Sunday, October 13, 2024

Smuin Contemporary Ballet - Dance Series 1

Smuin Contemporary Ballet
Dance Series 1
Cowell Theater at Fort Mason, San Francisco
October 11th, 2024

A stage awash in glowing gold. Song lyrics that reference “October’s able skies.” Dance architecture that conjured falling, scattering leaves. If ever there was a program that screamed Autumn, it is Smuin Ballet’s 2024 edition of Dance Series 1. Under the Artistic Direction of Amy Seiwert, the company glided into Fort Mason’s Cowell Theater on Friday night to open the San Francisco leg of their recent Bay Area tour. Before a packed house, the troupe offered a dynamic triple bill of contemporary ballet: the world premiere of Jennifer Archibald’s ByCHANCE, the company debut of Matthew Neenan’s The Last Glass (2010) and a re-engagement with Seiwert’s 2019 Renaissance. While I had my favorite amongst the three works, there is no denying that the entire program was quite dazzling. And the company, some of whom danced in all three pieces, looked totally on top of their game. A terrific start to a new season!

Smuin Ballet in Archibald's ByCHANCE
Photo Chris Hardy


In her welcoming remarks, Seiwert shared that Archibald’s ByCHANCE (which was created on the Smuin artists) was inspired by the chance encounters that we experience throughout life. As the ensemble work for eight unfolded, that throughline was definitely at play. Dancers entered and exited the space, meeting center stage for a conversation, albeit one without words. Mirroring human existence, some of those conversations were long, others short. Some were casual, others passionate. Some interactions were joyful, others melancholic. Some very temporary, others much more permanent. 

Choreographically, intense speed contrasted with moments of unrestrained quiet. Lifts soared through the air. Arms undulated and gestural sequences brought a sharp, staccato articulation to the table. Phrases flowed effortlessly from one to another, with an almost sculptural-like, fluid motion. 

While it may not have been the choreographic intent, I also saw something deeply organic and basal running through ByCHANCE. Reminiscent of the natural world in tone. Dancers cascaded in and out of the wings like whirling leaves. At other times, it seemed like we were peeking under a microscope at cells adhering together to form something new, only for that new entity to dissolve. Those large group pictures manifested, then broke apart, over and over again. It was mesmerizing and provided an unexpected textural layer to the work.

My first impression of Neenan’s The Last Glass was a wild party with an even wilder guest list. The hopeful ingenue. A tortured Elizabethan heroine. Flirty Moulin Rouge dancers. A couple brimming with equal parts volatility and passion. And in each of the subsequent solos, duets, trios and group sequences, all set to a score by Beirut, each guest had ample opportunity to reveal their persona. Neenan’s choreographic syntax similarly ran the gamut from classical petit allegro to percussive variations to jazzy barrel rolls and axles. With a nod to yoga practices, an accumulation phrase flowed breath to movement. Social line dances were aplenty; there was even a tipsy pseudo-limbo. If there had been additional theatrical elements (like props or text, for example), I might have categorized The Last Glass as Dance Theatre. But the genre didn’t really matter. What mattered was that the entire cast of ten was all in from lights up to final blackout and it was a party that you wanted an invite to. 

Smuin Ballet in Seiwert's Renaissance
Photo Chris Hardy

As its title suggests, Seiwert’s Renaissance is of another time. It feels otherworldly, prayerful, and while it certainly has dynamic range, the ballet elicits an undeniably peaceful and serene tone. Scored by the Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble, the largest group piece of the evening had much to convey. But the strongest element was indeed the power of a collective working together. Unison chapters abounded. Hands were clasped together in tender support. Balances and partnering were imbued with a mutuality where all parties had to commit with the same force and attention. Renaissance has its fair share of serious, somber moments, but instead of abiding solely in that emotion, it counters with significant, palpable joy. Arms and legs reached to the heavens and to other souls on stage. Floaty leaps provided a sense of lightness and hope. Mid-way through the work, a soloist (Tess Lane at this performance) appears on the scene. As the only dancer costumed differently, there is a bit of a ‘chosen one’, Rite of Spring comparison that happens. But unlike Rite of Spring, which is always gruesome to me, here that character feels protected and cherished by the kinship of her tribe. I’ve loved Renaissance since I first saw it, and once again, it was my favorite dance of the night.

Dance Series 1 runs in San Francisco at the Cowell Theater until October 20th.

 

No comments: