This all-star evening and one that the curators of this annual treat for dancers and dance lovers should be proud of, covered a bunch of dance genres in one evening, not an easy feat in the dance world. By far the standout of the evening were Odissi dancers of Nrityagram, Bijayini Satpathy and Surupa Sen in Sen's Shivashtakam (An Ode to Shiva). They are captivating in their sculptural shifting from one eye catching pose to another as they celebrate the God of dance and destruction, Shiva.
Hans Van Manen's quick-paced, trio ironically titled Solo and danced beautifully by Gennadi Nedvigin, Joseph Walsh and Hansuke Yamamotof San Francisco Ballet closed the first half.
Stephen Petronio Company in Petronio's quick-paced, tour de force and demanding Locomotor (2014) also tops the evening. After the Joyce Theater premiere, I wrote: "Locomotor is all about moving in many directions, especially backwards, and doing it well...the Hip-hop experimentalist Michael Volpe’s (aka Clams Casino) very cool score matched the speed and intensity of the dancers’ fast and furious runs, contact partnering, heaving lifting male duet, peppered by pauses here and there." Missed was Davalois Fearon, replaced by Cori Kresge. The company: Gino Grenek, Barrington Hinds, Jaqlin Medlock, NIcholas Sciscione, Emily Stone and Joshua Tuason with guest performer, Melissa Toogood were again great.
Michele Dorrance, the latest tap sensation, closed the evening with the premiere of Myelination, commissioned by Fall for Dance Festival, is another of her deconstructed take on tap dance. Dorrance with Emma Portnet and Byron Tittle criss-cross their legs (a take on the definition of the work's title - a sheath around a nerve) and play with tapped timing in front of the curtain rises. When the curtain does rise there is more visual teasing: the huge City Center stage is filled with nine musicians and singers, plus a cast of nine more dancers who sing and dance their hearts out. By far, Dorrance is a knock-out hoofer, but missing is some raw and traditional tap.
Hans Van Manen's quick-paced, trio ironically titled Solo and danced beautifully by Gennadi Nedvigin, Joseph Walsh and Hansuke Yamamotof San Francisco Ballet closed the first half.
Stephen Petronio Company in Petronio's quick-paced, tour de force and demanding Locomotor (2014) also tops the evening. After the Joyce Theater premiere, I wrote: "Locomotor is all about moving in many directions, especially backwards, and doing it well...the Hip-hop experimentalist Michael Volpe’s (aka Clams Casino) very cool score matched the speed and intensity of the dancers’ fast and furious runs, contact partnering, heaving lifting male duet, peppered by pauses here and there." Missed was Davalois Fearon, replaced by Cori Kresge. The company: Gino Grenek, Barrington Hinds, Jaqlin Medlock, NIcholas Sciscione, Emily Stone and Joshua Tuason with guest performer, Melissa Toogood were again great.
Michele Dorrance, the latest tap sensation, closed the evening with the premiere of Myelination, commissioned by Fall for Dance Festival, is another of her deconstructed take on tap dance. Dorrance with Emma Portnet and Byron Tittle criss-cross their legs (a take on the definition of the work's title - a sheath around a nerve) and play with tapped timing in front of the curtain rises. When the curtain does rise there is more visual teasing: the huge City Center stage is filled with nine musicians and singers, plus a cast of nine more dancers who sing and dance their hearts out. By far, Dorrance is a knock-out hoofer, but missing is some raw and traditional tap.
RSS Feed