Category — Fall for Dance

“Wow” was the first word that I uttered when the performance of “Xover” began onstage. Contrary to my preconception about dance performances, I was stunned at how refreshingly original the soundtrack was. The music definitely caught my attention as dancers on stage pranced away. However, I was rather disappointed as the choreographed dance routine felt out of place. Even though the dancing was synchronized, it seemed that the dancers were in a world totally their own. The backdrop provided an enchanting mood for the whole performance; still the dancers’ body language confused me and made me question the point of the routine.

“I Can See Myself in Your Pupil,” the second act of the evening, was an excellently choreographed piece. It not only brought energy to the audience, but it was crafted and rehearsed exponentially better compared to the daft performance of “Xover.” The dancers were better synchronized, as they cooperated well with the soundtrack and brought life back to the entire Fall For Dance program. After this performance I couldn’t deny giving the dance company a standing ovation. It was just that beautiful.

However, by the time the third performance began, I started to lose hope. “Vistaar” wasn’t exactly the ideal cultural performance. Even though this third act presented a new aspect of the program, its long-winded nature destroyed any momentum the “teacher” and her “pupils” onstage had built. Furthermore, the dancer at the center of the ensemble seemed less experienced onstage, as her movements was stiff and unpolished. The dancers to the left and right of the “teacher” seemed more able to enthrall the audience, so it would have been more fitting if they were the focus of the performance.

I felt absolutely elated when the fourth and final performance was underway.  “The Golden Section” was fascinating because of the strong performance from the dancers. I don’t understand all the aspects of ballet but it was really clear that they had intense training in the field. There were moments of togetherness and precision only ballet dancers could have, even though the dance was more modern. There was a lot of chemistry and trust among the dancers, which made watching them more enjoyable than watching the previous group. I thought this ensemble of dancers was the most professional and polished out of all four.

My vague memory of the Nutcracker Ballet was the only previous experience I had watching a dance performance. I entered Fall For Dance at the New York City Center, excited and open minded. Ready to be introduced to this thing called modern dance.
Merce Cunningham Dance Company opened their performance with their piece “Xover.” The first thing to catch my attention was that everything on stage was white except for a simple drawing on the top left hand corner of the background, that added a happy feeling to the stage. I was confused when dancers came out and started their routine with no background music, but I attributed this to being a style I wasn’t used to yet and tried to keep watching without judgment. I admired their toned bodies and exactness of their movements. There was in fact, some loose form of music in the background. I was made aware of this when I stretched over my neighbor’s seat to see a woman sitting in the front corner of the stage, making noises that seemed quite odd to me. As the performance went on, I let go of my initial bias and let this quirky music churn in my mind. The music she made was courageous; all alone she created laughs, gargles, howls, and noises they haven’t invented words for yet. Weather you liked it or not, she caught your attention. What had first seemed like a disjointed menagerie or portrait, dance, and music, evolved into a strange, but unified and interesting piece.
The second piece was Gallim Dance’s “I Can See Myself in Your Pupil.” The music promised that this would be more upbeat and lively than the first performance, but the dancing made it much more than even that. “An exhilarating suite of wildly quirky dances,” the description given by the playbill, just doesn’t cover it. The dancers in bright dresses with varying colors put on a show that was so captivating it felt like it only lasted a minute, but every second of that minute was appreciated and enjoyable. The most amazing part of the dance was that with the plain white background, the shadows of the dancers were projected on the screen in different sizes depending on their position in the stage, morphing and blending into one another. It created a second performance that was different but equally as appealing as the original; at times I didn’t know which to watch. This piece certainly added a new unexpected flavor to the tone that was set by Xover.
“Vistaar,” by Madhavi Mudgal was the most traditional of the dances, paired with the most traditional attire. The bells on their ankles added a distinct sound to the music that was sometimes repetitive, and more closely linked the two forms of art. The movements in their dance were neatly structured; every move of the four main women was following the lead of one older woman, who seemed like a mother figure to them. This piece was beautiful, but it was unclear to me why it fit in with the other three. I questioned where the originality and spunk was that I had seen in the previous two pieces.
Finally, Miami City Ballet put on a great performance to finish off the show called “The Golden Section”, which brought back the spirit the audience exuded during the second piece. This dance more than any other, showcased the dancers physical abilities. A golden lights and costumes prepared me for a top-notch dance, and they did not disappoint (although at times it seemed a little too similar to the second performance.) The dancers threw and swung each other around, and made their light, flexible bodies anything from stepping-stones to swings. Fall for Dance left me with an appreciation for dance I never thought I would grow.

Neither my eyes nor ears could process the bizarre performance that was being given to them. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, and the feeling disturbed me almost as much as the happenings on stage.

When the dancers of Xover first entered the stage, I thought that for some reason, they were warming up and doing sound checks in view of the audience.  I sat patiently, waiting for the performance to start. As time went on, however, I began to fear that I was wrong, and this discombobulated jumble of dance and noise was the performance.  The dancers, in their uniform white unitards, floated around the stage with what appeared to be complete disregard for the noise that surrounded them. I don’t blame them. No one, no matter how talented of a dancer they may be, could find any sort of rhythm to move to within the “music” that was playing. For me, and many other people I am sure, dance is about the ability to control one’s body in cadence with sound.

Not only were the sounds completely disarrayed, they were quite uncomfortable to listen to. One sound, a strange throaty croak, was repeated over and over again. This sound has been used in many films as the sound a person makes when they are strangled to death. This horrifying repetition was patterned with strange lines that made no grammatical sense (“the moon is full of black”), said in a voice which I imagined belonging to a mentally unstable old woman. I realize that an extraordinary amount of work went into creating the performance, which makes me even more confused as to why it seemed so completely unprepared. If they were aiming for “organized chaos”, I believe they missed the organization and dive bombed straight into chaos. I have never been to a dance performance expecting complete chaos, nor will I ever again. I would like to say the show opened my eyes to a new form of dance, but I cannot be that generous.

This was Xover’s New York Premiere, and honestly, I think they need to go back to wherever they came from.

Thankfully, I was able to shake off any remaining discomfort when the next troupe, GALLIM DANCE, took to the stage. Perhaps they seemed better due to the performance before them, but I believe that I Can See Myself in Your Pupil is the most astounding dance I have ever seen. The originality and color of each individual was refreshing after the white unitards of Xover. The dancers were animated and moved in ways very reflective of the dancing that is popular with my generation. They combined these somewhat spastic movements with pirouettes and leaps that showed their true abilities as professional dancers. The music used was the type of music I often listen to when I wish to energize myself. It was certainly the type of music I enjoy dancing to.

What astounded me most was the chemistry between all of the dancers. There seemed to be an electric charge between all of them; especially in the fun, somewhat raunchy duet. The lighting created a visual feast for my eyes as I watched the dancers contort their bodies in ways that seemed illusionary. I never wanted the performance to end.

Sadly it did, and I found myself enjoying an Odissi dance entitled Vistaar. While the unison of the dancers was quite extraordinary, and the intricate movements of the girls’ feet and wrists quite entertaining to watch, I found my mind drifting back to I Can See Myself in Your Pupil, wishing they would come back onstage. In comparison to that, the somewhat repetitive Vistaar could hardly keep my attention.

I was looking forward to the final performance, as it came from the Ballet Company of my hometown. While the dancers were extremely skilled in their movements, that too could not hold my attention like I Can See Myself in Your Pupil had done. Aside from the fact that the music was from the 1980s, it played out like a regular ballet.

Overall, I enjoyed Fall for Dance, because of the absolutely delectable troupe GALLIM DANCE. I commend the others for their efforts, but no one came close to the utterly beautiful innovation of I Can See Myself in Your Pupil. It completely stole the show and left me with an aching desire for more.

I have never been particularly keen on modern dance. While I occasionally manage to find pockets of beauty within (what for me is) otherwise confusing and fragmented movement, for the most part I try to avoid the genre. I approached the Fall for Dance performance with this outlook, unfairly expecting to be bored, annoyed and altogether disappointed.

After the first company “danced” I was certain my negative predictions were accurate. For what felt like forty-five minutes I sat transfixed by the ridiculous performance before me. Men and woman in white unitards leaped around the stage, as though participating in an awful game of charades. The “music” sounded like a combination of monkey howls and minimalist trance. Half of the time I wanted to laugh (which would’ve been wildly inappropriate, so I refrained from doing so) and the rest of the time I wanted to walk out. When the dance was finally over and a solid portion of the audience gave the performers a standing ovation I was completely discombobulated.

My mind understood the amount of time and effort required to stage such a presentation, but my eyes and my ears were exhausted and unsympathetic.

All this being said, I was genuinely shocked when the second performance began and was awesome. The dancers were wild and youthful, their movements were fast and the music was fun- the complete opposite of the previous soundtrack. Furthermore the set was shorter, which allowed every action to feel new and kept the audience watching, and laughing.

My opinions of the final two groups were mixed. The third dance was fascinating but I felt that the dancing “leader” wasn’t ideal for the position. I now know she is a world renowned teacher of that type of dance but I still think that the job of a teacher is to give her students the center stage, especially if it’s clear that the students have the ability to be significantly more captivating.

The last dance group was most similar to other troops I’ve seen. In these sorts of dances I recognize the incredible technical skill of the dancers but don’t really find the actual style to my liking. Nevertheless the dancers themselves would certainly fall under the category of polished, and impressive.

My vision of modern dance hasn’t really changed, but it has been slightly expanded. I suppose that it, like many other categories, does in fact have a little something for everyone (emphasis on the little). I would be interested in seeing another scattering of performances to see what other gems might appeal to my taste. I do not, however, plan to frequent modern dance recitals and continue to prefer other areas of dance to this one.

(http://www.danzaballet.com/modules.php/files/files/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3687)

When strikingly different types of stones come together to form a conglomerate rock, the result is often an impressive rainbow of color and texture. While some might learn to appreciate the overall beauty of such a rock, others might only favor certain parts of it. Fall for Dance, a show highlighting four diverse dance companies, created a similar effect on opening night, at the New York City Center. While some performances of this dance festival shined, the luster of those pieces seemed to overshadow the others.

The first performance was entitled “Xover,” performed by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. The animal-like and sometimes robotic grace of the modern dancers took the crowd on a bizarre trip to the jungle and to what at times felt like outer space. While the dancers certainly had elegance and clearly had refined technique, the lack of music was more distracting than it was entertaining. The choreography was accompanied with a random series of noises, which was often the croaking voice of a woman. These moderately disturbing sounds did not provide a beat, making it difficult to connect the dancing with the background “music.” Moreover, the different choreography performed simultaneously weakened the dancers’ stage presence. Their disunity was ineffective, as it did not help an average spectator to make sense of the theme or point of the dance.

On the other hand, the following group, Gallim Dance, presented a more animated and jaunty performance. Their playfully energetic movement created a zesty atmosphere that could only be matched with the excitement of a child watching his first live circus act. The music jumped from jazzy to exotic, sometimes tasting tangy and even spicy. The dancers kept up with the liveliness of the music throughout the entire performance.  As they acrobatically bent, hopped, shook and glided through each segment of their dances, various stories seemed to unfold. Among them was a story of a man and woman, presumably a couple, who took turns chasing and catching each other. Though it was slightly sensual, their very theatrical movements kept it innocent and fun. Certainly, the audience members were captured by the rapture of this performance, for they gave Gallim Dance a well-deserved standing ovation.

Though this was a tough act to follow, Madhavi Mudgal very elegantly and successfully led the audience to the next performance, a traditional Indian dance. Five women took the spotlight, and began in perfect synchronization a very hand oriented choreography. The delicate and intricate motions of their hands provided a refreshingly sharp contrast from the previous dances. While the other performances seemed to highlight individuality, as seen in their choreography, this dance emphasized group unity. Together, they complimented the calming rhythms of the exotic music through the precision and symmetry of their formations and movements.

Meanwhile, the Miami City Ballet had quite a surprise in store. Though ballet is often thought of as slow and smooth, “The Golden Section” was quick and sprightly. The bright lights at the side of the stage accentuated the gold of the dancers’ fitted costumes, as well as their cheerleader-like energy. Their pirouettes, leaps and classic ballet moves were effortlessly performed at a heightened speed, giving the dance a crisp modern edge.

Although it was clear that Fall for Dance brought together a mix of dance styles, aesthetic appeal and quality also seemed to be a variable. While each group appeared to be well-rehearsed and was comprised of talented dancers, there was a certain level of excitement in Gallim Dance’s “I Can See Myself in Your Pupil” that the other performances could match. Perhaps the show would have left the audience in speechless awe if it instead had closed with this performance.

From electronic noise concoctions and solid white leotards, whimsical music and colorful outfits, rhythmic bells and traditional costumes, to what seemed to be 80’s music and golden athletics wear, Fall for Dance had viewers engaged throughout the entire night.

The first dance successfully captured everyone’s attention from the instant it started. Silence accompanied the Xovers’ dancers’ movements before strange random electronic sounds filled the room; if its intentions were to frighten people, then it successfully did its job for me. The Grudge-like sounds and the sound of static induced my fear of the woman standing just off the stage. Dancers had excellent control of their body movements and partners danced flawlessly with each other in such precision and purposeful movements. I was left in my seat confused by the end of their piece, wondering what the next dance piece would be like…

I Can See Myself in Your Pupil immediately brought me to the edge of my seat in hopes of seeing the stage better. It was a completely different dance style, where every dancer was costumed in colorful, different clothing and the music was whimsical and upbeat; their music wanted me to get up on my feet and start dancing because it was so happy. The female contortionist provided comedy throughout her actions and interactions with her fellow dancers, which kept viewers on the edge of their seats wanting to see more. All of the dancers’ movements seemed effortless, but it was evident it took a lot of practice to make their movements seem to flow right out of them. The chemistry between the dancers was excellent, as if they’ve been dancing together all their lives.

Vistaar was a mesmerizing dance between a lead woman and her four followers; the blue-toned stage with orange lights seemed to put the dancers in a trance where they all followed the methodical rhythm from musicians hidden from view. I could not forget the chiming of the bells from each dancer’s ankles and waist reverberated off the walls of the room, all in harmony with one another. These dancers’ bells were in sync with one another, which provided a beautiful accompaniment to the music provided by the musicians’ hidden behind the curtains. The dancers’ hand movements were synchronized at the perfect height and perfect timing, which made the performance all the more enjoyable to watch.

Lastly, as a grand finale to keep people from falling asleep, Miami City Ballet presented viewers with “The Golden Section.” Dancers wore athletic costumes and exuded energy to represent their title “golden.” Their energy oozed out into the audience waking everybody up even though it was already 10 o’clock at night. The bright yellow lights shined on each of the dancers in such a way that it seemed these lights fed these dancers power to dance with such vigor.

Fall for Dance was comprised of four very different dances that appealed to every audience’s taste. Kudos to all the choreographers who developed the moves that all the dancers followed flawlessly, for I fell for dance.

Picture from http://www.nycitycenter.org/tickets/productionNew.aspx?performanceNumber=5329

Things were surely getting smoked tonight. The way the dancers at Fall for Dance were performing, the floor on which they treaded produced a smoky cloud. Every dance company produced a unique array of flavor and style that the audience could not help but to be mesmerized by the intrinsic dances that were performed.

The night was started off with an ear tantalizing dance called xover. The first thing that came to my attention was the unique choice of music. Although, the sounds seemed unnatural it had its own appeal. It conveyed a sense of confusion that mimicked the dancers. The choreographed movements were an array of what appeared to be random movements. This works well due to the fact that the movements flowed with the sounds that were being produced. The most enjoyable part of this dance was the connection that the dancers had with one another. Even on the second floor many feet away from the front row one could feel the closeness of all the dancers. They were not robotic but fluid like the water that drops from the sky each individual rain fall falling seamlessly and in the end creating the puddle that forms on the ground.

Not even the amount of energy produced by a bolt of lightning could compare to the amount of energy that was generated by the second performance. I Can See Myself in Your Pupil is an epic attack on our senses. One word would exemplify this dance and that word would be “crazy”. With rubber band like movements and upbeat music I was surprised that the audience did not break out in a euphoric frenzy and danced along the performers. Although, it may appear that technique was not a main focus of this particular performance, it actually exists in many of the “crazy” movements that the audience witnessed. The dancers had a great amount of flexibility and worked well with the upbeat music. Every twisted bone and broken joint hit the rhythm of the song in an impeccable fashion. Most enjoyable to watch were the interactions between the dancers on stage. If you are able to poke fun at your friends on stage and still to be able to throw a great performance, then surely magic has a part to play.

Vistarr had intriguing taste do to its cultural aspect. It was more organized and it drew attention to the hands of the dancers and not particularly any other body part. It seemed like the dancers followed one dancer and they all remained in a tight area. This performance was the most different from the other performances in that the music brought you back in time to another era. This dance was able to create a sense of nostalgia that left you longing for more of this traditional dance style. The dancers had a mindset that did not resemble the other dance companies. In fact the dancers all followed after one main dancer who was similar to a pack leader. The music itself could have held its ground as a separate piece. It was unique and struck the eardrums with a unique musical appetite.

The last performance was The Golden Section, which definitely deserved a section of its own. The costumes were an attractive bright yellow, which almost instantly called for attention. The main part of this performance that stood out the most was the particular theme of “golden” that was used. The lighting of the stage gradually grew more and more golden as the performance progressed. This added to the liveliness of the show and created a theme that was different from the other performances. Every dancer participated in this performance and that further added to the excitement of this performance.

Fall for Dance produced different extremes in terms of dance. It is definitely a show worth watching due to the different dance cultures that the audience was introduced to. The exceptional dance styles was an important factor that made this show what it was. If you are someone who enjoys the fine arts this show is one to watch.

It seems as though the word modern nowadays is oftentimes – perhaps too often – associated with abstract, especially when it comes to the arts. XOVER was one of the most unique dance performances that I have ever seen in my life and pushed the concept of “modern” way past what any of us could have expected. At first, I actually believed that something was wrong with the music player, but after a few seconds of watching the dancers continue their routines, I understood that the sounds emanating from the speakers were intentionally distorted. Not many people would call these sounds “music,” but being a long-time fan of psy-trance, which is very similar albeit having actual rhythm and melody, I could sort-of appreciate the exotic nature of it. What I found most intriguing was how the dancers were all synchronized, even without any downbeat to keep them on rhythm. The contrast of the sharp cut-offs in the music and the smooth, fluid-like movement of the dancers made the experience very engaging. At some points, however, the harsh vocals in the Fontana Mix were too much too bare. The perpetual dissonance makes the listener feel like his or her own ears are out of tune or that something is really going terribly wrong with the music player. During the pause that followed, one classmate pointed out that it was mocking opera in a way. I thought about it for a moment and it seemed like an appropriate theory, although I disagree. The opera was there to provide a contrast to the radio static and I felt as though it was added a relieving touch to the piece. Overall, it was not a bad introduction to the modern dance compilation and it contrasted very well with the upcoming performances.

Following XOVER came I can see Myself in Your Pupil, choreographed by Andrea Miller with music by Balkan Beat Box and Bellini. Bellini is famous for creating one of my personal favorite songs – Samba de Janeiro. To me, this performance seemed like the most modern of them all, as well as the least abstract. I, as well as many others in the audience (judging by the enormous standing ovation), could connect with the samba genre of music and the dancing that we oftentimes see in subways, concerts, and even some clubs. Of all the elements modern music has, most appealing to me is the bass. Music can be loud and if it is loud enough, it can hurt your ears. The beauty of bass, however, is that your ears do not do much of the listening. Low frequency notes penetrate your skin and your nerves are what actually feel the beat because they are pulsating, leaving your ears unharmed no matter how loud they are. There was a moment in the performance that had very strong bass emanating from the speakers and it seemed as though my heart was trying to beat along with musical tempo. The music was not all that made this performance stand out the most, though. Miller captured us from the very beginning with the dancing and kept us captivated till the very end with fast-paced moves and the upbeat rhythm. This performance was so engaging that I wanted to go up on stage and dance with them. I was not wearing the proper attire, however, so my dancing was limited to the confines of my seat.

Following the intermission came Vistaar, performed by dancers in very flashy costumes. The Mudgal family clearly has strong ties to the Indian traditions because the set design and costumes accurately depicted how the cultural dances are performed in India. Being of Armenian descent, I recognized some of the instruments such as the Sitar and the familiar vocals. Indian dances are meant to be colorful and Vistaar illustrated that idea perfectly. The combination of gold, crimson, and silver on the costumes really popped out at you. A bouquet of flowers and a few candles, hinting that the dance was for a ceremony – probably a wedding, decorated the set. Although I had some ties to the style of dancing and genre of music, this performance still seemed distant to me, probably because of the lingering emotions from the previous performance. It seemed as though Vistaar should have came immediately after XOVER as a transition from least familiar to most.

The last performance that we saw, The Golden Section, choreographed by Twyla Tharp, had the most technical dancing of the four performances. The dancers were clearly very well trained and prepared for the numerous stunts they were performing. This was also the only performance in which the dancers wore shoes – they were barefoot in the other three. It made me think why the other choreographers chose to have their dancers barefoot, or rather why Tharp did not. It was almost as though the footwear was what gave these dancers the ability to accomplish more on the set. The music was airy and the dancers were deft – a striking combination because this piece screamed out TALENT. The only thing this composition lacked was the necessity for the observer to understand what is really going on; which is not necessarily a bad thing. The lack of abstract dance and music gave The Golden Section an excellent way to end the night, leaving us with a strong impression and understanding of what the meaning of modern dance really is – not too abstract and non-comprehensive, but at the same time curiously different from what we are used to seeing and hearing on an everyday basis.

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