The Latest ReviewsLuna Negra Dance Theater and Turtle Island QuartetThe concert, in three sections, opened with Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's "Nube Blanco," a work which itself was as diverse as one can imagine. "Nube Blanco" opened with a solo male dancer who used stillness, adagio movement, and explosive body slaps, palmadas, and zapateados to totally capture the audience. The work then introduced six women and six men, whose movement and their own palmadas, zapateados, and voices took over the stage in a series of ensembles, merged ensembles, duets and solos that carried through any number of mixed dance modalities, rhythms and tempos. Lopez Ochoa knows just how long to leave any modality or sequence there, and demonstrated that she knows a myriad of places to take the work next without losing its integrity. "Nubes Blanco" ended as it started with a solo - this time with a female dancer costumed as - guess what - a white cloud. One lovely part of this work was the subtle use of the sounds of dripping water and squeaking hinges in quiet moments, which gave the audience just moments of welcome respite. Donald K. AtwoodClick here to read the entire review. CLUTCH hang onThe show begins in the parking lot around a parked car, with lights on and stereo blaring, continues through the theater lobby, and eventually finds its way to the stage via entrances from numerous locations. On that stage a man continuously plays with a red, remote controlled, toy car - apparently setting up some sort of background for skits about seducing women with red cars. Unfortunately that set-up is so extensive it totally exceeds any performance life. In fact, the lack of performance life becomes the most salient feature of this show, in that almost every segment goes way beyond tolerance. Almost every performer has "presence." But, a show this long (something like an hour with no intermission and starting over 20 minutes late) takes a whole lot more than presence. The show is largely a series of "dance-skits" that feature dancers with adequate - surely not stunning - dance technique, and mediocre choreography filled with gestural nuances that are either inside jokes, or unintelligible to even an educated audience. The many "lifts" and/or partnering sequences seem deeply rooted in contact improvisation, and the many "roll over the back" sequences add to the short performance life. All of this totals up to a bad "Fringe Show," or a undergraduate student exercise. Donald K. AtwoodClick here to read the entire review. Colorado BalletDespite all of the above, the dancing in this production is wonderful. Igor Vassine is a stoic and suffering "Father," Sharon Wehner a believably pure "Belle," and her duets with Vassine are tender, given both dancers' abilities to find character. Likewise with Alexei Tyukov's dominant "Hercules," and Wehner's consistent and oft-times subtle rejection of him. In contrast Dmitry Trubchanov's "Beast" is danced precisely and well, but he never finds the emotion so essential to that character, with even his contractions being nothing more than contractions. Maria Mosina's "Ruby" and Sayaka Karasugi's "Opal" are delightful in their trios with Wehner, as are their interactions with their suitors. Viacheslav Buchkovskiy and Andrew Skeels. Costume designs for "Wolves," "Warriors," and "Forest Creatures"are terrific, and a brief opening scene with creditors dancing as they wave invoices at Vassine is well staged. Donald K. AtwoodClick here to read the entire review. Boulder Ballet"On The Move" opens to "Avenues of Influence" set by Davison to a 1963 sonata for violin and piano by Julliard composer John Corigliano, and billed as work of "choreography and scenic design." Set in front of, and around, three huge crimson hangings, in turn in front of a white backdrop, the work uses eight dancers in everything from large, kinetic ensemble to subtle solos and duets. The music, and dance - performed en pointe by the six women involved - are in four parts, and Davison's choreography takes on most aspects of the music much of the time. That music varies from high density and dynamic to subtle adagios, as does the movement Davison chooses. Not until the third section do Davison's movement choices begin to show serious inventions, which he uses to build characters and relationships amongst the dancers. Duets danced by Katelyn Burgess and Stephen Straub, and by Jennifer Aiken and Rob Kuykendall are dramatic and salient parts of the character development. The "scenic design" involves the crimson hangings, which are used minimally, but effectively. Donald K. AtwoodClick here to read the entire review. Ballet Nouveau ColoradoIn "Beautiful Winter" Tallman takes inspiration from cycles in our lives as reflected in cycles of nature, and the need to accept self and others to find love. She places much about those cycles in duets danced by Barbour and Meredith Strathmeyer, in which she uses Strathmeyer's length and Barbour's strength in elegant ways that vary from complex, to simple, to stunning stillness that she brings back often. Within the same space she interlaces duets by Elizabeth Towles and Franklin, Megan Coatney and Colby Foss, Julie Meng, and James Joyner, all of whom Strathmeyer and Barbour must accept as well as themselves. The "sensibilities part" resides in Tallman's abilities to choose and use diverse music - sometimes just letting it coexist with the dance - her movement choices - that at times use every bit of technique resident in the dancers and at other times are understated, or even still - her innate sense of performance life, and knowing just how to use repetition as anchors for the cycles she depicts. Donald K. AtwoodClick here to read the entire review. |
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