[NEohioPAL]Berko review: GROUNDWORKS DANCE THEATRE

[Roy Berko]

GROUNDWORKS WONDERFUL OPENING FOR DANCEWORKS ‘05; OHIO
BALLET PREVIEW

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Dance
Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

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


Cleveland is fortunate to have a number of small but
excellent dance companies.  One of the highlights of
the year takes place when four of them are brought to
Cleveland Public Theatre performance spaces to perform
as part of their Danceworks program.  This year, the
series was kicked off by GroundWorks Dancetheater.

Groundworks is the brainchild of choreographer and
dancer David Shimotakahara.  Shimotakahara is not only
a talented choreographer and dancer, but an excellent
teacher.  His preciseness in preparation of his
dancers and the thought given to his choreography
continually produce top-flight programs.  

Now in its seventh season, the company bills itself as
“intelligent..fresh...invigorating.”  As is being
evidenced at Cleveland Public theatre, it is all of
that.  The appreciative sold out opening night
audience gave each of the three danced segments hearty
cheers of approval.

The CPT space is a perfect venue for GroundWorks. 
Being up-close allows for audience members to become
wrapped in Shimotakahara’s choreography.  Hearing the
sounds of the shoes on the dance floor, watching the
finely muscled dancers work their body magic, hearing
their breathing as they build toward emotional
climaxes adds greatly to the total experience.

‘KNOW,’ the opening segment of the program, is a work
that Shimotakahara developed with Michael Medcalf in
2001.  It is a staple in the GroundWorks repertoire. 
Danced to music composed by Leonard Bernstein, the
multi-sectioned piece was beautifully interpreted by
Felice Bagley and Shimotakahara in solos and dyads. 
Their synchronized movements, strong lifts, emotional
counter-plays fit perfectly the various moods of the
music.  

‘FIELD STONE,’ danced to the pulsing sounds composed
by Gustavo Aguilar and played and sung by Gustavo and
Gaelyn Aguilar, featured the solo dancing of Amy
Miller whose perfect body control physically
highlighted the beat and moods of the music.  Miller,
who emotionally and physically controls a stage, was
supported in her visual illusions by the excellent
lighting of Dennis Dugan.  The piece, which “was
written in 1997 shortly after a rash of killings on
America’s middle and high school campuses,” evokes
“the seconds it takes to pull a trigger or to hit the
ground as one falls.”  The physically exhausting piece
was captivating in its intensity thanks to the
emotionally compelling choreography and proficient
dancing.

‘THE MUSIC ROOM,’ in which a moveable door and frame
become the sixth dancer in unique and creative ways,
is receiving its world premiere.  Shimotakahara worked
with New York set designer Narelle Sissons to develop
the multipurpose prop as a “physical metaphor for a
range of issues involving physical and emotional
boundaries, hidden desires, and isolation--but
ultimately chance, and change.”  

According to Shimotakahara, “‘THE MUSIC ROOM’ began
“in response to some of the many ideas implicit in a
doorway, a portal and barrier, entrances and exits, a
beginning and ending, the threshold between our inner
and outer lives.”

Miller, Bagley and Shimotakahara were joined by Brian
Murphy and Jennifer Lott for this extended number. 
The dancers in body revealing blue sheer tops and
pants danced to a musical composition by various
composers.   Strong solo segments were combined with
effective duets and company  work.  In almost all
segments the movements evoked the feeling of the
music.  The exception was “What Happened” by Laetitia
Decompiegne Sonami in which the dance and the music
interpretation didn’t seem to match.  

It is interesting to watch this company because of the
complete assimilation of Shimotakahara’s choreography
in the movements of the dancers.   His choreography
requires complete body control.  There are no random
movements.  Each pose, each stretch, each extension
has purpose.  It is therefore interesting to see
newcomer Jennifer Lott dance in this environment. 
Apparently trained in a classical dance style, she is
gradually developing the necessary control to make
each movement have a beginning, middle and end, rather
than just a pretty flow.  On the other hand, Brian
Murphy, who is filling in for the injured Mark
Otloski, is one of the very best local male dancers. 
Appearing through the courtesy of Ohio Ballet, because
of his training and talent, he has no trouble in
making the transition to Shimotakahara’s precise and
demanding movements.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  Audiences have come to expect
perfection from GroundWorks Dancetheatre.  They will
not be disappointed in the company’s offerings as part
of Cleveland Public Theatre’s DANCEWORKS 05.  
GroundWorks will appear on Friday and Saturday, April
1 and 2 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 3 at 3:00 p.m. 
For reservations call 216-631-2727. 

OTHER DANCEWORKS ‘05 PERFORMANCES:

VERB BALLET, April 7 (7:30 p.m.), 8 (8:00 p.m.), 9
(8:00 p.m.), 10 (3:00 p.m.)
INLET DANCE THEATRE,  April 14 (7:30 p.m.), 15  (8:00
p.m.) and 16 (3:00 & 8:00 p.m.), 17 (3:00 p.m.)
SAFMOD, April 21 (7:30 p.m.), 22 (8:00 p.m.), 23 (8:00
p.m.), 24 (3:00 p.m.)

OHIO BALLET

Ohio Ballet will present its ‘SPRINGFEST,’ consisting
of ‘LE GRANDE PAS CLASSIQUE,’ ‘THE MAZURKAS,’ ‘PETER
AND THE WOLF,’ ‘HI-JINKS,’ and ‘UPON RAY OF LIGHT,’ at
The Civic Theatre in Akron from Friday May 6 through
Sunday May 7; Youngstown’s Edward W. Powers Auditorium
on May 14 at 7:30 p.m.); and The Ohio Theatre,
Playhouse Square, May 20 through May 21. 
Buy-one-get-one free tickets are available through
April 15 for performances.  Mention ticket code HFL
when purchasing tickets to receive the discount.  For
tickets and information in Akron call 330-253-2488,
Youngstown, 330-744-0264 or in Cleveland 216-771-4444
or www.tickets.com.


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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