All week the city has been buzzing with visiting dancers from top international dance schools.  Recently, I’ve been encountering the YAGP people quite a bit around the city in classes at Peridance and Steps.  Now, I get to see them perform at New York City Center for the gala performance.  YAGP attracts dance school personnel from top schools to recruit and award scholarships.

Since its birth eleven years ago, the YAGP has grown into being the largest competition for student ballet scholarships worldwide.  Dubbed the “internet of the dance world” for connecting a diverse population of dancers around the globe, YAGP became a member of the Conseil International de la Danse (CID) by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2005.  More than 25,000 dancers worldwide have participated in YAGP workshops, competitions and audition classes, and more than 250 YAGP alumni dance with major companies around the world.  Most outstandingly, over two million dollars in YAGP scholarship funds have been contributed to dance schools worldwide to aid in furthering dance education.

Full of energy and witty phrases, Peter Sagal from Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! on NPR hosts this year’s 2010 YAGP Gala.  He even attempts to demonstrate some of his own knowledge and ballet technique, amusing the audience by showing off each ballet foot position and his favorite steps.  Peter Sagal hysterically announces the start of the show doing a penché while holding the mic in one hand and grabbing onto the curtain for support with the other before dashing away as the music begins.

The evening opens with a cute cowboy dance by a ten year old boy.  Apparently not being from New York City he probably is unaware that it is illegal to have toy guns that appear real.  Perhaps his holsters do indeed contain real guns which he brandishes about between double tours.

A youthful girl with long limbs performs a contemporary dance number, “Wild Horses.”   Although, perhaps a bit too provocative in short shorts for her age, she certainly has lovely split leaps and a nice trot.  Many of the young dancers performing have incredible technique, but their expressions, though plastered on with practice, cloud with anxiety and pressure as they prepare before a turn or other virtuosic display.

A twelve year old boy from Japan delightfully sticks out in his playful routine with a mop.  The story is typical:  a cleaning man becomes playful and starts dancing around with his mop, only to return to cleaning.  Untypical is his expressiveness, which is endearing as he falsely prepares for turns, teasing the trick-hungry audience.  Another twelve year old from Italy displays exquisite line, interspersing contemporary movements with clean classical technique, easily whipping out double sauté basque turns and more than five pirouettes.

Receiving the honor of Best School, The Orlando Ballet School presents an exceptional all male quartet performed to an Enrique Iglesias tune.  The movement of the four boys, so dramatic in their skin-tight skinny jeans along with the music, makes a few audience members erupt into laughter, but by the conclusion the audience concurred with the judges that these dancers have had some wonderful training.  Their lines, port de bras and technique are breathtaking… though choreographically, the dance could have been performed as a solo except for the sappy moments of arms around each other and back-patting.

With a costume obviously inspired by the dress worn by Bjork at the Grammy’s, a bronze medalist rail-thin fifteen year old girl of China, Shang Yao Qian, performs an interesting contemporary solo entitled “Black Wing.”   This awesomely awkward girl is adorned with long limbs and beautiful “cashew” feet, a perfect representation of an ugly duckling struggling to grow into a graceful swan. 

Silver medalist, Zhao Wan Ting, explodes into sensual gestural choreography, alternating with walking, almost strutting sequences.  Grand Prix champion, William Bracewell performs with calm delicious port de bras.  Although after seeing a few hops, I wonder if his performance had been better during competition rounds; but, I forgive him quickly as he elegantly arabesques.  Besides, this is an educational competition program whose purpose is not to find perfection, but to aid in its perpetual pursuit.

Next on the program, I am delighted to see Russel Ferguson, champion from So You Think You Can Dance, take the stage to show us what krumping is all about.  In this special surprise guest artist appearance, Russel Ferguson wobbles his rotating legs in and out while simultaneously popping his chest.  His incredible control shines through his isolations.

Peter Sagal returns to preface the finale number, in which a large number of students dance together.  He explains how Youth American Grand Prix brings together over 2,000 dancers from around the world to compete and study dance for one week together, in a sense, creating a “UN of dance.”  All practiced soloists, the young dancers still try to outshine each other…  Despite the chorus staging, they do not dance together (which could be a result of short rehearsal time).  It is, however, mesmerizing to see so many young dancers take the stage at one time and finish in an elaborate tableau.

Intermission sends streams of dancers, parents, teachers and industry people into the lobby where refreshments of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries are served to celebrate the conclusion of this year’s YAGP. The intermission is extended for the socializing to take place.  Everyone is abuzz with excitement about the talent just witnessed and the awaited post-intermission performances of the more celebrated, professional dancers.

The second half of the Gala performance features today’s stars, YAGP alumni that now perform with top dance companies from around the world.

Opening is the Act II pas de deux from Giselle, danced by Paris Opera Ballet ‘s Mathilde Froustey and Mathias Heyman, the perfect pair to match old classical style. The couple gives generous lovely port de bras.  In The Moment is a contemporary piece with ABT’s Michelle Wiles and Tulsa Ballet’s Wang Yi dancing round a chair, accompanied by a live on stage singer, Aurora Barnes.  Yearning, sharp and contrasting movement choreographically builds the urgency of this dance.

Another passionate pas de deux is with Isabella Boylston-what extension!- and Blaine Hoven of ABT in Sognato, using music by Schubert.  Following is another pas de deux, Parting, choreographed by Yuri Smekalove, who is partnered by Yevgenia Obraztsova, both of the Mariinsky Ballet.  It is Yevgenia Obraztsova’s New York debut, and she is welcomed with an abundance of cheers and applause.  Joaquin De Luz of NYCB dances Five Variations on a Theme with music by Bach.  With lovely sustained attitudes and a casual air, Joaquin De Luz delivers magnificence.

Ballroom World Champions Slavik Kryklyvyy and Anna Melnikova tear the stage apart in Jive eliciting many screams of excitement from the audience. The number includes standard ballroom elements- exposed skin, undulating hips and accentuating air bites.  The step-tap looks stunning with the right degree of foot bevel, though the over-twisting of the wrists I find almost grotesque.

From American Ballet Theatre is Joseph Gorak with his billowy shirt adding fluidity to his arm movements in the solo to Nocturne, music by Chopin.

Rubinald Pronk of Morphoses dances L’effleure as a solo because his partner, Shirley Esseboom of Nederlands Dans Theater, is ‘stuck in traffic’ according to the announcement by Peter Sagal.  Rubinald Pronk is a dramatic presence on stage-his fluid portebras and red flowing pants look like spilling blood.  Gorgeous music by Vivaldi seems to pour through Rubinald Pronk- undulating the torso, articulating through his limbs, lengthening into breathtaking lines.  He is so stunning by himself, one easily forgets that Rubinald Pronk is dancing what is supposed to be a duet, not a solo.  A rose stays delicately in his mouth the entire dance, only to drop at the last moment.

Donizetti,choreographed by Manuel Legris, is performed by Mathilde Froustey and Mathias Heyman, the only couple to do more than one spot on the Gala program. Joaquin De Luz returns to the stage with Tiler Peck to perform Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes.  The American classic makes the audience roar up in applause, and the dancing couple are radiant, bursting with energy.

Polina Seminova of the Berlin State Opera Ballet and Marcelo Gomes of American Ballet Theatre dance the pas de deux from Manon, an amazingly executed, beautifully portrayed love scene.

Closing this fabulous evening is Sarah Lamb and Sergei Polunin from the Royal Ballet with the pas de deux from Diana and Acteon. Sergei Polunin delights the crowd with amazing effortless jumps.

YAGP proves again to be the must see ballet performance. Bringing world premieres of new dance work and the world’s best dance talent to one stage, YAGP Gala is a delightful highlight to a wonderful program that offers so many opportunities to young dancers.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan
Performance: Youth America Grand Prix 2010 Gala “Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow”
Venue: New York City Center, New York City
Performance Date: Friday, March 26, 2010
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Stephen Petronio is living his moment the opening night of his New York season at the Joyce Theater.   Located in Chelsea, the posh notoriously gay neighborhood, the Joyce Theater is swarming with just the type.  The bar is busy, with people partaking of the specialty cocktail “Love Me Tender” and cherry flavored popcorn, both in Petronio’s favorite color-pink!   And it is certainly time for celebration; this company has survived the big city for 25 years, growing in its own style and reaching audiences around the globe.

The performance opens with a solo entitled #3.  A bald man appears like a waiter or butler in a suit and shiny paten leather shoes with fourth position arms scooped to one side curving up to the sky.  This is not Max Brenner – this is Stephen Petronio- and this is dance by the bald man.  With his feet cemented center-stage, Stephen Petronio invites us in, beckoning us to witness his observations.  Simultaneously he is sculpting himself, his hands creeping over his own skin, honing his craft before our eyes as we realize this is his style he is presenting to us.  We are learning his language of isolated sharp port de bras and strong, sometimes torqued torso.  A language of the spine, elaborated with the limbs, I must admit Stephen Petronio reminds me of one of those beaded wobble dolls who get jelly legs when you squeeze their platform, but only because his feet never moved from the same spot on the stage.

The next piece entitled MiddleSexGorge opens with two women on stage posed erected from fourth positions, the light contouring their muscles.  Each movement is articulated and controlled, though sometimes the movement is so dramatic- arms and legs whipping in fast circular motions optimizing the ball and socket joints at the hips and shoulders.  The technique of the company is fierce, sharp with high battements, strong cores that demand quickly executed changes in direction, yet somehow is lacking the use of plié:  the legs sometimes appear stiff, the feet flexing above the ground, harsh landings on the floor.  The music asks, “are you hot?  Are you feeling hot?”  The dancers bodies are certainly hot, women moving freely in black short unitards, the men in sexy flesh-colored corsets.  Some of the men are wearing pansy pants (my name for them), fresh for the picking;  I have witnessed promotional photos for the company this year with the dancers wearing these flesh tights sprouting with orangey pink petals.  Other men simply wear their flesh-colored dancebelt- super sexy ass cheeks on display.  I didn’t understand the contrast between the women’s’ costuming and the men’s’ – the women looking as if they came from dance class, the men from a spring fashion runway.  The dancers faces don’t express much, but their bodies scream, “yes, I’m hot!” with abrupt changes in direction, head-bang, battement, windmill motions slicing through space. The women swarm round one of the men as the chorus repeats, “Are you hot?  Are you feeling hot?”   Then as they close in on him “I’m ambitious”  …a nice commentary on a man’s sexual prowess.  The audience loves it.

Note for The Joyce employees:  To better handle the two huge lines at concessions barely moving- if you offer a drink special, mix’em up beforehand, otherwise people are forced to chug their beverages at the last moment, having spent the entire intermission waiting for drinks. Try the pre-pour, sales should improve too, as employees offer beverages ready on trays (no line delays!)

Following intermission is a solo, Love Me Tender, with Julian DeLeon in a silky men’s shirt and…white shorts beneath.  A bit of a tease, his body aches to be loved and touched, very expressive everywhere but the face.  I think this reflects on an artistic preference with the company to focus expression through the body. Two women in short white unitards and draped fabric as sleeves appear; this must’ve been the beginning of “Foreign Import” with music “Creep” by Radiohead.  A disturbed man, performed by Reed Luplau, dances between and around these two angelic figures.  Reed Luplau succeeds in getting the audience’s attention, his movements attack and swarm the stage like a desperate person’s cry for help.

The last dance brings the company together in Ghostown, a world premiere.  I love the costuming for this piece, each dancer having a unique combination of tight spandex in neutral colors with an element of flowing fabric.  As if different groups of people who have come and gone with time, dancers flow and ebb from the side wings.  The choreography gets really interesting with the dancers performing their own unique phrasing, contrasting their movement, and initiating  interaction between each other. The music is pulsating, beautiful but also sleep-inducing, perhaps not the best work to end the evening.  Yet, the audience responds enthusiastically to the final moment of the dance.  In this work Petronio states,

“I am more drawn to information that is implied or concealed within the gesture and stage space, what is imagined and sensed as well as what is perceived. Ghostown…is a gathering place for memory and selves that have come before, resonate in some way, that are still vibrating with layers of meaning, imagined or real.”

Certainly one feels the resounding pulses of energy vibrating within themselves just watching Stephen Petronio’s amazing company.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan
Performance: Stephen Petronio Company
Choreography: Stephen Petronio
Venue: The Joyce Theater, New York City
Performance Date: Tuesday April 27, 2010
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Nicholas Leichter’s choreography is funky, making people want to clap and dance in their seats. Co-directing with Nicholas Leichter is Monstah Black, the score creator known as a “Messiah of the Funk.”  Brian McCormick as producing director contributes interesting titles for the dance numbers like Papi, incorporating popular slang to reference the poppy fields and other elements of the classic Wizard of Oz/The Wiz tale.

Nicholas Leichter’s choreography is suitably even more multi-dimensional than the traditional Wizard of Oz story, incorporating technique with raw bumping and grinding.

To me, the overall movement blends contemporary dance with Afro-Cuban and other island influences.  The dancing flows so naturally out of the dancers that it seems improvised except that order exists through formations and patterns.

Following the sexually charged Lick Shots number to a song by none other than Missy Elliot is He’s the Wizza, a long duet featuring Stephanie Liapis and Nicholas Leichter.  Here Nicholas Leichter shows off Stephanie Liapis’ skills as a dancer, ending the section dramatically to create nice set up for Soon as I get Home.

Dawn Robinson is brilliant in Soon As I Get Home celebrating the fabulousness of being a big black woman.  She conveys a sideways evolution of Diana Ross as if investigating what Diana Ross would be like when she’s chillin at home, being constantly fanned by an admiring man servant.

A highlight of the performance is an intense dance between two men, Wendell Cooper and Nicholas Leichter.  Each male interrogates the other with fierce dance moves and martial arts-infused partnering work.  Work!

Entering in very grand style, vocalizing from the audience, Yozmit makes a special appearance from the sky, like an outer-worldly creature.  Each movement is sharp and meticulously executed as Yozmit sings her heart out, compelling and captivating.

In order to gain a better understanding behind the creation of this fascinating show, I interviewed dancer Wendell Cooper.  In an expression of mutual respect and admiration, Wendell Cooper created a movement phrase tribute to Nicholas Leichter, who in turn assimilated the phrase into the Juicy Fruit section.  Wendell describes the challenges he faced trying to make a solo in the style of Nicholas Leichter who he says “tries to expand outside of the ego-driven art of the dance world.”

Wendell Cooper describes how “in this solo I wanted to expand [Nicholas Leichter’s] style that is particular to him rather than in an individual style.  If I was to create something in his style how would I do that?  [By] getting into his brain: learning his rhythm and style and his vocabulary. So I borrowed a little from his rep: combination of hip-hop and jazz, definitely the chaos-there’s a moment -it’s crazy- we have to throw our legs over our body and pitch and fall.  I tried to marry the chaos with rhythm and detail I feel like it has to be daring to be interesting for the public to watch, like this feeling of- they might not make it!  It’s a mix: house, technique, break-dancing jazz, capoeria, vogue, contemporary, moderness-that’s why I’m drawn to his work because he takes all these elements and blends them into a language.  I am trying to learn to do that in my work as well.”

As I continue my discussion with Wendell about how we talk about and define dance.  We both agreed, Nicholas Leichter has a unique style and his work is tricky to dissect because it’s fragmented.  I’ll try to dissect it for you: fouettés into popping followed by gooey modern dance, then African and Jazz-all of these fragments are fused into a sequence.  Nicholas Leichter’s many influences have been absorbed into a his own vocabulary to create poetry with dance. Though difficult to define in terms of genre, the work of Nicholas Leichter parallels the contemporary trends seen in media in which various elements are reworked together, derived from our modern world where distinct cultures and traditions exist side by side.  Honoring the specific cultural roots of very stylized dance forms, Nicholas Leichter shapes his own language, spoken with African steps transitioning to an almost traditional ballet sequence flowing into floor-work.  All elements come together within same conceptual framework.

As artists, Nicholas Leichter and Monstah Black have unique processes of working, a system that seems to involve deconstructing and restructuring the construct, exploring the point of each scene, and taking into account the underlying social and political messages. In this production of The Whiz one will experience the story in an entirely new way, as the creators took accumulated content and applied our contemporary situation.

In the hands of Nicholas Leichter and Monstah Black, this production is not a remake but instead something re-imagined, sourced and rooted in the cultural history and development of the tale.

This re-creation of The Whiz has been developing with various sections previously appearing in shows through DanceNOW and Joe’s Pub.  This latest version is still missing some of the larger dance numbers which will be added for the full production at Abron’s Art Center around June 17, 2010.  Be sure to check out “The Whiz: Obamaland” at Abrons Arts Center to see more story and more dancing!

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan
Performance: DanceNOW [NYC] presents Dancemopolitan- nicholas leichter dance The Whiz: Emerald City
Choreography: Nicholas Leichter with additional choreography by Wendell Cooper
Venue: Joe’s Pub Manhattan, New York City
Performance Date: Friday March 19, 2010
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Come to Fresh Tracks presented by Dance Theater Workshop and expect to be surprised.  Fresh Tracks 2010 offers some shocking works from new choreographers seeking to get their names out there.

First on the program is up and down by Makiko Tamura who also dances in the piece alongside Ryoji Sasamoto. The dance is inspired by a long distance relationship of two people with the world in between.  One is on top, experiencing day, when the opposite is on bottom, experiencing night.  The couple, each wearing one shoe, seem two halves of one whole.  They stare out in the distance yearning to connect, and their movements influence the other, yet the distance remains apparent.  The choreography is fun and quirky, with moments of touching intimacy conveyed through interesting partnering.  Set among a landscape of discarded clothing, the dancers interact with different articles of clothing providing another layer to the work.

The Miner is choreographed by Eleanor Smith and contains no music. The dance is performed by Molly Lieber, who provides a sort of soundtrack with her breathing and dancing. This dance could be dissected into various parts that present different activities including (but not limited to anything) swimming, leaping like a frog, sprinting a ten foot distance, and playing the piano. Amazingly, the solo dancer is able to hold the audience captive as she explores the space and time she is given. Though the choreography is set, she seems to be improvising, often unaware of others watching, often turning her back. Perhaps this voyeuristic perspective adds excitement to the audience’s experience of the work. “The Miner” is an artistic experimentation of movement that is honest and inspiring.

We are Weather choreographed by Vanessa Anspaugh and her dancers seems to present the difficulties faced in a triangulated relationship.  The dancers Aretha Aoki, Lily Gold and Mary Read all have powerful stage presences that are cool and calm though some moments in the dance are quite dramatic.  With natural pedestrian movement the piece is nonetheless well-crafted and intentional.

Good Girl is a solo performance by dancer and choreographer Liz Santoro, performing with a projection of herself.  Provocative and entertaining, the dance confronts our expectations of what we consider a “Good Girl.”  Liz Santoro keeps the choreography simple, including a simple first arabesque- what better way to convey innocent intentions?  I say, dare to put yourself out there, Good Girl!

Naughty Bits is a work by Jen McGinn and gathered inspiration from the Chronicles of Narnia.  Dancers are adorned with animal elements: a furry paw, feathers sprouting from an arm, horns upon a forehead.  One dancer toots a horn signaling the dance to begin. The dancers form a mass of morphing faces, expressions evolving from happy to sad to relief.  One dancer is set apart; she takes off her bottom garments and dances in a clergy shirt and collar.  Is this a statement about the “Naughty Bits” of society?  After seeing this work, that is something you will have to decide for yourself!

The evening performance concludes with Heart Ain’t In It: Four-Chamber Studies. Though this work doesn’t seem to contain much dancing, the choreography by Enrico D. Wey presents an interesting paradox of the easily replaceable dancer. Live music is performed, then mimicked by another cast who takes the final bow.

An awesome part of Dance Theater Workshops’ Fresh Tracks series is its post-performance wine and discussion with the artists.  It is especially interesting for the audience to interact with the artists of such abstract works and amusing that many of the artists express ambiguity in their responses encouraging each member of the audience to discover how the dances reverberate within themselves.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan
Performance: Fresh Tracks 2010
Choreography: Makiko Tamura, Eleanor Smith, Vanessa Anspaugh, Liz Santoro, Jen McGinn, Enrico D. Wey
Venue: Dance Theater Workshop, New York City
Performance Date: February 11, 2010
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and supplies to victims in this crisis?
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For every new person
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iDANZ Social Network, iDANZ will donate $1 to
Doctors Without Borders January 18 – March 1.
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Part of the stage craft transforms from quilt to hanging laundry to ocean waves, and simple alterations in costuming along with dynamic changes in lighting, and the use of projections all create setting.  Elfi insists that her show would not be possible without the assistance of her team, who she introduces with warmth and admiration.

The dancing blends in with the other elements to create a seamless production. The experience is like a drug-induced trip, as four varying scenes are juxtaposed, leaving the dancer to reflect on them.  Thematically, this work plays with the collective unconscious, stretching to manipulate different scenes from different times and involving different women.  Elfi’s dance connects and expresses aspects of these various characterizations through her clever choreography.  Blending dance with everyday movements, Elfi seamlessly tells a fascinating tale through poetic choreography and specific subtle expressions.  Some moments are ecstatically happy, others dark and brooding.  In the course of one show, multiple surprises occur as stage elements shift, further broadening the minds of the audience.

Elfi is an inspiration to watch, a woman that didn’t dance professionally till after some dancers retire, she continually flows with fresh energy and ideas.  Her art is defined by the abstract, her dance an evolution of gesture.  This mesmerizing production is a unique experience, fueling dance as an essential art form and tool for communicating aspects of life experience that cannot be put into words.  In one word: beautiful.

iDANZ Critix Corner

Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan
Performance: Lichtungen
Choreography: Elfi Schäfer-Schafroth
Venue: Joyce SoHo, New York City
Performance Date: Friday February 12, 2010
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and supplies to victims in this crisis?
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Győr National Ballet of Hungary exhibits a powerful cultural force in “A Stravinsky Evening” at The Joyce Theater.  The evening is composed of two ballets that have powerful messages involving human experience:  Petrushka, which commemorates the 20th anniversary of the fall of communism and, Rite of Spring, that documents a human sacrifice ritual.  Intense music brings out intense dancing in both works.  Though thematically similar, the two ballets are uniquely transforming.

Petrushka depicts the "little man" struggling to survive a communist society, living under the rule of a totalitarian regime.  Much of the dancing is done on the floor, the dancers mimicking swimming strokes, as if suppressed to the ultimate low by their government and struggling to stay afloat.  The leader tromps about, stomping on any individual that fails to meet standards.  The characters truly come to life on stage, presenting a very relevant reenactment of history. Petrushka is a civilian who expresses ideas that separate him from the others.  The powerful ruler or so-called “Magician” demonstrates his superiority, menacing in each movement.  The chorus dancers are the uncaring mob repeating meaningless sequences mindlessly, servants to a domineering commander.  Though appropriately pedestrian in some movement, the dancers encapsulate spirits of individuals, making the drama both haunting and enlightening.  Dance becomes a metaphorical language for reenacting a cruel totalitarian government and its destruction of the "little man."   It is incredibly inspiring to see dance that interprets societal change, thereby promoting positive change in a non-militant way.

Rite of Spring is equally riveting, with choreography by Attila Kun, depicting what he describes as a “sacrifice that redeems human beings and transforms life.”  Initially, I confuse the subject of Rite of Spring as being about a mating ritual or the institution of marriage; then, I realize, it is about a different type of human sacrifice.

Another orderly society presents itself, then trouble seems to arise with one individual.  Many couples begin singling out the single person to become the sacrificial gift.  I relate to the single woman onstage, the victim of society’s customs.  It seems she is chosen by the crowd of couples as the innocent fresh meat- the perfect sacrifice and is also victimized due to lack of a "male protector."  The white costumes show off the shapes of the dancers, and renders them blameless as they methodically perform the accepted ritual.

The Stravinsky program is an excellent choice for a mature audience.  Social equality is evident in dancing where women partner other women, and men, proving themselves to be capable and strong. Such choreographic choices are in stride with ways of the future, as women are gaining respect in societies for their contributions other than role of mate and mother.  The humanity of the dancers is appealing, and though the company seems very unified culturally, they have a nice range of shapes and sizes. Győr National Ballet has the gift of beautiful storytelling, a gift of presenting history that is difficult to tell yet important to recognize, and conveys it powerfully through dancing.

All photos © Béla Szabó

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan
Performance: Győr National Ballet: A Stravinsky Evening
Choreography: Attila Kun, Dmitrij Simkin, James Sutherland
Venue: The Joyce Theater, New York
Performance Date:  January 28, 2010
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The air of the Joyce Theater is alive with excitement and anticipation for Rasta Thomas’ Rock the Ballet, the new performance featuring his company, The Bad Boys of Ballet.  A wonderful venue for dance, The Joyce also offers the perfect location in the heart of Chelsea for presenting a male dominated dance show to the tunes of popular rock ballads.  Adrienne Canterna-Thomas is the featured female of the evening’s performance, a guest artist from her own company, Pretty Girls of Dance and choreographer of Rock the Ballet.

The performance begins with the over-played tune of “I Gotta Feeling” by Black-Eyed Peas, dancers entering with jazz runs, beating their shoulders with their hands. The dancers enthusiastically give out energy, adding screams of excitement as if they are the stars of their own rock concerts. 

Act 1: Beautiful Day consists of many well-known popular songs, from U2 to Dave Matthews and even “American Woman” by Lenny Kravitz.  Rasta Thomas choreographs a delightful comedic couple dance, with the Bad Boys of Ballet partnering blow-up dolls.  Funny and wittingly entertaining, this is a highlight of the first half.  There is a hint of a story-thread, something to do with a romance between Rasta Thomas and Adrienne Canterna-Thomas, yet it is prematurely developed and predictable. 

With graphic video projections by William Cusick, the performance attempts to entertain the modern audience accustomed to high-tech flash imagery.  However, the background screen sometimes upstages the dancing, distracting with its motions and karaoke-styled lyrics display. The choreography is very square, dancers often in a pyramid formation performing hip-hop movements with sporadic ballet trick segments. One would hardly describe the overall performance as balletic, yet it contains a few spectacular glimpses of ballet technique as Rasta prepares for another amazing pirouette/tour jete. The dancing is fun, and incredibly demanding as it fuses gymnastic abilities with the mix of jazz and hip-hop.  As I watch, I could only think about all the concussions the dancers probably  had endured in rehearsals and performances while whacking their legs with those uber-high battements!  Robert Roldan stands out among the Bad Boys with his chameleon expressions and enticing stage personality that draws attention and holds it.

Act 2 is a separate compilation of dances with some fun Michael Jackson songs. The Bad Boys of Ballet show their stellar skills with bravado, their personalities shining.  Adrienne Canterna-Thomas doesn’t do herself justice, jogging offstage with no great finishes to her segments, belittling herself with child-like over-excitement.  I find her two order-by-mail costumes to be unflattering and the men’s white t-shirts and jeans to be boring and disappointing… booooo.  Perhaps they can advertise with The Gap…  The second half, the Boys reappear in silhouette seemingly topless…  (Now we’re talking).  My excitement dissipates when I realize they are actually wearing white wife-beaters with their black pants, a boring though modern look.  Their appearance actually improves as they changed their combination of looks adding jackets, ties and hats for different dance numbers.

So, competition dancers unite!   There is at least one career opportunity for competition dancers aside from “So You Think You Can Dance” with a tour schedule on real concert dance stages where dancers can show all their skills they’ve perfected and trained for years.  Yes, the choreography of this show develops from a competition vocabulary, lacking in substance and depth; however, it is impressive to watch with the array of technical dance stunts. The average audience member is astounded seeing the stunning talent and incredible physical abilities of this troupe. Young dancers of the competition circuit will eat this show alive! 

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan Performance: Rasta Thomas’ Rock the Ballet
Choreography: Adrienne Canterna-Thomas
Venue: The Joyce Theater
Performance Date:  December 15, 2009
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Dreamgirls captures the essence of the Apollo Theater as the Apollo celebrates its 75th anniversary season. Known as the theater “where stars are born and legends are made,” the Apollo has helped great performers on their road to fame including Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5, Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, Gladys Knight, James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holliday as well as many others. Dreamgirls opens with scenes of The Dreamettes competing in the Apollo Theater’s Amateur Night, the signature show at the Apollo that has provided so many talented artists their big break.

This exciting production shares the experience on and off stage of the talented up and coming Dreamettes, a female musical group climbing their way to stardom during the 1960s. The simple, great-for-touring, yet ingenious stage design by Robin Wagner has shifting panels that transform from backdrop (with amazingly clever projections) to the side-viewed wings of a stage.  When the Dreamettes are performing onstage and the projections are spinning behind them, you feel as if you have been transported back in time, experiencing the dazzling performance of one of the popular girl groups like the Marvettes or the Supremes.  The remarkably striking ladies all wear matching dresses and have cutesy choreography that enhances their song numbers.  Of course, the first dresses we see them in are borderline frumpy, but as the story progresses, the costumes become more and more stunningly glamorous.

Dreamgirls might have become more popular now with the recent movie starring Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Foxx, but seeing it onstage is another experience. This particular production does a fabulous job, capturing the magic of the performers onstage and the drama backstage.  The retro feel of the production with the 60s style of the music and dress is so much fun; delightfully so, as the choreography brings everything together by embracing both of these elements.  The ensemble dancers in this production spice up the "in-between" scenes with high energy dancing that is impressive and enjoyably funny.  I love the "One Night Only" disco scene, where we see that catchy 70s style ography of ball-change press, ball-change turn "c’mon c’mon"… repeat… ball-change press, ball-change… It got me and Miss iDANZ herself, Candice Rox, performing the steps all the way down 125th street on our way for drinks at the GU (Gospel Uptown). 

Another choreographic highlight is during "Steppin’ To The Bad Side" where not only are the dancers gettin’ down, but the illustrious projections on the panels are gettin’ busy as well.  With the aid of technology, dancers inventively appear to be coming out of the woodwork then multiply right before our eyes -right in time with the music!  Both the technology and collaborative creativity for this show, choreographically and in graphic design, are truly amazing. 

Other notables are Chaz Lamar Shepherd, who plays the creepy Curtis Taylor Jr. who we all love to hate, and Chester Gregory, who plays Jimmy, the over-the-top, fame hungry performer who probably elicits the most laughter.  Adrienne Warren as Lorrell, Margaret Hoffman as Michelle, and seventh season American Idol first runner-up, Syesha Mercado, give convincingly solid performances as the Dreamettes/Dreams.  Moya Angela is a powerful Effie White, and after hearing her sing her rendition of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” you’re gonna wanna sing this hit in the shower for several days after watching. 

Quick costume changes add extra pizazz as the Dreamettes and Deena Jones transform within seconds off stage and on literally to the amazement of the audience.  To see the magical costume changes alone is a reason to see this show…  And much to the audience’s delight, instead of a misplaced, self-indulging number for Deena to sing, "Listen" (from the movie version made famous by Beyonce) has been added as a relevant yet powerful, teary-eyed duet in a breathtakingly new arrangement between both Deena and Effie… not a dry eye in the house.  Bravo, Ladies!

It is just as the lyrics say, “Dreamgirls will never leave you, ‘cause all you have to do is dream…” An inspirational show, Dreamgirls is embarking on a National Tour and should not be missed!

Photography by Joan Marcus

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan
Editorial Contributions by Candice Rox
Performance: Dreamgirls
Choreography: Robert Longbottom with Shane Sparks as Co-choreographer
Venue:  Apollo Theater, Harlem, NYC
Show Date:  December 2, 2009
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Complexions Contemporary Ballet presents a program of crowd-pleasers.  Dubbed the “15th Anniversary Medley # 1: A collection of audience favorites,” the program shows off the variety of repertoire the company has accumulated.  With beautifully constructed physiques the dancers articulate artistic abstractions.  Exhilarating, daring athleticism is displayed by the dancers whose superb skillfulness is masked in a feeling of spontaneity.

The first work on the program predates the founding of Complexions in 1994, appropriately titled, “Growth” (1991), the piece portrays an individual striving for self development, searching for substance in the space surrounding him.  Here dancer Gary W. Jeter II attacks each movement in a conquest for truth, expressing the 15th anniversary season’s theme of “Love, Sweat, Tears.”

“Momentary Forevers” (2007, Excerpt) is a fierce pas de deux with Natiya Kezevadze and Juan Rodriguez in futuristic citrusy orange costumes by Christine Darch.  The cursive choreography by Dwight Rhoden expresses deep sentimentality of the dual’s permeate and fleeting qualities of romantic relationships.

“Gone” (2000) is a highlight of the show, with amazing virtuoso performances by Cifford Williams, Philip John Orsano, and Edgar Anido.  A powerful dance of masculinity and strife, the dancers’ toned bodies soulfully sculpt space and time. 

Like a Broadway classic, “Showman’s Groove” (2005) plays to the audience as the duo Joo Hwan Cho and Christina Dooling physically flirt through challenging turns and high kicks finished off with jazz hands and dazzling smiles.

“Fall” (2008) is the one piece choreographed by Desmond Richardson on the program and is less dramatic than its title suggests.  The costumes by Epperson are interesting- long skirts with satin panels reminiscent of stained glass cut short in the front to show off the dancer’s legs.  Natalia Alonso, Patricia Hachey, and Wendy White Sasser dance wonderfully together, none outshining the other.

“Ave Maria” (1995) is a must-see piece and a must-have for a program of audience favorites.  Set to lovely operatic tones, the complex contemporary pas de deux is executed masterfully by dancers Hiroko Sakakibara and Simon Silva.  Certainly a favorite, the audience cheered like fans at a football game mid-ballet, and my dancer friend turned to me to ask, “Where’s my popcorn and beer?” 

Following intermission, Rise (2008) features multiple songs by the pop sensation U2, with pop/rock-star choreography to match.  With moments of brilliance, some of the choreography reminds me of recital dances, with dancers in simple lines and performing predictable cannons of movements. Most disappointing is that the song “Beautiful Day” is used merely for bows, though at this point the audience is standing, cheering enthusiastically. 

After 15 successful developing years I must admit, well done.  Complexions has succeeded in developing a unique culturally viable identity within the New York City landscape that has permeating influences in the world of dance through its advancement of contemporary ballet.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan
Performance: Complexions Contemporary Ballet
Choreography: Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson
Venue: The Joyce Theater, New York City
Performance Date: Sunday November 22, 2009
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Cirkus Cirkör captures the heart of New Yorkers in its new production of “Inside Out.”  Visiting their website (http://www.cirkor.se) prior to the show, I knew I was in for a treat, seeing a beating heart on my MacBook.

Directed by Tilde Björfors, who also founded Cirkus Cirkör in 1995, “Inside Out” the production is like an artistic autopsy of the circus, beginning with the circus show.  Coming into the theater, performers are already onstage milling about, making preparations for the performance, though this is part of the performance.  The lead clown welcomes the audience members personally, then pulls one onstage to help power the stage lights by pedaling a stationary bike. 

The performance begins rather light-heartedly, the entertainers downplaying their talents. They join in silly back-up dancing as each one performs their specialty trick.  Then the scene flips so the audience is now viewing the performers’ backsides as they perform their bows.  Suddenly we are drawn into the blood of circus life, celebrating and drinking, practice and play.  The characters are real people, just like we are as audience members.  The circus tricks become more impressive and beautifully elaborate on the story of personal struggle and growth.  The lead clown, often used in modern circus productions to shed light on social issues, addresses the audience with the big life and death questions.  Are you living fully, or is it possible that you are no longer living although your heart still beats?

Philosophical questions are left unanswered, the audience left to sort them out as the performance escalates with circus and theatrical elements.

The clown, Angela Wand, plays a funambulist (tight-rope walker) whose soulfull performance is both silly and endearing. Embodying the washed-up circus artist, she bourres about the stage in her ragged fairy costume as if she is the greatest thing to grace a stage.

Anna Lagerkvist does a fierce Chinese pole act.  The agility with which she climbs the pole makes me wonder who could ever doubt that we are evolved from monkeys, it is so natural-looking. Perching herself high at the top, wrapping her body round the pole in all sorts of ways, she then is suddenly freefalling down the pole to catch herself right before she hits the floor.  Each time the audiences sends up a unanimous gasp, then clapping and cheering.

Jay Gilligan presents an incredible juggling act, in which the drummer Erik Nilsson accompanies with quirky vocalizations and percussion.  This segment is definitely a highlight of the show, eliciting laughter and cheers from the crowd as Erik Nilsson plays off Jay Gilligan, teasing him for any slight fumble.  Jay Gilligan is a delight to watch as he moves with such exaggerated clumsiness that only a supremely coordinated individual can accomplish.  The handstand equilibrist, Jens Engman, impressively holds a one-arm handstand throughout some of Jay Gilligan’s long juggling sequences, vying for the audience’s attention.  Jens Engman has a boyish charm that adds to his appeal with his supremely erect handstands.

Mirja Tuulikki Jauhiainen and Sanna Kopra perform a breath-taking aerial trapeze act.  The duo are incredibly in-synch with each other, having worked together for over a decade. This act is amazing because of the potential danger and required skill, but even more beautiful because of the eloquent artistic expression of the aerialists.  André Farstand and Fredrik Deijfen are talented acrobats that join in with other cast members to do some incredible aerial propulsions on the Teeterboard. 

Cirkus Cirkör features live music provided by Irya’s Playground who have recently debuted album by the same name.  Irya Gmeyner is the lead singer who also helped found Cirkus Cirkör.  Elegantly dressed with a large plume feather headdress, her lovely sounds blend beautifully into the actions of the performers.

The stage design is fantastic, with beautiful backdrops that looked like they are hand painted.  Images are projected over parts of the set and performers, adding to the magic and illusion.  These fantastic light projections propel the themes of science and art and the idea that they are two sides of the same coin.

In “Inside Out” Cirkus Cirkör finds its way into the hearts of its audience members.  I am particularly impressed with the program notes, that read as personal stories of how each performer was drawn into the circus life, instead of the conventional listing of credits that can be boring and tedious to read.  Cirkus Cirkör has taken on a difficult task of performing formidable circus tricks within a theatrical framework, seeking to reach deeper meanings of life and death.  This is a wonderful and inspiring show appropriate for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.  Cirkus Cirkör breaks past boundaries of the fourth wall and the limited showiness of traditional circus to share a greater message with the world.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan
Performance:  Cirkus Cirkör: Inside Out
Choreography:  Dag Andersson / Circus choreography: Christian “Vippen” Vilppola
Venue:  BAM The Gillman Opera House, Brooklyn, New York
Performance Date:  November 12, 2009
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