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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Sold out GROUNDWORKS
program varied and interesting at Cain Park<br></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino">(Member,
Dance Critics Association)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">With the ever increasing
popularity of reality television shows like SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and
DANCING WITH THE STARS, the interest in dance is expanding.<span style> </span>Local evidence was the large
enthusiastic audience at Doug Elkin’s ‘FRÄULEIN MARIA, recently presented by
DanceCleveland at the Hanna Theatre and the sold out Cain Park run of the
Groundworks DanceTheater’s at Cain Park.<span style>
</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">With that increased
interest, as was evidenced by the comments made at intermission and after the
Groundworks’ performance, has come a higher awareness for the quality of the
dance.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">It’s impossible to watch
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and not gain appreciation for both the dancers’
skills and the abilities of the choreographers like Mia Michaels to tell
stories and create visual beauty.<span style>
</span>People in the Alma Theatre courtyard sounded like Nigel Lithgoe and Mary
Murphy, the reality show’s judges, as they commented on the performance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The opening number, BOOK
OF WATER, choreographed by David Shimotakahara, the company’s artistic
director, was a multi-sectioned piece which dramatized substance in its many
forms, as a metaphor of the images of dance.<span style> </span>In this selection, “each image is part of a journey touching
on memory, chance legacy and ultimately the ways we are joined together.”<span style> </span>Joining together is a Shimotakahara
signature theme.<span style> </span>Using gymnastic
moves, flowing hands, and strong lifts, each segment mirrored the varied sounds
of the music, which ranged from digital, to jazz, to atonal, to vocal.<span style> </span>Though well performed, the piece was
somewhat long.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">SWEET, staged by
Shimotakahara, was a compelling selection danced to the mellow sound of Bobby
McFerrin’s <i style>Sweet in the Morning</i>.<span style> </span>The always precise and engaging Felise
Bagley and the dependable Damien Highfield melded together, flowing to the
musical sounds, in movements reminiscent of Heinz Poll’s poetic choreography.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">CURRENT FRAME, getting
its Cleveland Premiere, is the work of Amy Miller, former Groundworks dancer
and its Artistic Associate.<span style> </span>Miller
was a powerful and athletic dancer.<span style>
</span>Her choreography mirrors her dance form.<span style> </span>Exploring the dramatic interplay between the formal
structure of Baroque composer Heinrich Biber’s <i style>Passacaglia</i> violin solo, brilliantly performed by Hanne-Berit
Hahnemann, and the emotional undercurrent found in the music’s themes and
cadences, the piece mirrored intertwining sounds with intertwining bodies.<span style> </span>Filled with strong lifts, no facial
expression, and effective intensity, Kathryn Wells Taylor and Gary Lenington
well carried out Miller’s design.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The highlight of the
evening was BRUBECK, getting its Cleveland premiere.<span style> </span>Dedicated to Jim Branagan, an active Groundworks supporter
who recently died, the involving dance was everything Brubeck.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Combining seven of
Brubecks’ lexicon of compositions, including, <i style>Take Five</i>, <i style>Bluette</i>, <i style>Pick Up Sticks</i> and <i style>Unsquare Dance</i>, Shimotakahara has given a snapshot of the sounds of
the American jazz icon as physical movements.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Each section highlighted
a different side of Brubecks’ experimentation with <span style> </span>moods and time signatures.<span style> </span>His style has been epitomized as “motion and commotion” as
“creating infectious melodies and dynamic rhythms,” and this was well reflected
in the dancing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The dancers switched
gears as the moods of the music changed from plaintive, to sassy, to happy, to
sensual.<span style> </span>Noelle Cotler added a
special presence with her ever reflective appropriate facial expression.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Kristine Davies’ costume
design was confusing.<span style> </span>The female
short shirt-waist pink dresses and then the varying styles of bathing suits
didn’t parallel to the musical moods.<span style>
</span>Lenington’s white tank top and belted brief shorts accentuated his
increased bulk and, as with the women’s costumes, did little to create the
needed visual image.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Capsule judgement:<span style>
</span>Groundworks DanceTheater is one of the area’s finest small dance
companies.<span style> </span>Their recent tenth anniversary
concert at Cain Par, again highlighted their versatility and proficiency.</span></i><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Next up:<span style>
</span>On October 26 and 27 GroundWorks performs at the Allen Theatre in
PlayhouseSquare, in a concert which inaugurates the company’s cooperative work
agreement with Cleveland State University.<span style> </span>The program will include a premiere of a new work by Doug
Elkins, the award winning choreographer.</span><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></p>