Category: Tap Dance

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Fall for Dance: Program 2

WOW. JUST WOW.

Malevo owned the stage tonight. For a second night in a row at New York City Center, tap dancing took the cake at Fall for Dance. However, Malevo is waaaay beyond just tap or “Argentine folk dance” as the group describes itself.

It’s the most energetic and most energizing show I’ve seen in a long time — combining tapping/clogging, drumming, precision footwork, lighting, sound, and so much more.

Other memorable performances tonight include the unusual, unexpected, and wild French hip-hop dance company Compagnie Dyptik, and the beautiful Washington Ballet.

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Fall for Dance: Program 1

Caleb Teicher and Company with Chris Celiz owned the stage tonight, with their tap dancing and beatboxing collaboration.

I love the way Caleb’s dancers move their bodies and interact with one another, in addition to tapping.

I also looooove the way Caleb introduces comedy into tapping. It’s absolutely ingenious how an extra sound, a prolonged pause, or the dragging the side of his tap shoe across the stage at just perfect moment could bring the audience to laughter.

His choreography was creative, ever-changing, and I wanted more after the 30-minute performance!

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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.

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Open Rehearsal with Dorrance Dance

Open rehearsal with Dorrance Dance at the Joyce Theater!

I had a chance to see “Until the Real Thing Comes Along (A Letter to Ourselves)” again, and it was even better than the first time. It’s great when a choreography has depths, and gets better with each viewing. Bravos to Michelle Dorrance, Melinda Sullivan, Josette Wiggan-Freund, and Hannah Heller.

My favorite moment of the afternoon:

Hosting the talkback Laura Diffenderfer asked: The title of the piece is “Until the Real Thing Comes Along (A Letter to Ourselves)”. What might that letter say?

Josette: To keep going. Given everything that happened throughout 2017, to keep striving to be true. To be a better daughter, a better wife, a better mother, a better friend. To ask: How I can be better today?

Melinda: This is a piece created for us, by our own voices. The [creative] process has been as important as the performance. The letter would say: Surround ourselves with people who encourage ourselves to be ourselves.

Michelle: In light of the year, this choreography is a collaborative process with only women. (Assistant director included). To show each of our voice is valid. To comunicate that our voices are appreciated, valued, and cherished.

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Dorrance Dance

Dorrance Dance is performing at the Joyce Theater until December 31st.

I don’t think Michelle Dorrance Michelle Dorrance needs any introduction! Her show last night ended with the same choreography, Myelination, as it did at Fall for Dance in October. My favorite, though, goes to the opening choreography “Until the Real Thing Comes Along (A Letter to Ourselves).”

The piece is choreographed, performed, and improvised by four dancers: Michelle, Melinda Sullivan Melinda Sullivan, Josette Wiggan-Freund Josette Wiggan-Freund, and Jillian Meyers.

It was so much fun watching the four SUPER talented dancers play with each other and enjoy themselves on stage: Experimenting with rhythms, costumes, mustashe, coordinate moves, as well as spectacular solos. WOW! JUST WOW to Michelle’s solo!!! 😍 Also, I first saw Melinda in Postmodern Jukebox‘s Umbrella, and have been following the Sole Sisters ever since. It’s AMAZING to see Melinda perform in person! 😘

At the post-show curtain chat, Michelle described her vision to foster a collaborative environment where every dancer in her company can express their voice. It was wonderful to see her leadership, her philosophy of treating her dancers as her equals, and to see the resulting work from such a creative process.

In today’s patriarchal and oligarchical society, where so much is owned, controlled, and dictated by a few men, I can’t express how glad I am to see these four strong women stand up, demonstrate, and prove a different vision. BRAVOS!!!

By chance, I’ll have an opportunity to attend an open rehearsal with Dorrance Dance next week. Look forward to seeing more of how Michelle works with her dancers. 😀

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Fall for Dance: Day Two

Seeing Michelle Dorrance with my amazing tap dance teacher Tony Mayes!

Miami City Ballet brought out the best of Christopher Wheeldon’s choreography. Love how the dancers defy gravity in Polyphonia.

Trisha Brown’s two dancers are as incredible as yesterday. It’s amazing how they stay so synchronized and connected despite dancing the majority of the choreography facing away from each other.

Still deeply impressed by the creativity and amount of energy in Vincent Mantsoe’s work!

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Fall for Dance: Day One

Fall for Dance opened tonight at New York City Center with four amazing performances.

Dorrance Dance was stunning. I love how much life, character, and personality Michelle Dorrance gives to tap dance.

The dark horse of the night goes to Vincent Mantsoe in his solo work “Gula” (or “Bird”) where he brought to life the movements (and singing!!!) of a free-spirited animal. The opening fog was really cool, but I wasn’t sure how it was related to the rest of the performance?

Learnt more about (post-)modern dance with Trisha Brown’s “You Can See Us”! I much enjoyed seeing more of how dance was developed in the 20th century.

With incredible precision and techniques, Miami City Ballet opened tonight’s performance with Christopher Wheeldon’s “Polyphonia.”