The Reviews Archive

Wonderful Dancers, Some Great Choreography, and Trite Feminism

The Duke Dance Collective, out of the University of New Mexico (UNM), is a group with promise that may never be fulfilled. That lack of fulfillment may happen simply because many of these recent UNM graduates are departing for careers elsewhere. In their 2008 Boulder Fringe concert in the Dairy Center Performance Space on August 18th the seven dancers and choreographers of the collective put up five works, many of which read well, but just as many got caught in traps of trying to tell the whole story and/or sophomoric approaches to 1960’s feminist politics. In time they could mature, but with dancers and choreographers departing as they graduate they may be damned to a recent BA mediocrity.

The five works included two choreographed by Margaret West, and one each by Kirtsten Allard and Allie Hankins. The fifth work was a collaborative effort involving six of the collective members and looked as if it had been put together by committee. Margaret West’s “There Is No Place Like Home” was a well crafted piece with endearing focus and that lasted just long enough. West placed Kirsten Allard in a long solo that, with a few still spots, continued through the entire piece. That solo, and Allard’s presence, sense of timing, and dance ability made her an eye magnet that caused the rest of the cast to either disappear, or become supernumeraries to her intentions. Allie Hankins “Rudiments/Sediments,” based on stories told by her mother about being an Israeli immigrant in Odessa, Texas, was at times poignant; even though the text recorded of her mother’s voice was spoken so rapidly that much of it was not understandable. When Hankins relied on her own voice the work came alive, that voice being clear even in the back rows of the theatre. Hankins’ desire to tell the whole story took the work way past its performance life despite her considerable dance capabilities and movement choices. Lighting designer Barney Lopez placed much of this work in a very dim blue wash that made the dance almost invisible. This was not the only time such lighting choices failed in the concert. With some major editing “Rudiments/Sediments” could become quite wonderful. Allard’s “Revival” was well crafted, but suffered from a relatively constant movement modality that limited its life. Hankins’ “Silk Road” was very interesting until it seemed she just ran out of time and or ideas, faded the music and lights, and ended it. “INHARMONY” was based on the 1960’s (maybe 1970’s) perspectives that women belong in the kitchen, should always look pretty, and need only be available for oral sex when “the man” comes home. It was sophomoric in concept and the choreography never got past a series of segments from a beginning composition class. The acting was even worse than that. The work made one wonder where these seven women had come from, and if New Mexico just might be 40 years behind the rest of North America. If the latter is true, the work still does not read well in Boulder, where those issues were dealt with in the last century. The work attempted to make Allie Hankins look like a man. Given Hankins inherent femininity that will not work without a whole lot more work, and just maybe a class with Jane Comfort.

The Duke Dance Collective is made up of some very enthusiastic and competent dancers, just now discovering their voices in choreography. It would be nice if some structure could be established to give them continuity and allow them to mature, rather than have their most experienced members disperse. Perhaps a mentor from the UNM Dance Faculty could help. Donna Jewell are you there?

Donald K. Atwood MFA, Ph.D. atwood@worlddancereviews.com

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