DanceFAR
Yerba Buena Center for
the Arts Theater, San Francisco
November 18th,
2014
Every year, San
Francisco has its fair share of amazing dance concerts – from stunning
classical performances to outstanding contemporary programs. Yet, even in 2014,
these two genres still remain pretty separate. But then there are the special
evenings that bring traditional and modern dance companies together on a single
stage, once again reminding San Francisco audiences of the great artistic breadth
that exists in this region.
DanceFAR, Dance For A
Reason, provides one such opportunity with its annual gala event, this year
held at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater. But more than just being a
phenomenal sampling of what the San Francisco professional dance scene has to
offer, Dance For A Reason is all about giving back. All the show’s artistic
contributions are donated, with the program’s proceeds benefiting The Cancer
Prevention Institute of California and the UCSF Melanoma Center. In just three
short years, DanceFAR co-founders Margaret Karl, Garen Scribner and James
Sofranko have created something very special to support a cause that affects so
many.
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Pictured: Margaret Karl and Garen Scribner Photo: Sandy Lee |
Act I opened with Smuin
Ballet in an excerpt from Garrett Ammon’s “Serenade For Strings”. What began as
quiet, flowing movement quickly exploded into a wave of physicality – both innocent
and exciting at the same time. Ballet San Jose’s Lahna Vanderbush and Kendall
Teague followed in an excerpt from “Minus 16” by Ohad Naharin, a hauntingly
stark duet. Post:Ballet brought Robert Dekkers’ “Yours Is Mine”, an intensely
physical quartet with underscores of confrontation, aggression, competition and
seduction. Special guests Ana Lopez and Garrett Patrick Anderson from Hubbard
Street Dance Chicago communicated the idiosyncrasies of a relationship in an
excerpt from “Deep Down Dos”. Alejandro Cerrudo’s choreography was full of
hope, looking beyond the present moment. And the duet was beautifully bookended
with the same intertwined posture at the beginning and the conclusion. Kate
Weare’s “Drop Down” for ODC/Dance is one of the most charged pas de deuxs I
have ever seen. And even though I know that there is a dramatic fall about two
thirds of the way through, it still has the power to shock me each time. Act I
closed with San Francisco Ballet in Hans Van Manen’s “Solo”. This trio (danced
by Hansuke Yamamoto, Joseph Walsh and Pascal Molat) is full of unexpected turns
and sculptural balances. But the most compelling part of “Solo” is that, as the
title suggests, it speaks to and reveals individual personalities.
Incidentally, Walsh’s sequence of piqué turns ending in arabesque was one of
the best combinations of the entire night.
Tap artist Joe Orrach
quite literally kicked off the second Act with two lightning-fast percussive
dance solos. Orrach was a great addition to the line-up; the unaccompanied a
cappella segments in his performance being of particular note. Up next was
SFDanceworks in Penny Saunders “Berceuse”, danced by Pablo Piantino and
Saunders herself. “Berceuse” is a gorgeous duet full of shifting circumstances
– directional, weight, centeredness and the choreography itself has a rare
quality of being both accessible yet incredibly complex. Maurya Kerr’s
tinypistol offered an excerpt from “Wantful”, a tense contest of intention and
exertion of will. Guest artists Danielle Rowe and Brett Conway from Nederlands
Dans Theater I danced Sol Leon and Paul Lightfoot’s “Softly, As I Leave You”. A
day later, I am still thinking about their performance and definitely hope to
see this piece again. Its mixture of trapped desperation and unencumbered
abandon was certainly a highlight of DanceFAR 2014. Last but certainly not
least, Alonzo King LINES Ballet took the stage in an excerpt of King’s “Rasa”, complete
with live musical accompaniment. The company dancers shone brightly in this physical
tour de force, where different styles and movement genres were astutely woven
into a masterful movement hybrid.
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