The Arts in New York City
As a dancer, I must say that I was looking forward to this performance for quite some time. Although I am an avid hip-hop or street jazz dancer that occasionally tiptoes in ballroom, I was very excited to see a new style of dance, most notably a modern or contemporary piece!
As I walked into the BAM theatre, I must say that I was very pleased. It was a very different sight from the night before of extravagant city life at the Met. Here, in downtown Brooklyn, there was definitely a different vibe that exuded not only through the neighborhood, but through the crowd that entered. In addition to the more intimate mood placed upon the smaller venue with a smoke filled ambiance, the crowd was definitely not as dressed up or aristocratic as the night before. Instead of elite socialites, we had the “yuppies” with tattoos, eclectic hairstyles, and young urban working class that came out to enjoy the night. It was definitely a breathe of fresh air.
Now back to the good stuff – the movement, the art, the dance.
The rock and roll atmosphere set upon the venue by loud guitar strums and crazy acoustics threw me off a bit as the show began. At first, I couldn’t help but think if I was in the wrong place. But then the dancing began…
Right from the get go, I knew I was going to be in for an interesting night to say the least as I knew that all these types of dances were going to be different from what I was used to. The movement and style of these dancers were so crazy and hectic, but in a good way! This new profound movement of jittering and random motion almost felt tribal and rustic. The almost purging movement of hands reminded me of a sacrificing ceremony almost with a hint of jazz. I also appreciated the different shapes that the dance company offered to the audience. Usually in dance, judges and critics emphasize on lines but the choreographer did an amazing job in incorporating a different geometrical outlook.
Besides the actual movement, I thought that the musicality that the dancers were moving to was very similar to street styles. A lot of the movements accentuated the loud percussions and the way in which the strings were manipulated was illustrated through the fluid but staccato like accents. Overall, I thought the whole dance was quite enjoyable. Although different from the norm that I am used to, the crazy Dionysian art that exuberated through the opera house was something new and tantalizing. It wasn’t the ordinary modern or contemporary moves with fragile emotions. Instead, Political Mother went beyond that and gave us an emotion filled show.
Personally, throughout the show, I was wondering what the whole concept was all about. Not even in the small pamphlets could you find a small synopsis. I must admit that some type of information would have probably added to my appreciation for the show already. Instead, I was left wondering throughout the whole show, which at the same time could be a good thing. After all, art is subjective; the best part about it is that you can either take it for what it is, or simply interpret it into something more. I feel that for this performance, I was able to take it for what it was and truly appreciate the movement and ability of the dancers instead of understanding it.
Overall, I thought this energetic and eclectic piece was a wonderful production that made me look at the concept of dance in a whole new way. If you wanted something new besides the typical So You Think You Can Dance or Dancing With the Stars movement, then this would have definitely been something to watch. It’s full of crazy movements, energy, and sound that won’t disappoint.
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You make a lot of good points about “Political Mother”. I like the comparison of this show to the Dionysian form, not only because the “information” and “plot” (or lack thereof) was sporadic, but because the art form itself was taken from a disciplined art of dancing and made it seem chaotic and feral. It’s also interesting hearing about the show from a dancer’s perspective; for example, I didn’t pick up the geometry of the dancers or the street influence, so thank you for the enlightenment!
Of everything, I love your comment on the “meaning” of the show. I never thought of the focus of “Political Mother” being in the dance itself, rather than in a concrete message; yet subconsciously that’s what I took away from it. So thank you very much for stating what I think is the most accurate description of the show: “I feel that for this performance, I was able to take it for what it was and truly appreciate the movement and ability of the dancers instead of understanding it.”