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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Ailey II has reached above and beyond the caliber for a 2^nd company.  Under the direction of Sylvia Waters and Troy Powell, this company has the total package:  maturity, presence, and artistry.  Now combine these qualities with beautiful dancers, flawless technique, and exhilarating choreography then you have an excellent show.

The evening opens with Thang Dao’s Echoes (2008), featuring the entire company in a beautifully crafted contemporary ballet piece.  Although there isn’t a clear narrative, the piece does have strong intention that creates a thru-line for the work.  Performing with strong fluidity, Chang Yong Sung tears-up the stage during a solo section of the piece.

Christopher Huggins’ Essence (2002), performed by Ghrai DeVore is the highlight of the evening.  In this heartrending work, we witness a woman going through a kaleidoscope of emotions in an effort to express the multifaceted aspect of a woman’s character.  Ghrai DeVore, is simply stunning in this solo, fully expressing each emotion and really taking the risk of going the extra mile to make the audience experience her raw emotion.  DeVore is mesmerizing, strong-spirited, and naturally beautiful in her element.

Carlos dos Santos’, Proximity (2009), adds an interesting flavor to the line up with a vibrant and cleverly groovy quartet. Jarvis Mckinley has this urban quality and virtuosic presence that magnetizes your attention to him when he’s on stage. He is definitely a talent to watch out for! Similarly Fana Fraser, has a sensuously chic flair that complements her exquisite movement.

The evening closes with Judith Jamison’s epic work Divining (1984).  This piece really captures the essence of Ailey II and the foundation of what makes them extraordinary.  There is something deeply rooted in this work that the entire company connects to and manifests in their performance.  DeVore does it again in this piece as the leading lady.  Let’s just say that she is the kind of dancer that makes you want to come up with a new word to express the idea of “fierce.”

When it comes to second companies, Ailey II is in a class of its own and standing strong next to the first company.  I look forward to seeing what new young talent comes through this company and how these gorgeous dancers evolve as their own artists over the next couple years.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Simone Sobers
Performance:  Ailey II
Choreography:  Thang Dao, Christopher L. Huggins, Carlos dos Santos, Judith Jamison
Venue:  Joyce Theater
Show Date:  Wednesday, March 14, 2010
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Whether or not you’re a coffee lover its hard not to become briefly addicted to what you’re seeing on stage during the first piece.  Caffeinated, originally commissioned by the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, is a caffeine high, aerobic, hyperactive, humorous piece about people’s common addiction to coffee.  Philip Glass’ "Glasspiece #3" really sets the tone for crazy town and compliments the dancer’s hyper-energetic, and mildly psychotic dispositions.  Keigwin’s brilliant movement vocabulary in this piece is a fanciful mix between jazzercise and cheerleading.  The dancers, with coffee cups in their hands, are really engaged in a workout with Keigwin’s athletic movements and zombie-like gestures.  At the end of the dance you’re left wondering exactly how much caffeine they indulged in to make it through that piece.

In the next piece, Mattress Suite, Keigwin recreates a jocular behind doors look on relationships in a world where anything and everything goes.  The audience watches a series of episodes ranging from love and marriage, to heartbreak; from a kinky rendevous in the sack (literally on a mattress), to a little ménage trois action.  Wilcott and Keigwin are really quite the pair with a natural sensitivity to each other and a malleable chemistry that can shift from sensual to rugged in a hot second.

Bird Watching, this season’s world premiere, is quite the treat for the evening.  The radiantly decorated fleet- fly, flap, flutter, and flock in the space with an eccentric gestural vocabulary reminiscent of our feathered friends. There is an inherent ballet vocabulary in this piece that really gets the whole bird idea across.  Ashley Browne, stands out as a stunning creature throughout the piece with her poise, grace, and seamless lines.  Keigwin has the uncanny ability to let humor infiltrate movement in both subtle and blatant ways.  Bird Watching is a piece of art that truly shows Keigwin’s versatility and the direction he is taking off in.

Like a few good shots of tequila, Keigwin really hits you at the end of the night!  The evening closes with, Runaway, a fierce experience of fashion, theater, runways, and jaw-dropping movement set to a riveting score by Jonatha Melville Pratt.  You don’t have to be a choreographer to appreciate the artistic compositional elements of this work; you can watch and have the same reaction…wow.  Runaway is simply a must-see piece.

Keep your eyes peeled for what K+C is up to next.  They can only get more fabulous.  If you haven’t already, get addicted.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Simone Sobers
Performance: Keigwin + Company
Choreography:  Larry Keigwin
Venue:  The Joyce Theater
Show Date:  March 17, 2010
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It’s been over fifteen years since the Lyons Opera Ballet graced the stage of the Joyce Theater. Now back with a very impressive line up of works by Merce Cunningham, William Forsythe, and Maguy Marin; the Lyons Opera Ballet company’s performance is well worth the wait!

With a program of such riveting and renowned choreographers coupled with beautiful dancers you can only expect an amazing show.  Lyons Opera Ballet company is a breath of fresh air to the ballet scene.  This program really highlights the dancers’ versatility, sound technique, and artistry.  It is a quite a relief to see classic works that allow you to focus solely on the beauty of the dancers’ performance.

The show opens with Cunningham’s Beach Birds, a beautiful work depicting the physical nature and behavior of birds.  This wonderfully crafted piece fits very nicely on the well-sculpted, supple bodies of the company.  They each had a way of softening their strong lines to fully portray a birdlike quality. The dancers move with such poise and grace that the only image that comes to mind is…yes…birds!

Next in line is William Forsythe’s Duo, performed by Dorothee’ Delabie, and Amandine Francois.  Two words to describe this duet: fiercely fabulous!  Aside from the wonderfully sensual and athletic Forsythe vocabulary, these two women really eat up this duet and leave you in sheer awe of their cool and seamless performance.  Having seen very little of Forsythe’s work my feeling at the end of the piece is one of pure inspiration.

The evening concludes on a climatic note with Maguy Marin’s Grosse Fuge.  This is one of those dances that leave you with a newfound respect for dancers and our craft.  In this piece, set to Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge, Marin develops an eccentric vocabulary that personifies each and every part of the music.  Marin’s ability to make the audience see what they’re hearing is what makes this dance so euphoric and visually orgasmic!  The dancers relentlessly push alongside Beethoven’s driving melodies until the dance fully exhausts them.  Grosse Fuge is definitely a must-see if you’ve ever questioned the athleticism of dance.

There’s nothing better than seeing a beautifully diverse group of dancers show their versatility in style and technique in one show.  If you’re looking for a combination of stunning choreography and amazing dancers then keep your eye out for Lyons Opera Ballet.  I personally can’t wait to see what’s in store for their next season.

All photos © Michel Cavalca

iDANZ Critix Corner 
Official Dance Review by Simone Sobers
Performance:  Lyons Opera Ballet
Choreography:  William Forsythe, Merce Cunningham, Maguy Marin
Venue:  Joyce Theater
Show Date:  Tuesday, March 9, 2010
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and supplies to victims in this crisis?
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Alonzo King is really doing something amazing with Lines Ballet.  King’s choreography goes beyond flawless technique and really reflects artistry at it’s best.  And, even at its most untamed version yet, the dancers of Lines Ballet fully take on King’s quirky, soulful, and distinctive vocabulary in a way that seems innate and organic in their bodies.

The first part of the program is a work choreographed by Alonzo King entitled Signs and Wonders. This ballet, performed to a score of Traditional African music, fully lives up to its name with an eclectic blend of African rhythms, classical ballet vocabulary, and exquisite contemporary flare from dancers with jaw-dropping technique. Speaking of jaw-dropping, Corey Scott-Gilbert and Ashley Jackson truly own this phrase without a doubt. Corey Scott-Gilbert has a tantalizing presence that completely draws you into his long sleek lines, swift maneuvers through space, and incredible extension.  Dually, Ashley Jackson’s focus, effortless attack of the space, and simply beautiful artistry singles her out as a fierce diva.  What makes this piece so wonderful is the dancers sensual approach to pointe work, swift footwork, and sensitivity to Alonzo’s unique musicality.

The second part of the evening consists of a 45-minute ballet, Dust and Light.  Dust and Light takes you on a spell-bounding journey to a place that feels like Egypt.  Set to a beautiful, goosebumpy, classical score by Francis Poulenc and Arcangelo Corelli, the work is designed with a quirky and unusually fitting approach to classical music. Alonzo King has a way of using his work to make classical music that much more magical!  When I think of stand-out moments in this piece, Caroline Rocher’s humble yet stunning quality in her movement as well as Laurel Keen and Brett Conway’s brilliant duet come to mind.

My initials thoughts of the evening, aside from being overwhelmed by the company’s dancers, was that although they are classified as being in the contemporary ballet world, Lines Ballet is really in a league of their own.  As a fellow performing artist, I am deeply inspired and moved by King’s work and look forward to seeing more of his work in the years to come!

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Simone Sobers
Performance:  Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet
Choreography:  Alonzo King
Venue:  Lehman Center for the Performing Arts
Show Date:  January 10, 2010
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The show opens with my favorite piece of the evening, Triptico, a series of duets choreographed by Ron De Jesus.  Triptico is the ultimate orgy of contemporary ballet and Latin dance.  Ron De Jesus creatively integrates two very different styles in this piece through fancy footwork, daring partnering, and salsa lifts, turns, and flips. Now, imagine all of this with a cast of dancers with impeccable facility and beautiful lines.  Perfection!  Of all the duets, Min-Tzu Li and Rodney Hamilton really take the eye candy prize, with their standout performance and fierce attack of the movement.

In the next piece, Locked Up Laura by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, the mood shifts to a more intimate and somber setting surrounding a mysterious pair.  Angelica Burgos and Jeffrey Hover give a spellbinding performance that keeps the audience curious about their characters relationship and enthralled by the beauty of their movement. Aside from the fact that the two are gorgeous, they maintain an intense chemistry throughout the piece.

Naci, choreographed by Andrea Miller, shows us a whole other side of Ballet Hispanico.  In Naci, Miller ‘s choreography is deeply rooted in culture, and set in a world other than our own.  The cast displays the raw quality of the work and its connection to history through their full out expression of the movement.  In particular, Jessica Alejandra Wyatt has a refined quality in her work that makes the audience feel what she’s feeling and see what she’s seeing every second she is onstage.

The evening concludes with Batucada Fantastica, a piece choreographed by Vincent Nebrada on the company in 1982.  Despite the fact that this piece is 27 years old, the work is still fresh and very much alive.  Although eight solos in any other case would put most people to sleep, the feisty cast keeps all eyes on them with their rolling hips, shimmying, and rhythmic body language.  In the coda the entire company comes together for a final bang.  The pulsating music, bright costumes, confetti, and dancing colorful lights give the feeling of one big carnival onstage.

Eduardo Vilaro is leading Ballet Hispanico in a new and exciting direction that will keep them among the ranks as a contemporary ballet company.  Their eclectic style and stunning dancers coupled with gifted choreographers is what makes this company work so well.  Ballet Hispanico is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the contemporary ballet scene in New York.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Simone Sobers
Performance:  Ballet Hispanico
Choreography:  Ron De Jesus, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Andrea Miller, Vincente Nebrada
Venue:  The Joyce Theater
Show Date:  December 1, 2009
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How do you create an original work about a legendary historical figure, in one hour, with ten bodies and the stage as your open canvas?  How do you capture the essence of a single person, through modern dance, who lived a life, made history, and died almost 100 years before you were born?  This is the challenge that Bill T.Jones has the sweetest victory in overcoming, in Serenade/The Proposition, an hour-long work commemorating the life of Abraham Lincoln.

Creating meaningful and socially controversial work is nothing new for Bill T. Jones.  However, Jones goes above and beyond to create a connection between one man’s history and our present.  Bill T. Jones work has a human element that stirs your emotions in ways you would never think movement alone could do.

Tuesday night I had an experience with this aspect of his work as I sat in packed house for opening night at the Joyce Theater…

The anxious crowd settles down as the lights dim. The stage is set with six large white pillars positioned upstage and two podiums, one on each downstage corner.  What’s to come is a history lesson unlike any you have had before.  The tone and atmosphere surrounding the piece is set by vocalist Lisa Komara, Jerome Begin (pianist), Christopher Antonio William Lancaster (cellist) and narrator Jamyl Dobson.  The structure of the piece seems to be less of a narrative or biography and more of a widescreen shot of Abraham’s life.

This piece begins with the company being themselves in the present day, performing to a score of their own voices discussing their feelings on the world.  The way the dancers eat up the space with such humility is what I found to be most breathtaking.  Their focus is internal and they have a very calm way of showcasing their strength, which requires very little effort for such a talented group of artists.  As the piece develops, although the dancers change into a costume more reflective of the 19^th century, they are still themselves… just coexisting between two worlds, the past and the present.

Paul Matteson, who embodies the character of Abraham Lincoln, has a striking beauty in his movement from the moment he sets foot on stage.  He has a strong sense of the multitude of ideas and weight of the history his movement must portray and truly embodies this all in an awe-inspiring way.  He has the audience completely tuned into him even as he stands completely motionless on stage for several minutes.

The fabulous five divas of the evening: Asli Bulbul, Leah Cox, Maija Garcia, Shayla-Vie Jenkins, and I-Ling Liu each bring to the table a very individual spirit of fierce that contributes to the magic that makes this piece.  Cox’s organic emotion and movement is magnetic throughout the entire performance.  Duly, Jenkins’ seamless lines and refined quality in her movement makes it hard to keep your eyes off of her.

Aside from Matteson, LaMichael Leonard, Antonio Brown, Erick Montes, and Peter Chamberlin are the fierce-foursome gentlemen. There is nothing these men do not have:  strength, agility, humble presence, and a perfect mix of being grounded and graceful.  Leonard’s lengthy physique accentuates all of these qualities in a mesmerizing way.  Brown has a stunning fluidity in his movement that creates an eye-grabbing image wherever he is onstage.

Bill T. Jones ingenuity in being able to create the perfect meeting of history and modern dance is what makes Serenade/The Proposition a truly timeless piece. This is the kind of work that reignites my passion for dance and is a gentle reminder of why I dance.  After seeing Serenade, I can’t help but be filled with gratitude for my craft.  Beyond what words can express, this piece is something you must experience for yourself.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Simone Sobers
Performance:  Serenade/The Proposition -Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
Choreography: Bill T. Jones, Janet Wong, and the company
Venue:  The Joyce Theater
Show Date:  November 10, 2009
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On Saturday evening, as I sit in the Jacqueline Kennedy Oasis Theater, I skim through the program to try and get a sense of what I will see onstage.  There’s always a weird feeling of anticipation when you’re about to see work from a choreographer you are unfamiliar with.  You just don’t really know what to expect.  In this case, my initial reaction after opening the program is thinking “11 pieces!  Geez it’s going to be a long night.”  However, on the contrary Henning Rubsam manages to fit in eleven concepts into a show that lasts a little over an hour.

Henning Rubsam creates work that is short, sweet, and on point(e)! You have to give it to the choreographers who don’t waste their time or yours for that matter.  Just when you’re about to get comfortable the piece comes to a peaceful close.  In this show, with a cast of just six dancers, I am able to really get a clear perspective of each dancer as an individual over the course of the show rather than trying to digest both the choreography and the dancers in a few minutes.

Merciless Beauty, the show opener, is a fitting title to describe the dancers performance quality for the entire evening.  The dancers of SENSEDANCE have a sound classical technique that Rubsam is not shy about showing off.  What I find to be most outstanding in both Merciless Beauty and Inter-mez-zo is the sweet interconnectivity of the dancers.  Victor Gonzalez and Maria Phegan are just a delightful pair in Intermezzo as they partner alongside Erin Ginn and Ramon Thielen, another lovely duet.  Although most of the choreography comes from a classical ballet vocabulary the dancers individual execution of the movement alongside their natural response to what’s happening around them is what makes these pieces interesting to watch.  Also, the chemistry between the dancers during the pas de deuxs is similar to what you would expect to see in a performance of Giselle or Sleeping Beauty.

It’s always a treat to see the choreographer in action in his own work and to see how the movement translates on his own body.  I believe that if you got it, you should flaunt it until you can’t anymore.  Based on Rubsam’s appearance in two of the pieces Merciless Beauty and Gottingen, it’s apparent that he definitely still has it!

We get a break from the ballet world for a few minutes in Final Bell.  Heidi Green, in her fiery red unitard, changes the tone of the evening with a sensual contemporary solo.  Heidi Green dominates the stage and demands your focus as she performs with precise articulation running through every movement in her body.  We see these same qualities in her performance of The Secret in the second half of the show.

Rubsam takes us from one extreme to the next as we move on to Innocence, another solo with a completely different feeling.  In this solo, Erin Ginn mesmerizes the audience with her extreme flexibility and beautiful use of focus.  Although the encounter with innocence is brief Erin Ginn definitely leaves a lasting impression.

And now, for my favorite duo of the evening:  Maria Phegan and Dartanion Reed!  These two are a perfectly matched pair of fierceness and grace.  Phegan and Dartonian give showstopping performances in Caves and Amaranthine Road.  Again in these two pieces, I see characteristics reminiscent of a story ballet mixed with a contemporary concept.  There is only one word to describe Maria Phegan: stunning!  Beyond the fact that she is a gorgeous dancer she is absolutely enchanting as she moves through space with such clear intention and endless lines that seem to extend way past the ends of her limbs.  Dartanion is the perfect partner for her with his athletic physique and charming character that he brings with his movement.  I really enjoy watching these two move together!

Ramon Thielen brings to life another completely different style of Rubsam’s choreography in Dinette.  This piece is more of a shocker than anything but also a great display of Rubsam’s versatility in his choreography.  This piece is pure fun Broadway jazz!  No better person to perform this other than Ramon Thielen.  Again, another beautiful mover but with that added ingredient that makes it hard to look away.  In his case, this ingredient is his natural charismatic nature.

The show closes with the New York premiere of Impending Visit.  In Impending Visit, Rubsam moves beyond the safe zone and dives full force into a whole new element of movement.  Rubsam shifts gears and takes the audience to a new place in this new work with tricky balances, daring duets, and an eclectic style mix of contemporary, salsa, and even the Charleston.  If this piece is a foreshadowing of a new direction for Rubsam’s work I am looking forward to his next show!

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Simone Sobers
Performance:  SENSEDANCE
Choreography:  Henning Rubsham
Venue:  Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Theater
Show Date:  November 7, 2009
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Nelly Van Bommel’s Fanfarneta is the perfect piece to open the show and set the level of artistry to expect for the remainder of the evening.  Poised and calm, Breegan Kearney and Connor Schumacher stand between two ballet barres as the lights come up.  The lights fade to black intermittently throughout the piece giving a feeling of time that has elapsed since we last saw the couple.  Don’t let the ballet barres fool you.  Kearney and Schumacher are the ideal dance power couple- strong, connected, and with equally matched high energy.  The two powerhouse dancers do a variety of acrobatic moves on the barres, forceful leaps, and mesmerizing partner work that leave you wanting more!  Bommel’s creativity in concept and captivating movement phrases set her aside as a choreographer to watch out for.

One word to describe Ja’Malik:  fire!  In his piece, Lucid Dreams, the audience is at the the edge of their seats watching in pure awe, not only of the amazing facility and level of technique of his cast, but also of his ability to bring something refreshing to the contemporary ballet game. Ja’Malik has a keen sense of musicality, ingenious use of space and layering, and a natural element of precision in his work.  Four stars that catch my eye in this piece are Chalvar Monteiro, Johnathan Windham, and the Figgins twins.  These dancers have jaw dropping technique, legs for days, and a demanding stage presence.

Speaking of demanding stage presence, lets talk for a second about Lara Mummert.  Wow, lady!  Lara Mummert is a testament that great things do indeed come in small packages.  In her performance of Off White by Lane Gifford, she has the audience wrapped around her finger with such a breathtaking performance alongside another heart melting duet by Colin Baja and Joy Voelker.  Baja and Voelker’s natural chemistry is just icing on the cake of their effortlessly beautiful artistry.  Lane Gifford really knows how to grab the audience and take them away to a brief moment of paradise.

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then the audience is lucky to feast their eyes on the stunning women working it in Sidra Bell’s Beautiful Beast.  One of two all female casts in the program, these ladies are all things feminine: phenomenally strong and articulate with a striking focus and sensitivity to each other and glowing with confidence.  Sidra Bell has a unique vocabulary that goes beyond the surface of just moving.  Beautiful Beast exemplifies her ingenuity in creating work outside the box!  Her distinct voice in modern dance is one that is quickly rising above the noise and really making a sound.

Oh, Bradley Shelver what’s going on in that mind of yours?  True brilliance, that’s what!  Shelver’s  piece, 3114 BCE, takes us way way way back to the early days of mankind-in a raw, dirty, sexy, humorous kind of way.  Be prepared to be fully entertained as the dancers dive full force into their Neanderthal selves with pelvic thrusts, humping gestures, loud grunting, and flashing!  Shelver’s unique ability to blur the lines between dance and theater -to create a harmonious work where anything goes- is what will keep him one step ahead in the game.

Reverb Festival is the place to be to see amazing dancers and choreographers who are at the pinnacle of their artistic careers. This project is a breath of fresh air to the dance scene.  Want to have a refreshing experience and escape the typical New York dance concert?  Make sure you’re in the audience for Reverb 2010.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Simone Sobers
Performance:  Reverb Festival 2009
Choreography: Adam Barruch, Sidra Bell, Lane Gifford, Jozsef Csaba Hajzer, Tomoko Maeda, Ja’Malik, Bradley Shelver, Annie Rigney, Jin Ju Song-Begin, Lizzie Thrasher, and Nelly van Bommel
Venue:  Manhattan Movement & Arts Center
Show Date:  Saturday, October 24, 2009
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I don’t know about you, but whenever I see the words “dance theater” at the end of a company’s name, I think to myself “please don’t let this be a combination of dance and bad acting.”   Companies can get away with that in the classical ballet world, but modern dance… uh, no!

However, contrary to my personal beliefs, Kazuko Hirabayashi has a refreshing approach to modern dance theater.  Her evening of both old and new works, Return to the Roots, at the Ailey CitiGroup Theater is a true testament of this.  The company members’ ability to display raw emotions and allow their movement to tell the story without overdramatizing their expression is what makes this show a real treat.

Despite the fact that the opening number, Mudai (1971), lists it’s premier date as nearly four decades ago, the movement still has an innovative quality that keeps the audience at a heightened level of curiosity. Hirabayashi incorporates unthinkable ways of lifting, partnering, and descending to the ground that is anything but traditional… I never know what to expect next!  The dancers are definitely on their leg in this piece as they maintain balance during long holds in arabesque and tilts.  Stacy Martorana sets the standard for the evening with her eye-grabbing stage presence and beautiful lines.

Speaking of the unexpected, Bereft, the second work of the evening, is just in a category within itself.  Unlike the first piece, Bereft is all about sex, love, seduction, and lust.  So, you know this one is clearly my personal fave…  This piece tells a slightly twisted tale of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden; however in this version, instead of Eve being tempted by the apple, she’s tempted by the devil himself- if you know what I mean.  And boy is he tempting!  Adrian Silver, who dances the character of the devil, is a force to reckoned with when he hits the stage!  Be ready for full out movement paired with all encompassing emotion. 

Now, one of my favorite moments is Eve’s first entrance onstage in a large plastic sphere that she emerges from, like an angel, with the air from the sphere blowing both her hair and top back to reveal her bare chest.  Also, a hot duet, between Eve (Kathryn Alter) and the devil (Adrian Silver), leaves very little to the imagination with vividly suggestive gestures. The not so elusive underdog, Adam (John Hindrichs) is anything but an underdog in his performance quality, focus, and ability to make the audience relate to his emotions.

Next on the program is Haiku, a premiere solo performed by Sarah Stackhouse. After seeing a series of high legs and jumps and bare chests, the last thing I thought to see would be an older, wiser, and more serene woman grace the stage.  When the lights come up, I see two large rocks placed at opposite corners of the stage.  Sarah Stackhouse silences the audience the minute she steps on stage and begins to move.  She gives “full out” a brand new meaning as she creates an atmosphere of humility and reflection that pulls the audience into her world.  Stackhouse performs as if every movement made is informed and precise in intention.  This piece is definitely a highlight of the evening.

Hirabayashi ends the first half of the show on a bright note with another premiere, Light is Calling.  This piece is just pure fun to watch! The dancers all seem to move solely for the joy of dance.  Despite the jazziness of the piece, Hirabayashi had very quirky moves and gestures that gave the piece an interesting edge.  Janelle Smith particularly caught my attention in this piece with her energy and never ending lines.  Get it, girl!  Yaaaas.

After a brief intermission, the evening ended with a premiere of The Spring, a piece based on the Japanese Ainu bear sacrifice ceremony.  Performed to Le Sacre du Printemps by Stravinsky, The Spring is a superb modern day rendition of the original Rite of Spring – a daring but successful feat for Hirabayashi.  In this company piece, the entire cast turns it up a notch and really delivers strength, uniformity, athleticism, and musicality.  Selena Elaine Chau, in character of the bear, steals the Ms. Fierce/Sexy Beast award for the evening with her standout performance!  Not only is she wholly present in her role with her animalistic nature, but she also gives "the leg," gives more vert in her jumps than most basketball players, and pulls it all off wearing a net unitard!  Yes… WERK!

Return to the Roots is an eclectic display of Hirabayashi’s artistry.  She has a unique voice that sings strongly with individuality and reinvention.  She keeps her audience fully engaged with the element of surprise and the unknown.  I’m curious to see what she has up her sleeve for the future.  As a heads up…be prepared for the unexpected.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Simone Sobers
Performance:  Kazuko Hirabayashi
Choreography:  Kazuko Hirabayashi
Venue:  Ailey CitiGroup Theater
Show Date:  Friday, October 23, 2009

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