Category: My Favorites

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SHE, a Choreoplay

Go see “SHE A Choreoplay”!!!!!

Powerful. Courageous. Unapologetic. Truthful. Empowering. Just some words the audience used to describe the performance in the post-show talk-back. Playing until May 21st. Details at Jinah Parker.

A show about sexual violence against women. A raw, emotional, and honest conversation for everyone. An incredible fusion of dance and spoken words to explore a sensitive topic, to connect with the audience, to dive into at-times secretive pasts, and to empower everyone to become an agent of change.

Did I mention the dancing is also absolutely gorgeous? Bravos to the dancers for candidly expressing a full range of emotions, from that of the dreamy first loves to the violent humiliating assaults, from that of the dark shameful moments to the healed souls. You are amazing: Jinah Parker, Sarah Elaz, Yuki Fukui, Brittni Genovese, Evelyn Hoelscher, Kerime Konur.

One of the most touching performances I’ve seen lately. Thank you for the wonderful work! #SHEaChoreoplay

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Ballet Hispánico: Why Dance Matters

History, progress, and why dance matters.

Dance is a reflection of our times. I’m lucky to see two amazing shows in two days, that mark the progress we’ve made in the past 70 years.

Yesterday, I saw a 1940s classic choreography, set in New York and forged at a time when the city needed an escape from the great war. In the dance, sailors on leave looked for beautiful women on the streets, catcalling them, grabbing them by the ass, and snatching their purse for fun. A smash hit in 1944, the work enlivened the city when its inhabitants needed it the most.

However, in between the gorgeous movements and comedic scenes, the story also reflected its own times when men had power, control, and are the only ones with a character and a voice on stage. Women looked pretty in their dresses.

Today, I went to see Ballet Hispánico one more time this season at the Joyce Theater, and re-watched their new work premiered earlier this week. The dance is a coming-of-age story about growing up Latina in Texas, created by a female choreographer, told by a female character, through the movements of a ballerina. The external struggles to be more Mexican than the Mexicans and be more American than the Americans. The internal struggles to beautiful, to be perfect. The character merged, at the end, strong and confident in her own identity.

Coincidentally, I sat next to a 12-year-old pre-professional dancer training at Alvin Ailey. She loved the show. More than just enjoying the performance, she now has an incredible story to guide her (she’s Latina) and a role model she can look up to.

And that’s why dance matters.

Dance has the power to entertain, communicate, connect, empower, and inspire people. Let’s keep dancing. Let’s keep telling the stories that need to be told. Let’s make a difference.

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Groundhog Day

Musicals that bring me to tears, latest addition: Groundhog Day

What if you could do everything and learn about everyone, but nobody would ever know of you or remember you. What would you do? What kind of life would you lead? Would you still dream? Would you still care? Would you still love?

Bravos to an incredible story and a fabulous cast, especially Andy Karl for putting an amazing show a week after his injury.

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In Transit

Final performance of In Transit. Love this musical about New Yorkers and their stories. “Breathe and let the madness in… this is how it feels to be alive in New York City… this is what it feels like to be happy in the moment.”

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Hamilton: Jon Roa on Dance

Hamilton and post-show curtain chat with the cast. My favorite is Jon Rua‘s response on the role of dance in Hamilton (paraphrased).

“If the musical was a book, then the choreography would be the pages of the book. It’s the thing that people see. As for the dancers, they not only tell the story of Hamilton, but they are the story. Dancers have nothing but their body as their instrument. They are like the immigrants who arrive in America with no money, no family, and no friends. They fill the stage, tell a story, and create everything out of nothing.”