[NEohioPAL]Berko review: Ohio Dance Theatre

[Roy Berko]

APPRECIATIVE AUDIENCE GREETS OHIO DANCE THEATRE 

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

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

According to founder and Artistic Director, Denise
Gula, “Ohio Dance Theatre is a professional
ballet-based contemporary dance company that presents
works with a strong theatrical element.  The company's
mission is to enhance the quality of life in Northern
Ohio by presenting quality arts productions of
richness and variety, excellence and motivation.”

Based in Lorain County, the company reaches out of the
area to spread its version of dance into not only
Cuyahoga County, but nationally.  One of its
outreaches was its recent performance in the Playhouse
Square's Ohio Theatre.

An audience of approximately 500 responded very
positively to the four pieces presented as the
company's 'SEASON OF IMAGINATION.'

The opening number was Gula's version of 'FIREBIRD,'
with recorded music by Igor Stravinsky.  The vague
start failed to set a clear exposition of the dance's
central theme of the conflict between good and evil. 
These became clearer however as the piece progressed
through Paula Drakes's black and white costuming and
the music.  The separation might further have been
accented if the dancers had more clearly physically
and facially expressed their opposing roles.  For
example, the bad Minions, were not aggressive enough,
their hand movements and facial expressions did not
well develop their menace.

Ericka Shannon as Tsarevna was elegant.  She is a
talented dancer whose point work and physical control
are excellent.   She was nicely partnered by Damien
Highfield as Ivan.  Tito Reyes, who looks more like a
football linesman than a dancer, was surprisingly
light-footed as Kastchei, the Dark One, though he,
too, needed more facial menace.  His dance to death
was well executed as were the fight scenes between him
and Highfield.

Rejane Duarto as the Firebird was striking with her
tall legs and erect posture.  Again, as with some of
the other dancers, she failed to portray the facial
attitude needed to carry the part's meaning. 

A more dyanamic version of  music should have been
selected.  The music's power and tone did not fill the
large theatre, causing for a lack of emotional
involvement on the part of the audience.

The second selection, 'LA PETITE MORTE,' with intense
and beautiful music by Bela Bartok, took the audience
visually into high grasses to observe the life and
mating of the preying mantis.  Costumed in bug green,
the dancers executed well Gula's choreography which
was nicely accented by Diana Nelson's lighting.  As
with the opening selection, more varied facial
expression would have aided in idea development.  A
combination of unusual lifts and body intertwinings
were the highlights of the piece.  The final
destruction of the males by the dominant females could
have been highlighted by a more aggressive conclusion.
 

The highlight of the evening was 'LE CORSAIRE,' danced
to music  by Stravinsky.  Choreographed by Gula, the
short piece was beautifully performed by Orlando
Ballet's Chiaki Yasukawa and Eddy Tovar.  The petite
couple glowed.  Their partnering and solos were
excellent.  Yasukawa's point work and turns were
elegant, Tovar's circle jumps and powerful leaps
brought strong positive reactions from the audience. 
It's too bad this piece was so short, as the audience
was cheering for more.

'WHO CARES,' with choreography by George Balanchine
and music by George Gershwin ,was a wonderful ending
segment to the program.  Dancing to the cosmopolitan
sounds of such musical compositions as “Fascinating
Rhythm” and “I Got Rhythm,” the company and audience
alike enjoyed themselves immensely.   Especially
outstanding were Ericka Shannon and Fidel Garcia. 
Garcia displays a nice sense of contemporary moves
along with balletic competence.  His cocky attitude
fit perfectly the pieces he danced.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  Ohio Dance Theatre is attempting
to reach out beyond its Lorain County home and be a
more regional company.  Without a permanent company it
is often hard to develop a clear identity, but they
are succeeding on many levels.  Gula's reputation and
ability to attract guest dancers helps broaden the
base of the company.


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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