It’s November, time for our annual trip down to Case Western Reserve University’s Mather Dance for their faculty and guest artist fall dance concert. Included this year was new and old choreography by the usual suspects — department chair Karen Potter, artistic director Gary Galbraith and assistant professor Shannon Sterne — and New York-based guest choreographer Larry Keigwin.
The program began with Back to Beyond (2014) which we reviewed last year. We were somewhat disconcerted in this year’s version by what looked like a pronounced anterior tilt to the hips of all of the dancers. Apparently this was a quirk of costuming since the same dancers looked fine in later dances.
New this year was Sterne’s Turned to Clay, a nice enough dance in terms of choreographic structure and movement invention but over-reliant on even flowing, legato movement and ultimately overwhelmed in a flood of sameness — even Sterne’s solo. Which is strange, because the soaring Stef Conner vocals would seem to invite all manner of varietal dance phrasing and dynamics. Wonderful music. We invite our readers to push back the furniture, click HERE and ride the music for themselves.
Also new this year, Potter’s In Ancient Waters, which was enlivened by allegro music. We were especially impressed by a moment toward the end of this dance when all six of the women executed breathtaking back falls.
After intermission this concert really let its hair down. Music that included up tempo percussion livened things up considerably, but the dancing also offered popular appeal.
With hips and shoulders rolling, Islands of Desire, reviewed last year, again charted its course into “vivid, sexy and potentially commercial waters.” Richard Oaxaca reprised his role, this year partnering Yidi Lin instead of the statuesque Amanda Clark. Lin’s not as obvious a casting choice for this kind of dance as Clark was, but she used her high extensions and fierce skills to make it work. Acrobat Oaxaca maintains impressive hand-balancing skills while continuing to build his dance technique. Gary Galbraith’s dazzling high-tech projections were back full force from last year.
Keigwin is known for fast and precise group patterns that suddenly call attention to a soloist or a duet. His Triptych (2009) exemplified this while providing an energetic, entertaining conclusion to the concert. While you have the furniture pushed back, take a look at this highlight reel and try out some of the walking patterns. For instance, there’s an interesting variation on good old step/step/ball/change. Entertaining to do — entertaining to watch.
Entertaining – ah, modern dance with your roots in vaudeville; coexisting more recently with nonstop go-go; somehow surviving Judson Church; sometimes paying reparations to the minstrel show. We love you, modern dance, though you get a little boring when you forget that you too are entertainment. Not this time.
Case Western Reserve University Department of Dance presented its fall concert at Mather Dance Center from 10/30-11/7. View upcoming performing arts events at Case HERE.
[Written by Elsa Johnson and Victor Lucas]Cleveland, OH 44106