Emio Greco/PC brings us the dance-rock concert [purgatorio] POPOPERA this weekend at the Joyce Theater.  This is the work of Italian choreographer Emio Greco, and Dutch theater director Pieter C. Scholten who have been working together since 1995.

Laden with guitars that are used as a symbolic prop, flashy lights, and costumes, this rock show seems confused as to what it really is.  Ambiguity, meant to be poignant, remains empty.  Contemporary ballet choreography is repeated throughout the evening.  Emio Greco appears as a darkly glad figure, with some beautiful solo bits.  Michaela Riener opens the show singing from the balcony.  She makes her way to the stage where the dancers enter

and each ceremoniously places a guitar downstage. The guitars are later moved upstage in a pile, then spread out, then exchanged for a different color, then danced with.  Might this be paying homage to the guitar ?

Sometimes this show seems to try to embody Transsexual Transylvanians from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (as I recall them from my college’s midnight performance).  The singer begins in a black sequined dress and ends in a gold sequined body suit and blonde wig.  The male dancers (excluding Emio Greco) are topless; one wears silver sequined pants and another, tiny nude shorts.  Moments of boy-love and aggression flits in during transitions; while possibly commenting on male sexuality, nothing comes to a head (excuse the pun).  One of the female dancers is lovely in a full body stocking that covers her face.  The material is thin enough, that it is almost like she is dancing topless.  But, she seems androgynous and there seems to be no care towards a message on sexuality.  The dancers are devoted to something though; is it the guitar, the black-clothed man, the singer, the sequins, or the movement?  Maybe all, maybe none.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t really matter.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Leah Sands
Performance: [purgatorio] POPOPERA
Choreographer(s): Emio Greco/PC
Venue: Joyce Theater, New York City
Date: September 30, 2009
www.iDANZ.com

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