The curtain rises, and any doubt in the room dissipates with an exploding big bang as Dwight Rhoden’s Moon Over Jupiter takes shape over Rachmaniov’s score.  A meteor shower of momentum and dynamics, the ballet showcases the extreme unique talent and technique of all the Complexion dancers.  Like an orbiting solar system, the dancers move in organized chaos into an eclipse of synchronization.  Metallic, spider webbed leotards and shorts expose the dancer’s thoroughbred, horse-like muscularity, direct proof that these dancers are pushing their physical means.  Clifford Williams, the shooting star of the ballet, demands attention with phenomenal extension and effortless fluidity of movement that only the trained eye would understand the extreme complexity and challenge of the choreography.

On Holiday opens part duex of the evening and relies on the show business aspect of dance.  Slightly reminiscent of Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs, On Holiday is danced by four couples expressing four stages of love.  Each couple embodies the lyrics of Billie Holiday, but Christina Dooling and Edgar Anido really transport the audience to a Love-Hate relationship. Intensity and heartache emanate through the audience as Doling and Amide manipulate each other to provide a heart wrenching performance.

Originally, to follow On Holliday, is Richardson to dance A Goldberg Variation, but instead, Christie Partelow and Mark Caserta dance Rhoden ‘s Spill.  Entering with abandonment in a grand jete lift, Partelow and Caserta leave you with no regret from missing Richardson’s performance.  In complete unison, they dance in a continuous stream of intricate and exhilarating partnering.  Like riding a rollercoaster of constant excitement and unexpected turns, Rhoden’s Choreography escapes all predictability confirming his much revered status in the realm of today’s contemporary choreographers.

A fun and lively Moody Booty Blues is like the after hours employee dance scene in “Dirty Dancing” where Baby meet Patrick Swayze for the first time.  The dancers dance fearlessly with grounded movement and soulful rhythm.  Moody Booty Blues showcases the young talent of Complexions;  Gary W. Jeter II sets a very high bar with his opening solo of insane syncopations and intricate isolations and Peter Chursin and Stefano DeMartino match Jeter’s energy.  Chursin is especially captivating with his flawless technique and exquisite lines.  After grabbing my attention, I couldn’t stop watching Chursin in the finale piece Rise.

Rise, which Rhoden choreographed to various songs by U2, opens with the song “The Streets Have No Name” and one man running in the spotlight.  High impact choreography plus Bono and the Edge guarantee an awesome performance.  I have seen U2 live in concert several times, and the Complexions Dancers even give Bono some competition.

Complexion dancers are a dynamic breed of physicality that is unparallel to most contemporary and ballet companies.  The dancers elevate the choreography and provide a powerful performance of non-stop impressive feats.

Complexions Fall/Winter season continues to run through November 28^th at the Joyce Theater.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Katherine Gibson
Performance: Complexions
Choreographer: Dwight Rhoden
Venue: Joyce Theater, New York, NY
Show Date: Tuesday 16th, 2010
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Take for example the opening section, which brings to light the status-quo obsession with looks, and body image.  We see dancer, Johnni Durango, enter and stand center stage amongst the inanimate columns and vases.  Suddenly, she is no longer a dancer, but an object: a thing to be looked at, studied, and critiqued… like a piece of art —like a vase!— and perhaps like a candid celebrity beach body shot in US Weekly.  Thanks to a humorous recorded narrative by Ruth Draper, “A Class in Greek Poise,” the words guide us further into this judgmental state of mind. As we look at Durango —tall and slender— we hear Ruth say “214 pounds?…oh its 241 pounds? Bloomers please.”

“Ladies, line-up” Ruth continues.  And Durango assumes a pose on relevé, hands behind back and elbows bent…  like the wings of an exotic bird. (well with plumage like that of her loud, patterned tights, she’d have to be exotic!) Perhaps some abstract ode to Barbie? Or…as Ruth gabs on and on about poise, Durango starts strutting around with delicate, toe-pointed steps; she circles the column-confined area, and I feel as though I’m watching a peacock parading round its pen at the zoo.

Neil Greenberg, who by this point has furtively entered and placed one vase at each column’s base, begins clapping.  It’s not, by any means, directed at Durango, but because of her spatial arrangement, the model strut she just gave, and what transpired in the narrative, I connect the dots, and interpret that he is, indeed, applauding her.

Here’s the unique thing about Neil Greenberg’s choreography:  many of the goings on—the score, the dancers, the set, the musicians—have the strength to operate independently from one another.  But when they do sync-up coincidentally, they suddenly seem intentional… and then there’s meaning in them thar hills!  So although Neil’s clapping at that exact moment may seem intentional in relation to Durango, as the piece goes on, clapping returns in other moments as part of the phrasing, and by contrast we see there may be no meaning at all:  it’s just a neutral gesture.  How about a dancer taking a sip of coffee, followed by a sip of water off-stage?  It appears to be a pedestrian gesture of no meaning.  But take the same movement, and have two dancers do it in unison, and suddenly, I notice myself trying to “figure it out”.

This is Neil’s other obsession, which now has become mine too:  “tensions created by the seemingly inescapable human desire to create meaning.”   The eccentric movements may coincide with the score, and by default, I can’t help but draw a connection for them.  Ruth says “swing your weight forward” and the dancers do swinging movements with their arms.  As musicians, Zeena Parkins and Shayna Dunkelman, tune up the harp and other instruments, the text speaks of using one’s breath like a “musical instrument.”  Another cue, via the text:  Ruth is “prancing through the forest” with the hypothetical fat girls she is coaching.  Greenberg and Luke Miller are prancing about the space too…  in the most laugh-out-loud-funny way!  And later, Paige Martin’s vibrating palms begin as a move all-their-own; but once paired with the echoing sound of the harp, it looks as though she is struggling to cage the sound between her two hands.

I am tickled by my ability to connect the dots and create meaning.  We all are…  everyone giggles with delight at the sight of two dancers sipping coffee in unison.  We all love to feel like we “get it.”  But we also love to be challenged.  Several times throughout the show, a dancer brings a microphone stand on-stage, taps and blows into the mike, but says nothing.  Hmmm…what does that mean?  I question.

Similarly, a move may be repeated several times throughout the show, but in different contexts; the audience is prompted to question why they felt a certain way about it the first time, and differently the second. I watch Mina Nishimura introduce a head tapping solo far upstage left, behind the musicians, and partially obstructed by the light booms.  She is clearly lit, so I am clearly drawn to watch her, and yet this is the first time I give my full attention to a dancer who is not dancing on the white marley, “pedestal” stage.  Shortly after, Collin Stillwell does this same movement on stage, and I wonder:  is it the status-quo to label movement on the marley as “dance,” and movement off the marley as “not dance?”  Does placement determine what something is and isn’t?

The exquisiteness of Greenberg’s work is his ability to provoke such philosophical battles.  Also noteworthy is his ability to give dimension:  the simplicity of his movements, the repetition, the sparseness on stage alternated craftily with crowdedness…also the sparseness in the score alternated with lushness.  There is time for movement, and time to digest.  Repetition occurs, and we reflect once more; contemplate and re-contemplate.  The openness of his dance score allows audience members time and space to think… feel…  and ponder…..  all while experiencing something truly beautiful!  What a wonderful gift!

A cornucopia of beauty, in fact,  besides the dancing, there’s a beautiful set to behold!  Four black vases are lined up in a row:  their stark silhouettes in contrast to the white marley floor.  Also prominent are four white columns, arranged in a square, and a giant turquoise harp upstage.  This scene harkens to Greco/Roman classical art…a Michelangelo painting perhaps.

The harp is obviously functional:  also creating beauty for the ears to hear, thanks to the ingenious musings of harpist and composer Zeena Williams.  In this city where time and space are hot commodities, I rejoice in the moments of inserted breathing time to bring notice to all elements…. even the musicians themselves.  For example, there is a long instance where no dancers are on stage—just the musicians playing their instruments—and I am perfectly content watching them do their thang!

The openness of Greenberg’s dance score lends itself to be pondered, questioned…  and personalized to tastes of the individuals watching it.  My neighbor may see one way, and I another.  Neil’s work doesn’t limit itself to one definition, and that’s part of the gift as well. Greenberg’s passion for artistic statement is strong…  but even stronger is his passion for the audience.  He makes his work accessible, choosing to include the public on his exploration of social norms, as opposed to alienating them with high-brow airs.   How considerate and generous! (like a Vase) is really like a gift: an hour of pure, thought-provoking stage play, handed to the New York public like a delicately wrapped piece of ceramic art.

So little pilgrims, the thanks-giving season is upon us; and now is as good a time as any to remind ourselves the importance of thank you notes.  You may not have liked those pajamas Aunt Millie gave you last year, but you will definitely like Neil Greenberg’s multicolored, psychedelic saggy-crotch tights!…  and even more so, his work (like a vase).   It is a masterfully crafted gem, certainly worthy of the pedestal he puts it on for all to enjoy.  Please thank him by seeing this show!

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Teresa Lynn
Performance:  Dance by Neil Greenberg
Venue:  Dance Theater Workshop, DTW
Show Date:  November 9, 2010
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Well, what’s there not to say about Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet?  A diverse repertory company of exquisite technical beasts would be dream and playground for any guest choreographer; or, so it seems, based on the three works on the bill (Sunday Again, Unit in Reaction, and Hubbub) for one of their evenings at the Joyce Theater.

The evening opens with Jo Stromgen’s Sunday Again, a lighthearted, whimsical portrayal of a collection of lovers all dealing with the usual feuds and qualms of being in a relationship paralleled to back and forth quality experienced in a tennis match.  Literally.  Props used include a tennis net, raquet, and plastic shuttlecocks that randomly appear from underneath clothing.  All this in place is a quaint and neat set-up for a perfectly boring piece.  However, Stromgen infuses stark humor via unexpected male/female moments of roughness, lesbian eroticism, and other social behaviors such as spitting and gossiping amongst themselves.  Overall, these nuances work well together in Strongen’s choreography to keep the audience in tune and alert to fleeting moments of wit.

The dancers shift into a much darker and somber mode in the next piece, Unit in Reaction, choreographed by Jacopo Godani.  In this adrenaline-driven suspenseful piece, the dancers seem to operate as if they are all apart of a machine, or better yet a group of lab rats under experimentation and our surveillance.  The dancers create luscious lines and move intricately between each other in breathtaking duet and solo work. Godani’s work digs beneath the surface and accentuates all that is juicy in this company and just uses technique as icing on the cake.

The evening closes with my favorite work, Alexander Ekman’s Hubbub.  Now although the concept of the piece has been done before (there is no such thing as a new idea) Ekman took it to a new level!  This is one of those pieces where no amount of words can do it justice.  You just have to see it for yourself.  But here are a few personal highlights:  the suspended typewriter, rhythmic breathing phrase, accumulation, and a perfectly cute duet performed by Nikemil Concepcion and Harumi Terayama in which we hear a recording of the dancers personal thoughts as they execute each step.  Hubbub is one of those pieces that is difficult to walk away not just liking, but also, finding yourself talking about for the next few days!

You’re probably wondering how I can critique Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and not highlight any dancers.  Simple.  They are all ridiculously good looking and beautiful artists.  So here we go: Jubal Battisti, Jon Bond, Nickemil Concepcion, Gwynenn Taylor Jones, Jason Kittelberger, Ana Maria Lucaciu, Navarra Novy-Williams, Oscar Ramos, Matthew Rich, Acacia Schachite, Harumi Terayama, Vania Doutel Vaz, Manuel Vignoulle, Ebony Williams, and Golan Yosef…  You Rock Fierce!

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Simone Sobers
Performance:  Cedar Lake Contemporary Dance Company
Choreography:  Jo Stromgen, Jacopo Godani, Alexander Ekman
Venue:  The Joyce Theater, New York City 
Show Date:  Tuesday, October 26, 2010
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If height were measured in spirit, Ms. Brown would be 50 feet tall.  Instead, this petite woman walks into a room commanding the presence of a giant with her sparkling eyes, her articulate phrasing (words and dance) and a proud, lifted heart chakras.  Every time Camille speaks, fireworks seemingly burst out of the top of her head (for an image, just think of her awesome, colorful firework-like hair) because not only does she put passion into every little thing that she says to the class, but she also does this as a proud, strong dancer with energy bursting in different directions as she speaks.  I already knew of her incredibly inspiring performances, but now I know that she inspires just as much as a teacher, which in turn will create the tradition of passing her teachings on and on and on.

A couple of years ago, Ronald Brown taught a master class series at Steps, and a philosophy that this master drills hard is "do the exercise correctly the first time and do it with soul".  In a nutshell, he explains that you plain and simply don’t need to work as hard if you do it full out, correctly and with feeling immediately.  Having danced under Mr. Brown in his company Evidence, it‘s clear that she has integrated Mr. Brown’s philosophies into her teachings and preaches them in her own style.  I can’t say that Ms. Brown has a short warm up (her warm-up is 1.5 hours of the 2 hour class), but she sure does keep things simple and emphasize that we should milk every movement with resistance and spirit. 

Of course, to be able to rise to the level of adding artistry to the exercises, you have to know the phrase well.  Don’t worry, Ms. Brown will be sure that everyone has the combination by thoroughly answering questions before dancing each exercise and emphasizing vocabulary by repeating not only each exercise many times, but also integrating several of her signature African and Limon style steps into several of the exercises!  I’ll confess that my upper and lower back is very tender after this Camille Brown repetition ritual.  This constant succession of steps helps the dancer get to the point of muscle memory so that the mind isn’t working on remembering the steps, but on adding the icing on the steps that makes them sparkle just like Camille Brown’s movement does.

It is really great to get to a point of effortlessness when studying with a “master” because this is the point when your body truly has begun to absorb the information (the vocabulary) and most importantly, the style.  What we really want is for the teacher to transfer a bit of her spirit to us, and I truly believe this can only really happen if the student really understands the vocabulary so that he/she is open to accepting the gift of the teacher’s true artistry.  This artistry is what made the teacher so great in the first place and, hence, rise to the place that they’ve risen. Isn’t this one of the main reasons us poor dancers dig deep in our pockets to pay the high master class rate? ($19 at Steps on Broadway!)  The answer is, yes, and Camille Brown delivers 100%!

Her warm up begins with a heavy focus on port de bra and upper body contractions and undulations.  Ms. Brown thoroughly warms up a dancers each and every vertebrae with her intense focus on torso.  Once your torso is warm, elements of African and Limon start to creep in. At one point during the warm up, after having learned several dynamic warm up progressions (including  ones that combine a hard hitting charleston and "the wop" with gentle contraction progressions), Camille splits the room in half and has us repeat different exercises back and forth.  Not knowing which of the 8 bar combinations the following group would be asked to do next, everyone in class is forced to be alert to everything that is happening in the room.  Camille is showing us here that being totally aware of the teacher and the other dancers in the room may be something that’s a bit foreign to a lot of dancers.  It’s so easy to get caught in your own head by looking in the mirror at your body or thinking about something that happened before class that day, but Ms. Brown reiterates that you must be wholly present in class.  As one half of the room is finishing up a phrase, Ms. Brown hints at what phrase she wants the other half of the classroom to do next by quickly doing the first step of the phrase 4 counts before we need to begin.  Each time she demonstrates, the class’ energy is rising.  Her energy is so infectious as her eyes fill with fire with every word of advice, and her body shoots fire when she demonstrates. I cannot wait to see this fire onstage at The Joyce this week!

After the 1.5 hour warm up in the center, we move to the side of the room to do a few short progressions across the floor that are heavily rooted in African.  Ms. Brown stops the class twice to pick on a young girl who obviously has potential, but is not giving the class her full focus.  Ms. Brown sternly explains to the class that this student is doing the steps in the way that feel most comfortable on her body and not the way that is being taught.  She reprimands her like a child saying, “You better start opening your ears because you can’t just go around doing the steps however you please.”  This is the second time that this particular student has been singled out in class in a negative light, which highlights the fact that Ms. Brown will not stand someone walking away from her classroom with a misunderstood version of her teachings.  This could have been a real life-changing moment for this singled out student! (I know that’s something I’d carry with me forever.)

Right before we exit class, Ms. Brown emphatically encourages everyone in class to join her Facebook page, get on her email list and most importantly, come to the show at The Joyce this coming week featuring her choreography along with Andrea Miller, Kate Weare, and Monica Bill Barnes.  As everyone beat the ground in praise in time with her two drummers, I realize that Camille Brown’s drive to communicate with the world through dancing, teaching and choreography has built incredible momentum that is delivering her goods to a vast number of people.  Most importantly, I see a genuineness of heart in her teachings and choreography, from which the people in her class and in her audience will reciprocate by readily absorbing her poignant messages with open arms.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Adrienne Jean Fisher
Masterclass Teacher: Camille Brown
Venue:  Steps on Broadway
Class Date:  August 6, 2010 
www.iDANZ.com

A Note from the iDANZ staff:   This piece got lost in the iDANZ internet abyss, and FINALLY has been discovered.  Yay!!!  iDANZ Staff truly apologizes for the delay in posting this wonderful piece and hopes it brings timeless inspiration and joy.

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For the opening piece, festival host, Kinetic Junglist Movement (KJM), performs a very intriguing work of movement invention enhanced by some creative costume designs as the dancers’ human faces are masked and their bodies are covered from head to toe in shimmery insect-like bodysuits with thin finger extensions that appear like long needle-like appendages.  Choreographed by Amy Secada, this piece details the metamorphosis of a Cicada, an insect known by it’s clicking sounds and ability to molt, shedding it’s shell.   Combining yoga, capoeira, and some acrobatic movements, about 80% of this fifteen minute piece is done on the floor.   No lazy dancers here, dancers roll, balance, and pause in deep squats, and at some points, burst up into the air in eclectic jumps with a sort of creepy yet ethereal undertone.   So much demanding floor work, you would think the dancers have knees of steel!   Although a bit lengthy and somewhat repetitive, the metamorphosis is absolutely captivating. 

Purely a stand-out in the program is the multi-talented performer, Monstah Black, who really knows how to  demand attention from an audience.  He sings one of his songs, "Black Like Jesus," a fan favorite, fusing in his own very dynamic movement style as he covers the entire space solo with his quick turning leaps and soul slithering, black glama flair.  One thing great about Monstah Black is that he truly is a seasoned, professional performer in that he has mastered the art of captivating an audience, knowing when to move fast and when to be still, when to scream and when to whisper.  Bravo!

The pick-me-up of the evening goes to a performance by Princess Lockeroo and Akim Funk Buddha presenting an "Urban Opera" interpretation of the famous habanera from Carmen.  Whacking, vogueing, and some locking and jazz dance fuse together to create a comical scene heightened by a dazzling chorus of "full-out" dancers. 

Spinnin Ronin Martial Arts Dance Theater entertains with a comical story ballet complete with a menacing Samurai, flashy swords, and fight choreography worthy to be seen in the next Jet Li movie.  In an awesome battle scene with the very tall Kei Yokoyama, watch out for their underdog, the petite heroine, Pai Wang, as she is a hot one with her Samurai sword in hand flowing through the very acrobatic fight choreography with fury and ease.  Although lengthy for a one night multi-act filled festival, the performance successfully blends dance, martial arts, and choreographed fight moves with a delightful beginning, suspenseful climax, and an end.  For a dance show, Spinnin Ronin, with its martial arts fused movement and exciting fight expertise, is a welcome addition to a mostly modern/jazz fusion dance festival.

Of course, we can’t ignore the grand finale:   the energetically uplifting and thoroughly entertaining Babacar M’Baye & Co. presenting a Sabar, (Senegalese dance and drumming style).  Because of its innate spiritual nature, Babacar M’Baye’s Sabar is a reminder to the audience of the folklore focus of the evening.  A grand demonstration of skill and tradition, Babacar M’Baye proves to be a fantastic way to end an evening and of course, a great instigator to incite audience members to jump to their feet to dance the night away.

Overall the evening is very eclectic and full of various genres including an intergalactic geisha named Yozmit, who gradually strips on stage while singing to reveal levels of fake body parts…  the private ones!  There is no disclaimer or announcement to the audience so many are scrambling to cover the eyes of children.  Also on the program is an inspiring poem and vocal performance from Micah Blacklight, a musical performance from Le Soul Afrique, and an Afro Brazilian dance performance from Ginga Da Bahia.  However, in my search for the connection between the performance material and the festival’s mission, to "breathe new life into ancient traditions" by showcasing artists who utilize the folkloric arts and fuse these forms with contemporary styles, the presentations come up short. There is folklore and there is fusion, but only some pieces accomplish the festival’s mission.  All in all, while I leave St. Mark’s Church a bit unclear, the performances by these young performers possess promising skill and engaging entertainment.  I am proud.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by JoiLynn
Contributing Editor:  Candice Rox
Performance:  KJM Presents…  Urban Roots Project
Venue:  St. Mark’s Church, New York City
Show Date:  October 3, 2010
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Master Class

With Matthew Rushing
Modern Dance Based on the Horton Technique

Monday, November 15, 2010 from 7:30-9pm

Manhattan Movement & Arts Center presents a Modern Master Class with Matthew Rushing, a star of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, on Monday, November 15, 2010 from 7:30 – 9:00pm at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, 248 W. 60^th Street, NYC (between 10th and 11th). The class will be based on the Horton Technique, accompanied by a live percussionist. The class is $20/$17. Registration is available at

http://www.manhattanmovement.com/event/master-class-with-matthew-rushing/.

Matthew Rushing was born in Los Angeles, CA.  He began his dance training with Kashmir Blake in Inglewood, CA, and later continued his training at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.  He received a Spotlight Award and was named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts.  He trained at The Ailey School and later became a member of Ailey II, where he danced for a year.  During his career, Mr. Rushing has performed as a guest artist for galas in Vail, Colorado, as well as in France, Russia, Canada, Austria, and Italy.  He has performed for former presidents George H. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush and for President Barack Obama, as well as at the 2010 White House tribute to Judith Jamison.  During his time with the Company he has choreographed two ballets: Acceptance in Surrender (2005), a collaboration with Company members Hope Boykin and Abdur Jackson, and Uptown (2009), a tribute to the Harlem Renaissance.  He was recently named a 2010 recipient of the Dance Magazine Award.  Mr. Rushing became Rehearsal Director in June 2010. He joined the Company in 1992.

About Manhattan Movement & Arts Center

Manhattan Movement & Arts Center was developed by Rose Caiola as the home of the Manhattan Youth Ballet, a graded, pre-professional ballet academy and performance company. Ms. Caiola, a former dancer and actress, founded the academy in the fall of 1994 as Studio Maestro at 48 W. 68th Street, and serves today as the youth ballet’s executive artistic director.

The school is modeled after the European academies and adheres to the French School of classical ballet technique. Under the direction of Francois Perron, managing artistic director, the Manhattan Youth Ballet has acquired a reputation for excellent teaching in an intimate and individually supportive environment. The school’s graduates have danced professionally with American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Nederland Dans Theater, Ballet de Espana, San Francisco Ballet and Complexions.

As the ballet academy grew, the search for a larger space inspired in Ms. Caiola a highly personal vision of a studio and theater complex that would encompass all aspects of dance education and performance.

MMAC opened its doors in June 2008, occupying a dramatic bi-level space within The Element, a luxury high-rise condominium located to the southwest of Lincoln Center. In addition to the Manhattan Youth Ballet, MMAC’s studios and theater host daily adult dance and fitness classes, the MMAC Kids program, summer intensive programs, as well as an array of performances and special events.

For more information about mmac, visit www.manhattanmovement.com.

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In a triumphant return to the New York stage and Broadway, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is a feast for the senses that sends you into the sky!

Mr. Bourne has introduced the great tale of Swan Lake in an innovative, inspiring, and entertaining new way.  No longer the stuffy and reserved version, Bourne’s production is refreshingly hilarious.  With tongue and cheek jabs at classical ballet, it feels strangely okay.  You almost feel as if you are watching a great John Waters film (Hairspray, Cry Baby, or Serial Mom).  Excellently balanced with his comedic side, Bourne’s choreography for Swan Lake is a brilliantly creative, demanding piece of work, a wicked challenge every dancer on that stage grab holds with committed fervor.  The dancers are extremely talented and strong, and don’t lack in technique in the least bit.  They are completely comfortable and capable in all the roles, which makes the tongue and cheek aspect so believable.

The lead characters, Dominic North (The Prince) and Richard Winsor (The Swan/ Stranger), are mind-blowing.  With their beautiful and fluid technique, these men give a commanding performance and convincing display in the portrayal of their characters. They would definitely get my Oscar for best actor of the year.  Equally amazing in their roles are Madelaine Brennan (The Girlfriend), completely hysterical, she would be a perfect match for Nathan Lane in a New Broadway Show, and Nina Goldman (The Queen) who is regal and beautiful!  However, once the Swan’s make their appearance, all bets are off and sign-me up to join the flock!!!! The Swans are all amazing and believable.  They lift the roof off of City Center, with the flapping of their wings, and soar right out of the theater!

This production is equally visually stunning; with costumes and set by Lez Brotherston, you immediately fill as if you have just walked into Dylan’s Candy Bar and can’t wait to dive in and try all the flavors.  An utter feast for the eyes, I am already hard at work trying to sample every morsel watching the ballet unfold.  Of course the score by Pyotr llyich Tchaikovsky is beautiful and does not disappoint.  It compliments Bourne’s version surprisingly perfect, like a great bottle of wine at your favorite Italian restaurant.  You very quickly forget you are listening to one of classical music’s most beloved ballets and it sounds so current!

Overall, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is a complete revelation.  It is a great introduction to the dance world for anyone who would like to take a peak.  Absolutely better than a movie on a Friday night, head over to City Center and see live performance, dance, and theater at a level that is simply brilliant.

Photography by Bill Cooper

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Devin Pullins
Performance:  Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake
Venue:  City Center, New York City
Show Date:  October 15, 2010, 8pm
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Opening the program, No, No…Yes, Yes… (New York Premier), this piece is a feast for the senses.  Energetically athletic and disturbingly perfect, this dance shows off their masterful technique and ability.  They enter and exit the stage as if they are “The Secretariat” attempting to achieve the Triple Crown.  Well, I would have to say, break out the history books and take note…  It’s a success!

In A Pebble In The Field, a commentary piece about the senselessness of war with music by Simon & Garfunkel and Jimi Hendrix, Jose Limon Dance Company member and Purchase alumni, Kathryn Alter, is simply delicious. Showing off her ability to convey a story, I’m ready for popcorn, a soda, and skip the previews, on to the main feature.  Watching here, I am embraced in a nice warm blanket!  Boy, do I like this feeling.  I am totally engrossed in this epic performance.

Next on the bill, is Chrysanthemum And The Sword.  A a rollercoaster of excitement, this piece explores Japanese actor, playwright, and poet, Yukio Mishima, who is most remembered for his ritual suicide after taking over  Tokyo’s military headquarters in order to restore his nation’s prewar imperial glory.  With an equally exciting score by Philip Glass, this is a true revelation.  Intense, heart wrenching, EMOTIONAL, a runaway train of beauty and precision…  I want more!  Dressed in beautiful costumes by Elena Comendador, the dancers are fine-tuned, like a baby grand piano, all in perfect pitch.  Leading this performance is Daniel Madoff (courtesy of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company) who performs like a meticulous craftsman wielding a Samurai sword with impeccable musicality.  Bravo! 

Saving the best for last, a real dance legend takes the stage.  In Haiku, Sarah Stackhouse (Jose Limon Dance Company) is an absolute vision.  Her mature, tender, and gentle approach is what all dancers should strive to achieve.  Like watching clouds on a perfectly warm summer day lying on a beach with a warm ocean breeze gently engulfing you, her performance quality makes you forget all worries of the world.  …Oh why can’t all days be this beautiful?

Overall, Kazuko Hirabayashi Dance Theater shows off their maturity and precision with welcomed detail and seasoned grace.  I leave this performance as if I have just seen the most amazing movie of all time.  With mature and youthful characters in all the leading roles, KHDT most definitely sweeps my Academy Awards!!!!

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Devin Pullins
Performance:  Kazuko Hirabayashi Dance Theater
Venue:  Ailey Citigroup Theater, NYC
Show Date:  October 10, 2010, 3pm
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Jeremy McQueen shines in a pas de duex he dances and choreographs alongside lush Alexis Convento.  Offering a loose interpretation of the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet, they demonstrate the binds love often brings by intertwining their wrists in thick rope.  These binds cannot conceal their artistry as the two move with extreme fluidity throughout the piece.  A warm spotlight illuminates their body of work – extremities that can make anyone jealous.  Their ability to create substantial, heavy movement – running parallel to the emotional content of the piece – followed by light, airy accents acknowledges McQueen’s lens as an artist and skills as a performer.  In Convento, he chooses a true counterpart. She embodies the vulnerability of a true Juliet while also showing the strength of someone in deep desperation.  Watch out for McQueen – you won’t be sorry!

Perhaps paying homage to their own post college beginning’s, PCDC selects LeeRoc Dance Project – in good taste!  The collective work of recent UMass Amherst graduates, Andria LaRocco and Beth Liebowizt, reflects a mature choreographic voice in “De ja vu (I Think I’ve Been Here Before).”  Dancers are joined by live piano accompaniment that proves their true partnership with both music and movement.  As the largest piece in the festival, LeeRoc pushes the envelope with layered phrasing, remarkable synchronicity and astute action.  Between the music and mesmerizing movement, LeeRoc brings the audience into their world with fierce fluidity.  LeeRoc shows that a college dance degree is a piece of paper worth having!

PCDC ends the festival and deservedly so.  Their newest take on “Ancient Bruises” features Artistic Director, Melissa Gendreau, as lead soloist.  Her athleticism is nuanced with soft hands and ethereal phrasing.  On top of organizing the entire festival, she organizes her entire body in a way that brings awe to the audience.  The specificity of her movement speaks to the specificity she has as a director, choreographer and true movement artist.  PCDC dancers also travel the delicate line of athleticism vs. nuance – making sure to land in the middle.  Haunting music provides a soundscape worthy of the movement I mull over in my head for days.  Musical selections include “Sea Lion Woman” – Christine & Katherine Shipp, “She Began to Lie” – Greg Hale Jones, and “Field Below” – Regina Spektor.

Other performers include Anahata Dance Company, JKDance – Jaclyn K Walsh, Jennifer Buzzotta & Nicole Sao Pedro, Lauren Withharte, LeeRoc Dance Project, Sarah Sadie Newett, Trio Dance Collective and Vanessa Rea.  Gendreau states, “The first Perceptions Dance Festival was a huge success, and we owe it to the amazing participants, volunteers, and supporters.  I am thrilled to have been able to provide this opportunity to artists around the country, similar to those opportunities that helped my artistic growth.  I hope to continue this tradition for years to come, and with the support of the community the Perceptions Dance Festival can grow to become a staple to artists around the country and beyond.”  Sounds like a done deal to me!  Stay on the lookout out for PCDC performances – you won’t want to miss them!

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Eileen Elizabeth
Performance:  1st Annual PCDC Dance Festival
Compay:  PCDC and Guests
Venue:  Manhattan Movement and Arts Center
Show Date:  September 18, 2010
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For years artists have bravely performed with the ballistics of balls and have awed audiences.  Jugglers, rhythmic gymnasts, and street performers entertain with the suspense of dropping the ball.  Welcome UBA bounce to this group of performers!  UBA Bounce’s performance, however, is like watching the 3D movie version of the other performances- more eye popping color, speedy unexpected acrobatic feats and of course, chaotic challenges of controlling unpredictable balls.  UBA bounce dancers interact with the balls as if they are fellow dancers. Each ball is personified and possesses its own quality and quirks.  Yes, Eva Dean’s UBA Bounce is an innovative and ingenious idea- she is absolutely breaking boundaries with balls.

Appropriate for the lazy, sweaty days of summer, the balls do not bounce during the performance, but rather roll and relax like they are vacationing in the Hamptons away from the bustling bounce of the city.  A variety of balls appear amongst five dancers in ten works choreographed by Eva Dean and you question who controls the movement:  the ball or the dancer?

Of my favorite pieces, Pearl showcases the sophisticated skill of Dean’s choreography.  Dean and Zoe Schieber dance with two other pearl balls that adopt the persona of Charlotte’s “Sex and the City” Park Ave personality.   The fluidity and harmonized movement created the allusion of synchronized swimming.  

Continuing with the water theme, Bounce Surfing channels the audience to an aquarium in three parts.  In “Wave,” George Hirsh and his counterpart, a blue buoyant ball, bring the audience into waves with watery, continuous flux.  While in “Dolphin” the ensemble cast mimics the playful, fluent movement of dolphins.  Like the spectacular at Sea World, dancers flip and balance balls with the agility and grace of dolphins that are always awarded with a huge splash of applause.  The final section, “Surfing,” brought me immediately to the tobogganing penguin exhibit.  The slippery silver balls propel the dancers across the stage and back demonstrating the dancers’ teamwork throughout a piece of slipping and sliding fun.  

In Bounce 09, UBA acts as the main character of the work as a big, bright orange ball.  A kaleidoscope meteor shower of color from supporting actor balls bring the dancers into a Wonka Land experience where bubbles and carefree play transform the stage into a playground.  

The final piece, Samba Poi, utilizes twirling, psychedelic neon light poi balls that immediately transport the audience into the Latin flavor nightlife of Miami Beach.  The sexy samba dance along with the glowing lights is like watching a tropical festivity along the palm tree lined Ocean Drive. 

Throughout the performance I marvel at the dancer’s strength, control, and especially their balance.  Ms. Shieber seems to never touch the ground, constantly balancing and walking on the ball like a tight ropewalker.  The dancers’ work with the ball is like a full fitness regime in itself!  If anyone has exercised using a physio ball, you know it is a killer ab workout!!   The abs of the UBA Dancers definitely give Jessica Biel’s Hollywood washboard abs some serious competition.

Join UBA Bounce in a spectacular show where dancers and balls impress and excite your expectations and imaginations. 

Photography by Yi-Chun Wu

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Katie Gibson
Performance:  Eva Dean’s UBA Bounce
Choreographer:  Eva Dean
Venue:  Dixon Place
Show Date:  Sunday, August 15, 2010
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