Presented by Cal Performances at Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley, CA
September 16, 2011
The opening of Cal Performances' new season is a highly anticipated event in the Bay Area as patrons ready themselves for an exciting year of world class artists. This past weekend kicked-off the dance series with Mark Morris Dance Group's "Dido and Aeneas". The tragic opera was transformed into an artistic collaboration with dancers and musicians performing each role accompanied by the superb Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale, all conducted under the musical and artistic direction of Mark Morris.
The choreography of "Dido and Aeneas" was a perfect embodiment of the Greek style with precise, deliberate sequences that were specific in their positioning and their intent. Everything was perfectly placed and placed for a reason and a purpose, nothing blurry or wishy-washy. This allowed the events to be clearly conveyed and reminds us why codified, position-based modern dance was so successful for so long.
The intention of this dance-theater piece was to relate the epic tale of "Dido and Aeneas" through physical language, and Morris fully accomplished this goal: the chosen narrative was clearly transmitted. But the work was and is so much more than a simple gestural representation; he was able to inject the choreography with its own contributions and lessons without compromising the guiding storyline. The choreographic standout was Morris' treatment of the 'small' and how intricate details truly have the most unexpected meaning. The opening sequence found the cast propelling themselves around the stage with fast parallel boureés, and later in the work a similar small movement (this time, heel twists) was utilized to cover the vast space. Here we saw the transitions from one place to another; the starting and ending point were of course integral, but the in between, the journey is where the magic happened. Domingo Estrada Jr. as Aeneas had a strong, powerful and commanding presence, though the most telling part of his solo occurred as he turned his palms to face up and out. This seemingly insignificant motion said everything - he was opening up his heart and giving his soul away. Morris' ongoing theme of how small changes drastically affect one's existence was brilliant.
Though the majority of the piece was fantastic, some of the characters were a bit confusing. The recurring 'chorus' were a delight to watch: their choreography interesting and dynamic and their performance flawless. With this group of dancers, it seemed that Morris was trying to create a system where gender was left out of the equation: their androgyny was palpable. Unfortunately, with a story like "Dido and Aeneas", the gender-bending doesn't and didn't really work; it just looked campy. And while campy can be a valid, interesting and entertaining performance choice, in this case, the 'camp' just wasn't very good. Similarly, Amber Star Merkens' interpretation of Dido was choreographically masterful but relationally unconvincing. She didn't display any spark, desire or chemistry for Estrada's Aeneas, making it difficult to buy into their connection.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
"The Bay Area Rhythm Exchange"
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| Photo of John Kloss by Andy Mogg. |
"The Bay Area Rhythm Exchange"
Herbst Theatre, San Francisco, CA
August 19, 2011
The true test of an annual show is in its ability to preserve tradition while at the same time being able to produce something distinct, especially when many of the performers are the same each year. Stepology's 2011 presentation of "The Bay Area Rhythm Exchange" celebrated the talent, diversity and energy of percussive dance with a plethora of style, interpretation and approach. Though this event happens yearly in the Bay Area, the 2011 edition was unique and fabulous.
The headliners gave fantastic solo performances: John Kloss' taps were incredibly clear and his toe-heel combinations were super-human; Mark Mendonca is not only an amazing dancer, but also has the most easy, laid-back rapport with his audience. For me, the stand-out performer was Sam Weber. His upright, balletic style (almost like Merce Cunningham in tap shoes) differentiated him from the rest of the group, with tap sounds that had a much wider variance and dynamic spectrum. Everyone else favored and tended toward the harsher, louder 'down' into the floor choreography and so, most of their solo work seemed very much the same. Weber's approach allows him more freedom and increased versatility and as a result, his solos had intricacies that no one else could top.
Compared to last year's production, the floor mikes were hugely improved this time around; they picked up all the highs and lows of the choreography and movement, which for tap, is imperative. Having said that, I still find it strange that Stepology chooses this particular venue for its annual showcase. The Herbst Theatre is beautiful but the pitch of the seats does not provide a good viewing angle of the dancer's feet. Rhythm tap is just as much of a visual artform as it is audio and if you cannot see the feet, much of the performance is lost. The audience size was certainly a disappointment on Friday night. At the 2010 "Bay Area Rhythm Exchange", the house was completely packed and full of anticipation, excitement and awe. This year, the Herbst Theatre was less than half full - quite a let down for such an exhilarating performance.
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
"Terrain Project Performance"
The New Ground Theatre Dance Company
an Arts Unity Movement Production
Notre Dame De Namur University Theater, Belmont, CA
August 6, 2011
The New Ground Theatre Dance Company's "Terrain Project Performance" demonstrated a skillful use of narrative mechanisms. A triptych work, "Terrain Project Performance" unfolded as follows: first, a woman's medical crisis; second, the explanation of how she arrived in that situation; what her life has looked like up until that moment and what circumstances have contributed to her current existence; and third, her heroic and freeing choice that creates a new life. Artistic Director Coleen Lorenz has produced a dance theater piece that reveals how women can empower themselves to both own and determine their reality and future.
The opening scene revealed the five main characters at the beginning of their day, each going through their individual routines to ready themselves for what may lie ahead. Here we saw stylized choreography (not a post-modern pedestrian expression of daily activities) and one could see the adjectives of each character through their movements: frustration, excitement, complacency and fear. Though a small portion of "Terrain Project Performance", this introductory scene was imperative - it set up who the major players were and the emotions that they carried inside of them.
Interspersed throughout the dance were video sequences of women's faces (primarily the eyes) and audio clips of them speaking. Projected onto the back scrim, these images spoke to Lorenz's goal: to provide a glimpse and insight into another's experience, understanding and condition.
The group sections were good and the dancers at Notre Dame De Namur University are receiving excellent and varied training (many of the cast are alumni or current students). In fact, these dancers are in better stead than students from some of the big university dance programs - they are being given a comprehensive approach to movement, where all styles have equal importance: ballet, jazz, modern, partnering and contact improvisation. This is an incredible accomplishment for this department. Having said that, all university dance programs have a similar issue that has to be acknowledged, and that is the wide variance in technical level. This does not always present a problem unless the choreography in question contains quite a bit of unison work as "Terrain Project Performance" did. When placed in unison, the technical differences between the dancers becomes overly emphasized and therefore can look a little messy (legs at different heights, jumps of different clarity, etc.). Steering away from unison is a better plan.
an Arts Unity Movement Production
Notre Dame De Namur University Theater, Belmont, CA
August 6, 2011
The New Ground Theatre Dance Company's "Terrain Project Performance" demonstrated a skillful use of narrative mechanisms. A triptych work, "Terrain Project Performance" unfolded as follows: first, a woman's medical crisis; second, the explanation of how she arrived in that situation; what her life has looked like up until that moment and what circumstances have contributed to her current existence; and third, her heroic and freeing choice that creates a new life. Artistic Director Coleen Lorenz has produced a dance theater piece that reveals how women can empower themselves to both own and determine their reality and future.
The opening scene revealed the five main characters at the beginning of their day, each going through their individual routines to ready themselves for what may lie ahead. Here we saw stylized choreography (not a post-modern pedestrian expression of daily activities) and one could see the adjectives of each character through their movements: frustration, excitement, complacency and fear. Though a small portion of "Terrain Project Performance", this introductory scene was imperative - it set up who the major players were and the emotions that they carried inside of them.
Interspersed throughout the dance were video sequences of women's faces (primarily the eyes) and audio clips of them speaking. Projected onto the back scrim, these images spoke to Lorenz's goal: to provide a glimpse and insight into another's experience, understanding and condition.
The group sections were good and the dancers at Notre Dame De Namur University are receiving excellent and varied training (many of the cast are alumni or current students). In fact, these dancers are in better stead than students from some of the big university dance programs - they are being given a comprehensive approach to movement, where all styles have equal importance: ballet, jazz, modern, partnering and contact improvisation. This is an incredible accomplishment for this department. Having said that, all university dance programs have a similar issue that has to be acknowledged, and that is the wide variance in technical level. This does not always present a problem unless the choreography in question contains quite a bit of unison work as "Terrain Project Performance" did. When placed in unison, the technical differences between the dancers becomes overly emphasized and therefore can look a little messy (legs at different heights, jumps of different clarity, etc.). Steering away from unison is a better plan.
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