presented by Cal
Performances
Zellerbach
Hall, Berkeley
October 23rd,
2013
Cal
Performance’s dance season is off to a brilliant start with Nederlands Dans
Theater’s two-night, mid-week engagement. These days, contemporary dance can be,
and is, a lot of different things: mixed media, post-modern, interdisciplinary,
dance theater. Though this variety and innovation is exciting for the genre,
contemporary technique and contemporary movement can get a little lost in the overwhelming
crowd of theatrical entities and performance tools. Nederlands Dans Theater has
found the right balance. They are a true contemporary company –
forward-thinking, risk-taking and cutting-edge – but at the same time, actively
in pursuit of technical proficiency and clarity. If there ever was a company
that defined what contemporary dance should be, it is this one.
Opening the
program was 2009’s “Sehnsucht”, co-choreographed by Artistic Advisor Sol León
and Artistic Director Paul Lightfoot. Created in Sonata form and accompanied by
a phenomenal classical score, the work had a very clear tripartite structure, comprised
of an exposition, development and recapitulation. Part one introduced a trio of
dancers: a soloist, posed slightly right of center, and a duo inside of a large
scene box that was suspended and inset in the scrim. Throughout this beginning
statement, the scene box continually rotated as the two dancers performed a
soulful duet. As the set changed, postures were altered; standing became
sitting and then suddenly, morphed into swinging. Question arose - what plane
were they dancing on; what surface was the floor? So, right from the start, it
was clear that “Sehnsucht” was expressing and examining two different, but
related themes: perception and perspective. And while the piece’s narrative and
design challenged ‘what should be’, ‘what is expected’ and ‘what is’, the
choreography was equally insightful. Incredible extensions and dramatic
off-balance positions were coupled with low attitudes and simple tendus à la
second.
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Company members of Nederlands Dans Theater perform "Sehnsucht" Photo courtesy of Nederlands Dans Theater |
As the men’s
and women’s ensemble entered from the wings, the development of “Sehnsucht” was
underway. Again, the audience was confronted with a new perspective and
different perception – the arriving cast (both men and women) was costumed only
in black pants. For this lengthy second segment, the stage was full of NDT’s
remarkable dancers, flying through the air, eating up the space. Absolute
wonder exuded during a recurring group sequence (developpé écarté followed by a
side split jèté). The final recapitulation brought us back to the beginning
scene and “Sehnsucht” concluded with a fitting cadence: the same contemporary
pose that had opened the work.
This
intermission was more than just a break, instead, it was an ‘audience choice’
situation. You could certainly go out into the lobby; however, if you opted to
stay in the theater, the longer, twenty-five minute intermission was like an
old-school, post-modern ‘happening’. Three dancers took turns slowly moving
across the stage; methodically, carefully and at a snail’s pace. And while this
Butoh-inspired pedestrian circuit was in progress, the curtain had been
slightly raised, so you could also the crew transforming the stage for the
second work.
As the lights
went down, 2010’s “Schmetterling” (another piece of León/Lightfoot co-choreography)
occupied the space. “Schmetterling” is a delightful and at times, very
humorous, series of primarily solos, duets, and trios set to music by The
Magnetic Fields and Max Richter. Another strong and clear narrative, the dance
spoke to individuals and individualism but “Schmetterling” was not quite as
compelling as “Sehnsucht”. Too much extra ‘stuff’ was present. The trench
coat/dress/beret costumes were a little distracting, and there was a ton of
‘dance theater’ style facial expressions and vocalizations. Each of the
variations in the piece was beautifully performed and creatively crafted and
because of that, these extraneous elements weren’t really necessary. The dance
and the choreography was abundantly strong; it didn’t need ‘more’.
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