Category — Site Authors

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The theatre fills with a strange groaning sound as graceful dancers glide onto the stage. There is an awkward break in the noise, during which the dancers continue to move as if to their own internal soundtrack, and then an unpleasant moan disrupts the silence. These sounds seem like a strange introduction to a song but instead they are the song. What the audience is hearing is the work of John Cage, a very influential musician of the 20^th century. “Xover,” choreographed by Merce Cunningham of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, is a tribute to Cage. The dancers moved beautifully and powerfully, yet the routine seemed to drag on, likely due to the blend of Cage’s “music” and the bland choreography. The uniform white leotards also did not contribute to catching the audience’s attention.

The mood changes immediately as the upbeat and catchy music of the band Balkan Beat Box blasts through the speakers. People straighten up and lean forward in their seats as the dancers of Gallim Dance prance out on stage to perform “I Can See Myself in Your Pupil.” The women were dressed in short, flouncy dresses in bright colors and the men were wearing casual business attire. The dancers moved in a way that did not seem rehearsed. Their arms and legs were flying everywhere in a seemingly natural manner. The happy beat and the carefree, joyous movement of the dancers made me want to run up on stage and join them. The dancers seemed so comfortable with themselves and each other and their bright smiles throughout the routine conveyed their love and passion for what they were doing. They were able to pull the audience along with them into their animated world of joy and spirit.

Now the stage is dark but for a light shining on a table with a vase full of white flowers. Exotic music fills the air as choreographer Mudhavi Mudgal dances out with her four students. They all wore elaborate, traditional Indian dress, embroidered with shiny thread and flowers. Though the dance was beautiful, I felt much of it was lost for me sitting in the balcony of the theatre. The movements were subtler than those in the other dances since they were focused on the women’s hands and feet and you needed to be closer to the stage in order to observe and appreciate these steps.  The dance was obviously well rehearsed as the women remained in near perfect synchronization with each other, throughout the entire routine. The music and the movement were slow, making “Vistaar” a sweet but not very memorable piece.

The last performance of the night, “The Golden Section,” was another burst of energy, resembling but not reaching the level of enthusiasm in the Gallim Dance performance. Miami City Ballet did a ballet routine, choreographed by Twyla Tharp, to the music of David Byrne. They leapt around the stages in perfect jumps and turns. Though the dancing was beautiful and lively, the dancers did not have the personality you would expect from performers in such a dance.

Though the four routines of the night were not equally enjoyable, they were all interesting and original. Somehow four completely different types of dance managed to fit together into one entertaining show. This Fall for Dance was a great way for a person new to the world of dance to expose themselves to different styles and discover what they like.

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It seemed as if when the first performance, “Xover”, began, everyone in the audience around me started looking side to side at one another as if to say, “Is this serious?” “Is this really the performance?” For myself, I honestly thought that maybe the microphones were getting too close to the speakers on stage and it caused that achy, high-pitched “noise.” I understand that this “music” by John Cage is where the origin of electrical music began, but everything seemed so unplanned and ill-prepared that I don’t think it is worthy enough to be played at a performance. Partially because I don’t really think you can dance completely accurate to these sounds. In my opinion though, Merce Cunningham’s Dance Company did a good job for the most part, staying in sync with all their combination of acrobatic and ballet moves, despite there being no real flow to the “music” to keep rhythm on. Like I said, dancing to the music being played is very difficult, but I believe they did an adequate job for what they were given.

I think it’s fair to say that the second performance really captured everyone’s eyes and was the clear cut favorite of the audience. It was such a pleasant change from rather slow ballet dancing, all white leotards, and unclear “music”, to the upbeat dancing, colorful outfits, and contagious music. “I Can See Myself In Your Pupil” by Gallim Dance was really exciting to watch starting with the quirky duet between the boy and girl, all the way to the final bow. The dances seemed so provocative, quick, and rhythmic that you just couldn’t look away. Every part of this performance was a show in itself… The dancing, the music, the outfits, and even the background. The back-screen of the performance created a whole different perspective of the dancers through their shadows. It enhanced the size and movements of the dancers in a way where you didn’t know whether to watch the actual dancers or their shadows. By the time the performance was over, the crowd showed its delight in this particular performance by the loud, thunderous, standing ovation they gave. This to me was the highlight of the night.

The third performance, “Vistaar”, seemed to me like the most unique performance, dance wise. It was a very traditional dance style, which focused on different hand movements belonging to the Odissi dance style. This dance brought the focus on one lead dancer and basically her four imitative dancers who would follow her movements. I felt that their synchronization worked well and that the movements with their hands through their fingers brought a liveliness to the dance altogether. The outfits worn for this performance worked very well with the Indian theme. They were very lively looking with the gold and crimson colored designs included on them. They worked well with the performance. The only negative I saw with this performance was that it had to follow “I Can See Myself In Your Pupil”, because let’s be honest, that was definitely the hardest act to follow. I think having to follow it made it have to live up to higher expectations, which I don’t think were met… But not necessarily their fault.

I actually really enjoyed the final performance, “The Golden Section.” The first thing I saw was all the matching gold outfits and right away I liked it. The energy on stage and the highly acrobatic “flying” of the dancers made it exciting to watch. With the costumes, I felt like I was watching a pack of lions running and tearing around the stage. The dancers were obviously extraordinarily talented and meshed well with the energetic music playing alongside them. All in all I thought this was a great ending to Fall For Dance because it ended the night on a good note.

Fall For Dance was a performance I was not expecting, nor ready for. But at the end of the night I was definitely pleased with the performances and was truthfully happy I went. I thought I might be a little bored by the show, being that modern dancing and ballet aren’t really some of my strongest interests. But even sitting through “Xover” I wasn’t bored because it was so new and interesting, that even though I didn’t love it, I couldn’t stop watching it. Everything was a mystery to me so I was glad I got to see and listen to these performances to open myself up to these new genres and performances.

Up until this point in my life, I have only attended private schools; so, on Friday when I went to the theaters to view Davis Guggenheim’s Waiting For Superman, I was more than a little taken aback from what I saw. Beyond the startling statistics regarding the nation’s public schools presented every so often, lied the stories of five children, who despite their inner yearning to learn were stuck in situations beyond their control, namely their compulsory enrollment in some of the worst public schools in the country.

What I had always taken for granted, the parents of the children portrayed in the documentary would have given anything for, and their efforts are chronicled in attempts at charter school admission. What’s more however is that the children were strikingly similar to my little brother in both age and interests, for instance, several were eight years old, enjoyed superheroes and one wore similar SpongeBob pajamas, and one little girl, Daisy expressed her desire to be a veterinarian, just like my little brother. If anything, the film put faces to the problem of public schools, and I found myself unable to remain a detached viewer. In the end, the film got me to think just how different a path in life that my little brother will lead from his counterparts in the documentary.

Certainly, we all would like to think of ‘culture’ as being differences that make us unique, unfortunately there are also disadvantages to certain ways-of-life as documented in the film, and it just makes me more thankful for the opportunities that I have been given, and eager to see the same opportunities given to others as well.

During my last trip to Florida, as I traveled from towns such as Boca Raton and Boynton Beach to Miami and Fort Lauderdale, a cultural clash elucidated itself. As a New Yorker, and somewhat of tourist, I no longer could have camouflaged myself after leaving Miami for Boca. Pedestrian culture was substituted for car culture, and I found myself lost in the absence of sidewalks, as I was perched in the passenger seat of my friend’s 1995 Jaguar.  I now cannot remember the model he drove. Perhaps, that on its own attests to my removal from a familiar lifestyle at that moment. The only mid-day walking that I remember during my stay in his town of Boca was between the gas pump and the passenger seat. I developed a consciousness of my restlessness to go outside and do things, as my immobility of self soon convoked homesickness. Many towns, like my friend Dmitri’s, have relied on automobiles for transportation, and nurture a seemingly different lifestyle void of pedestrian culture. Attesting to the reciprocity of my experience, during his last visit to Brooklyn, Dmitri, who lived in New York for sixteen years, was distressed by all the walking he did when last visiting me. Apparently, we both suffered when we were removed from the lifestyles we are acculturated to.

"I Can See Your Pupil" by Gallim Dance; Taken by Chris Randle

Fall for Dance is a Whitman’s sampler box of dancing, with various flavors ranging from post-human to Israeli beat box, and others in between. This years showcase presented a dynamic range of performances that offered something for audiences of different tastes

The first performance was perhaps the darkest and most bitter chocolate of the bunch, entertaining intellectuals who are well versed in the arts and offering little meaning for the average audience. The Merce Cunningham Dance Company performed Mr. Cunningham and John Cage’s collaboration, XOVER, a controversial post-human piece that was set in tune to a live, deadpan, vocalization of random noises. From what first sounds as the throat juggling of hairballs materialized language and stuttering opera pitches that an ignorant audience can easily mistake for a broken radio. Nevertheless, the “random array of noises” seemed to guide the movement of the dancers, developing a reactionary motion as two of them complemented each other in a physical unison; with one shadowing the other, their performance can leave anyone mesmerized. Their flawless execution has done justice to the choreography, that is to say that their execution was void of emotion. For those who dare to draw their iPhones amidst a “mesmerized” state, and Wikipedia Merce Cunningham’s work in experimental dance and John Cage’s metaphysical take on music, will find a delicacy of substance. As the principal collaboration of the two lovers, the unique product won a standing ovation from many, but little affection from young college students such as myself.

The second performance, titled “I Can See Myself in Your Pupil” and conducted by Gallim dance, was the most exotic of the bunch, living up to its description as “a joyous romp that plays with the madness of imagination and the ecstasy of movement.” Delivered with personality and joint-defying explosive movements, Gallim’s dancers were the only ones who were accoutered in varying urban, casual, attire, offering each one a distinguishable identity that was elaborated with individualistic motions. Nevertheless, their movements were thematically correlated to sexual relationships, and their choreography familiarized with hip-hop dance, although to the sound of an ecstatic trumpet. The company’s jittery and seemingly caffeinated motions resonated well with the young audience; necessitating no research of a recipe grasped by a youthful taste.

The third treat was an Indian Odissi movement. In a ritualistic and communicative performance, Madhavi Mudgal offered insight into Indian culture in his world premiere of Vistaar. The dance was well choreographed in a rhythmic progression achieving symmetry. Although its message may be fragmented in translation, the execution of the performance itself was impressive, lending to traditional “division in Odissi dance of head, bust and torso.”

Like a liqueur-centered truffle, the final movement was the most exquisite, offering traditional ballet and captivating acrobatics with a “The Golden Section” in between the energetic intoxication and technical style. Twyla Tharp succeeded in intertwining ballet dance with David Byrne’s contemporary symphonies.  The stage was showered in the ambiance of golden lighting, appropriately matching the dancers’ outfits and the triumphant mood of the musical piece.

With few potential flaws, and the accommodation of a multitude of tastes, Fall for Dance offered a salivating serving of entertainment to a diverse audience.

Exiting out of the Holland Tunnel this morning, I noticed two big signs: New York City Speed Limit 30 MPH Unless Otherwise Posted and New York City Law No Turn On Red Unless Otherwise Posted. Being a driver, I thought to myself “Well that’s pretty much common knowledge to anyone driving a car in New York… You learn that when you take your permit test, you learn it again when you take your road test, and you learn it a third time when you get caught speeding.” After thinking about it for a moment, I understood why the signs were there. They aren’t meant for us New Yawkah’s, who know what’s up, but rather for the foreigners.

I started thinking about it today, and each of the fifty states has its own unique culture. Think about it – every state has its own laws that govern its people who behave differently in accordance to the laws. In Florida, the driving laws aren’t really enforced so the people from there tend to drive aggressively. In Staten Island, people tend to drive relatively normal – it’s the roads themselves that make a driver want to stay indoors (they’re terrible). In Wyoming… do people even have cars there?

But why limit the analysis of driving cultures to this country? I’ve visited Egypt, Russia, Armenia, Spain, and France and the driving there is a key part of what makes the cultures in these countries unique. In Spain and France, wherever you can find a space that can fit your car, you park it there. Such spaces can be found on: sidewalks, rooftops, bridges, inside buildings, in parks, etc… In Russia, every single car on the road is a potential taxi – just wave at any random car and they’ll pull over to give you a ride. In Egypt, honking is so common and prevalent that they call it “Cairo music.” When two cars crash (stand around for 10 minutes), it’s called “Cairo kiss.” In Armenia, the traffic lights serve as nothing more than Christmas ornaments decorating the streets.

Driving is an essential part of most commuters’ lives and we oftentimes don’t stop and look at ourselves. Is there a unique feature of our driving style that would seem absurd to people of other countries? I’m sure there are… One time, a relative from Moscow came to visit my family and my dad was driving him around. An ambulance was coming up from behind with it’s sirens and lights on so my dad pulled over, along with every other car on the road, to let the ambulance pass. The relative was shocked at how organized everything was but his first question was “What happens if you don’t let him through?” A question like that never even pops up in driving courses – it’s just something we all do because we know we have to. Can you think of any other practices we Americans do on the road that would seem unusual to an outsider?

For purposes of full disclosure, it should first be mentioned that I have never been to a professional dance performance before, it also should be noted that I have never had that high of a perception of the art. Yet, as I took my seat at the NY City Center last Wednesday night, I was willing to set all my prejudices aside and was hoping, nay praying that the performances would somehow surpass the minimal expectations that I had set for them in the moments before the curtain rose.

Sadly, it was not meant to be. As the first performance Xover took to the stage, I quickly realized that this would not be the fun-loving highly synchronized dance routine that I had hoped against hope for. Instead, we were greeted with what sounded to be an incomprehensible muddle of mixed vocal and sounds, which one might expect to come from a garbage disposal, certainly not a professional stage. To each their own, but to me the sound only detracted from what was going on onstage, but perhaps this is partly due to my fledgling flavor for dance. As I overheard someone state on the way out: “it seemed they needed to fill every second with some sort of sound,” I couldn’t have agreed more; but it was a dance that I had attended, not merely a musical performance and the unorthodox soundtrack forced me to realize the importance of the two running hand-in-hand. With the wildness of the sounds, it was impossible to expect the performance onstage to somehow flow with the music, it didn’t. Not to discredit the hard work of the performance of Xover over the past three years, the dancers undoubtedly put a concerted effort in, but in no way did I feel it warranted ‘opening’ this year’s Fall For Dance program.

If my expectations were low going into the first act, they only dropped further during the break that preceded the second. Fortunately, the two dances that followed not only were a change of pace, but much more enjoyable as well. The second, I Can See Myself in Your Pupil was in an entirely different league than the dance that had come before it. Set to upbeat and carefree music from Israeli group, Balkan Beat Box, Gallim Dance Company’s performance was inventive and enthusiastic, and utilized music to their advantage as it was inextricably weaved into their routine. Compared to the drab white garb of Xover’s dancers, Gallim’s crew was refreshingly colorful in both appearance and attitude. Following them came the dance: Vistaar, which was a take on the traditional Oddisi movement. While the dance style itself may be customary, the performance was enjoyable in not only its synchronicity but its constant movement and rhythm created bells worn by the dancers. Also worth pointing out were the live musicians for the act, which were a major and important component of the performance. The final dance featured a much more technical yet modern ballet performance, which as far as I could tell went along very smoothly.

It is a shame that the night had to be dampened by the show’s opening act, which unfortunately took away from the show as a whole. Yet the dance that followed the first (I Can See Myself in Your Pupil) did its best to redeem the night, and for the most part, it did a good job in doing so. While in no circumstance would I recommend the viewing of Xover again, the poor choice in opening act should in no way affect one’s enjoyment of the other performances; unfortunately however it has undeniably affected my memory of the night as a whole.

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Balkan Beat Box – Cha Cha

Cock-a-doodle-doo!  The sound of a rooster marks the beginning of Balkan Beat Box’s “Cha Cha” to which an upbeat, fun story is performed by a couple from the Gallim Dance Company.  It was the kind of high-tempo music and engaging expression and dance that makes the watcher want to jump up and join the dancers on stage.  It was the kind of happy wake-up call necessary to follow the abstract and highly conceptual performance of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company.

Set to John Cage’s “music” and with Rauschenberg as inspiration for the backdrop, the piece, titled “Xover,” features dancers in minimalist white unitards.  Alternately prancing around the stage in pairs and individually and finally altogether, the dancers show they are technically sound and practiced in the timing of their movement to the silence that occurs in the “music.”  Followed by a screech or some random French musings, dancers appear or exit the stage with no coherent fluidity.  Where there should be strength in movement, especially when partnering, there seemed to be a lack of conviction; there was no feeling given to the physical motion nor was there a perceived emotional connection between partners.  Sure there was a theme, but the only feeling elicited was annoyance; sure the John Cage’s challenged conceptions of music, but use of traditional steps and technical dancers left the watcher in confusion.  There was no movement or motion that challenged conceptions of dance nor was there anything to add interest.

The aforementioned Gallim Dance Company swooped in like a tornado of fresh air and a bubbly mood that was inescapable.  All the dancers were featured at some point, and the boldness of each individual was expressed in their bright and varying costume and consuming movement.  Everyone on stage related to each other well in emotion, partnering, and technical strength, but what made the performance especially gripping was the way the audience was engaged.  Sometimes it would be mouthing the words or giving a little smile or nod to the audience, inviting them to show emotion; this piece is fittingly entitled “I Can See Myself in Your Pupil.”  There was power and interest in the movement and it very well related to the eclectic music chosen.  Every dancer was special, there was control and energy from head to toe, and there was a great group dynamic.  This performance left me with an inspirational sort of feeling that still hasn’t left.

What followed was a traditional Indian performance from Madhavi Mudgal.  It started out beautifully in movement and one was transported into a melodic style that was easy on the eyes.  However, what started out promising didn’t continue that way.  The composition was choppy in movement on the stage and in formation and moving out of formation and the tempo and style started to put me in a sleepy lull.  The performance focused on one dancer while the rest felt like backup dancers but shouldn’t have been.  There was more energy created with all the dancers moving as one rather than the appearance of subservience to one.  The result was a thoroughly uninspiring piece.

However headache-inducing the show started, it ended with a delightful presentation of Twyla Tharp’s “The Golden Section” by the Miami City Ballet.  There was an ease and confidence into the jumps and motions of the dancers and simplicity yet intensity to the composition of the dancers and the piece.  The only criticism I can express is what felt like a lack of conviction for the emotion at times.  But the dynamism and strength of movement made up for what the dancers’ faces didn’t provide.  There was subtlety in the warm feeling to be elicited, and the beauty was in the vigor yet tranquility of movement.

The medley of performances provided a well-rounded variety for the night; from conceptual to modern, people continue to fall for dance because there are so many different styles and interpretations that can be conceived.  Movement and dance is available to anyone, and Fall for Dance serves to showcase what can be made of it; even if not every section is enjoyed, one can question why they didn’t.  The show was like a day where the morning was mind-numbing and painful, the afternoon took a huge upturn and was exciting, the evening mellowed out, and there was a nice dessert before sleeping.  And when the next day starts (no thanks to a rooster), there is an uninhibited desire to 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.

A few days ago I was in my dorm, hungry but unwilling to dish out the money on a dinner from one of the fancy Lower East Side restaurants in my neighborhood. I decided to take a walk to Chinatown and dragged my friend Elisabeth who told me of a deal at a place on Elridge Street: 5 dumplings for a dollar. Its too good to pass up so we walk there and grab some take out menus on the way. Looking at the menu I just picked up, I feel proud to have found a better deal than Elisabeth. “Look, this place has 5 dumplings AND bok choy for $1.50.” I don’t know exactly what bok choy is but it sounds familiar and I imagine a large platter overflowing with noodles and 5 dumplings resting on top. Then she crushes my happiness, “Do you even know what that is? You’re paying 50 cents extra for CABBAGE.”
I’m feeling disillusioned but we continue our walk through Chinatown and I see in the window of a store, a large bag of “#1 Extra Fancy Kokuho Rice.” I find this humorous because what can possibly make rice fancy or unfancy? Isn’t one grain of rice just as fancy as any other grain? I chuckle at this and start to take out my camera to take a picture of it, but Elisabeth soon warns me that every passing Chinese person is giving me dirty looks. Did I offend their culture by making fun of fancy rice? I decide not to take the picture and walk (run) away as subtly as possible.
We make it to the dumpling place and I enjoy my dollar dumplings accompanied by a dollar can of Arizona green tea. I have to head uptown so I get on the train, intending to transfer to the E at West 4th. It’s the weekend and I remember reading something about service changes on the E line, I can’t remember what I read but maybe i’m mistaken. I get to West 4th and sure enough there are posters with the letter E, but as I approach one to read it I notice that they’re only in Chinese. “All of them are ONLY in Chinese. What’s going on? Do they only want Chinese people to know where to go?” Luckily, I only waited on the platform for a minute before the E came and safely brought me to my destination.
China, you certainly confused me today.