Legally Blonde Sweeps Da Burgh

Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of witnessing the National Tour of Legally Blonde as it made a stop in my hometown, Pittsburgh, lovingly called the BURGH. After the city celebrated a Stanley Cup win on Friday, (that’s Hockey for those of you nonbelievers), Becky Gulsvig came forward for her curtain call wearing a baby blue Pens jersey! Needless to say, the Burgh crowd erupted into a wild, mildly inappropriate frenzy!

Unfortunately, my three friends and I bought tickets the day of the show and were literally in the LAST possible row of the mezzanine- way to sell out the Benedum, LEGALLY BLONDE! From what I could see, sans the binoculars I contemplated stealing from a 5-year-old next to me- I absolutely loved the show. I can only imagine that the fun we had would’ve been magnified infinitely if we could actually see the actors’ faces!  So the following review is my humble opinion from the nose-bleed section, peanut heaven, Polly Pocket Paradise….call it what you will.

Legally Blonde is the story of uber-blonde Elle Woods, President of the Delta Nu sorority at UCLA. Elle’s dreams of garnering an engagement ring from boyfriend Warner are shattered when he breaks up with her in search of something “serious”, and moves on to Harvard Law. Elle, along with her trusty canine sidekick Bruiser, goes on a mission to win him back. Armed with fuzzy pens, pink hot-pants, and only this season’s fashions, she manages to squeak into Harvard. By the end of show, she’s made some fascinating discoveries about love, life, and LAW!

First of all, I cannot say enough about Becky Gulsvig, the easy-on-the-eyes, self-realizing Elle Woods. Even from a mile away, she charms us with her lovable, bouncy personality and GIGANTIC voice. Her supporting cast is also great, can’t complain! The Greek chorus of sorority girls who randomly show up in ‘Elle’s head” add a dose of humor and cheerleader-y enthusiasm here and there. Natalie Joy Johnson is strong as the slightly damaged, middle-aged Paulette, Elle's Harvard hairdresser/instant confidante, and proves that we all can catch a second chance.

Being a dancer, I have to throw props to the ensemble for rocking out “Whipped Into Shape”, an intensely choreographed jump-rope routine complete with double-jumps, kicks, and plenty of hand-switching…  I can only imagine the laughs I’d have after tripping on those mid-show, as one unlucky ensemble member did. Sorry… but you stuck out like a sore thumb, even from the last row! Loved it though.:)

Next time around, I’ll have to get a closer look to be able to comment further! I absolutely adore the heart-warming music that leaves everyone (including throngs of tweens sporting Legally Blonde T-shirts) bouncing out of the theatre humming whichever catchy tune is stuck in their heads. Way to go, tour kids. Good show!

 

PS. Special Holla to Megan Lewis, who plays Warner’s snobby-turned-genuine  Harvard girlfriend “Vivienne” ….who’s apartment I lived in for 4 months this year! Good times!

THE BANG GROUP... Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly

Opened by two silent cowboy “pahtnahs” wearing red pajama onesies, doin’ some front porch sittin’, evil-plotting on the neighbors, and understated dance partying – The Bang Group’s SHOWDOWN is already a hit. I was literally crying and have found that not for the life of me can I describe how funny these two are. Listed in the program as “Silent Hosts”, Deborah Lohse, the uber-tall self-proclaimed “ugly duckling”, and Monica Bill Barnes, the half-her-height little fireball light up the stage with their intentional lack of personality and Johnny Cash soundtrack. (Pic is of a different performance but gives you an idea!) When Monica raised her two mini-guns and spun them at hyper-speed over her head for nearly two straight minutes with the straightest of faces, it was over for me. I could not breathe. The whole show was worth it just because of these two - hilarious bookends to the actual meat of the show!

Getting to that meat… The evening is June 4, 2009 and Joe’s Pub is hosting Dancemopolitan through DanceNOW NYC. DanceNOW “strives to renew and reclaim dance as an integral part of our lives. DanceNOW experiments with traditional, emerging, and alternative means to bring dance and community together, by partnering with other arts organizations, sharing resources, and creating distinctive events to offer audiences a more tangible experience with contemporary dance.” Founding directors and producers Tamara Greenfield, Robin Staff, and Sydney Skybetter keep shows brief using a “less is more” approach to keep audiences wanting more from their featured NYC choreographers.

This Thursday evening, DanceNOW featured THE BANG GROUP with fresh and enticing choreography by David Parker. Through a special arrangement with The Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization, the group twirled, tapped, and partnered their way through the entire score of “Annie Get Your Gun”. Dressed in denim jeans and button down flannels, the cast of eight was a picture of the Wild West.

Parker’s “Annie…” is not your typical musical theatre bit – but instead very modern, ballet-based and full of contemporary partnering. He sprinkles it with humor which brings so much humanity and humility to the performance. I was on the edge of my seat trying to decide how some of those lifts were possible- and on such a small stage. The most unique part was the blending of gender lines as we saw tons of AMAZING, never before seen man-to-man partnering. The occasional guy/girl lifts were also beautiful, but it was the overwhelmingly genuine, flowing movement between the men that really spoke of Parker’s intention for the overall piece.

That intention was directly supported by Parker’s “bonus track” – a witty vocal duet of “Old Fashioned Wedding”, which he sung with company dancer Jeff Kazin. The two had lovable chemistry and definitely went all out with a big ol’ musical theatre tap break! The audience was all smiles and loving this genuine portrayal of love crossing all boundaries. I’d definitely follow the Bang Group onto their next endeavors... Doin’ what comes natur’lly.

Dancers as described by Parker: The perspicacious Bryan Campbell, the triple-stilled Terry Duncan, the sagacious Nic Petry, the go-for-broke Amber Sloan, the bewitching Marissa Palley, the blooming Megan Flynn, and the nefarious Jeffrey Kazin.

www.idanzonline.com

Let The Sun Shine In

Broadway’s revival of HAIR offers an amazing experience that transcends the limits of humanity and embraces the pure goodness that exists in all of us! Any New Yorker who has ever felt that familiar sting of loneliness, the hungry grey skies of winter swallowing you whole, or the hopelessness of the rat race… this musical is for you.

HAIR is the story of a 1960’s hippie tribe of revolutionaries who have dropped out of school and live on the streets surrounded by “the earthly joys of sex and weed and wine”(to quote one of my fave bands from Pittsburgh- the Clarks!). The boys have all gladly burned their Vietnam draft cards… except one conflicted young man, Claude, played beautifully by Gavin Creel, whose sense of duty and desire to please his family lead him to cut his beloved “hair” and don an army uniform in place of his patched up jeans.

This musical screams  relevancy in  2009- the year of “YES WE CAN”. LOVE! PEACE! EQUALITY! HOPE! TOGETHERNESS! Somewhere deep inside of us, we all pine for these ideals….A world where we are brothers and sister despite bloodlines, where hatred is not an option, where understanding and good will reign supreme. “We are all one”, exclaims one tribe member. Black, white, yellow, red, gay, straight, old, young, healthy, sick…no matter how you may be labeled, HAIR gives us a full dose of sun - shining in! HAIR invites us to seriously consider what the world would be like if we all just “did whatever we wanted, as long as it doesn’t hurt anybody!”. Kudos Broadway. Hope to be there someday...and hope to be involved in something I could be believe in, like this.

The original production burst onto the Broadway scene in 1967, illuminating the ever so real issues of race, sexuality, politics, and war.  The actual plot may be thin, but HAIR boasts a creative team that somehow manages to pump it with life. Through the innovative direction of Diane Paulus and the earthy choreography of Karole Armitage, we laugh, cry, and feel completely inspired. The tribe members, who have moved from starry Central Park (2007) to the confines of the Al Hirschfield Theater, explode through the fourth wall and flood the audience throughout the entire show. They are all superb. Too many stand-outs to name. Just go see it. It really is impossible to feel anything but, well….”unadulterated joy”, (their most publicized quote!).

 If you are sitting along an aisle, you may be so lucky as to have a tribe member dangle his hair in your face or throw a daisy to you… maybe even belt out one of over 40 hit songs right in front of your face! I was in the balcony and got tons of action! The last and final adhesion of audience to cast comes at the finale when throngs of audience members jam out on stage in complete rock concert fashion! Now everyone can dance on Broadway. :) HAIR is not a Broadway show, it’s a Broadway experience, a Broadway extravaganza, a Broadway catharsis, and the closer you are to the stage, the brighter shines the sun.

Special Holla to Anthony Hollock, tribe member with kick-ass hair who's a fellow Point Parker! Go PPU!!

My Teaching Philosophy

The *S* Factor

My dance teaching philosophy strongly reflects the many experiences I’ve had as an evolving student, performer, teacher, and choreographer. It is geared toward serious artists who need the tools to compete in this ever-changing business. It is imperative that I give my students the knowledge they need not only to excel at their crafts, but to later plug themselves into networks that will further enhance and nurture their careers beyond college years.

 

*Student empowerment: We are the makers...

The most important part of my philosophy is my firm belief that I am not solely a teacher. I am a leader in a group of equally capable co-creators. It is my job to show my students this - that they can do it themselves. I always teach with an open ear for ideas, ego aside.  My job is not just to teach and to bestow information, but to enable - to pinpoint and harness each artist's individual essence, squeezing brilliance out of them. This allows students to become vessels of creativity...knowing exactly how to utilize their uniquely developed talents to make intelligent, progressive, lasting impressions on the dance world around them. My students will be given many, many opportunities to choreograph alongside me, molding them into more polished artists each and every time they create new works of art.

*Smart Networking: You've Got To Have Friends...

I am a firm believer that happiness is created by healthy relationships. Happiness is being able to do what we love while being surrounded by people we love to do it with. Networking and building real, genuine relationships is more than half the game once the college days end, and it starts here in these dance studios. I am a huge enforcer of creating a safe, highly positive work/dance environment. In my classroom, all negative energy is squashed immediately. Students will be working and playing closely together, creating memories that will last a lifetime. Constructive competition is an art; wanting to be the best while nurturing each other's efforts is a value I am insistent upon instilling in other dancers. We are all in this competitive field together and we all need a family - supporters within our field.

*Self-discipline: Real World Here We Come....

As a dancer living in NYC who has seen the highs and lows of the "real world" - post-competition days, post-college, and post-cruise ship- I have learned first-hand that there will be days when these "friends" disappear into their own lives, leaving us to feel alone, and to view dancing as a distant dream. Sadly, the temptations, obstacles and distractions of this "real world" are stronger than a dancer's dreams much of the time. Without grades, deadlines, or mandatory schedules pinned to the wall to motivate, dancers can find themselves spiraling down the "Tomorrow Slide", a ride lined with excuses, loneliness, financial woes, plan B's, and procrastination. But with the right tools and mentality, the dancer can win against the real world! This truth is what I strive to relay to my students as they prepare for real careers. It's go big or go home. They must learn to set true goals and identify steps to achieve them while flying solo. In my classroom, each student must prepare and submit weekly, monthly, and yearly goals as part of the curriculum. This personalized goal-work will help them to hone their pro-active skills so that eventually, without the dictation of faculty, they will possess the confidence to dream big and conquer life tasks on their own.

These three general points outline my view of the big picture, while in the classroom on a day to day level, students can expect well-devised lesson plans geared toward an ultimate goal in each class. I know that through student empowerment, smart networking, and self-discipline, I will continue to grow as an educator and make a lasting impression on my students.

*Sheena DiMatteo