New York Live Arts, New York, NY.
June 26, 2025.
I AM A DANCER 2020, performed at New York Live Arts from June 26-28, which marked the 50th anniversary of the Felice Lesser Dance Theater (FLDT) company, explores dancers’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic with live dance, projected video and an eclectic soundtrack.
The universal aspects of the pandemic were shared by all: mask-wearing, navigating shortages and standing in long lines. But the contours of the experience were unique to everyone, whether it be medical, professional or psychological. Dancers were hit hard when the studios and teaching jobs were paused. For dancers, going to the studio is not only a place to train, but to socialize, network, secure gigs and jobs, and generally is an anchor around which all else revolves. When this was no longer possible, dancers were faced with a myriad of obstacles as they weighed the prospect of changing careers, and how to stay in shape when movement was inhibited by the small spaces of living in an apartment.
The collage of videos took front and center stage as they were projected on an enormous screen upstage. There were too many videos, and the dancers on film (Melanie Adam [a principal dancer from the original 1975-76 company], Stephanie [Lyon] Albanese [FLDT’s principal dancer from 1989-2000] and Andrea Kron) were not effective narrators. Their dulcet tones were reminiscent of a very patient elementary school teacher trying to get the class to keep up, and grew monotonous. While some of the stories were harrowing and captured the challenges of being a dancer during the pandemic, they grew less and less interesting due to a lack of personal connection beyond the screen. When the dancers appeared with any type of video, they were dwarfed by the projections rather than being provided a strong backdrop or a means to complement the movement.
The more interesting stories were told by the dancers themselves, especially Justice Jackson, who tragically lost his brother – a person who greatly inspired him – during COVID. A solo performed by Jackson, a sinewy and delicate mover, following the video embodied the emotion behind his story.
The strongest part of the show was the dance sections performed by the cast of beautiful movers: Jackson, Mackenzie Allen, Amina Konaté, Kristin Licata, Héloïse Ponsonnet, which were coupled with expressive lighting by John Salutz. Lesser’s classical ballet vocabulary flecked with contemporary and modern is soft and inviting.
A swirly dance performed by a trio in red (Konaté, Allen and Ponsonnet) was punctuated by arabesques and jetés, and demonstrated the solid technique of the dancers. The leafy lighting pattern on the floor gave it a romantic feeling. The big surprise here was the pointe shoes. The days of Karole Armitage’s explorations with modern ballet on pointe have given way to quirky gestures, release technique and socks. It was fun to see the physically looser contemporary vocabulary mixed with modern ballet and pointe work.
The musical selection was culled from an array of genres: Handel’s Messiah and “Sound an Alarm” from Judas Maccabeus; an excerpt from the first movement of Johannes Brahms’ Cello Sonata in F (Opus 99), and the second movement of Alessandro Marcello’s Oboe Concerto in D minor, recorded by oboist Diane Lesser and organist Kent Tritle. American composer Richard Einhorn and European pianist and DJ Dave August also contributed short pieces to the score.
More dancing was needed in this work, and Salutz’s lighting would have continued to elevate these moments to bring the piece together in a more cohesive way.
By Nicole Colbert of Dance Informa.
Share this:
