Dance: Dance Sampler Satisfies Audience
By Francine L. Trevens
ART TIMES February online 2012
Are you willing to spend half a C note at a restaurant or theater on an untried commodity, about which you know little or nothing? Are you more prone to go to the same item on a menu, or the same dance company?
In these economically challenging times, more and more people are becoming conservative in their expenditures. How then do new, exciting or off-beat companies attract an audience? How do they get themselves known when they have limited promotional budgets?
 David Parker and The Bang Group photo by Nicholas Burnham |
The best way, it seems to me, is a program of dances by several different companies at a low price.
Such as a matinee or evening of Stam-Pede. Like a Chinese Pu Pu Platter, or an appetizer of several small bits of different appetizer choices, it gives you a chance to “sample” the works of 7 or 8 different companies to decide which you wish to see again.
I attended Stam-Pede at Symphony Space again this year. I was surprised how much more tap there was than I recall previously. The house was packed – the audience enthusiastic and the dancers terrific.
The footwork of the Chicago Tap Theatre was phenomenal; four energetic dancers kept their feet beating out the tempo, which made its own accompaniment. Two women and two men executed complicated footwork with what appeared total ease.
But several indications they were not quite so confident – one, a dancer whose eyes never seemed to leave his feet, as if he was visually forcing them to achieve his intentions. Another was the obvious fact that only the feet danced.
I have always thought of dancers as the literal embodiment of music – it is music made corporal. For me to enjoy a dance, the body must move with the music, must seem to be the music come alive. When dancers’ bodies are not dance-like, and their torsos and arms do not respond to the music, I feel the performance is incomplete. The exception, of course, is ethnic dances such as step dancing which decree upper body NOT moving.
Gregory Hines danced with every fiber of his body. No matter how complicated his footwork, there was a relaxed expression on his face and a rhythm throughout his body. Gene Kelly danced as if his feet responded to the vibrations in his torso. Fred Astaire had a more debonair style, but still his body danced, not just his lower limbs. That to me was tap dancing.
So despite the genius of the choreography by Mark Yonally and the precision of the execution of the footwork by the four dancers, and the howling approval of the audience, I was not thrilled with the Chicago Tap Theater’s dance pieces. It was also distressing that they did not use the vast stage to the best advantage. One hopes in future they will be sufficiently relaxed with their remarkable footwork to get the rest of their bodies into the act. The women occasionally used arms and torsos, but the men seemed to be merely appendages to their feet rather than the other way around.
The music used in the next two pieces set my teeth on edge. I actually put my hands over my ears so that I could bear to sit there watching the dancers. I admit it is a quirk of mine to dislike vocals accompanying dances – it is one reason Flamenco Dancing has never been a favorite of mine.
Still, I predict many in the audience will be seeking Chicago Tap Theater out in the future to attend their performances because they were so thrilled by the footwork.
The break between this first company and the second was as long as a dance number and most annoying, especially since there seemed so little that had changed on stage!
Musical instruments were set in place, and some lighting may have been adjusted
 Parijat Desai Group – photo credit Rose Eichenbaum |
The Parijat Desai Dance Company then presented two splendid dance numbers, with exotic overtones. Parijat Desai not only choreographed the numbers and danced them, but also did colorful and flattering costumes along with Amina Ahmed. (We all have little likes and dislikes, and I personally prefer dancers to be costumed attractively rather than to appear as if they are in rehearsal clothes.)
Program notes explained the works were a combination of traditional South Asian dance with contemporary dance. Much of it was quite lovely and the dancers moved with delicacy.
Slurp followed, also combining various dance forms. Adam Metzger choreographed in collaboration with his finely trained dancers. It offers sharp edge to dance and combinations of styles. Again, the music jarred me, and I was more comfortable with the urban number that featured street and car noises mixed with car horns than the actual music, which followed.
Darrah Carr Dance did some incredible work – their first piece reminded me of Mexican jumping beans which used to be playthings for kids when I was young. Their dancing had an original flair and interesting patterns. They moved with the speed of light! I practically held my breath for fear they would collide, but all moved smoothly along.
One of their three numbers reminded me of “Go in and out the window” another childhood memory.
Their third piece, a more traditional step dance, was also most enjoyable.
Intermission followed – rather a long one since there was a packed house and a number of little children in the audience, sure to cause restrooms delays.
I was at the back of the auditorium for the Maya de Silva & Flamenco Revolucion. This dance piece, which featured selections from “Transiciones” an hour long work which shows the cycles of life through the lens of Flamenco, was far more entertaining than the standard Flamenco dancing.
There were two very young children in the lobby section of the theater, just below the back of the audience. They were stamping, wheeling about, trying to snap their fingers over their heads, and attempting to copy what was on the stage. They several times ran down the aisle towards the stage, but were stopped by a very adept parent who brought them back to the lower level. At the end of the Maya de Silva performance, he bundled them into their coats and took them home.
The flamenco had been a workout for all three of them as well as the Spanish dancers!
I was aware of how tired I was myself, but could not leave without seeing David Parker and the Bang Group which I remembered having enjoyed so much in the past. Within seconds they had the audience in stitches. The many children in the audience were the first to laugh – and they laughed all the way through his first piece which consisted of two men in odd lifts and leaps and movements in which they were close and then apart and then attached, then ripped asunder…it was most inventive and amusing and displayed the dexterity of the dancers and their ease with their dance.
I confess by then my eyes were burning and my head throbbing with all the loud music, so I had to leave without seeing the work of the other two companies, which sounded magnificent from the fine description in the program and the press release. I felt I had too much from this sampler of dance!
I have heard music called a universal language – I find dance a universal art, which can speak to all levels and all ages. This program certainly did that. Despite my personal quibbles with some of these companies, I can state unequivocally that each is worth your time and your dollars. They are well trained, perform exquisitely and can give you your money’s worth.
Francine L. Trevens’ book Pixie Tales was voted one of the 25 best books of the year 2011 according by Free Ebook Reviews. Read her blog at http://stagesandpages-francine.blogspot.com/
http://writerfrancinetrevens.co