[NEohioPAL]Berko review: GroundWorks Dance Theatre

[Roy Berko]

GROUNDWORKS SHINES AT BOTANICAL GARDEN

Roy Berko

(Member, Dance Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--


Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	


The first time I saw David Shimotakahara dance with
the Ohio Ballet I knew that I was watching a very
talented performer.  When I saw his first
choreographed piece for the same ballet company, I was
equally impressed.  The work was creative, the dancers
well-disciplined, the piece polished.  

When Heinz Poll left his post as Artistic Director of
OB, I was hoping that Shimotakahara would be appointed
to continue the company’s creative work. 
Unfortunately, the post went to someone else.  Instead
of giving up, Shimotakahara founded GroundWorks
Dancetheater, which has become a leading modern and
contemporary dance company in the area.  He has
developed a loyal following which supports his every
effort.  This was obvious at the sold out performance
where viewers thoroughly enjoyed GroundWorks Landmark
Series performance at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. 


The Landarks Series places the company in various
settings in the community.  These are as diverse as
churches and abandoned buildings.  His purpose is to
bring dance to the community.  While in the venues, he
often expands beyond the performances of production. 
For example, the company’s Botanical Garden stay
included exhibitions for Cleveland school students,
for a group of seniors, and a fund raiser for the
Garden.  

The recent program included ‘ALWAYS,’ a piece
centering on the vocals of Patsy Kline, which
premiered in 2003.  The piece is a collaborated
invention of the original performers Amy Miller, 
Shimotakahara, Mark Otloski and Xotchiti Tejeda de
Cerda (who has left the area).  In this case the
thoroughly enjoyable ‘ALWAYS’ was danced by Miller,
Felise Bagley,  Shimotakahara and Brain Murphy.  

Murphy, a dancer with Ohio Ballet, was a replacement
for Mark Otloski who in mid- January, injured his leg
and will shortly be having surgery to correct the
problem.  Murphy, by far OB’s best male dancer,
stepped in with less than two weeks of rehearsal and
added much to the performance.  To add to the awe,
Murphy continued to rehearse with Ohio Ballet which
will perform in Cleveland (February 18 & 19) and Akron
(February 25 & 26). 

Murphy’s presence aesthetically helped the balance of
the dancers.  The very talented Otloski is very tall
and thin.  He towers over the rest of the company. 
This works in many pieces, especially when he is
dancing solo or with a petite female partner. However,
his size often creates unbalanced visual lines. 
Murphy, who is parallel in size to the other dancers,
physically fits into the many intertwining movements
of Shimotakahara’s choreography.

‘ALWAYS’ is a humorous, creative and delightful piece.
 Miller, a powerhouse of a dancer, has unbelievable
physical control and makes every movement a total
picture...beginning, middle and ending.  Though the
piece’s movements don’t develop the story of the
words, the actions parallel well the mood of the
music.  

‘SEVERAL TRUTHS,’ is a duet created by choreographer
Gina Gibney, who often showcases her works with
GroundWorks.  Premiered in 2001 the piece uses sounds
rather than music to convey various moods.  An
emotionally and physically exhausting dance it is
dependent on the controlled intertwining of bodies,
strong movements, powerful carries, and the execution
of parallel precision.  Dancers  Amy Miller and David
Shimotakahara were up to the task.  The startling
ending, with no sound accompaniment, was greeted with
enthusiastic applause.

‘BEFORE WITH AFTER,’ choreographed by Shimotakahara to
music by Bach, according to program notes “suggests
life’s encounters, steps and crossings but ultimately
acknowledge what it means to be alone.”  This theme
was carried out by use of solos, duets, triads,
quartets and quads of dancers.  As with the whole
program, the piece was well-performed.  Precise,
strong and fast movements were at the center of the
concept.  Brian Murphy’s solo and his duet with
newcomer Jennifer Lott were among the highlights, as
were duets by Shimotakahara and Miller and Miller and
Felise Bagley.  Lott, the newest member of the
GroundWorks company is an attractive dancer.  Her
skills, especially her body control, are not yet up to
the levels of the other GoundWorks dancers, but under
the tutelage of perfectionist Shimotakahara she should
develop into a good addition.  

The Cleveland Botanical Garden space was a perfect
setting for the company.  Dancing on a raised stage
against a wall of sheer shades, the performers were
highlighted by natural as well as artificial light. 
The trees and even people walking in gardens behind
the dancers added to the naturalness of the
choreography.  Having the audience within feet of the
performers allows for an in-your-face experience. 
Hearing the shoes squeak, the floor lightly creak, and
the breathing of the cast, as well as watching their
muscles move and flex, makes for audience involvement
in the entire process.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  GroundWorks Dancetheater once
again proved in its Cleveland Botanical Garden
presentation that it is the area’s premiere modern and
contemporary dance company.  Their next presentation
will be as part of ‘DANCE WORKS 05’--Cleveland Public
Theatre which salutes their residence dance companies:
 Groundworks (March 31-April 03); Verb Ballet (April
7-10); Inlet Dance Theatre (April 14-17), and SAFMOD
(April 21-24).  Location:  6415 Detroit Road at W.
65th Street.  Tickets:  216-631-2727.


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Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.


		
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