Dec 01 2012
Brain Meltdown
I was never into contemporary dance. It always seemed too experimental. And yes, experimental this was. VERY.
The first act, POND, directed by Nora Chipaumire, consisted of students of various forms, shapes and colors. From the beginning, it defied my former concept that dancers are supposed to be in shape. Before, I had heard that dancers go through severe diet program and regimen to keep in shape to enhance the quality of the movement or performance. This performance however, the performer’s movements were not synchronized nor did they seemed to exercise each movement in a careful manner to reach perfection. In a nutshell, they were just trying hard. However, with the music, I did sense this was a depiction of the environment in the water. With various forms and movements. Realizing that I would have been seeing this with a prejudiced view especially comparing that to the strictness of the traditional dances, I tried to focus on the message they were trying to deliver than focusing on the details.
This is a scene from the movie “King and I”.
At one point in the POND, the performers make a similar gesture as this along with similar audio background. The striking resemblance made me almost think it as racist and unoriginal.
http://www.pccua.edu/performing%20arts/the_king_and_i.htm
The second act, LindenLeahMarthaScottCatherine by Juliette Mapp, seemed to have more structure than the first piece. It seemed to portray the relationship between people. I found it interesting to see how the four performers were trying to surpass one another while drawing circles. As if its suggesting that the small moment of competition we think we are having is in fact futile for if you see it in a larger sense, you are just going around in circles, no one better than the other just change of location. The circle also seemed to symbolize the repetitiveness in our lives. Later, after I read the choreographer’s biography was I able to confirm this idea for it states “Mapp’s work expresses her relationship to the people she makes work with and the historical and political conditions that frame her dance making” and further inquired whether this could also be a reflection of the performers’ relationships and approaches the choreographer would have taken to incorporate it into the dance.
The third act was a complete enigma. All I realized was that there was a Korean girl who kept repeating the same movements over and over. I was not able to make any link between the title, performance and the music. Even more questionable was the reason why a performer had to tape the floor without incorporating to the dance. With the befuddlement, I moved on.
The last act was interesting. First it seemed like a bunch of people making random movements but looking deeply, they were using the light, the shades and movements in a very effective way. I found it intriguing that the color of the costumes seemed to depict the skin tone of the human race. But what was more fascinating was when I thought the people were just randomly dancing sparsely distributed throughout the stage, instead of focusing in the individuals, I looked up. Then I saw various forms of shades running dancing over each other, overlapping and creating a whole new experience.
When the show was over, I realized not many people were left. Maybe they had the similar impression in the beginning and left thinking this wasn’t worth it. I think it is a hasty decision. The more you put more effort into understanding it you see and realize more. Of course, you can also exercise your thinking abilities with a book but you don’t get many chance to do it watching an enigmatic dance performance. I think it’s good as a once in a lifetime experience but not necessarily more. After the show, my brain was so tired of trying to hold back criticism and to make sense of the whole process. I could understand their intention to convey abstract and complicated concept into the dancing, but I guess they overestimated the patience of the audience.
I thought the first part had to do with water also. I was thinking more along the lines of the beginning of time and the evolution of man. Though, I know no man who would move like that, nor woman for that matter. I thought there dancing was shaky when it came to real “moves.” Did you notice the one girl who kept almost falling?
I’m glad you cleared a few things up for me. I had no idea what the dances meant and you described the second one perfectly. Still, one thing I don’t understand about it is why they continued to say their names and saw the others names. Also, I didn’t notice the costume choice might have a deeper meaning in the last dance.