male goblins and Curdie, played by Jacob Bush, was technically very difficult, yet the dancers performed it with ease. The female goblins shone as they embodied their characters, yet still seemed to dance in sync with each other, and with neat execution.

Once we entered the goblin world, King Papa, played by John Welker, became the Goblin King, wearing basically the same costume as when he was King Papa. This was a little confusing. Was King Papa now a goblin? If not, why was he stealing children? And the children’s Nanny (played by Tara Lee), who we were also introduced to in the party scene, came on stage now as the Goblin Queen. There was no explanation as to why these two main characters switched to evil counterparts, and it was puzzling. Were they evil or not? Were they goblins, and if so, why? The dancing by Welker and Lee was, of course, executed well. Tara Lee made a very convincing Goblin Queen and, as always, performed with brilliance.

Princess Irene was assisted throughout her journey by her Great-Great Grandmother, played by Christine Winkler. She was a ghost-like figure in all white who at one point gave Irene pointe shoes, which empowered her to overcome the goblins. Winkler made a beautiful, ethereal character, and is always such an elegant performer.

The highlight of the program was the children. With the cast including 11 children from age five upwards, we were treated to some adorable performances.  The children were dressed in street clothes with regular street shoes on. This was a little unexpected, but it worked. The choreography was simple and fun, yet generally not balletic. The young children made the show. Although there wasn’t much emotional attachment given to these forgotten children, the smiles on their excited faces made up for it.

The music by Franz Schubert and Richard Burke was delightful and the lighting by Don Holder was very impressive. The costumes by Anne Armit of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet were stunning, particularly in the opening scene.

The Princess and the Goblin has all the ingredients for a magical ballet that could become a favorite amongst audiences. However, I feel that it needs a little more time to mature. Twyla Tharp always creates outstanding shows, and I am a fan of her work. In time I think this work will develop all the charm and magic that it needs. A short production, at only 75 minutes, this ballet is perfect for young audiences.

Top photo: Photo by Kim Kenney, Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet

14^th Street Playhouse, Atlanta GA
January 2012

By Deborah Searle.

Dance Canvas is a collective celebration of dance in Atlanta.  Run by Executive Artistic Director Angela Harris, Dance Canvas is a career development organization for emerging choreographers and youth, providing dancers and dance creators with an outlet to develop and present their work.

Last weekend, Dance Canvas presented the 2012 Performance Series at Atlanta’s 14^th Street Playhouse, highlighting the work of these eager choreographers. With a varied show of contemporary, jazz, tap and ballet, Dance Canvas had something for everyone.

Although not every dancer, or dance piece was outstanding, there were enough surprising, technically beautiful moments, and well developed pieces, to get us engaged and excited about dance in this city.

The evening started with Seis Almas, choreographed by Ray Hall.  This contemporary number had some creative moments, and a well-constructed end. The dancers performed nicely and Ray is sound mover. At times, however, he needed to extend his feet more, particularly in jumps. Ray’s other work on show, Intricate Rhythms, which came later in the program, displayed his tap expertise and his strong rhythmic sense.  With a powerful beginning and a strong a capella tapping sequence to end, Intricate Rhythms was a highlight of the evening. The two male performers, Ray himself and Jake Albert, were standouts.  If the stage had been mic-ed, it would have added to the performance as at times it was difficult to hear all the tappers’ steps.

Jennifer Mason & Colbie Zeno present 'Apocalypse of the Soul'. Photo Richard Calmes

Katie McMillen Stull’s On the Run followed Seis Almas and was a technically strong pointe piece danced in flattering low back, black leotards with romantic tutus.  The piece had nice musicality, showcasing beautiful dancers who radiated elegance.

Next came Apocalypse of the Soul, by Robert Mason, which was danced with dedication by its two performers; Jennifer Mason and Colbie Zeno.  It showed one lady’s battle with cancer and the grief felt by her friend.  It was a very engaging and emotional piece.  Both dancers had lovely extensions and performed the anguished dancing with commitment, however I felt that there was an overuse of développé à la seconde.  The piece could have easily come across as a little trite, but it obviously drew me in as I found myself with chills up my spine.

The upbeat jazzy number, Liberation, by Emily Vanderkley was next. The energetic piece centered around women’s liberation in the 60s and 70s and showed much dynamics by the performers.  The ending silhouette of the dancers all with their fists in the air was distinct.

After the intermission we were treated to a piece by Kennesaw State University student Jamie McCord entitled Contra Moves.  Dance Canvas and KSU have developed a new partnership and Jamie is the first student to receive the opportunity to present as part of the choreographic platform.  Although still a student, Jamie showed why she was chosen to stage work. Her piece showed maturity and musicality, and I was engaged throughout. Her dancers were all technically strong and they captured the audience.  The movement was interesting and very contemporary, with a pedestrian feel at times.  McCord created motifs and repeated moments that brought the piece together. I was impressed with her work.

A tough act to follow, we were then presented with Between the Worlds by Tracy Vogt.  Between the Worlds involved a series of breathtaking pas de deux and exquisite dancing.  Tracey herself is a stunning dancer with so much light and shade in her movement. Between the Worlds was a standout piece.

To introduce each number, the audience were given some text projected onto the cyclorama. It was sometimes a quote, or an explanation of the work to come.  For Await, by Sandra Parks, we were told of the orphans of China who must wait for adoption in the most horrible circumstances.  Await was a well constructed piece with clever use of lighting and spotlights, nice floor work, good connecting movements and some unique lines.

Juxtaposed with the many dancers of Await, Path which followed, was performed by lone dancer Tamara Irving. Choreographed by Dana Woodruff, Path was an engaging piece where Irving, surrounded by empty white chairs, chose one chair in center stage to dance around and on top of.  With empty chairs all around, I expected other dancers to come on stage at any moment, but Irving managed to keep my attention throughout, all on her own. As Irving slowly and tentatively moved the center chair forward throughout the piece, I was drawn in.

To end, Executive Artistic Director Angela Harris gave us The ‘Movement’. An energetic balletic number, The ‘Movement’ was performed to a mix of recorded voice, music and Afrobeats that complimented the attractive ochre costumes of the dancers. With moments of sassy walking across stage mixed with technical ballet movement, this number was interesting and fun. The dancers executed the steps well, however more life in their faces would have added to the cheekiness of the piece and brought it alive.

Top photo: Kennesaw State University students perform Contra Moves. Photo by Richard Calmes

By Dylan Hauck.

In what is being heralded as the first 3-D art house film, director Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire) has created a stirring tribute to an inspiring and passionate choreographer. Pina Bausch, alongside her company members at Tanztheater Wuppertal, created some of the most visually arresting and emotionally honest works in the modern dance repertoire. Through her unique fusion of dance and theater, she influenced and shaped the entire modern dance world.

Pina was a visionary. She did not allow herself to be restrained by any convention or hesitation. If her work required the stage to be covered with pounds of soil or sand, which it often did, she would ensure that it was done. Her piece Vollmand (Full Moon) uses a giant boulder onstage and many gallons of falling water raining down from the rafters.  Another piece, Café Muller, creates a playing field for her dancers by placing hundreds of abandoned chairs and tables across the entire stage.

Pina embraced the art of spectacle, which is fully present in the film. However, at the core of her work was a pure understanding of the human condition. Through movement, Pina brought out the inner life of everyday people. Her movement vocabulary may be jarring to some viewers at first, appearing to be simply “avant-garde,” but this film takes you into a world where people wear their emotions on their bodies. Pina was not afraid to send her dancers away from aesthetic beauty if doing so would display the full honesty of emotion.

The film focuses on four of her most iconic pieces, Vollmond (Full Moon), Kontakhov, Le Sacre du Printemps, and Café Muller. Wenders intersperses performance footage of these pieces with spoken words from her dancers and Pina herself. However, the film truly comes alive when it takes Pina’s choreography off the stage and into the streets and train cars of Wuppertal, Germany and the surrounding area, fully utilizing the amazing capabilities of 3-D filmmaking.

Pina was quoted as saying “I’m not interested in how people move but in what moves them.” Likewise, this is not a film about dance. This is not a film delving into the technical and physical aspects of performing. This is a film about passion and emotion. This is a film about harnessing the power of human creation to tell whatever story there is to be told.

Photo: Fabian Prioville and Azusa Seyama in Wim Wenders’ PINA.  ©Neue Road Movies GmbH, Photo by Donata Wenders.  A Sundance Selects release.

The Joyce, NYC
January 2012 

By Laura Di Orio.

A night of dance that leaves you inspired and wanting more is a good one, and that’s just how it was with Parsons Dance during their season at the Joyce Theater this January. The company presented an array of old work and new premiers, all musically-driven and all full of exciting, passionate dancing.

The intermission-less program on Wednesday, January 18, began with Parsons’ newest work, Round My World, with music by contemporary composer and cellist, Zoe Keating. A pool of light (used often in Parsons’ work) shines down on the six dancers, dressed in denim-colored dresses for the women and actual denim jeans for the men, who move slowly in a circle. We are given these few moments to register, to become present, and then the dancers soon enough progress and pick up the pace. As the name of the piece suggests, the dancers use every opportunity to create circular shapes – individually, with partners, as turns, as lifts, with their arms, or all joined as one. Even Keating’s long cello notes begin to sound like circles.

Ian Spring & Melissa Ullom perform in 'Round My World'. Photo Krista Bonura

Round My World takes the initial clean circle and, throughout the piece’s series of duets, abstracts it so that the recurring circles, although still present, become less obvious and more a part of the memory of the dance. As the evening’s opener, we understand that Parsons’ work allows each dancer his/her moment and that dance is meant to be shared – with the audience, with other dancers and among partnerships onstage. 

Next, an excerpt from Step Into My Dream is simply a playful dance for boy and girl. Eric Bourne and Sarah Braverman look stunning in white together, as they move through this jazzy duet. The middle becomes almost a call and response turning contest, but the piece remains light throughout.

Former Parsons dancer Katarzyna Skarpetowska is featured as guest choreographer in the program’s next work, A Stray’s Lullaby, with Kenji Bunch’s music, a fusion of old city sounds and rooted, throaty country croons. The dancers look great as individual characters in period costumes by Reid Bartelme.

Christina Ilisije, Elena D’Amario & Jason Macdonald in 'A Stray's Lullaby'. Photo Krista Bonura

The piece opens with the dancers moving like liquid amidst gritty car horns and raindrops. They soon depart, and Christina Ilisije elicits a most passionate solo, arching, bending and throwing herself to the ground. She is fighting with herself and reaching for something offstage, from where the streams of light hit her. Jason Macdonald dances a solo where he appears larger than life as he sautés around the Joyce stage, which suddenly seems small. At the end of his passage, he too, is drawn to a light, this one way downstage, and his even more enormous shadow is cast on the backdrop. And one can’t glance away from the beautifully exotic Elena D’Amario, partnered by Christopher Bloom.

Next is Parsons’ Caught, a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, during which one dancer (Steven Vaughn on this evening) moves in and out of scattering spotlights before daring to stand, then jump, then leap through strobe lights. Vaughn’s commitment and picture-perfect clarity make him appear to fly. If the audience was to depart Caught for just one second, it would think, “Is this real?”

The program’s closer, Swing Shift, simply exemplifies the joy of dance and shows that Parsons’ dancers really love what they do. They are so clear in their shapes, so caring in their partnering and so focused with their eyes. And in Swing Shift, like in the entire program, each dancer deservedly gets a chance to shine.

Top photo: Ian Spring, Melissa Ullom, Steven Vaughn, Elena D’Amario, Eric Bourne & Sarah Braverman in Round My World. Photo Krista Bonura