[NEohioPAL]Berko review: Groundworks Dancetheater (Landmark Series)

[Roy Berko]

Groundworks continues to impress 

Roy Berko

(Member, Dance Critics Association)

Now in its eighth season, Groundworks Dancetheater
continues to impress.  Artistic Director David
Shimotakahara has built a solid company which breaks
outside traditional dance descriptions.  The
philosophy of combining the arts by having musicians
create new works, which are then choreographed to both
fit the venue and the dancers’ skills, while
incorporating various electronic and theatrical
devices, makes for exciting performance evenings.

In the company’s latest presentation, part of their
Landmark Series, which places the dancers in various
venues, they chose to perform in Trinity Cathedral. 
The combination of the glory of the gothic cathedral
and the exciting choreography of Shimotakahara, Art
Bridgman, Myrna Packer and Amy Miller, melded with the
original music of Ryan Lott and Gustavo Aguilar and
traditional music of J. S. Bach, brought about
sustained applause from the near sold-out audience. 
Added to the over-all effect were costumes by Ray
Zander and Janet Bolick which perfectly fit the mood
of the dance and the creative lighting of Dennis
Dugan. 

The evening’s pieces, “Before With After,”
“eleveneleven,” and “Through the Lens,” were each
well-crafted.  

Shimotakahara’s ‘Before With After,” examines life’s
encounters and the intersection of joy and sorrow
which reflected Bach’s keyboard tones.  A piece which
used the exceptional talents of Amy Miller, Felise
Bagley, Jennifer Lott, Mark Otloski and Shimotakahara,
consisted of flowing jumps, powerful gymnastics and
controlled arm and body movements.  The result was a
compelling segment of dance.

Company member Amy Miller explored the implications of
interconnectedness in choreographing “eleveneleven.” 
Ryan Lott’s original contemporary score was filled
with energy and power that lent itself to Miller’s
creative take on the moods and sounds.  Bagley,
Jennifer Lott, Damien Highfield and Otloski worked
well together to create an interactive blend of
carries, lifts and writhing movements on the floor,
that was enveloping.

The highlight of the evening was ‘Through the Lens,”
choreographers Bridgman and Packer’s break-through
concept.  Almost defying description, the piece was
performed in front of and behind a massive opaque
curtain.  The dancers dove and rolled under the
material, danced behind the screen, displaying
configurations in varying degrees of large and small
shadows, as well as realistically appearing before the
curtain.   This was a “WOW!” presentation.

In past reviews of the company I have recounted that
newcomer Jennifer Lott had not yet matured to the
level of the rest of the dancers.  Shimotakahara’s
choreography requires total body control and
perfection in execution.  Anyone who wavers from that
weakens the over-all effect.  It is a pleasure to
announced that Lott, in this program, displayed
tremendous growth in becoming an equal to the rest of
the company.  

Groundworks next, not to be missed presentation, will
be at the Cleveland Botanical Garden on January 26, 27
and 28.  For tickets call 216-721-1600 or visit the
company’s website at www.notsoobvious.com.


Roy Berko's theatre blog, which includes his reviews of plays and dance programs from 2003 through 2006, can be found at http://royberkinfo.blogspot.com  
      Information regarding his consulting and publications and older theatre and dance reviews can be found at www.royberko.info.  
      Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly 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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