NYC Fringe Festival presents "Face the Music...and Dance"

Thursday night I packed my bags for New York’s Best Staycation…  a trip to the FringeNYC… a festival of over 201 shows breaking onto the city’s performing arts scene. “Face the Music… and Dance!”, produced by Rachel Routh and directed by Tina Croll, celebrated 5 contemporary modern choreographers and enjoyed sold out crowds this weekend at 440 Studios on Lafayette Street! From nudity in blow-up swimming pools to microphone wires to the live music of Japanese shakuhachi flutes…. it was an evening to remember.

The show begins shortly after I treat myself to a Starbucks iced caramel macchiato and casually stroll down the street toward the theatre space…. Suddenly a sprite little dancer, shadowed by her team of live musicians, catches my eye. It is Noa Sagie, choreographer and dancer for the evening’s first piece- giving away a free pre-show in the streets to a throng of passer-bys… all sporting facial expressions that range from intrigue to utter confusion. I study her for a while as she whirls her way through passing strangers, playfully flirting in her red dress with lots of heightened animation.

Once I decide to leave the curious street dancer behind I find myself in the elevator, uber-cheerfully greeted by yet another dancer in character, Hyosun Choi, telling everyone to “keep clean” as she wipes down the walls of the elevator frantically. Another bit of foreshadowing?

Finally I reach the 3^rd floor where many disappointed Fringe-show-goers are turned away… SOLD OUT. Very exciting for the production team! I, with my iDANZ ticket firmly in grasp, enter proudly and take my spot in the front row! Go iDANZ! Once seated, I take note of yet another pre-show dancer, lying in a tiny blow-up kiddie pool, looking relaxed and exploratory while the crowd files in. The music team attempts to butter up the audience with some “Tell me your name, I’ll tell you mine” jokes…which may or may not have fallen a little flat.  Good intentions though. They get me to remember their names - Rick, Brian, and Perry!

The first piece is by far my favorite. Danced ever so graciously by all four female dancers, “Degas duck dag” fuses artful nudity with silly humor, then hits it home with intensely choreographed , athletic contemporary movement. Choreographer Noa Sagie truly understands how to make the most of a musical moment and doesn’t take herself too seriously which makes for an uplifting refreshment.She opens the piece with her “pool dancer” standing up in her bathing suit, turning to the back, and removing her top. Hair flowing, she explores the landscape of her body, which I must say was stunning, conveying the experience of taking a shower for the first time. As she discovers herself, so does the audience… in a big way. What starts out as profile nudity, turns quickly into a ready-or-not full frontal experience! Not sure how I feel about it, but one thing is certain, this dancer has guts!

The piece quickly changes gears when her three sidekicks enter wearing buckle-under-the-chin swimcaps and shimmering cocktail dresses. They galavant about the stage like characters from a strange dream, armed with squeaky rubber duckies and big personalities. The piece gathers momentum and really shows off Sagie’s gift for utilizing contemporary movement while simultaneously delving into the quirky colors of the music. The intention is to awaken Sagie’s view of Edward Degas’ paintings. Let’s hope we see more from her soon! Dancers: Noa Sagie, Hyosun Choi, Madelyn Biven, Meredith Blouin, and Sara Genoves-Sylvan.

Wooden Heart, featuring choreography by Julian Barnett offers some interest to the evening with two dancers, male and female, dancing around a microphone and wire. The piece opens with Jocelyn Tobias, microphone in hand, anxiously pacing around the stage- “Dare I speak into the mic?”, her body says. In the background, we hear a radio hour talking about how men can hold their liquor better than women.  Eventually, to the sounds of Portishead, she sings (quite well) and then partners with Julian Barnett himself. Barnett offers vivid, fresh choreography – my favorite part being the final section- Barnett acting as a puppet as Tobias stands behind him, arms on top of his, maneuvering his body in a seamless necklace of transitions.

Jet Stream, by Maura Ngyuen Donohue, adds live music, the three flute players with big personalities, into the mix. Donohue offers solid choreography, danced by herself and Julian Barnett, plus the well-placed musicians, (playing serene tunes reminiscent of a day at the spa), but I must admit this is the least memorable piece of the evening.

Choreographer Heidi Latsky jolts us with testosterone in What Would You Have Done?,  a modern duo between dancers Jeffrey Freeze and Luke Murphy. Inspired by the ending scene of the Reader, (which I have yet to see) this piece explores humanity and unity in response to hate. The staggeringly tall and lean Murphy contrasts greatly with the compact Freeze, and intensity only rises from the start of the piece to the finish. Highly physical and mind-numbingly serious, we wonder what is coming next as the two boys throw themselves and each other around the floor in an urgent shirtless frenzy!

Finally, director and choreographer Tina Croll brings a party in black to the stage with The Stamping Ground.  Croll uses a cornucopia of dancers, with a wide range of shapes, sizes, ages, and abilities to convey her message that gathering people together is our only hope in supporting each other through these difficult times. The pack runs around in circles, seemingly following each other, then performs simplistic choreography in unison to display the beauty of individuality- joined together. Dancers: Einy Aam, Mona Afable, Philippa Anderson, Erin DeLuca-Benson, Celia Devoe, Michelle Durante, Michelle Gilligan, Andrea Gise, Scott Lewis, Marissa Maislin, Ashley Marinelli, Alicia McConnell, Alexandra Mount-Campbell, Carla Reitano, Rossana Russo, Morgelyn Tenbeth-Ward, Helena Teply-Figman

 Overall, a successful evening for dance!  I highly recommend for any of you bored dancers… Take a staycation and take advantage of the many Fringe and NYMF shows coming up in this city! Remember, in supporting each other, we all succeed in sharing this art we all love.

 

Sheena DiMatteo

Read more reviews on: www.iDANZ.com

Nature's Wonders Highlight Downtown Dance Festival

Spotlighted by shots of sunlight poking through the greenery of Battery Park's trees, the Downtown Dance Festival came to life this Sunday, August 23rd. Although the morning teased NYC with the threat of rain, it turned out to be a gorgeous day for dance in the park.

The 28th Annual Downtown Dance Festival is presented by the Battery Dance Company, in addition to a generous package of sponsors, offering a free show and opportunities for companies of the city to strut their stuff. Although it highlighted 13 companies, I had the pleasure of witnessing only three of these, the Rebecca Kelly Ballet, Figures in Flight Dance Company, and the Chase Brock Experience. 

Figures in Flight Dance Company performed three consecutive pieces in the style of contemporary modern dance- War/Peace On Earth, Unexpected Moments, and Stranger in Moscow. Director Susan Slotnick bragged of her students' ability to pull off modern pieces conceptualized for adults, despite being no older than your average Hannah Montana fan. The preteens impressed me with their ability to focus on such serious subject matter- they seemed truly eager to present the work- but the pretentiousness of the work was a little off-putting on such fresh little youngsters. With technique class and age, they may actually grow into the work they presented. 

I must applaud the daughter of Slotnick, whose choreographic debut was shown, using eye-catching colorful umbrellas that popped to Michael Jackson's haunting vocals. Also, Slotnick's intention for the company - to promote peace in schools and youth, is commendable, as she offers to let the kids perform for schools via assemblies. If only the style and tone were a touch more relatable, the message might shine brighter, remembering that kids these days are busy texting and usually just waiting for the next bell to ring. 

Dancers: Tara Abularrage, Liam Appelson, Ruby Bard, Lizzie Clarke, Jane Cole, Sophia Ender, Claire Factor, Madeline Freidman, Lakota Karl-Krupp, Cali Kircher, Cassidy Kristal-Cohen, Kayla Ludwig, Ryan Ludwig, Maya McClatchy, Gwen Nahnsen, Lucia O'Corozine, Sophie Rust, Isabella Vitti, River Wasser, Molly Rust Ayako Shapiro, Sophia Ender, Elianah Slotnick

The Rebecca Kelly Ballet only presented one piece, although the two dancers were seen several times as part of the Battery Dance Company. Kelly choreographed a lovely duo, utilizing dancers Sean Scantlebury and Robin Cantrell. The tiny Cantrell, with her sleek lines, Ivory soap skin and pixie haircut, contrasted with the tall, dark musculature of Scantlebury. Kelly's choreography, infused with beautiful lifts and pasted against blue skies and leafy greens, is a true vision to be seen.

The final company I experienced, and I do say experience... is the Chase Brock... Experience. Brock's website calls himself out on the arrogance of calling his company an "experience", but I must confirm that he knows how to hit it out of the park and is totally credible in his claims. Brock's first piece, Curious Episode, shoots a breath of fresh air over the audience as Assistant Artistic Director Ashley Eichbauer and company member Erica Furst frolic about the stage in a playful duo, their quirky personalities competing with their not overly forceful display of technique for a splendid "encounter". 

Brock's "Seeing Stars" leaves pretentious at the door as all six dancers stumble about onstage, drunkenly leaning on each other, smiling those embarrassingly carefree smiles, and once again, breathing a playful energy over the crowd. Brock basically slams home the point that serious attitudes don't necessarily define serious art. In essence, the silly joy of flying through space and capturing an audience (while maintaining beautiful technique and apparent training) IS essentially a "serious" art.

CBE saves its best for last with a Laura Nyro tribute, Slow Float. The absolutely gorgeous 70s-style late Nyro gives us an acquired taste of jazz mixed with slow blues, gospel, show tunes, and rock. Brock showcases her music beautifully by costuming the ladies in Bohemian style sundresses - hair flowing in the wind and the guys looking casual into eventually shirtless. The backdrop of sun, clouds, and flourishing trees only add bonus points to what is already a hit. The movement is human, hitting on emotions rather than shoving technique to the forefront... despite the technique being evident. I overheard an elderly man in the audience admit that the piece brought tears to his eyes. Brock is the perfect blend of professionalism and relatability. Dancers Kendrick D. Carter, Nathan Duszny, Ashley Eichbauer, Erica Furst, Neil O'Brien, Emily Oldak, Connor Kilian Weigand, and Micki Weiner brought the piece to life in a series of different songs, each showcasing different dancers and various personalities. Kudos!

The Downtown Dance Festival commenced Sunday evening and hopefully will be back next year with the greatly appreciated contributions from its sponsors and growing community participation. Thank you to the Battery Dance Company for this great opportunity to share and witness our favorite art in some beautiful nature.

Sheena DiMatteo

http://www.idanz.net

Next to Normal, Next to Unbelievable

Next to Normal, hosted by the Booth Theatre, is as far from normal as Broadway has gotten this year. It rocks a tiny cast of six, a knock-your-lights-out electrifying score, and a cutting edge story that left me wishing I had worn next to no mascara. Next to Normal is heart-wrenching.  It is thought-provoking. It is absolutely stunning. The writing and music by Tony winners Brian Yorkey, Tom Kitt, and Michael Starobin are the MOST amazing, but the actors carry out the story with such integrity and beauty, it literally takes your breath away. There is nothing better than feeling you are really right there upon a person’s inner-most thoughts, their most personal moments - those moments that we all have and don’t reveal, even to those closest to us. To see these emotions come to life is like having the show say to you, “Hey you out there, in seat Orchestra B9, I know you. I understand you.” Who knows- maybe it means we’re all a little crazy.

The show follows a grief-stricken mother with a sea of mental diagnoses, her ever-loyal and answerless husband, their attention-starved daughter, and the catalyst of it all, their perfect yet somehow unattainable son, as they all try to get along and lead a "normal" life. The twists and turns, mixed with the electrifying score, make for an emotional evening and a sneak peak into the amazing new world of musical theatre that is upon us in the new millennium.

Alice Ripley (Diana) and J. Robert Spencer (Dan) make an almost believable couple as they compliment each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Ripley’s vocal weaknesses are forgiven due to her truly iconic acting performance. She did take home the Tony this year for Best Actress in a Musical.  All the while, Spencer sings like a bird but remains distant as an actor and a little less emotionally connected in comparison to the dynamite presence of Ripley. Breakout Jennifer Damiano (Natalie) is flawless, a champion singer and perfectly cast, as well as Kyle Massey, (Gabriel) who is immaculate as the son who can do no wrong, yet still is the source of the family’s deep anguish. Adam Chanler-Berat adds detailed dimension as Natalie’s persistently chivalrous yet naive boyfriend (Henry), who tries to heroically save Natalie from a fate similar to her mother’s.  Louis Hobson thrives as the know-it-all–yet-know-nothing string of doctors.

I highly advise anyone to skip seeing Next To Normal if you have a terrible cold, or are without an entire box of Kleenex.  This Broadway phenomenon snatches hearts and squeezes them like stress balls... it had my sinuses in an uncomfortable hurricane of events from start to finish! But I must admit I loved every minute of it. Thank God for the intermission… allowing all to graciously accept the tear-duct recovery time! 

Sheena DiMatteo