Symphony Space hosts Long Island University Dancers

 Long Island University’s Department of Theatre, Film, and Dance hosted their 2009 Annual Choreographer’s Showcase with the Post Concert Dance Company this past Monday evening, April 27, 2009. The best part about the performance was the absolutely stunning Symphony Space theatre where the show was held! What a gorgeous facility, tucked away on 95^th Street and Broadway… far out of reach of the many downtown and midtown spaces that we dancers are so accustomed to!

The Post Concert Dance Company showcased six pieces, flaunting 14 of their dance majors with new and even revisited choreography. All of the dancers were seen more than once, some doing some backstage acrobatics to magically change costume and perform two lengthy pieces in a row! That is an impressive feat in itself… not to mention actually dancing 30 minutes of straight athletic choreography. The five pieces were as follows:

Here and There, Choreography: Karen Burns Music: Yann Piersen

Here and There was exactly that for me… I’m sorry to admit. The three female dancers took the stage clad in pointe class attire – solid leotards, black tights overtop of leotard (not my favorite for a performance), traditional buns, and pointe shoes. These faux ballerinas sometimes struggled through the choreography as if they were desperately chasing each coming step, and barely catching them.  However, the dance did embody some lovely emotional moments, well-acted by senior Andrea Ude and male dancer David Hoffmann. Burns’ choreography has potential and needs to be set on more advanced ballet dancers. I found myself holding my breath in hopes that the dancers would not fall off pointe during single pirouettes, and wishing for lots more turnout. Unfortunately, the dancers’ need for mastery of ballet technique overshadowed any artistry of the piece, as I actually felt nervous for the dancers, their facial expressions drenched in deep concentration.

 A Woman Scorned… Finding Self, Reconnecting with Friends Choreography: Karen Arceneaux    Dancers: Gina Allis, Ashley Henry, Casey Dawson, Allyson Reigstad, Sarah Nowaski, Pei-Chun Chiu, Kristen Lenihan, Cassandra J. Jackman

Arceneaux’s work is meant to show a woman’s process of dealing with a painful break-up, and how the woman works through it with the help of her friends. She celebrates being a woman with fellow women, swinging her hips confidently throughout the piece. In three parts, “Bitter”, “Solace”, and “Composed”… we watch the journey. Cassandra J. Jackman, the soloist, is the shining light of this entire piece. Her entrancing movement is fluid, strong, connected, and technically sound.  Her oozing pride and confidence in being a curvy woman of color makes her an utter joy to watch.  Her star quality amongst the other dancers makes it difficult to watch anyone but her. It would have been refreshing to see the other dancers emote a little more genuinely and connect to one another more, really embracing the true meaning of friendship and dancing, rather than just performing jazz choreography together.

 Cuentos del Popol Vuh (Stories from the Popol Vuh) Choreography: Helen Myers Music: Anneliese Weibel, Dancers: Amanda Allyne, Amanda Burden, Kerrianne Cody, Ashley A. Pierce, Megan Raiano

 This modern piece is very interesting and defines MODERN, a quirky bedtime story. Complete with animal gestures such as tongue flicking, tiger crawling, bizarre lifts, leap frog games, and birdlike hand motions, Myers hits this one out of the park, bringing us into a head-tilting whimsical world of Mayan mythical creatures... giving us a key into the magic of the over and underworlds. The white flowing costumes created an interesting dream-like heightened reality, although the design didn’t flatter all body types in the group. The climax was the ending tableau formed by the company with one dancer kneeling on another’s shoulders!

 Pilobolus: Ciona (1973), Choreography: Robby Barnett, Alison Chase, Martha Clarke, Moses Pendleton, Michael Tracy, Jonathan Wolken (Pilobolus Dance Theatre). Staging: Adam Battelstein and Renee Jaworski, asst. Angie Schneider. Dancers: Gina Allis, Pei-Chun Chiu, Kerrianne Cody, Christine Guglia, David Hoffman 

Definitely the powerhouse performance of the night, Ciona grabs our attention and keeps hold of it for the length of the entire piece. The shapes these dancers are able to create, along with the strength they exhibit in order to master some difficult lifts, are truly amazing. It's a mystery.... are the dancers defying physics or defining it!? Dancers flipping over one another, standing on top of each other, pushing, pulling, throwing, catching, stretching, bending, balancing… up, down, and inside out. The folks at Pilobolus are truly remarkable. The unitards used for the piece focus your attention on the awesome shapes and formations, but also distract because of the range of body types. One might consider this detail enticing or particularly beautiful… the fact that there were so many different body types all portraying the shapes we make as human beings connecting to one another. Great strength, flexibility, and control were proudly displayed by these dancers! Well done. There’s no denying that this is classic choreography. Great choice of a throwback!

Shedding, Choreography: Khaleah London. Music: As the Earth, by N8. Dancers: Amanda Allyne, Kerriane Cody, Cassandra J. Jackman, Fumi Osogami, Allyson Reigstad

 Shedding is a dance from the perspective of witnessing the process of five human beings, from diverse backgrounds and different walks of life, experiencing a shift in human consciousness.  It was a solid modern routine, packed with lots of juicy choreography… but it got a bit redundant by the end. It did showcase the dancers well and the costumes were very flattering.  London incorporates lots of flowing movements and revisits patterns with intricate layering.

Short Stories (excerpts)  Choreography: Kanji Segawa. Dancers: Gina Allis, Amanda Burden, Pei-Chun Chiu, Casey Dawson, Christine Guglia, Ashley Henry, Kristen Lenihan, Cailin Murtha, Sarah Nowaski, Fumi Osogami, Megan Raiano, Allyson Reigstad, Andrea Ude

I loved this piece, and my only complaint was that it wasn’t longer! Mixing jazz with contemporary and a hint of modern, Segawa sends the dancers roaring across the stage with fast-paced patterns and individually unique costumes themed in grays and navy blue. Some sported jeans or sweatpants while others wore sundresses, shorts, and leggings.  I especially loved the dramatic ending – two vertical lines of dancers on their knees throw their hands in the air while the feature, Amanda Burden,  bursts center upstage.

Overall, the show was well-put together and the hard work was evident… although some products turned out far better than others.  Much of the audience cheered loudly after, and sometimes even during the pieces, proving that the Post Concert Dance Company definitely has one thing in abundance, loving and supportive family and friends.

 

iDANZ CRITIX CORNER

Official Dance Review by: Sheena DiMatteo

Performance: Post Concert Dance Company, Choreographer's Showcase 2009

Choreography: Karen Burns, Karen Arceneaux, Helen Myers, Pilobolus, Khaleah London, Kanji Segawa

Venue: Peter Norton Symphony Space

Performance Date:  Monday, April 27, 2009

www.iDANZOnline.com 

Brilliant. Quirky. Beautiful. Don't miss The Chase Brock Experience!

The Chase Brock Experience is just that: an experience, something to encounter and undergo.  Witnessing a performance of this dance troupe, I feel the highly creative Chase Brock come alive and his spirit embodied by an amazing group of dancers whose entertainment emits a beautiful quirky quality. 

At first glance, the Chase Brock Experience seems composed of caricatured personalities on stage.  Opening the program is Mission Implausible, a cartoonish dance in which the dancers’ comical characters appear in various scenarios juxtaposed to one another.  Clearly, Chase Brock requires not only technical virtuosity from his dancers, but an essential acting ability as well. 

Before long I find myself lost in the world of Chase Brock Experience.  Their dance transforms me into the psyche of a daydreamer.  While the performance conveys a musical theater influence, the dancers remain laid back and not overly exaggerated.  In the setting of Baruch Performing Arts Center, the curtain-less stage creates an atmosphere of blurred boundaries.  What happens onstage becomes an extended dimension of reality, where the imagination of the audience is set loose. 

The program’s second piece, Curious Episode, depicts another form of life caricatured on stage.  The exaggerated gestural choreography creates the sensation of flipping through a comic book.  Chase Brock succeeds in choreographing a contemporary interpretation of playful patterns found in a classically stylized score.  

Good Breeding follows and is reminiscent of Balanchine choreography in its structure.  Yukiko Kashiki is delightful in her expressiveness (watch this woman to learn how to better use one's eyes in performance!) and crisp technique.  Like a kaleidoscopic vision, the Chase Brock Experience interweaves patterns of movement, à la an innocent drug trip through the experience of attending a rigorous dance training program.  Such experimentation epitomizes the pure joy of movement.  Through its persistent element of surprise, the Chase Brock Experience teaches the audience to abandon any pre-con

ceived expectations.  The changing relationships between dancers fuels interest throughout as dancers stir up mischief with a rond de jambe.  Witnessing how Chase Brock translates a piqué coupé into a stumble, one comprehends why an audience member comments that “Chase is just so brilliant – it’s amazing”. 

In Tossing and Yearning, the dancers embrace the choreography as their own, tossing aside any sense that they are portraying other characters.  The dancers are revealed to show off their individual talents as well as their deep personal yearnings.  David Guggino executes a break dance inspired solo with impressive finesse.  Dean de Luna presents technical brilliance with a sincere demeanor, and Ryan Jackson proves himself to be a dynamic mover, expressive with clear intentions. 

Like flipping through an old yearbook, Junk and Lies triggers the memories of past relationships and experiences.  With a terrific dramatic performance by Emily Oldak, the piece crescendos towards climax in a fast paced dancing frenzy, leaving behind unresolved tension.  The performance closes with What a Wonderful World, an expression of the universal experience of dancing in one’s bedroom - in one’s underwear.  Filled with an adolescent orange soda pop energy, the dance propells the audience back into the real world.  

The Chase Brock Experience leaves the audience in a pleasurable state, not unlike the viewing of a good romantic comedy.  As I join in the giving of a standing ovation, I realized there are quite a few other dancers in the audience.  A contagious excitement electrifies the crowd, and I overhear someone comment on it being a “real pleasure to see [Chase Brock’s] work...unbelievable...great group of people”.  After several bows by the cast, I am awed when the dancers express their gratitude towards the audience and encourage donations to Dancers Responding to AIDS. 

Exiting the theatre and recalling the simple snazzy vocabulary of steps used in the performance, I realized I have witnessed movement that is real life accentuated. Someone asks a companion how she enjoyed the show and

 she replies, “Wonderful! Very cool, love it!”.  Upon seeing the choreographer himself, dressed for business in a suit with neon striped sneakers, I think, “Now that’s my style – the kind of experience I pursue – a mixture of work with play.” 

Finally, I overhear Chase Brock call to a friend, “What a delight to reconnect now!” and I concur, feeling as if the whole Chase Brock Experience has simply reconnected me to something inherently my own. 

iDANZ Critix Corner

Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan

Performance: The Chase Brock Experience

Choreographer:  Chase Brock

Venue:  Baruch Performing Arts Center/Baruch College

Performance Date:  Sunday April 26th, 2009 8PM Program B

www.iDANZOnline.com

  

Dance Review: E-Moves, E-Merging, E-Volving

Harlem Stage Gatehouse, a circular gem hidden in West Harlem, hosted an evening of e-merging and e-volving choreographers.  Just one of the ten evenings devoted to exposing the works of new comers and legacies, April 23, was the night for  Daniel Fetecua-Soto, Malcolm Low, Ja’Malik, Francine Ott, Sidra Bell, Samar Haddad King, Johari Mayfield, Richard Rivera, and Hattie Mae Williams to shine. 

I joined the evening as Francine Elizabeth Ott and dancers took the stage, for Need to be Needed; a trio of precision accompanied by two acapella voices (Nicholas Ryan Gant and Charisma Joy Loney).  The two harmonious and powerfully subtle voices immediately consumed the audience without upstaging the dancers.  The minimal stage direction allowed the audience to engage in the five artists that commanded the stage.  The choreography simply exuded the inspiration of the piece, Revelation 12:1-17, The Woman and the Dragon. The dancers kept a steady flow movement, as if manipulated by a snake charmer.  However, with staccato hand gestures sporadically placed throughout piece the audience remained enthralled.

Ja’Malik with The Hour Before I Loved You was a genuine execution of traditional technique.  The audience experienced excerpts from movements 2 and 4 leaving the desire to see more.  Movement 2, At Sunrise, was a duet performed by Ja’Malik and Khiara M. Bridges to Sting Quartet No. 1.  The couple embraced the simple attire of a ballet classroom and fully focused on the movement.  They partnered beautifully together while man and women were equally graceful.  Together they were melted into one another and apart they remained connected with their focus.  Immediately replacing them in a brief pause of silence was Aya Watanabe and Ramon Thielen with movement 4, In the Gloaming.  Here again they relied on basic ballet classroom attire, but this time the female danced en pointe.  It is refreshing to see dance brought back to the basics with clean, precise, and phenomenally executed technique.  Nonetheless, Ja’Malik spun a modern twist on his ballet and the dancers moved with smooth and effortless perfection. 

Following the intermission was Johari Mayfield with her solo, Venus Riff.  This well coiffed young woman is set in front of screen with a video resembling the English country-side.  In her frilly dress and parasol she is an amusing interpretation of society’s standards for women, while the video mocks her for her large and imperfect features.  The audience knows that she is resentful and as she continues through the piece she begins to break out of her mold.  Eventually, Johari tears down her stuffy dress to reveal provocative and rebelling attire of fishnets and a barely there night gown.  The music changes from classical to modern day hip hop, and the movement immediately mimics the music.  She continues with her “in your face” attitude and exits the stage accepting the woman she is. 

Samar Haddad King (choreographer) and Josiah Guitian with Al-Bikr were the next to perform.  The two dressed as young lovers straight from the sound of music brought  smiles to the audience.  Samar pranced through her luscious choreography with moments of quirky hand and foot gestures that made you relate to her even more.  Josiah was a wonderful partner and the many lifts looked effortless.  The choreography clearly portrayed the struggle between the two lovers.  Though she fought to be independent, Samar always came back to lean on Josiah; telling us that though things will never be the same they will always rely on one another. 

Richard Rivera provided the audience with a modern piece a little more familiar to “downtown dance”.  The five dancers began upstage in a cluster; gazing ahead with no focus on each other.  One dancer began with a gesture and continuing while the others one by one followed with different gestures.  Eventually the dancers were triggered by a slight touch and began dancing in unison.  The dancers continued to pair in 2, 3, or together as 5 with grounded, non traditional lifts.  The inspiration to this piece was ambiguous, but allowed the audience to create their own story.

The last two works of the evening were phenomenal.  Anthology, choreographed by Sidra Bell was an exhilarating journey between two partners.  Troy Ogilvie and Gilbert Small were captivating with both their physicality and performance quality.  The female dressed in a ruffled blouse, black tight pants, and glittered red heals with her male partner in a black, ruffle skirt dress.  They both remained feminine and masculine.  The two moved, as if it were their first time in a new body; exploring life through each other and through movement.  They intriguingly poked and reacted to one another’s movement; moving like striking clockwork. 

A second duet of two young women replaced the first couple in blouses and tulle skirts.  The movement complimented the dancers while the dancers brought this choreography to life.  Unlike the first couple, the dancers moved simultaneously with little partnering.  They looked like a pair of Savage Birds fluidly moving throughout the space.

Closing the night’s festivities was Hattie Mae Williams’ Snatched.  If you’ve had the pleasure of indulging in Ms. Williams’ “Tattooed Ballerinas”, in the past you were certainly not disappointed.  The delicate trio was dressed in hand crafted costumes by Gabriel Steel; placing the dancers in complimentary hues of orange, red, and brown.  Each design was done to compliment the dancer and the choreography.  The dancers proceeded whimsically throughout the space and with random outbursts they created a dream-like state.  Ms. Williams and her dancers had an enjoyable balance of technique and unique way of moving.

As the evening came to a close, the audience was left smiling and inspired by the "e-clectic" group of dancers, both traditional and inventive. 

 

iDANZ Critix Corner

Official Dance Review by Caroline Banks

Performance: E-Moves

Choreography: Daniel Fetecua-Soto, Malcolm Low, Ja’Malik, Francine Ott, Sidra Bell, Samar Haddad King, Johari Mayfield, Richard Rivera, and Hattie Mae 

Venue: Harlem Stage Gatehouse

Performance Date:  Thursday, April 23, 2009

www.iDANZOnline.com 

Emerging Talent Enthralls at Chen Dance Center with Newsteps

The welcoming and delightful Chen Dance Center—even down to the lovely and efficient Dana Grunklee 

who takes reservations—presents the first of two weekends in their semi-annual emerging choreographer’s series—Newsteps. Often perplexing, always interesting and sometimes amusing, Newsteps features new work by choreographers that is daring, innovative and definitely emotionally enthralling.

 

Newsteps inundates the audience with five choreographed dances, keeping 

spectators on stand-by for the next cataclysmic surprise. The first performance, (encounter), choreographed by Hsiao-Wei and Hsiao-Ting, applies Laban’s A-scale, while at the start of the performance, three light-filled squares fill the stage. Each dancer, occupying a square, appears to be freestyling, individualizing their solos with different attitudes and movem

ent (i.e., technical, perhaps intentionally clumsy, confused, and even irate). The three solos become interlinked, and the dancers upstage their individual routines with surprisingly clean choreography in an effortless melding of their distinct talents and personalities.

 

Mana Kawamura titillates the audie

nce with Specimen, said to be inspired by Little Red Riding Hood. In this five-dancer, nearly orgasmic performance, the audience

 

may not take from it Little Red Riding Hood, as much as  literally (!) overlapping character portraits at once nebulous and distinctive. Echoing Janet Jackson’s sexual control in her 1993 video “If”, Kawamuro manipulates the face and limbs of David Botana, her male counterpart. Botana, believably at the mercy of his masteress, sweats feverishly, seemingly satiated in the pleasures of pandemonium. Meanwhile, an apparent diner waitress with order pad, executed stoically by transplanted-Britisher, Keelin Ryan, stands atop of a “table” of dancers; the bottom layer features the smudgy lipstick application by one dancer, and the aggressive wipe-off with tissues by the one assailed.

 

Uterii, choreographed by Lisa Crawford, goes between bouts of powerful and crystalline choreography and moments of internal focus with patient, deliberate movement. The five female performers, in tank tops of different colors, is as surprising as it is sure-footed. One performer, Crawford, is so committed to the movement, so enthralled in the execution of her organic moves, that it’s a disappointment when she stops dancing. Crawford encapsulates the concept of “being in the zone;” the fact that she choreographed this piece, while being the stand-out, is testament to her palpable, impassioned talent and her refreshingly raw and ego-less dedication to her craft.

 

While often wonderful to be inundated with the emotions expressed in Newsteps, Leanne Schmidt’s The Upper Hand makes the audience’s openness a liability. The four-some ensemble, clad in eye-sore white,  indulges in punching and kicking “choreography”, worsened by loud shouts—the most abhorrent, unsurprisingly, coming from the ‘upper hand’ herself, choreographer Schmidt. Said to be “an effort to examine the struggle of power,” it’s less an examination of anything, than just an excuse for the dancers to shout and hit each other. The audience released their defensively closed arms only to look at their watches.  

 

Luckily, Newsteps ends on a less banal note with Automated Arrival, New York. This segment, by GoGoVerdigoat Dance Project, explores sound with an electronic megaphone and silver service bells. Audience participation is also involved in an effort to create an unpredictable performance. The piece explores New York as a cultural landmark, in which to find your way and invariably yourself, one must “sense” their way around. The playful and funny in this work is successfully balanced by the sensual—fellow dancers remove layers of each other’s clothes, alluding to the succulent pleasures of the flesh while maintaining high-level art and innocuous innocence.

 

After the performances, the friendly and talkative Artistic Director, H.T. Chen initiates a question-and-answer segment, for a better understanding of the performances. Due to language barriers, however, and the understandable inability of dancers’ to intellectualize their work, such a segment proves less than effective. Mr. Chen concedes that what we all understand is body language. Thus, the discussion at the end unintentionally proves the conveyance of universal, emotional truth is beyond mere words; the conversation, too, further illustrates the loving hard work that Mr. Chen and his company put into New York City’s dance community.

 

 

iDANZ Critix Corner

Official Dance Review by Joe Damiano

Performance: Newsteps at The Chen Dance Center

Choreography:  Hsiao-Wei and Hsiao-Ting

Mana Kawamura

Lisa Crawford

Leanne Schmidt

GoGoVerdigoat Dance Project

Venue: The Chen Dance Center, New York City

Performance Date:  Thursday, April 23, 2009-April 25, 2009

www.iDANZOnline.com  

The Juniors ROCK!

As I walk out the front door of the New York City Center, there is a buzz in the air. If you listen closely, the buzz turns into a name repeated over and over again: Esteban Hernandez.

By far, the junior men's division at this year’s Youth American Grand Prix is the most exciting, as cabrioles continue to fly higher and pirouettes increase in number and suspension. But even with all of the fierce competition in this 12-14 year old category, Hernandez soars the highest through the air with hooked feet and a sense of masculinity and confidence that a lot of junior men just don't have.

Esteban Hernandez' older brother, Isaac, won the junior division in 2003, so apparently these ballet genes run in the family. Although, I'm sure that his training at the prestigious Rock School is a strong factor in his recipe for success.

The Rock School not only presents to the audience beautiful technicians in each category of the competition, but also brings to the table students with that "something special". The Rock School students rock every section of the competition. Their students take risks in their pieces making the whole audience hold their breath until each phenomenal step is completed, which is rewarded with joyous screams of appraisal.

Michaela DePrince, a thirteen year old in the junior women division, is up there in that top tier with Hernandez as she brings a unique flair to La Bayadere. Ms. DePrince is my pick for female dancer of the evening. She starts the piece abruptly tilting to the side, développé-ing à la seconde en pointe as the leg goes past 180! Her attitude jetes are all over-splits. As the entire crowd gasps every time she développés à la seconde, she just smiles and shows absolutely no effort as her leg creates a seam with the side of her head. To boot, she has such a sweet personality on stage, making it impossible for anyone to be a hater for her being such a fierce diva at thirteen.

Not quite as impressive this evening is the male and female senior division that showcases

15-19 year olds. The competition isn’t as intense post-intermission, but there are a few stand outs. In the female senior division, Beckanne Sisk, another Rock student, knocks us out with an abrupt dive into a penché en relevé to open the piece, which she repeats at least three times as flawlessly as the first one. A firecracker of a dancer, Misako Mori, dances my favorite Don Quixote variation of the evening (and there are many of these). She rushes on stage swishing her long red skirt with fervor, a fervor that lives in all of her extremities and her flirty attitude all the way to the end.

In the senior male division, Young Gyu Choi, brings us yet another look at Don Quixote, and

while he doesn’t bring the colorful character that Ms. Mori brings, he is the most flawless technician of this category. At one point, he does 4 pirouettes into a double coupé turn in plié before ending with two more pirouettes, the last of which is suspended as the music seems to hold its breath before he ends to grand applause.

At the start of the fifth La Esmeralda variation in the senior women division, I have the entire piece memorized knowing exactly when each triple pirouette and tambourine crash is coming, creating a very high standard for the fifth La Emeralda to execute nothing less than clean triple pirouettes and fierce musicality. Unfortunately, the first La Esmeralda variation, performed by Madoka Kariya, is the only one who possesses the high level of musicality for this tambourine dance. A stunning moment is when she ends the piece with a jete-attitude, her back attitude hitting the tambourine held by her hand high in the air at the precise moment in the music.

It is difficult to be at the end of a competition because the audience is tired and has seen everything after this three hours and fifteen minutes of brilliant

performances. Although there were just a few who really stand out this evening, it could have been so different on another evening, and this is just the nature of putting yourself into a competition.

But, all in all, this is such a good experience for these children. When you enter the professional world, you must thrust yourself into a competition on a daily basis with your peers as you audition for companies and gigs. No matter the outcome of this evening (the results will be announced at the Gala tomorrow night), each of these pre-professionals can put on their resumes that they made it to the Youth America Grand Prix finals in New York City, an accomplishment that will not go unnoticed.

All photos by VAM Productions, a group of Professional Photographers and Videographers who offer services to the performing arts industry. VAM Productions is proudly affiliated with the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP).

iDANZ Critix Corner

Official Dance Review by Adrienne Jean Fisher

Performance: Youth American Grand Prix New York City Finals

Venue: New York City Center

Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 7:00PM

www.iDANZOnline.com

www.adriennejeanfisher.com

Choreography Renaissance in Harlem

The level of creativity shown at E-Moves in Harlem this evening makes me lost for words!  Camille A. Brown, Adia Whitaker and Kyle Abraham are amongst the choreographers keeping  the audience anxiously excited tonight.  Innovation and creativity is at its peak at Harlem Stage Gatehouse in Program Two: Ten from Ten.  Here, choreographers of color is a terrific theme as it brings together elements from the African Diaspora and the Harlem Renaissance, from which an enhanced black culture brings us jazz, funk and soul to mainstream entertainment.

As a result, I am seeing a new wave of functional artwork performed at E-Moves as it celebrates its tenth anniversary and showcases “cutting edge choreographers.”  Choreographers in tonight’s program are very distinguished, many with backgrounds from substantial New York companies such as Bill T. Jones, Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, and Ronald K. Brown.   The Harlem Stage Gatehouse is packed and filled with warm energy, which usually leads to a good show, and this proves to be true tonight!


Between an Arrow and a Fall
Choreography by Edisa Weeks

The dancer walks on the stage with a strong expression on his face to begin Between an Arrow and a Fall.  Theatrical skills distinguish Edisa's work as an imaginative with creativity to spare. Picture yourself lost on Mars with a crowd of aliens around you, and the only thing you can do is dance!  This is what Between an Arrow and a Fall makes me think of.  On stage, there is a video showing a live recording of the dancer.  The live recording makes Edisa’s movement appear to be heavenly and very distant.  Picture a dancer dancing in a place between Heaven and Earth! After a few minutes of the dramatic solo, the dancer leaves the stage with the acoustic sound of bells ringing in the background.  The improvised technique resembles that of Limón. Improvisational acting and dancing combined gives the audience the illusion that the dancer is fighting against himself.  His mission is to destroy the force that is imitating and destroying his movement.  The presentation can officially be described as interesting because the world of modern choreography hasn’t seen anything so divine as Between an Arrow and a Fall.

El Hombre + (e/m) = Reloaded
Choreography by Erick Montes

What a lovely drag performance we get treated to with Erick Montes' (El Hombre + e/m) = Reloaded.  Erick opens his performances as a lady singing the blues in Spanish as he flaunts his blue dress.  The picture is very enchanting.  All of his turns, leg extensions and dips (all done in high heels) are fierce skills to put on Erick’s resume.  Erick dances while he speaks to himself saying, “ No!”, “ What?”, “ Oh, No!”, and “ Uh, huh!.  This sassy dancer shows off his ability to coordinate intense movement with a theatrical performance.   A video visual is also added to this performance, so that the audience can see Erick act as a full time drag queen.  This video includes footage of Erick behind the scenes as he puts on his makeup and hair, at which point, the audience becomes uninterested.  I don’t know what to think when he, once again, begins a monologue in Spanish, but as soon as he strips his clothes down to his cherry underwear, I am quickly back on the road to being highly entertained.  Now, the silver streamers come out and strobe lights beam as Erick begins to dance in his cherry undies!  I can relate to this section because of the free spirited movement.  Just when I get the feeling that Erick is going to surprise us with another quick change, he does just that by abruptly covering up with a black skirt before working the stage with his ballet and modern technique.  Bravo Erick for your solo drag performance!

And They Forgot to Love 

Choreography by Judith Sanchez Ruiz

And They Forgot to Love reminds me of women in love.  Judith Sanchez Ruiz’s movement in this piece reflects femininity, beauty, emotions and serenity.  Judith is dressed in a black lace dress and wears contrasting red lipstick. The sexy vintage dress is perfect for the context of the piece. Her movement is tense and frustrated, yet free at the same time. The dance has a stop and go pattern that builds up tension and increases the quality of each moment in the dance.  The choreography speaks to me personally, something that I value and love about dance.  A dance fan sitting next to me is inspired by the imagery as he mentions that Judith reminds him of Heidi Ma Williams from Tattoo Ballerinas.  As the piece comes to an end, we hear, “Worried about being a mother!  Worried about my need to dance!”  Her inner thoughts spoken out loud is remarkable and effective in stirring up emotions in the audience.


Mary
Choreography by Camile A. Brown

Camille Brown’s, Mary, is one of the most highly anticipated programs of the night.  Her backdrop is a beautiful collage of pictures of her grandmother in remembrance of her spirit. Camille matches the warmth on stage with a dashing flesh tone dress. There is no undercover talent here as Camille shines like a star on stage.  With the use of breath, her movements seem effortless. The lines created on her body are clean and exact, and the theatrical choreography draws me in emotionally and spiritually.

The choreography speaks about a black woman’s hard work.  Strongly portrayed are signs of weakness, strength, happiness, regret and sorrow.  Each movement speaks the words of her story.  Camille opens the eyes and ears of the audience as she vividly reads us a story about her grandmother through dance.  Bravo Camille for a beautiful performance and for waking up the spirit of your grandmother on stage.


A Brake 4 the 5
Choreography by Adia Tamar Whitaker

The Adia Tamar Whitaker Company is a company that is always fun to see. The dancers bring so much energy on the stage with the movement, songs and costumes. Just the variety of body types and skin tones creates a beautiful picture to watch.  The piece opens with the dancers stomping, singing and using a stick prop as a tool to bring more rhythm on stage.  A tall man dressed as a skeleton from head to toe leads the dancers.  His height alone entertains the crowd and his movement is fun to follow.  After a slow paced intro the dancers loosened up and start a party on stage.  They are whining their waist, stomping feet, singing and laughing in the space. The unique costumes are made up of sequins, vintage clothing and feathers.  It is very eccentric.  As a person of Caribbean descent, watching this piece reminds me of Carnival in Trinidad!

I walk out of Harlem Stage Gatehouse content with the fabulous work produced in our community. Every artist has a different message to deliver to the audience with a terrific approach. Tools of technology and popular concepts such as drag performance bring a modern day twist to dance performances. Caribbean/Black culture exploited in dance is always a pleasure to see.  I have much respect for these artists because they are all qualified choreographers in my eyes.  Many dance fans in New York City, Harlem, Brooklyn, and myself included cannot wait to see more work produced from these innovative artists.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Careitha Davis
Performance: EMoves: Ten from Ten
Choreographer: Edisa Weeks, Erick Montes, Judith Sanchez Ruiz, Camille
A. Brown, Adia Tamar Whitaker
Venue: Harlem Stage Gatehouse
Date: Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 7:30PM
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