"A Midsummer Night's Dream"

Hamburg Ballet in Neumeier's "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
Photo ©Holger Badekow

The Hamburg Ballet

War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco

February 12^th, 2014

Dreams can be strange, confusing and non-linear; starting out one way and then  morphing into something else without explanation or warning. And so, a ballet about a dream should be equally odd and curious. In another mid-February engagement at San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House, the Hamburg Ballet returned with a full-length production encapsulating this universal experience – Artistic Director John Neumeier’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Perfectly timed for Valentine’s week, unexpected love and intertwined relationships take center stage in Neumeier’s 1977 version of Shakespeare’s comedic masterpiece. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” takes its participating characters on an unusual journey, oscillating between the conscious and the sub-conscious and revealing the porousness that exists between the two states of being.   

The ballet’s most notable achievement is its dream sequence, which makes up the majority of Act I. Appropriately weird and mystical, the dream successfully blurred the lines between reality and fantasy. Manic motion and constant change were expressed through extremely fast boureés, Russian pas de chats and grand rond de jambes. A sense of ‘the unexpected’ even permeated the partnering, leading to some spectacular visuals (including a mid-air developpé à la second). Add in smoke effects, ambient music and mobile set pieces, and the result was a deliciously unpredictable apparition.

Translating Shakespeare’s comedic tale into a non-textual format is not easy to do. The complex scenarios, the varied characters, the interwoven lives; all three presented a big challenge. By the end of Act I, things were starting to become clear, but even with a general understanding of the plot, it was a little hard to keep track of what was going on. Having said that, with a storyline like “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, some uncertainty may have been the right call.

The length of the production was problematic. About three-quarters of the way through each of the two acts, there was a very clear and palpable stopping point. The audience reaction in those moments spoke volumes; they thought each half was over and their presumption seemed right. But in both cases, the action continued for quite a while longer, and because definite cadences had already occurred, it felt extraneous. In particular, Act I clocked in at around eighty minutes.        

The style and choreography of this “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” may not be to everyone’s artistic taste, but the dancing itself was phenomenal. The leads were great: tremendous technique, believable acting and artistic sensitivity. However, the real stand out group was the men’s and women’s corps de ballet. Neumeier’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” charges its chorus with both traditional (in the first scene and at the wedding) and contemporary ballet vocabulary (during the dream). Each corps dancer met that call with authentic intention, mature confidence and technical acumen. They were a delight to watch. 

"Ebb + Flow"

Mills College Dance Alumni Concert

Lisser Theater, Oakland

February 7^th, 2014

On the first Friday of every February, the Mills College dance community (alumni, friends, family and current students) gather on campus for the annual Dance Alumni Concert. Aptly titled “Ebb + Flow”, this shared performance features a curated collection of work by Mills College Dance Department alums. 2014’s iteration brought six diverse compositions, choreographed by graduates from the past three decades.

First up was Garth Grimball’s “Casa Tomada”, which featured live guitar accompaniment by composer Brian Baumbusch and performance by Grimball and Deanna Bangs. A quiet work of post-modern choreography, contemporary sensibility and narrative framework, “Casa Tomada” had a lovely arc. First, a couple was calmly seated in an open wooden box structure. There was an overwhelming sense of assumed and accepted repetition; a statement of the usual, the constant, the norm. Next, complete and methodical articulation of the hands and feet were added to the picture. The dance continued its crescendo in both intensity and off-balancedness so that by the end, a clear message had emerged. Typicality was no longer enough. Sandra Scheuber’s “Blue” followed, a purposely humorous and melodramatic quartet about sadness and despair. While “Blue” provided a nice variety and contrast to the overall program, tying modern choreography so closely to popular music is tough to do, and the work did seem a little out of place.

Act I concluded with an excerpt from “Six Suites”, a terrific collaborative project, setting six different choreographic intentions to Bach’s music. This portion highlighted three sections – the first, an example of abstract expression; the second, narrative interpretation; the third, creative process. Amy Lewis began with a circular, flowing and vast solo that ate up the stage space. With its constant motion, Lewis was reflecting the equally continuous nature of much Baroque music. Very few internal moments of cadence and repose exist, and so, rest does not come until the very end. Sonsherée Giles’ second variation introduced a delicious narrative foundation. High relevé dancing juxtaposed against abrupt and violent falls spoke to a common desire: trying to keep it together and the reality of not being able to do so. Janet Das took the stage in the third segment of “Six Suites”, providing a glimpse into the creation and extraction of movement phrases. Das did not dance to the music, but rather in concert with it, accumulating interesting sets of movement motifs and physical circuits. Her hinge plié deserved particular commendation. “Six Suites” is successfully examining the marriage between different choreographic styles and Baroque scores. At some point, I hope to see the entire work.

Pictured: Megan Nicely
Photo: Yana Kraeva

Act II opened with Megan Nicely’s “Somatic Experiment #1: Scrunch”, a visceral, immersive and creepily spooky choreographic wonder. From its vocalization score (provided live by Jim Brashear) to its deconstructed set to its gritty, animalistic syntax, this piece is all dance theater. And though the narrative has an aura of mystery, “Somatic Experiment #1: Scrunch” appeared to be a physical expression of neurosis or insanity. Rebekah Brown’s “Boots” focused on the journey – individual pathways, personal experiences and navigating life, both from a collective and individual perspective. Well-danced and creatively organized, the only surprising element was the ending, which was both unexpected and maybe even a little abrupt. For the evening’s finale, Jalila Bell offered the world premiere of “D4L”, which was all about layers, evolution and accumulation. In a work that showcased the best technical performance of the evening, Bell was able to fuse hip hop, jazz, break-dance, modern, and traditional African dance into a unique hybrid. Each genre maintained its individual integrity while also working together to form a cohesive whole.   

Modern Masters

Cal Performances presents

Martha Graham Dance Company

Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley

January 31^st, 2014

As January comes to an end and February begins, Cal Performances is all about iconic modern dance. For two nights, the Martha Graham Dance Company takes the Zellerbach stage in a program of Graham’s most celebrated works: “Appalachian Spring”, “Cave of the Heart” and “Maple Leaf Rag”. Of course, Graham technique is the common denominator that runs through the entire evening, providing the formal structure and foundation of each work. But content-wise, the three pieces are very different: one deconstructed narrative, one dramatic story and one abstract composition.

Katherine Crockett in "Appalachian Spring" 

Photo: John Deane

“Appalachian Spring” tells a classic tale of hopeful anticipation. And even though it premiered almost seventy years ago, the universal message and vast physicality keep it relevant today. Right from the start, this dance shepherds its characters towards the future and what lies ahead. As each of the eight cast members enter from stage left, slow, methodical walks propel them forward onto their front leg. These reaching motions continue throughout the thirty minute work: in the husbandman’s travelling sautés, the followers’ parallel sissones and the bride’s arabesque airplane turns. There was also a deep feeling of community amongst the characters; a sense of joy and comfort that they were looking to the horizon together. The most serious moment in “Appalachian Spring” is the preacher’s variation two-thirds of the way in. But even in that dramatic sequence, a glimmer of reassurance shines through. Difficulties, sorrow and pain will come, but in those moments, no one is alone.

As much as “Appalachian Spring” is hopeful, 1946’s “Cave of the Heart” is dark. Based on the story of Medea, “Cave of the Heart” explores the cycle of jealousy. An angsty dance for four, the piece follows Medea as she experiences early inklings of jealousy and then as those initial emotions build into uncontrollable rage. The Graham contraction is a perfect vehicle for such a narrative. It starts with a deep internal impulse, which then radiates outward and grows to overtake the entire body. “Cave of the Heart” shows how quickly jealousy can turn into insanity, consuming the entire human spirit, and taking over like a multiplying virus.

The last piece on the program was also the final piece that Martha Graham completed, 1990’s “Maple Leaf Rag”. A humorous romp for one featured couple and an ensemble chorus, “Maple Leaf Rag” is quite literally Graham technique set to music. All the highly stylized aspects of Graham were present: cupped hands, prances, upper body curves, the tilt in second position. I even saw a Graham fall on one. But the movement was not at all stuck in the past; in fact, the dance shows how her syllabus was able to maintain its physical integrity yet also how it evolved over time. If neo-classical modern dance ever existed, “Maple Leaf Rag” is it. Though the term is more commonly reserved for a style of classical ballet, “Maple Leaf Rag” has all the characteristics of neo-classical choreography: speed and precision, a re-thinking of traditional movement and an emphasis on how the choreography punctuates the score.