[NEohioPAL] Berko review: INLET DANCE, CARMINA BURANA

[Roy Berko]

Bittersweet evening for Inlet Dance; CARMINA BURANA is exhilarating

Roy Berko
(Member, Dance Critics Association)

Inlet Dance, Bill Wade’s innovative company, had a bittersweet experience
in its latest concert, which was part of Cleveland Public Theatre’s
DANCEWORKS ’13.
The program, which featured a world premiere, was mainly composed of dances
from the group’s repertoire.  This was intentionally done, as this program
brought to a close the dance career of Justin Stentz, one of the area’s
best, if not the very best, male dancers.

Stentz, who joined the company’s training program in 2005, was promoted to
apprentice status in 2007 and the next year was made a member of the
company.  He has been studying to be a Physician’s Assistant, and will
start pursuing that career goal-full time.

The handsome Stentz, whose sculpted body lends itself to powerful
gymnastics and physical moves, has a keen sense of the dramatic while on
stage.  His face and body clearly reflect the changing moods of the music
and the message of the piece being performed.  His coupling with Joshua
Brown, another proficient dancer, have created some of the most dynamic
pieces showcased on local stages.  Stentz will be very difficult to replace.

The program opened with LET GO, which featured dynamic choreography
consisting of running, flips, carries, and male-female reverse role
interactions.  The exhausting piece probed working through past issues,
learning, forgiving, and letting go as a means to maturity and freedom.

imPAIRed is a signature Stentz showcase.  Coupling with Elizabeth Pollert,
the duo, having gone through experiences while in residency at the
Cleveland Sight Center, dance the entire piece blindfolded.   Imagery,
intimacy, and tension are evident as the couple moves near, on and over
each other i perfect partnership.

BALListic is an Inlet “have fun” segment.  Dressed in bug-inspired blue
costumes, the dancers use huge red balls to bounce, jump on, roll over, and
as catapults for flips.  Their funny faces, slurping sounds and joyous
movements create a feeling of absolute joy.

A much repeated Inlet favorite, A CLOSE SHAVE, highlights the artistic and
dramatic flair of both Stentz and Brown.  Creating a dual image of actions
on both sides of an imaginary mirror, the morning activities of shaving and
face washing become synchronized dance movements.

In her book THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS, Laurie Beth Jones describes how
each person has characteristics of one personality type.  Wade, a proponent
of Jones’s philosophy, is creating a four or five installment piece
illustrating each element.  The recent program contained two of the
segments:  WATER, created in 2011, and its companion piece, AIR, in its
world premiere.
Both WATER and AIR illuminate the attitudes, moods, thinking styles of
those classified as having Water or Air personality elements via impressive
choreography.

Capsule judgement: The Cleveland dance scene bids a farewell to Justin
Stentz and though he will be sorely missed, the intelligent and talented
young man moves forward into a helping career where he will transfer from
entertaining people, to saving their lives.  Inlet Dance and its audiences
will miss Justin.


Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus perform the epic CARMINA BURANA

The Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, and the Children’s
Chorus and three soloists combined to perform Orff’s masterpiece, CARMINA
BURANA, for four sold out performances.

The epic sounds of one of the world’s greatest orchestras, and its renowned
choruses and guest soloists (Nicholas Phan, Stephen Powell, Rebecca
Nelson), was greeted by a screaming standing ovation at the conclusion of
the concert, which continued for four curtain calls.

The many textured moods, from nuanced to spell binding to swelling to
forceful, to climactic, were all exceedingly well defined and performed.

The evening started with Bach’s CONCERTO IN A MINOR, usually performed on
the keyboard, but in this instance played on an oboe d’amore, a nasal
sounding woodwind.   As performed by orchestra member Robert Walters, the
soothing rendition was a nice balance to the long and complicated
CARMINA BURANA.

The program was directed by James Feddeck, filling in for the ill Franz
Welser-Möst.  Feddeck is a delight to watch as he flows with the music,
arms creating pictures in space, body almost dancing, face reflecting the
various moods.
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