For the fourth season of “Bloodlines” (March 20–25), Stephen Petronio Company again honored the legacy of modern dance icons by presenting some of their works. This year, Merce Cunningham’s Signals (1970) took center stage. And though at the four year marker Petronio admits, “Bloodlines has been a gift and an unusually emotional experience…” he adds, “With Signals we deepen our commitment to Merce Cunningham as the essential game changer in the evolution of modern dance and the Judson movement that followed.” The “Bloodlines” series concludes next year. Up to now, chronologically, the Company has presented Cunningham’s Rain Forest (1968), Trisha Brown’s Glacial Decoy (1979) and last year, Yvonne Rainer’s Trio A with Flags (1966/1970), Chair-Pillow (1969) and Diagonal (1963), an excerpt from Steve Paxton’s Goldberg Variations (1986), plus Anna Halprin’s The Courtesan and the Crone (1999).
In Cunningham’s spectral Signals, their homage is awash with signature balances and complex lines that ran alongside a live and changing score by John Driscoll and Phil Edelstein (composers/musicians from Composers Inside Electronics, a contemporary ensemble). Then, contrary to Signals, the dancers surrender in true Petronio style, and arms and leg fly sculpting the air in Wild Wild World, an excerpt from his Underland (2003). Jaqlin Medlock finished Wild Wild World with a driving solo filled with angles and punches that stop and go, claiming her space. The evening closed with Petronio’s world premiere, Hardness 10, and the psychedelic unitards that spell out words or short sentences (“Story,” “Read,” “Ouch!,” “She’s The Boss,” etc.) in large letters, grabs the eye. But equally eye-catching is how the words/sentences are beautifully manipulated with each movement. The dancers mark the space with squared walking and repeating patterns, bringing to life Petronio’s deep look into the mutation of diamonds and how they too are manipulated.
The dancers are: Bria Bacon, Ernesto Breton, Elijah Laurant, Jaqlin Medlock, Tess Montoya, Nicholas Sciscione, Megan Wright, and apprentices Ryan Pliss and Mac Twining. Hardness 10, the third collaboration between Petronio and composer Nico Muhly. Set to a previously unreleased score by Muhly titled Long Phrases for the Wilton Diptych, the new work features costumes by Patricia Field ARTFASHION, curated by one of fashion's greatest visionaries, in her first collaboration with the Company. Lighting design for Signals is by Richard Nelson, and for Petronio’s works are by Ken Tabachnick
In Cunningham’s spectral Signals, their homage is awash with signature balances and complex lines that ran alongside a live and changing score by John Driscoll and Phil Edelstein (composers/musicians from Composers Inside Electronics, a contemporary ensemble). Then, contrary to Signals, the dancers surrender in true Petronio style, and arms and leg fly sculpting the air in Wild Wild World, an excerpt from his Underland (2003). Jaqlin Medlock finished Wild Wild World with a driving solo filled with angles and punches that stop and go, claiming her space. The evening closed with Petronio’s world premiere, Hardness 10, and the psychedelic unitards that spell out words or short sentences (“Story,” “Read,” “Ouch!,” “She’s The Boss,” etc.) in large letters, grabs the eye. But equally eye-catching is how the words/sentences are beautifully manipulated with each movement. The dancers mark the space with squared walking and repeating patterns, bringing to life Petronio’s deep look into the mutation of diamonds and how they too are manipulated.
The dancers are: Bria Bacon, Ernesto Breton, Elijah Laurant, Jaqlin Medlock, Tess Montoya, Nicholas Sciscione, Megan Wright, and apprentices Ryan Pliss and Mac Twining. Hardness 10, the third collaboration between Petronio and composer Nico Muhly. Set to a previously unreleased score by Muhly titled Long Phrases for the Wilton Diptych, the new work features costumes by Patricia Field ARTFASHION, curated by one of fashion's greatest visionaries, in her first collaboration with the Company. Lighting design for Signals is by Richard Nelson, and for Petronio’s works are by Ken Tabachnick
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