[NEohioPAL]Berko review: NATURAL SELECTIONS (Verb Ballets)

[Roy Berko]

‘NATURAL SELECTIONS’--disappointing VERB BALLETS

Roy Berko

(Member, Dance Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

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

Verb Ballets is one of the premiere dance companies in
the Northeastern Ohio area.  It was disappointing
therefore, to watch a flow of patron bodies out of the
Natural History Museum at intermission of the
company’s recent ‘NATURAL SELECTIONS’ program.  It was
off-putting to hear the polite but generally
unenthusiastic applause as the program finished.  It
was disappointing to hear comments following the
concert such as, “That was a little raw” and “I
thought this was a first class company.” It is more
disappointing that after so many positive, usually
rave reviews of Verb, that I have to write this column
and question the program design of Artistic Director
Hernando Cortez.

Cortez decided that his dancers needed to spread their
wings and show their choreographic skills.  This was
an admirable idea.  It was not wise, however, in my
opinion, to do it by having an entire evening devoted
to that mission.  Especially an evening in which
people paid for the “real” Verb Ballets.  It might
have been fine for a free performance, like the
company does during the summer, but not in the middle
of the regular season.  Even one or two pieces
sandwiched in might have worked, but a solid diet of
“world premieres” by unknown and untested
choreographers, was a questionable decision.

The final result was more like a college senior dance
recital than an evening with a professional company. 
The ballets, in general, went from bland to promising,
the dancing from undisciplined to nicely done, but not
up to the level of the Verb Ballets that has received
critical raves.

The evening opened with ‘PLEASE,’ choreographed by
Catherine Meredith.  Though generally well-danced by
Erin Conway, Brian Murphy, Catherine Meredith and Mark
Tomasic, the dramatic-toned piece failed to capture
attention.  It was pleasant but not compelling.  Most
strange was the ending.  Without any climax, the
dancing just ended.  What was the conclusion?  Where
was the climax message of romantic love and romantic
loss billboarded in the program notes?  

Marcela Alvarez’s ‘VAGARIES,’ was uncreative.  There
was no true separation between the so-called dreams
and nightmares, and no clarity of message.  What was
the piece supposed to say?  In addition, the dancers
were undisciplined and  coordination of corps
movements was sloppy.   This was the low-point of the
evening.

In ‘FOREVER IN MY MIND,’ Brian Murphy’s piece, the
movements and the music blended beautifully .  The
dancers were quite disciplined.  The story, which was
billed as a poetic narrative, however, was not clear. 
Yes, the meaning of poetry is in the mind of the
beholder, but a message must be there or the piece
fails to have a total impact.  It was nice to watch,
but left out the important element of clarity of
intent.

Of Erin Conway’s  ‘FLUCTUATING HEMLINES’ the
choreographer states that what we are watching is
“pure show-stopping dance.”  I only wish that had been
the case.  The piece failed to let loose.  Often, the
dancers were not coordinated.   The promised
athleticism was not present.  The highlight segment
was the duet between Anna Roberts and Mark Tomasic.  

The most ambitious segment of the evening was Mark
Tomasic’s ‘LUIS.’  Based on a story by Richard Selzer,
a Brazilian doctor turned author, it is the dual tale
of Luis and Selzer (named Cherubini in the selection).
 

Luis, a street urchin is poisoned when the glowing
disk he thinks is a piece of a fallen star that will
give him luck, turns out to be a radioactive part from
a discarded medical instrument from Selzer’s hospital.
 Selzer, who led a life which he termed as, “a blind
love for science, for technology, which produced a
passionless barbarity,” after meeting and attempting
to treat the dying Luis turns toward a passion for
helping others.

With a script adaption by celebrated Cleveland
playwright Eric Coble, Tomasic choreographed a well
danced, but not completely successful tale.  A lot of
floor groveling, standing still, and dialogue failed
to develop the needed pathos.  

Jason Ignacio acceptably danced the role of Luis, but
even though he wore a microphone, he was almost
impossible to hear and his words were often
unintelligible.  Tomasic and the rest of the cast had
the speaking volume, but except for Tomasic, the
acting levels were poor.   Erin Conway, for example,
an excellent dancer, spoke flat lines.  Someone needed
to work with the cast on creating characters and
speaking lines that had meaning. 

Dr. Cherubini’s awakening, didn’t ring true.  All we
saw was him removing his rubber doctor gloves,
stepping over and wandering through the people in the
dump, not helping, raising, curing, or displaying
compassion for them.

The piece has potential.  Tomasic needs to expand the
concept to create a more involving and evolving story
through dance.  It might be wise to step away from
dancing the role of Dr. Cherubini and spend his entire
time as the choreographer.  However, considering the
few males in Verb’s company, this might be impossible.
 (Side-note:  the company must do something about its
paucity of male dancers.)

To add to the evening’s problems was Raymond Kent’s
lighting, which mainly consisted of dark stages with
some accenting lighting.  Missing was the company’s
usual lighting designer Trad Burns ‘ creative and mood
setting designs.  

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  	Going to a Verb Ballets’
presentation has been consistently a delightful
experience.  Unfortunately, this was not true with
their latest offering, ‘NATURAL SELECTIONS.’


Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://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.  His dance reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


 
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