Smuin Contemporary Ballet

Smuin Contemporary Ballet 

Dance Series 1: Love, Smuin 

Streaming online March 10th-March 31st 

Smuin Contemporary Ballet recently completed its winter Bay Area tour, visiting venues in Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Carmel and Mountain View. But fear not if you missed them in person. Smuin has joined with other local companies to make performances available and accessible to online viewers. Dance Series 1: Love, Smuin fully delivered on Artistic Director Celia Fushille’s promise of range, both in style and music. And while it shouldn’t be, it is still noteworthy in the ballet ecology to see an entire mixed repertory bill comprised of female choreographic voices. 

Mengjun Chen & Ian Buchanan in 
Amy Seiwert's Been Through Diamonds
Photo Chris Hardy

Everything in Amy Seiwert’s Been Through Diamonds, a sweeping 2008 work set to a gorgeous Mozart score, was in constant motion through classical ballet vocabulary, contemporary phrases, and four changeable couples. During the first moments, the audience is introduced to three of the four pairs, all displaying a sense of hope, lightness and possibility. Then quickly, the partnerships begin to shift and mix, alongside a plethora of tonal layers. Newness. Surprise. Flirtation. Enchantment. Two questions began to emerge: ‘what might this next relationship be’ and ‘what might be learned about and from each other’. Midway through Diamonds, we meet the fourth couple, who also interacts with the rest of the cast. With a more andante musical tempo at this point, the movement felt sophisticated, gallant and graceful, yet still imbued with Seiwert’s choreographic dazzle. The canon timing she injected into unison segments suggested a shared emotion, experienced at different times, and in different spaces. The musicality was enviable – a leg fully extended in a beautiful position would suddenly bend into attitude, as the music simultaneously accented a chord or note. And while there was a fair share of serious or somber moments, the company seemed to be having so much fun. 

Brandon Alexander & Tessa Barbour in
Gina Patterson's You Are Here
Photo Chris Hardy

Gina Patterson’s You Are Here (originally choreographed for Cincinnati Ballet in 2013) brought an even more contemporary note to the evening. An ensemble piece for four women and six men, the landscape was charged from beginning to end, which fit with the music perfectly. While also of today, Ludovico Einaudi’s score conjured an undeniable Baroque quality – accumulation, constant flow and almost a quiet sadness. Patterson’s choreography followed suit to a tee. Running through space and gazing at the horizon communicated searching and longing. Small, scooping hand gestures and urgent embraces percolated with care and attention. The male pas de deux was fantastic, and when Patterson’s choreography called for it, the unison patterns were so precise and clear. Some different costumes, and a slightly brighter stage would have made the work a home run. 

Yuri Rogers, Maggie Carey & Mengjun Chen in 
Amy Seiwert's Dear Miss Cline
Photo Chris Hardy

I enjoyed Seiwert’s Dear Miss Cline when it premiered back in 2011, though I have to admit it wasn’t my absolute favorite. Set to a selection of recordings by Patsy Cline, the dynamics felt a little static and the number of internal stops and starts broke the flow of the overall composition. When I saw it two years later, I had changed my tune. The stop/start thing was (and still is) present, but a different cast had brought a vitality and energy that revealed so much more dynamic range. Such was true at this viewing as well. Dear Miss Cline transported us to a land of joy. Abounding with lilty social dance, smooth footwork, even some square dance influences, the large group work (14!) sparkled. A youthful, exuberant community oozed from every inch of the stage, whether the dancers were engaged in stylized, everyday tasks or complex partnering. No matter the chapter – charged, cheerful or cheeky - the cast’s acting was on point, especially the Tra le la le la Triangle pas de trois, danced by Maggie Carey, Mengjun Chen and Yuri Rogers. The humorous moments of purposeful uncertainty were delightful.