[NEohioPAL] Berko review: GROUNDWORKS Dance @ The Allen

[Roy Berko]

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GROUNDWORKS is superb in Allen premiere

Roy Berko
(Member, Dance Critics Association)

This is the 14th season of GROUNDWORKS, the Cleveland area small dance
company which has proven to be a local treasure since its inception.  In
its short history the company has commissioned 19 premieres by nationally
and internationally acclaimed choreographers, as well as 26 new works by
its founder and Artistic Director, David Shimotakahara, and 8 by former
dancer and now Artistic Associate Amy Miller.  Its highlight feature is the
high level of discipline, purposefulness, and precision instilled by
Shimotakahara.

Most of the programs have been excellent, but none has reached the heights
of balance of types of works and quality as GROUNDWORKS recent showing at
the Allen Theatre.

Starting this season, the company has formed a partnership with Cleveland
State University.  This attachment broadens the educational and performance
possibilities of GROUNDWORKS and gives the organization a new home, while
affording CSU students to work with dance professionals.

This union does not mean that the company, which often finds itself in
non-traditional settings such as Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland Institute of
Music, Botanical Gardens, Akron’s Ice House, the main branch of the Akron
Summit County Public Library, and Glendale Cemetery, will forgo these
venues.  It simply means that they will have a home base and an alliance
with one of Ohio’s fastest growing universities and a presence in
PlayhouseSquare, one of the area’s premiere arts locations.

Besides the new partnership and venue, Groundworks introduced its newest
dancer, Anika Sheaff (www.annikasheaff.com), a statuesque, well-trained
performer whose training with Pilobolus Dance Theater brings a new
dimension to the company.

The program opened with ALLOW, choreographed by Amy Miller.   Much like
Miller, the piece showcased power and strength as it explored chaos,
coherence and the way people deny and permit themselves to align with
others.  Composed of dancers moving alone, yet in the company of others, to
the clicking sounds of Alex Christie’s synthesized tones, it featured
excellent performances by Felise Bagley, Noelle Cotler, Damien Highfield
and Gary Lenington, with the latter performing some exception lifts.

The world premiere of MY HUMMINGBIRD AT THE HIGHLINE, choreographed by the
wildly creative Doug Elkins, whose company recently performed FRAULEIN
MARIA as part of Dance Cleveland’s offerings, was modern ballet at its
finest.  Playful and sexy, it was danced to such divergent works as A Lot
of Living To Do and I’ve Got You Under My Skin, to Handel’s Acis and
Galatea and  Wainwright’s Dis Quand Reviendra Tu.  Only Elkins could merge
such sounds and make the whole thing a delightful blend of joy.

The second act featured two works by Shimotakahara.  Both were
outstanding.

CIRCADIAN was an emotionally draining, disciplined, exquisite piece
featuring a captivating performance by Felise Bagley.  She was partnered by
Damien Highfield, who gave one of the finest performances.   The
choreography, dancing, music of Gustavo Aguilar, and lighting by Dennis
Dugan gave new meaning to the interaction between behavior and biology.
Bagley proved yet once again why she is the area’s premiere female dancer.

LIGHTS UP, danced to live jazz music composed and played Howie Smith, Bill
Ransom and Dan Wilson, featured solos created by each dancer and
Shimotakahara to highlight their performance strengths.  Dancers each had a
strong solo culminating in a mash-up conclusion.  The effect of having
worked with Doug Elkins was apparent.  The piece resulted in a yelling,
well earned standing ovation, bringing an outstanding evening of dance to a
close.

Capsule judgement:  Groundworks hit the pinnacle of its existence in their
recent performance at the Allen Theatre.  This was an evening of dance that
well-earned the joyously strong approval from the enthusiastic audience.
BRAVO!

Next up:  GroundWorks performs at the new MOCA CLEVELAND museum on November
29 at 7:30. This performance will feature the company in multiple locations
throughout the building, making use of its transparency, unique spaces and
open floor plan.  For information go to http://www.groundworksdance.org

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