[NEohioPAL]Berko review: GROUNDWORKS AT THE ICE HOUSE 10/7

[Roy Berko]

GROUNDWORKS blends dance and music at Icehouse

Roy Berko

(Member, Dance Critics Association)

Cool Cleveland.com	

Groundworks Dance is like the little engine that
could.  It is a small company which selects unusual
places to perform its programs and succeeds in making
each its psychological home.  For nine seasons, since
its inception, the company has performed in Akron’s
Icehouse.  The Icehouse was, as its name indicates,  a
storage site where blocks of ice from the river were
brought and kept in the cavernous building.  Later,
when refrigeration was invented, ice was made and
stored there.  Now the facility is in the midst of an
area which is becoming Akron’s arts center.  It is an
unusual place for a dance company with its pillars,
high ceiling and dank atmosphere.  But use it
Groundworks does.  And, they use it well.

For this year’s two weekend residence, David
Shimotakahara, Groundworks’ Artisitic Director,
decided to present a two dance and musical interlude
program.

The first selection, ‘NANO,’ was in its Akron
premiere.  The piece was performed to a composition by
Gustavo Aguilar, the company’s musical director, using
only the sound of a snare drum.  As is typical of
Shimotakahara’s choreography, the moves perfectly fit
the music.   Though overly long, it showcased
Aguilar’s skill in producing sounds from a single
instrument.  ‘NANO’ found the dancers creatively
bumping into each other, pushing and lifting their own
and other’s bodies, while gliding, turning, twisting
and sliding.  Arms were in constant motion.  Amy
Miller, the epitome of bodily control, did an
audience-pleasing solo segment.  A sector by Felise
Bagley, Mark Otloski and Sarah Perrett was compelling.
 Dennis Dugan’s lighting helped highlight the dancing
by casting moving shadows on the Icehouse’s dark and
deeply scarred walls.

‘MUSIC INTERLUDE’ featured a trio of musical
compositions created by John Luther Adams and
performed by the Akros Percussion Collective.  The
musical sounds were supplemented by a dance segment
performed with creative competence by Amy Miller and
video images by Tug Video.   The percussion music,
using bells, marimba and gongs, was intriguing but
overstayed its welcome.  Each segment could have been
shortened to heighten the overall effect.

‘ANNIE REDUX’ was a creatively devised piece by
choreographer David Parker to the recorded music of
Irving Berlin’s ‘ANNIE GET YOUR GUN.’   Interestingly,
instead of using the well-known singing versions by
Ethel Merman (Broadway’s first Annie Oakley) or that
of Betty Hutton (who portrayed the sassy female wild
west gunslinger in the film version), vocalizations by
Judy Garland were used.  Garland, who was originally
cast in the film role, either dropped out or was
fired, depending on which version you wish to believe.
 However, she had recorded the songs before departing
from the filming.  Like the recent Broadway hit,
‘MOVIN’ OUT,’ which was choreographed by Twyla Tharpe
to the music of Billy Joel, the viewer needs to listen
to the music, but accept that the words they hear are
not going to develop the story of each song.   Once
that separation is accomplished, the piece becomes
pleasurable.  Consisting of some unusual lifts and
captivating movements, the dancing parallels the
sounds of the music.  A wonderful simulated tap
dancing without taps highlighted “There’s No Business
Like Show Business.”  In an interesting take, the role
of Annie was danced by Miller, Bagley, Perett and
David Shimotakahara.  Bill was danced by
Shimotakahara, Damien Highfield, Otloski and Perett. 
Each used his/her distinctive style to develop the
character.  All in all, this was a positive
experience, especially for musical theatre buffs.

Capsule judgement:   Shimotakahara is not afraid to
take risks.  His inclusion of a musical interlude
sandwiched between dances was a different take on
dance concerts.  As always, the overall effect of the
evening was positive, but several segments tested the
theory that the mind can absorb what the seat can
endure, and two of the segments definitely tested the
audience’s endurance limits.

Groundworks next performance will be at Trinity
Cathedral on November 16th, 17th and 18th.  For
performance tickets call 216-691-3180. For information
about the company visit www.notsoobvious.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

VERB BALLETS, another of the area’s premiere dance
companies, performs ‘NATURE MOVES 3,’ on September
28th and 29th at 8 pm at the Cleveland Museum of
Natural History on Wade Oval Drive in University
Circle.  For tickets call 216-231-1177 extension 3279
or visit www.cmnh.org.

‘MAN OF LAMANCHA,’ the impossible dream musical, runs
at the Cleveland Play House through October 7.   For
tickets call 216-795-7000.

‘FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT,’ is in
production at the Hanna Theatre in Playhouse Square
through December 2.  This is the first of the Broadway
Series productions.  It features all local talent! 
For tickets call 216-241-6000.

‘DROWSY CHAPERONE,’ the smash Broadway hit, opens on
October 16 for a two week run.  For ticket information
call 216-241-6000.  


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 reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


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