Dance Review: Crazy, Sexy, Inferno

Hello, Disco Dance Lovers . . .  Do I have the show for you!  This past week the iDANZ Crew and I checked out an interactive lounge show called Crazy, Sexy, Disco at the Water Street Restaurant’s Underwater Lounge in Dumbo, Brooklyn, choreographed by the lovely ladies, Liz Piccoli, Jen James, and Svea Schneider.  This show was giving the “children” Jazz, the Disco, the Hustle, Pointe, Funk, and even House!  Was it crazy?  Yes.  Was it sexy? Ooooh, yea.  Was it disco?  Like dynamite!

As soon as the dancers came out onto the dance floor, the audience was taken back to the sounds of the 70’s, the moves and its groove, and the clothes to match. Because we were in a night club lounge, some non-traditional staging was in order; and, the choreographers rose to the challenge and MADE IT WORK!  Dancers were everywhere.  There were dancers on the stage, dancers on the floor, dancers on the stairs, and even dancers on the poles! As an audience member, you did not know where to look it.  You just knew that whichever your eyes landed, you were going to see some great dancing and if not that, some lovely eye candy.

Yes, the eye candy . . . do you have to be sexy with a hot body to be a dancer in this show? I guess so . . . kudos to the casting department because all the ladies were hot and the men were even hotter.

Technically speaking, each and every dancer was clearly gifted and trained. There were some fantastic lines and extensions even embedded within the 70s choreo that as a dancer, myself, I, of course, appreciated. I particularly loved the suspension technique used by dancer, Sincere.  Every move he did was executed with a sexy, deliberate consciousness that just “worked” and oozed artistry . . . that boy’s going places! And, Miss Piccoli . . . Whew . . . Every time choreographer Liz Piccoli rocked the floor, you could feel, without even touching her, that she was committed to every move.  Such passion, I loved it.  Choreographer, Jen James too, nails everything she does with fierce confidence, as well as choreographer, Svea Schneider, who effortlessly moves from move to move with sweet finesse.

Some of my favorite parts were danced by Zachary Dennison, who played the Cupid Fairy/Dancing Queen.  Never over doing his part, Zachary gave the audience just the right amount of comic relief to keep us in stitches. I also, like the dance in which the female dancers wore cellophane wrapped around their bodies in which their arms were trapped next to their torsos and their hands could not connect.  I must confess that I actually saw this dance performed once before at the Sybarite Hip Hop show in December and actually thought that it was more effective on a proscenium arched stage rather than what I just saw dispersed throughout the room. It kind of lost its artistic clarity in such a non-traditional space; however, if I never saw that other version, I would still say that it was a fun and effective piece.

My other favorite part, (most likely because I am a “house head”) was the house dance section towards the end of the show performed by the full cast.  It was great to see some authentic house fused with great technique and jazz moves.  The music was hot, the moves were tight, and at this time in the whole show, you could really see the dancers “live.” Yow!

Besides dancing, there were some cool throwbacks sung by Jamilia Hall like “Hot Stuff” and Diana Ross’ “Upside Down.” Jamilia is known around the New York dance scene as a fierce hip hop dancer; however, her dancing was not exactly utilized in this production in its full regalia.  But, it was dope to see her out of her usual element, acting and singing instead.  Who knew Miss Thing could sing so well?  You go, girl!   Also on the program, were some fun, interactive game show sketches and dance contests in which the audience could participate that sometimes made for an amusing diversion.

As far as the "flow" of the show, I felt that there was an uneven momentum between many segments.  This may be my puny attention span talking, . . . but, I really wished the segments were more layered, or overlapped, rather than each segment and/or song having to stop before another segment/song started, for there were soooooo many great moments in the show, and "to pause" just took away . . . Ugggh!  I think for this ADD generation, and especially since the audience was in a lounge and most likely somewhat tipsy, a "non-stop" structure would better complement the choreography and give the show’s flow an enhanced sense of urgency, a fiercer vigor, more in tune with the production’s already established energy provided by such nice, high-energy moves. I also thought the music, for again, being inside a night club, was way too low and most likely needed to be re-engineered in a music studio to fix the levels.  I liked watching the dancers, but the whole time I wished the bass was kicked up several notches to make me feel that 70’s funk and bounce under my seat. I love Earth, Wind, & Fire and I love to hear the band in all it’s bass and "freaky get down" glory.  That unmistakable "grind" in that bass is what makes this sista want to move. Other than that and those other little minor things . . . great show, Crazy Sexy Disco!

All in all, the audience finds themselves surrounded by the action AND attraction in Crazy Sexy Disco all the while enjoying drinks, food, and other live, "in-your-face" diversions.  Kudos are in order to the three choreographers for having the ability to combine their creative forces for this unique production.  With talented dancers full of energy, pizzazz, and flashy spandex bedazzled with sequins, . . . really, . . . what more can you want?  If you love disco and you like to dance, come down and join the fun.  You too may even want to "get down," do "the bump," and adorn an Afro of your own!

Crazy Sexy Disco is currently playing at the Water Street Restaurant, Underwater Lounge, 66 Water Street, Dumbo Brooklyn, just a hop away from Manhattan with beautiful scenic views near the Brooklyn Bridge.  This show can also be seen Off Broadway at the D-Lounge in the Daryl Roth Theater in Union Square, 101 East 15^th Street, New York City.  Doors open at 10:00 and tickets are $20.  Tickets can be purchased at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/57529.

Crazy Sexy Disco Finale snapshot taken "live and in the moment" by Candice Rox 

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Candice Rox
Performance:  Crazy Sexy Disco
Choreographer:  Liz Piccoli, Jen James, & Svea Schneider
Venue:  Underwater Lounge, Dumbo, Brooklyn, New York
Date:  February 19, 2009
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