Christy Altomare and Derek Klena made me fall in love with their characters all over again. 😘
Anastasia
Compagnie Accrorap
“The Roots” by Kader Attou/Compagnie Accrorap
One of the most memorable performances I’ve seen at the Joyce Theater in the past year. BRAVOS to this group of 11 amazing dancers. Enjoy Boston, Santa Barbara, and the rest of your US tour. Come back to New York City again soon!!!
I’m not generally a hip hop fan, but was completely taken aback by this company. Their movement quality was stunning, as if they could freeze time and fly in the air. They were athletic and physical: spinning, jumping, bouncing off everything on stage.
As a group, I love their connections with each other. Physically: in their assisted lifts, partnering, and movement as a group. Emotionally: they were manly and strong, relaxed and loving, genuine and funny, all at once.
I also enjoyed the part where they merged tap dancing with hip hop. I’ve seen Michelle Dorrance collaborate with Ephrat Asherie (combining tap and hip hop in two choreographies in five shows), and heard their theory on how the two dance forms share common elements.
However, it wasn’t until last Thursday, when Compagnie Accrorap took stage with one tap dancer, and 10 hip hop dancers responding and adding to the rhythm, that I finally saw the beauty of tap + hip hop.
Finally, props to their cool stage design (the slanted sofa chairs) and costuming (they looked like 11 fashion models at one point).
Once on This Island
Wow! What a gem. What a special musical. Go experience Once on This Island!!!
Entering the Circle in the Square Theatre is always a surprise. Like opening a box of chocolate: You never know what to expect.
For anyone who’s never been to the theater, it’s a circular stage inside a square box with seating all around on all four sides. Hence the name, Circle in the Square. On my last two visits, the space was transformed into the circular and wall-less home of the Bechdels in “Fun Home”, and into a New York City subway car, a subway station, an airplane, among other venues in “In Transit”
Tonight was different though. Very very different.
As we stepped in the theater, the space was transformed from top to bottom. The stage is filled with sand. An open camp fire burnt at the center. The entrance hallway for the cast is filled with water and has become a river. An boat, turned upside down, sat at the bank of the river. A goat jumped off from the boat onto the beach. Food was cooking on a stove a few rows in front of me. Mmm. Delicious! … and all of this was just pre-performance background activities on stage!
As the show opened, a hurricane hit the island. Wind was gusting and howling. There were actual fans blasting air at us, aided by more sound effects from the cast spinning music instruments above their heads. Throughout the show, thunder struck. Rain poured from the sky. Yes, real water came down at us. Sand was peeled away to reveal a grand ballroom complete with chandeliers hanging from the roof lit with candles. Costuming was both authentic yet dramatic. (e.g., Ti Moune’s dress with a long train that draped from the stage all the way to the last row of the theater.) A tree sprout from the earth, and grew to hit the ceiling of the theater.
For 90-minutes, we travelled to the island of Haiti, and became immersed in its culture, its history, its legends, and its way of life. We learnt the story of Ti Moune, about the Gods (Love, Water, Earth, and Death), and about what it means to be part of the Human Heart.
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants was funny, and over-the-top entertaining.
I generally prefer musicals with a strong emotional central story. Understandably, I came into the theater last night uncertain whether I’ll actually enjoy this comical production based on a children’s television series. But I did!!!
The central plot was simple, but the show pulled out every trick in musical theatre and put on an extravagant show. I came out wondering if I had visited Las Vegas.
A huge dance ensemble? Check. Extravagant tap dance piece? Check. Incredible solo vocals? Check. Tricks on roller skates? Tricks on skateboards? Dancing alphabets? Dancing in the mezz and balcony? Dancing miniature characters? (Think “miniature weather van and the show” in Groundhog Day.) Millions of bubbles coming down from the sky? Confetti and ribbons filling the theater? Pirate jokes? Check. Check. Check.
The entire cast is SUPER multi-talented to perform all the dancing, singing, acting, and the numerous acrobatic and physical tricks — often at the same time. Case in point. Ethan Slater (as SpongeBob) attached to a safety wire, singing while climbing a volcano upside down. Bravos. Bravos.
The Rite of Spring
“The Rite of Spring” by the Martha Graham Dance Company.
WOW! What a stunning studio rehearsal on Wednesday. The music “the Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky was strong, but Martha Graham’s dancing was even more powerful.
Right from the beginning, this choreography commanded an incredible amount of energy with the men entering the stage, striking the floor, and stumping in unison. The movements, the music, the percussive sounds, the breathing, and the juxtapose of the individual dancers’ emotions and the geometric patterns that make up the soulless ritual … all came together to tell the story of the young woman sacrificed in a primitive savage ceremony. The sacrifice, danced by Charlotte Landreau, was stunning in her performance with her fear, her sorrow, and her determination — to fight for a meaning of her life. Bravos.
Don’t miss the Martha Graham Dance Company season “Sacred/Profane” at @nycitycenter on April 11-14!!
TaylorNext Season Preview
The Paul Taylor American Modern Dance Lincoln Center season is March 7 – 25. Tickets are now on sales. Get yours now!!!
I had a wonderful time at the season preview of the Paul Taylor Dance Company on Tuesday. My favorite moments of the night go to the three gorgeous emotional duets in Bryan Arias‘s new work (to premier on March 8 at the Lincoln Center) and the theatrical “Cloven Kingdom” in which dancers reveal the conflicts behind one’s true motives and inner feelings vs. our outward “social” expectations.
There’s so much to LOVE about this company. The incredibly talented dancers. The depth and dimensions in Paul Taylor’s works. (This season will feature 14 of his works.) The incorporation and synthesis of other modern dance forms. (This season will feature three guest choreographers as well works by Isadora Duncan and the Trisha Brown Dance Company.)
And if you’re a young dance supporter, check out TaylorNEXT and come hang out with us. 🙂
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
A thrilling night at the Barrow Street Theater last weekend.
My first thought after the show was “Hey, that reminded me of Into the Woods!” when Jessica Dorcey reminded me that they were indeed both by Stephen Sondheim. The two musicals had so much resemblance. A slow if not slightly confusing buildup in Act I where a wide array of seemingly-unrelated characters came together. An action-packed and gruesome Act II. The rhythm of the music. The rapid-firing words, sung by a panicking and mad crowd.
Similarities aside: Bravos to this Tooting Arts Club production for its excellent acting, singing, and actions all around the house. Expect every open space in the small, intimate theater to be part of the stage!!
Trinity Irish Dance Company and Ensemble Español
Bravos to the Trinity Irish Dance Company for an amazing show at the Joyce Theater‘s American Dance Platform on January 12th with their precision, techniques, and stunning group work — creating not just powerful movements, beautiful patterns, but also incredible music.
The night also featured spirited flamenco and Spanish dance by Ensemble Español.
Philadanco and Hālau o Kekuhi
American Dance Platform at the Joyce Theater with Philadanco and something slightly different: Hawaiian dance by Hālau o Kekuhi!
Jessica Lang and Backhausdance
I LOOOVED Jessica Lang and Backhausdance at the Joyce Theater‘s American Dance Platform. My favorite program of this year’s festival.
“Lyric Pieces” by Jessica Lang was graceful and beautiful. Jessica has incredible way of bringing dancers together, so that as a whole they tell a touching and emotional story. The minimalist but versatile props accentuated the constantly evolving, dynamic movements. “The Calling,” a short solo, was visually stunning from the moment the curtain was lifted. Kana Kimura stood at the center of stage, in an all-white dress that spanned 20 feet across covering much of the stage. As she moved, the fabric of the dress flowed, twirled, and responded to her.
If seeing Jessica Lang’s work feels like attending an elegant wedding, then seeing Jennifer Backhaus‘s work feels like the small victories of making it through a difficult but rewarding week.
“The Elasticity of the Almost” was creative, playful, and deeply emotional.
I was warned ahead of the show that “balls will be rolling into the audience!” Surely and truly, thousands of bouncing balls filled the stage. They were carried on stage by the dancers, rolled in one by one from the sides, poured in by the buckets, before raining down from the sky.
While the balls were the most visible part of the piece (they’re in bright red and other solid colors), my favorite was how the dancers interacted with the balls. The dancers’ movements were organic, dynamic, and gorgeous if not challenging. (Imagine turning and jumping in an ocean of rolling balls!) Yet, they also revealed deep emotions: the stress and rewards of being an artist, making it through the week, hanging onto what we care, letting go of what must go, discovering, and understanding what is truly valuable to us. Such a beautiful, meaningful, and impactful work of art. 😍
Look forward to seeing much more from these two amazing choreographers and companies!