[NEohioPAL] Berko review: Doug Elkins @ Hanna (a DanceCleveland production)

[Roy Berko]

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 *Doug Elkins and Friends delight in ‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’ take-off*



Roy Berko

(Member, Dance Critics Association)



As evidenced by ‘FRÄULEIN MARIA,’ his take-off of the musical THE SOUND OF
MUSIC, which was recently presented by DanceCleveland at the Hanna Theatre,
Doug Elkins may well be the crown prince of comic dance choreography.


THE SOUND OF MUSIC is a stage musical based loosely on the von Trapp family
who escaped Europe at the onset of World War II after being harassed by the
Nazis. The musical is inspirational, fairly serious and contains Rogers and
Hammerstein’s usual social message of what it means to be part of a
community.

 Elkins in noted for deconstructing and then reconstructing concepts.  THE
SOUND OF MUSIC is a perfect vehicle for him, for, in fact, the musical is
about the various phases of construction.  Maria, flees to the abbey in
order to escape from her life and build a new persona.  When she comes to
the von Trapp she takes on a dysfunctional family, deconstructs it and then
makes it anew.  The same process happens when the family flees Austria to
come to America.

You’ve seen the movie?  You’ve seen the play?  Now, picture the goings-on
as envisioned by Elkins.



“Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.”  You think
attending a dance concert is a passive experience? Not in Elkins’ creative
hands. You will--yes, you will--take part by singing “Do-Re-Mi,” in
three-part harmony.

The dance, itself, is introduced by Richard Rogers. Well, it’s a spotlight
on the center of the stage which represents the song writer and is
supplemented by a tape recording of the great man, who probably rolls over
in his grave every time Elkins and Friends does a take off on his beloved
musical score.

Since the story takes place in the hills of Austria, we need hills. These
are created by dancers encased in and waving green and tan strips of
fabric. A snow-capped mountain is formed by Elkins (who not only
choreographed the performance but dances in it as well) leaping off the
stage, snatching a white shawl off the shoulders of a woman in the front
row, running back onto the stage and tossing it on top of one of the hills.
 Voila, snow! This is done while hip hop, classical ballet, contemporary
and modern dance, martial arts moves and improvised maneuvers are exploding
on stage to the entire score from the musical.

Then there is Maria, the singing nun turned nanny, turned dressmaker,
turned mommy, who is simultaneously performed by three dancers, one a male,
of course, in a dress.

Elkins is not your usual run of the mill choreographer. He started his
performance life as a B-boy, a break dancer who toured the world with
groups like the New York Dance Express and Magnificent Force. And, with
that background, as you watch the madcap antics on stage, you will surely
note that his work is inventive, eccentric and compelling.”

Even Elkins’ choice of dancers is not traditional. While most dance
companies go for thin woman and muscle toned males, Elkins favors sturdy,
often fleshy men and women, with lots of power. There's nothing exotic,
about this company, but, they are talented. And, as can be expected, their
backgrounds don’t fit the usual company description.



Even the curtain call was fun.

*Capsule judgement: . ‘FRÄULEIN MARIA’ was an evening of dance not to be
missed! Too bad Elkins has announced that this is the last go around for
this program.  No, no,  say it isn’t so. Let’s hope that Pam Young,
Executive Director of DanceCleveland, can convince Elkins to change his
mind and bring the production back again and again.*


 Roy Berko's commentaries and reviews appear on coolcleveland.com,
neohiopal.com,artsamerica.org,

and broadwaynews.com.  His blog is: www.royberko.info


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