Gala Program,
2013
Yerba Buena
Center for the Arts, San Francisco
February 9th,
2013
It has been
two years since I last saw Company C Contemporary Ballet onstage and in that
time, significant changes have been made to the company roster. As some dancers
have moved on and new additions have been welcomed, one truth has held firm: this
troupe holds a commitment and vision for diverse, challenging and exciting
contemporary repertoire. Under the Artistic Direction of Charles Anderson, the
2013 Gala Program brought five works from across the artistic spectrum, ranging
from campy entertainment to elegant depth. Company C’s rep crosses boundaries, confronts
conventions and most important, seeks to create an ongoing relationship and
conversation with its audience.
The evening
began with the premiere of Anderson’s “Boys, Blonds and Balls”, a quartet for
two couples that also incorporated two full-size fitness balls. The overall
feeling of the piece was one of seductive allure and old-school mystery, in
which the yoga balls played several theatrical roles: as sets, as props and as
extensions of the body. “Railroad Joint”, Yuri Zhukov’s etude on articulation
followed - this world premiere the result of Company C’s 2012 choreographic
competition. Zhukov’s composition expertly delved into movement and mechanics,
exploring how the intersection of the two conjure images, create shapes and
command space. The first scene found the cast of seven emerged in small
reflexive motions (both as individuals and as a collective), which then
accelerated and developed over the rest of the dance. “Railroad Joint” was a
choreographic highlight of this program with an equal dose of artistic
sensibility and kinesthetic approach.
Act I was
rounded out with two shorter works by Anderson: “For Your Eyes Only” and a
comical “Swan Lake” vignette. “For Your Eyes Only” is a hauntingly raw pas de
deux, danced flawlessly at this performance by Chantelle Pianetta and Bobby
Briscoe. During his opening remarks, Anderson revealed that this ballet was
originally choreographed to be part of a program for the hearing impaired, and
to that end, it takes place unaccompanied, in silence. The result was a stage full
of human sculpture with dynamic diversity: from floaty port de bras to accented
grand battements. And without music to rely on or hide behind, a unique vulnerability
and choreographic truth rose from the stage. Right before intermission, we were
treated to Anderson’s farcical interpretation of the “Swan Lake” cygnets. This
short scene juxtaposed the women ‘en pointe’ in the classical variation against
three men tap dancing the choreography. It was very fun, silly and
entertaining, though it would have been even more so if all of the guys could
actually tap. There was a lot of ‘faking’ going on (except for one of the
dancers, who was obviously a trained tapper), and that lack of skill did not
add to the comedy at all.
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Pictured: Tian Tian in "For Use In Subhuman Primates Only" Choreography by Patrick Corbin Photo by Rosalie O'Connor |
The Gala
evening concluded with Patrick Corbin’s new work, “For Use In Subhuman Primates
Only”, set to a ‘Massive Attack’ soundscore. Sub-divided into four sections
(each to one individual song), the dance transports the audience to an
underground club scene, complete with metallic costumes and pulsating rhythms.
Choreographic variance was the order of the day, with movement ranging from
classic petit allegro (assemblés and soubresauts) to disco to animal-inspired
sequences. As the piece wore on, it seemed that Corbin was attempting to deal
with the evolutionary process in some way, but I’m not sure that he was
successful. “For Use In Subhuman Primates Only” was more psychedelic rave and
less kinesthetic study. Though, it did reveal David Van Ligon as the quintessential
partner. He has it all and has mastered his craft: tall, strong, supportive,
all with a lithely grace and masculine fervor.
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